Rooftop camping in Rwanda is getting really popular in Rwanda because of the exquisite camping experience it offers. With rooftop camping, you literally pitch the tent on top of the car and this gives you an all round view of your surroundings. It is considered budget friendly compared to renting a ground tent from the campsite. Whereas ground tents tend to consume so much time trying to assemble and dissemble them, rooftop tents are usually fixed on top of the car before your trip so little time is spent trying to assemble them.
Rooftop tents may also protect you from ground animals like foxes, snakes and during heavy rains, your tent will not flood. Tear and wear in tents can be caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, wind, rain and repeated tent set ups and takedowns. To ensure a smooth camping experience, you need to ensure that your tent is intact without any damages and holes before booking it. In case you discover a leakage in the tent, follow these guidelines to resolve it before booking.
Set up the tent
When renting a car with a rooftop tent in Rwanda, You will never know that your rooftop tent has a leaking problem unless you assemble it. While at the rental premises, request the provider to set up the tent, get a hose pipe and give it a shower. By doing this, you’ll identify the leakage points and this takes us to the next steps. However this means that you will not pick up the car on the day that your trip starts. You will have to do a day before so that it does not affect your travel time.
Patching
Once you’ve identified the damaged point, one way to fix it is by patching. This best applies to tears. You need rubbing alcohol, a pair of scissors, a rug and repair tape .First clean the damaged area by soaking a rug in rubbing alcohol and give it a few minutes to dry. Next cut a piece of repair tape to cover the hole leaving at least one inch of fabric surrounding it.
Remove the backing on the tape patch and place it into place and if the tear is in a high tension area for apply another patch to the inside of the tent. Then let the patch settle in and dry for at least 12 hours before packing it away.
Using seam sealant
The seams on tents are very vulnerable areas often ignored by many. If your tent seams are damaged, the best way to fix them is by using seam sealant. Seam sealing is done on the inside seams so lay down the rainfly inside out. Remove loose seam tape if you find any but leave intact sections in place.
Clean the area with a rug rubbed in alcohol and gently apply new sealant by using a brush and spreading it into a smooth even coating. Finally allow the seam sealer to dry off completely preferably under the sun.
Fix the tents mesh panels
Sometimes the mesh netting on the tent door or windows can get snagged and when this happens, you can either work the mesh strands together or if the damage is more severe, you can use a mesh patch. This can be repaired the same way as fixing a cut or hole by patching.
Note that condensation can sometimes build up and drip inside a fully seam-sealed tent. To help prevent that, follow best practices when you pitch your tent. Also, older tents can sometimes leak because the overall coating on waterproof fabrics is wearing out. When that happens, you need to renew the coating to restore waterproof performance.
UV rays gradually degrade tent fabrics, most car rental companies tents are degraded over time. Sometimes you simply have to agree to changing to another tent in case some leakage is noticed. Contact us for more information about Rooftop Camping in Rwanda.