Question: Tacky Tent Fly?
I have an old Eureka geo-dome tent that has been packed away for several years. When I set it up to air out, the inside of the fly is sticky. It's not sap or anything like that. It is just a uniform stickiness across the whole inside of the fly. The non-mesh portion of the tent has the same tacky feel. I don't use the tent much anymore, but always pack the tent away dry. I don't believe this is a mildew type problem. I notice no odor. I tried washing the fly with mild soap, but it didn't help (or didn't do much). Can you tell me what is causing this and how to get rid of, or at least reduce this problem? ~ Rich
Answer: Sounds like you have a tent probably made out of nylon or polyester that had a weatherproof coating. These older tents had the coating applied to the underside of the fly and the inside of the tent walls. Over time this coating can break down and separate from the fabric. Changes in heat and humidity can turn it into a partial liquid state, which accounts for the stickiness.
Today tents are made of better materials that breathe and thus require no weatherproof coatings. You won't find this problem occurring in newer tents.
My suggestion: pitch it and get a new tent. The time and effort, not to mention cost, to restore your old tent out weigh the cost of buying a new one. Eureka has some great dome tents in the $150 range and less, but there are lots of good tents out there today. Shop around!