Mountain Hardwear Tent User Manual
T E N T O W N E R ’ S M A N U A L
1
Contents
Selecting A Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Footprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Caring For Your Tent On The Trail
Stormproofing Your Tent
Guy-Out Cord
Internal Guy System
Internal Guy System cont. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ultraviolet (UV) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Food Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Tent Pole Care
Field Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Poles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Zippers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tears and Other Damage
Caring For Your Tent At Home . . . . . . . . . . .
Seam Sealing The Tent Body
Seam Sealing the Tent Fly
Cleaning Your Tent
Storing Your Tent
What Does Your Tent Weigh?
Low Impact Camping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Tent Accessories
Mountain Hardwear Lifetime Warranty
Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
WARNING!!! PLEASE READ! . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
. . . . . . . . . 3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
. . . . . . . . . . . . 9
. . . 11
12
hank you for choosing a Mountain Hardwear
tent. We take pride in making lightweight
T
Please take the time to read this user manual and
“test pitch” your new tent before taking it into the
wilderness.
5
For your safety, please read and understand the
warning on page 12. If you do not understand any
part of the warning call Mountain Hardwear at
800-330-6800 or 510-558-3000 before using the tent.
8
durable shelters for outdoor enthusiasts.
WAR N I NG ! ! !
2
3
Selecting A Site
CA R I NG F OR YOU R T E NT O N TH E T R AIL
Choose a site that is level, clear of sharp stones and other
debris, is sheltered from the wind, and will drain when
it rains. You may wish to face your tent south or east to
catch the morning sun. Do not pitch your tent under
trees, in water drainages, or on ridge tops.
Even though most of our tents are free-standing, we rec
ommend that you always stake out your tent to prevent
it from flying away in a gust of wind. Secure all pull-outs
(webbing loops located on the perimeter of the tent).
Cinch all webbing adjustments tightly.
Footprints
We recommend using a Mountain Hardwear footprint
to protect the floor of your tent. Footprints are designed
to fit precisely under each tent style and shield the tent
floor from sharp twigs, rocks, tree sap, and the like. Foot
prints can be purchased at your Mountain Hardwear
dealer.
Stormproofing Your Tent
All Mountain tents:
1.Using a 3 hole line tightener and cord (Fig. 2a). Adjust
the tension by sliding the tightener to either tighten
or loosen the line as shown in Fig. 2b.
F IG U R E 2A F IG U R E 2B
-
Superlight and Expedition tents:
Using Line-Lok™ cord cleats. Use cord 2 – 5 mm
(5/64 3/16 inch) in diameter.
1. Feed cord through cord cleat and secure (Fig.1a).
(code and cleat should appear as in Fig.1b)
2. To tension the cord, slide the cleat upward (Fig.1c).
3. To release tension, pull the cords apart (Fig. 1c).
M OU N T A I N H A R D W EA R T E NT FO O T P R IN T
F IG U R E 1A F IG U R E 1B F I G UR E 1 C F IG U R E 1D
4
5
Expedition tents:
Guy-Out Cord
Guy-out loops are sewn to the outside of the flysheet. On
the inside of the flysheet (opposite of where the guy-out
loops are sewn) are clips (Fig. 3). Attach these clips to the
tent pole and then attach a cord to the guy-out loop and
anchor the tent properly. Make sure you tie your guy-out
cord to objects (tent stakes, rocks, snow pickets, etc.)
which will hold the tent in a strong wind.
F IG U R E 3
Internal Guy System
Internal Guy System cont.
F IG U R E 4A
To further stormproof your tent add two internal guy
systems to the inside of your tent by using the cord and
cord cleats provided and the webbing loops sewn into
the interior walls and roof. Join two pieces of 96” cord,
forming one long cord. Tie one end of the cord to
point B (Fig. 4a) at one inside corner of the tent, and
thread the free end through the webbing loops at points
C, D, and E. Now thread the free end through a cord
cleat (Fig. 1 previous page) and then guide it through the
webbing loop at point F. Secure the free end of the cord
to the line tightener.
With the second long cord and cleat, follow the same
procedure for points G, H, D, I, and J. Adjust these two
internal guy systems as conditions require (Fig. 4b).
