Restoring an Old Dome Tent

I have a 2 man hex dome tent with 3 fiberglass poles which stunk so bad it was only fit for a pet skunk! It's about 25 years old.

I thought I'd try to restore it and get some use out of it since all I have is large, heavy family camping tents. (I use a tarp for my solo trips.) I've hand/tub washed it in bleach, then vinegar, then baking soda with laundry detergent. That seems to have removed most of the odor. I'm going to waterproof the fly and floor with spay on silicone waterproofing.

Some advantages I see in using this old tent:

  • The only mesh is in the front door and rear window, and these have solid fabric cover flaps. Most modern dome tents have mesh without covers, so this old tent would make a nice winter tent to keep cold air and blowing snow out.
  • The three pole design makes it a bit sturdier than the commonly seen modern two pole design. I might get sturdier and lighter aluminum poles for it if I end up liking it.
  • The fly is shock-corded and covers the entire tent down to 8 inches from the ground. Many cheaper modern tents don't have a full-coverage fly.
  • The hex design is a little roomier than a square design.
  • The tent fabric appears to be a very light and breathable polyester.

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