Whether for disaster management, simple accommodation, or industrial use, LANCO’s tents are essential for safety and comfort.
While all our LANCO tents are carefully crafted to withstand weather conditions and be as durable as possible, knowing how to properly maintain, set up, and care for your tent can significantly enhance your experience and prolong its lifespan. Here's a simple guide with all you need to know about tent maintenance to ensure your tent serves you well for years to come.
Understanding Your Tent
Before delving into the specifics of assembly and tent maintenance, it's important to check that the elements of your tent are secure. Typically, tents consist of two main parts: the frame and the tent skin.
The frame provides structural integrity to the tent. The tent skin, made of lightweight PVC-coated fabric, serves as the protective barrier against elements like UV rays and water. Additional features like windows and ventilation passages enhance comfort and airflow.
Proper care starts before setting up your tent. Inspect all components to ensure they're in good condition, and free from cuts, abrasions, or damages. It is also important to ensure that the tent skin is not wet or damp from previous usage. Check for cleanliness and remove any sharp objects that could puncture the fabric or damage the frame during assembly.
Tent Assembly
A systematic approach should be followed when assembling and disassembling your tent; it is best to follow the steps in your tent’s guide to avoid damage and ensure efficiency.
When assembling your tent, the chosen place of setup should be flat to provide the best stability for the tent. It should also be clean and the area should be cleared to prevent exposure to sharp objects or uneven surfaces. A protection groundsheet can also be used to further protect the base of the tent. Here are some tips on where the tent should be placed:
- Try and find an area that is not directly under trees, as branches might snap and fall onto the tent
- Avoid wet ground areas, where possible
- Avoid placing it directly in the wind flow to ensure stability
- Make sure the ground is devoid of sharp stones or other debris
- Avoid fire sources and flood zones
After inflating the tent, with a hand pump, electrical blower, or air-pressure kit, make sure to fix the tent down and fasten any storm cords with T-pegs. Proper anchoring is crucial for the stability of the tent, especially in windy conditions.
Tent Disassembly
Taking proper care in disassembling your tent is just as important as taking care in the assembly process. When taking everything out of the tent, it is important to take special care of little stones, loose chippings, and other peaky objects that could possibly damage the tent when it is being stored.
When packing the tent, make sure to pack all fixtures, cords, and pegs that should go with the tent. The next step is to fold the tent. Depending on the desired packed dimensions the way of folding changes, but generally, the tent should be folded in the same way as it was folded originally. Make sure to also clean the tent as much as possible during folding.
Packing And Transporting Your Tent
After use, the most crucial thing to remember is never to pack a wet or dirty tent. A tent should only be stored if it is thoroughly dry and clean, to prevent mold growth. Mold takes less than 48 hours under humid and warm conditions to grow, which can also penetrate into the PVC-coated fabric of the tent. Before packing and storing, there are several things you should look out for:
- Inspect the textile material visually for any open seams, stains, or sharp objects
- Pack the tents in the right packing bags and check them visually for any damage
- Check the inflation system used and if it needs any cleaning or repair
- Make sure to count the accessories and ensure that there is the correct quantity
Maintain a storage environment with controlled temperature and humidity to prevent deterioration. Ideally, the tent should be stored with a surrounding temperature of 18 - 21°C and an air humidity is 60 - 65 %.
How to Clean Your Tent
Clean all textile parts with only gentle soap and water and use a soft sponge. Always rinse with clear water completely and let it air dry completely before packing and storage.
For any additional dirt or stains that cannot be removed with this, the cleaning advice should be followed. Any dirty in- and deflation valves and relief valves should be cleaned in the same way.
Do’s and Don’ts of Tent Depositing
Do:
- Ensure that the tent is completely dry before storage
- Take care of any sharp objects that could damage the tent
- Refer to the manual guides for your tent for any additional instructions
Don’t:
- Store the tent when it is dirty or damp, it can be packed wet onsite but will need to be completely dry before storage
- Damage to the packing bags
Quick Repairs That You Can Do To Your Tent
Each LANCO tent also comes with a simple repair set. Repairs of holes and fissures at the tent frame, groundsheet, or roof can be done with this included repair set, according to the set instructions.
For any additional extensive information concerning care and repair, you can order the "Care and Repair of Inflatable Tents" manual, which can be ordered from LANCO.
While our sturdy rapid deployment tents require little to no maintenance once correctly assembled, common sense precautions do apply. Always make sure that the tents are well assembled, and far from any potential source of danger (open fire, flood zone, etc.).
Our tents are built to be as sturdy as possible and have a long lifespan, regardless of the climate they are deployed in. We make them extremely tear and UV-resistant, using high-density, fire-retardant skin.
We take pride in our tents and products, they all pass rigorous testing before being shipped to the end client. This is why we know that our tents, with proper maintenance, have lifespans of over 10 years.
Access this page to learn more about our rapid deployment solutions.