F IG U R E 4B
Ultraviolet (UV) Light
Ultraviolet light degrades lightweight tent fabric (and
almost any synthetic material). UV light will cause the
fabric to fade, lose strength, and eventually disintegrate.
The amount of UV damage is directly related to the
fabric’s exposure to the sun and the altitude at which the
tent is pitched. If it is left pitched during the day, highaltitude exposure can damage a tent beyond use within
a month. The best way to prolong the life of your tent is
to keep it out of the sun. Pitch your tent in a shady spot
whenever possible. By striking (taking your tent down)
in the morning and pitching your tent late in the day,
your tent will last many years.
6
7
Food Storage
FI E L D R E PA I RS
Never store food in your tent. Animals will often tear or
bite their way into a tent to get your food.
Tent Pole Care
When assembling the poles, never allow the pole
sections to snap against each other. Always make sure
that all pole sections are fully engaged before bend
ing (fig. 5). Keep the poles clean and free of silt, sand,
and salt, taking special care with the tips as they are
not anodized and can corrode. When disassembling
your poles, always start from the center, then work your
way to the tips. This allows the elastic cord to be evenly
stretched, an important factor when the poles are stored
disassembled for a long period of time.
F IG U R E 5
Using tent poles near saltwater. Special care should
be used when storing or using aluminum tent poles in
saltwater environments for an extended time. Clean the
tent poles with fresh water or for additional protection
use an aluminum lubricant such as Boeshield. You can
find out more about Boeshield at www.Boeshield.com.
The use of aluminum lubricants is not necessary under
most conditions, as Easton aluminum poles come hard
anodized from the factory.
Poles
If you break a tent pole, you can temporarily repair
the break by splinting the pole with a short aluminum
repair sleeve. The aluminum repair sleeve is fitted over
the broken pole section (Fig. 6) and taped (or wedged)
into place. Ski pole repair sleeves, tent stakes and even
branches can be used to splint broken tent tubes.
Zippers
One of the keys to zipper longevity is to keep them away
from sand and grit. When pitching your tent, be care
ful to keep the door and window zippers out of the dirt.
Never step on the zipper. Keep zippers clean by washing
them (at home) with a garden hose and pressure nozzle.
Most zipper failures result from wear to the coating on
the inside of the zipper slider (the metal toggle). Once
that coating wears off, the metal abrades rapidly, and
the zipper slider no longer joins the continuous plastic
coils securely. The plastic coils then tend to separate
behind the zipper slider. You can replace a worn out zip
per slider with our patented Zipper Repair Clamp. The
Zipper Repair Clamp (Fig. 7) is available from your local
Mountain Hardwear dealer.
-
8
9
Tears and Other Damage
Small holes and tears can be repaired in the field using
a needle and thread, adhesive repair tape, or liquid ure
thane (Mcnett™ Seam Grip). Field repairs do not void
the tent’s warranty.
CA R I NG F OR YOU R T E NT AT H O ME
Never pack or store your tent if it is dirty and/or damp.
If you do so, mildew can form and ruin the waterproof
coating on your tent. Mildew will cause your tent to
smell and can eventually delaminate and damage the
polyurethane coating. This will cause your tent to leak.
There is no cure for mildew damage. Prolonged moisture
on the polyurethane coating (storing the tent wet for
more than a few days) can cause hydrolysis. The coating
becomes soft and sticks to itself, peeling from the fabric
which will lead to leakage. Mildew damage and hydroly
sis are not covered under our Lifetime Warranty.
Seam Sealing The Tent Body
If your tent will be subject to prolonged rainfall or a
persistantly wet environment, the bias bound floor
perimeter seam (where the sidewall meets the floor) on
the tent body must be sealed. Do not seam seal the tent
canopy or zippers. Pitch the tent in a well ventilated area
(preferably out of doors and in the shade). Make sure the
tent is clean, dry, and taut. Stake out the tent floor. Never
seam seal in cold, damp (humid) environments. Seal the
inner, coated (shiny) side of the fabric only. Seam sealer
does not adhere as well to the uncoated side because
the water repellent finish is applied to that side. Apply
several thin coats instead of one thick coat. Work the
seam sealer thoroughly into the floor perimeter seam
by applying pressure and brushing the liquid back and
forth. Follow the drying instructions on the seam sealant
tube carefully to prevent damaging your tent.
