Warning: cheap rainfly sealant ruined my tent after one trip

I tried using a $6 can of silicone spray from the hardware store to waterproof my tent's rainfly before a trip to Lake Tahoe last month. Within two days, the coating started peeling off in sticky white flakes that got all over my sleeping bag and gear. Turns out, that spray is meant for fabric shoes, not nylon tents, and it chemically broke down the factory coating. Has anyone else had a bad experience with off-label waterproofing products?

3 comments

3 Comments

abby_king2226d agoMost Upvoted

Jokes on me... I just bought a new tent yesterday.

angela_dixon27d ago

Oh man, that sticky white flake thing is the worst. I had the exact same mess happen with a cheap tent I tried to patch up with some random silicone lubricant spray from the auto parts store. It didn't just peel off, it left this gross, tacky residue that attracted every bit of dirt and pine needle in the campsite. My sleeping pad had a permanent sticky spot for the rest of the trip. I'm sorry you had to deal with that, especially ruining your Lake Tahoe trip. It's so frustrating when you think you're saving a few bucks and it just backfires like that.

wright.drew26d ago

And the worst part is that tacky residue never fully comes off. Had a buddy try every solvent under the sun to clean his bag, ended up just buying a replacement.