WARNING: KEEP ALL FLAME AND HEAT SOURCES AWAY FROM THIS TENT

HOTCORE PRODUCTS WARRANTY

Our warranty is the same as most outdoor product suppliers. It is a limited lifetime warranty for the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship. This does not cover normal wear & tear, improper care or cleaning, accidents, or any abuse or misuse. So please, don’t try to climb Everest, don’t let the dog chew on anything, and follow the instructions for care and cleaning.

Your gear will wear out, just like the soles of your shoes. This is not a defect. How fast it wears out depends on what you buy, the amount of use, and also how well you take care of your gear.

USING YOUR TENT ON A TRIP

Before leaving on an adventure, make sure you have all the parts and know how to set up the tent.

Selecting a campsite– Avoid rocks and sharp objects which could damage the tent floor. For additional protection, use a FOOTPRINT or ground sheet underneath the tent to protect the tent floor. Make sure the tent floor completely covers the footprint to avoid rain collecting. Choose a site that allows water and rain to drain away. Beware of any branches or rocks which may fall onto the tent. Do not wear shoes or boots inside the tent.

Using tent poles– BE CAREFUL not to allow the ends of the pole sections to snap together when assembling or folding the tent poles. Damage to the pole ends can occur, such as fractures and dents.

• During assembly, ensure each end of the pole joints are fully inserted with their mates.
• Do not drop the carry bag when the poles are inside, or allow the poles to fall out of their carry bag onto the ground.
• Always push the tent poles through the sleeves. If poles sections become separated inside a sleeve, be very careful when resolving the situation.
• Do not allow the tent poles to bend beyond a reasonable amount during set-up. Do not handle your set-up tent by one pole, always by 2 poles, and by 2 people if possible. 4 and 6 person tents should be set up by 2 people.
• A slight bend in a tent pole is normal after a while and not a problem unless it no longer allows the tent to hold its proper shape.
• If a shock cord breaks, the tent pole will still work as the tension will keep the pole sections together.
• When folding the tent poles, start from the centre to decrease stress on the shock cord.
• Most pole damage happens during set-up and take-down. Bring along a tent pole repair kit as backup.

Staking out the tent and guy lines– Secure the tent to the ground using the stake out points and guy lines. This will ensure the tent is nice and tight, able to better withstand wind and rain. Angle stakes away from the tent for a more secure hold. Discuss with your outdoor retailer as necessary. Some tents come with 2 grommet positions for the tent poles. The outer position is for pleasant weather and dry climates, and the inside position can be used when the weather gets nasty and you need your tent to be extra tight, and for more humid climates.

• Be sure the rainfly is tied to the poles, especially in rain or windy conditions.
• Do not pull on tent webbing or guy lines to remove stakes. Pull directly on the tent stakes, or hold another stake in your hand and use the hook end to pull out a stubborn stake.
• In unusual ground conditions, like sand or snow, specialty stakes may be required.

Condensation– You cannot avoid condensation inside your rainfly, on the inner tent walls, and on the tent floor. Perspiration and breathing give off much more moisture than you would think, and when warm, moist air comes into contact with the cool tent fabrics, water is the result. Cold, wet, and humid conditions only make the condensation worse.

Minimize the problem by utilizing all of the venting on the rainfly, set up the tent to take advantage of any cross-breezes, and open the vestibule doors as much as possible to allow for more air circulation. If it is impossible to dry your tent completely during a trip, make sure to completely dry it as soon as possible and again before putting it away for the season.

Zippers– Take care when using the zippers; DO NOT FORCE them to move. There may be some dirt or other reason they are not sliding. Dirt or sand can be removed with a small brush or even by spraying water. If fabric gets caught in the zipper, stop immediately, gently reverse the zipper slider, and start over.

UV Ultraviolet light– Prolonged exposure ultraviolet light from the sun will cause damage to the tent fabrics, both colour fading and strength. This is unavoidable, but you can lessen the impact by setting up your tent in a shaded area when possible, and even covering the tent with an inexpensive tarp or footprint during the day (or pack it down). At the very least keep the tent rainfly set up over the inner tent as the rainfly is more UV resistant and can be retreated with a UV protector. Nikwax has a Tent and Gear SolarProof® Waterproofing Spray. UV damage is not covered under any warranty.

Do not store food inside the tent– Critters both large and small can chew through tent fabric to get at food, crumbs, and even the smell of food.

Roll or stuff a tent for a trip– By folding and rolling a tent you can likely get it to a smaller carry size (easier to push more air out). However, continued folding and rolling the same way could cause a wear line and damage fabrics and coatings.

Random stuffing will continually change the wear lines and allow for more even wear. When backpacking with 2 or more people it is likely that the inner tent and rainfly will be carried by different people, each in its own carry bag (or maybe no carry bag). A quick fold and roll, or random stuff, is fine. Try to make sure all parts of the tent are dry.

Fabric repair– Take along a fabric repair kit to make on-the-trail repairs as necessary.

CARE & MAINTENANCE

Always store dry– Absolutely make sure your tent is COMPLETELY DRY before storing it between adventures. Any moisture will cause water and mildew damage to the tent coatings and fabrics. This is not covered under any warranty. It is recommended you store your tent loosely in a large breathable bag or cardboard box, in a cool and dry environment. Every month or so give the tent a repack to allow air to circulate to different parts of the tent. It is not recommended to store the tent in its carry bag.

If drying your tent outside, please do it out of direct sunlight whenever possible.

The best possible way to store the tent poles is fully, or partially, assembled. This will take the most stress off the shock cord.

Cleaning the tent fabric, zippers, and poles– Absolutely DO NOT wash any part of your tent in a washing machine of any sort. Also do not soak the tent in water or any presoaking solution, or use bleach. It is recommended to use a sponge and lukewarm water to wipe down your tent and remove dust and dirt. If stubborn dirt persists, use a mild cleaning soap (unscented) and the same sponge for spot treatment. Allow the tent to COMPLETELY DRY before storage.

Zippers can be cleared of dust and dirt using a small brush or even a garden hose. This is a great way to extend the life of your zippers.

Clean poles of dust and dirt with a good wipe and use a small brush as necessary, paying particular attention to the joints of each pole section that match up to another. You do not want dirt in there. The joints of each pole section can be lightly lubricated with silicone.

Colour transfer– It is not unusual for some colour transfer between two fabrics of different colour to occur. This is to be expected when dealing with items packed tightly together in what is likely a humid environment. It will not affect the performance of the fabrics. To minimize the problem, keep the tent as dry as possible when packing and storing.

Reproof seams and fabrics– It is possible to extend the life of your tent with some great products from Nikwax, ReviveX®, and McNett®. If water stops beading off the outside of your tent rainfly, you can reproof this with Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarProof® Waterproofing Spray, or ReviveX® Instant Waterproofing Spray. Make sure to read the packaging on any product and make sure it is ok for your gear. Follow the instructions.