-
-
Seam Sealing the Tent Fly
The flysheet is factory seam sealed with hot tape. For
most weather conditions, no further seam sealing is nec
essary. However, if it will be subject to prolonged rainfall
or a persistantly wet environment, we recommend that
you seam seal certain points on the inside of the fly. Lay
the flysheet inside out on the pitched tent. The coated
(shiny) side of the fabric should be facing out. Seam seal
all points where webbing or Velcro are sewn into or on a
seam. Work the sealer into and around these attachment
points using the techniques described in the paragraph
above. Follow the drying instructions on the seam seal
ant tube carefully.
Cleaning Your Tent
Never machine wash or machine dry your tent. For
localized cleaning, use a sponge with warm water. When
cleaning the entire tent, wash in a tub (bathtub) of cold
water. Never use hot water, bleach, dish-washing liquid,
pre-soaking solutions, or spot removers. If you use soap,
always use a non-detergent soap. Dry your tent by pitch
ing it in the shade or by line drying only. Never machine
dry your tent.
Storing Your Tent
Store your tent in a cool, dry environment. Pack the tent
loosely, and, if possible, leave the shock-corded poles
completely or partially assembled.
What Does Your Tent Weigh?
The weight of a tent is one of the most important factors
used by consumers when making purchasing decisions.
In the past, tent manufacturers have independently
-
-
-
10
11
determined which components they included in their
publicized weights. This makes comparing tent weights
between companies difficult. Mountain Hardwear pro
vides the minimum tent weights and the packaged tent
weights.
Minimum Weight: Minimum Weight is the total weight
of the tent body, flysheet, and poles only; it is the weight
of the bare essentials. This is the figure most often used
for comparative purposes when purchasing a tent.
Packaged Weight (Also known as Trail Weight): Packaged
Weight includes everything that comes with the tent
when the tent is purchased (less any shipping contain
er): tent body, flysheet, poles, tent stuff sack, pole sack,
peg sack, pegs, cord, line tighteners, user manual, repair
items and any other items included by the manufacturer
other than shipping materials.
Low Impact Camping
Camp away from streams, lakes and trails. Use biodegradable soaps sparingly, 200 feet or more from water.
Pack out what you bring in. Please call 800.332.4100 for
more information on LEAVE NO TRACE camping.
-
-
Mountain Hardwear Lifetime Warranty
Mountain Hardwear guarantees that the materials and
workmanship in every product we make will stand up
to the use for which it was designed. This warranty does
not cover damages caused by improper care, accidents
or natural breakdown of materials over extended time
and use. All products should be returned to us for evalu
ation and will be repaired or replaced at our discre
tion. Damages due to accident or improper care will be
repaired at a reasonable rate.
Repairs
All items covered under our warranty will be repaired or
replaced (at our discretion) at no charge. We can provide
cost estimates for repairing damaged items not covered
by our warranty. California State Law requires that all
items which are to be repaired must be clean. We do
not have the facilities to wash tents. Soiled tents will be
returned to the owner for cleaning before the item can
be repaired.
The Mountain Hardwear Warranty Department can be
reached at:
-
-
Tent Accessories
Mountain Hardwear offers the following accessories
for your tent:
Aluminum Y-Pegs: rigid, durable, made from 7075 T6
•
Easton aluminum, the strongest pegs available.
Snow and Sand Anchors: a bombproof way to guy-out
•
your tent in snow or sand.
Tent Footprint: a custom ground tarp that fit precisely
•
beneath your tent’s floor.
Gear Loft: a mesh shelf that provide extra storage in
•
the upper region of your tent.
These accessories are available at your Mountain Hard
wear dealer.
Mountain Hardwear
4911 Central Ave
Richmond CA 94804
510-558-3000 • 800-953-8398
warranty@mountainhardwear.com
www.mountainhardwear.com
-
Loading...