Gabriel's rain fly on his Eureka ICS 2000 Combat shelter has had the seam seal tape deteriorate to the point of it peeeling off in places.
Subsequently, water from rain showers and storms have caused an issue with wet gear inside of the tent.
How do I seam seal a rain fly or tent?
I decided to mix up DIY seam sealer using 1 part odorless mineral spirits and 1 part clear 100% silicone. I removed all the tape from the rain fly and cleaned the seams with rubbing alcohol to ensure a good clean bond. There is an ugly smell that is produced when you begin mixing the odorless mineral spirits with the silicone and it reminds me of how these combat tents smell when they have been stored for a while. I mixed one part silicone and one equal part of odorless mineral spirits in a small cub and stirred until I reached a consistency of pancake syrup. From there I used a 1" wide foam applicator to apply the sealant to the inside and outside of the combat tent's rain fly.
At first I only intended to seal the inside seams of the rain fly but soon decided that both inside and out could use the sealing. This solution does darken the colors on the rain fly and I am not bothered by it as long as it keeps me or Gabriel dry when wet weather comes.
DIY Seam Seal Kit
- Clear %100 Silicone: https://amzn.to/2rZrF8l
- Odorless Mineral Spirits: https://amzn.to/2IAcZni
- 1" Foam Brush: https://amzn.to/2J14zZH
Eureka rain fly storm test
In proper North Carolina fashion I only had to wait less than 24 hours for a thunderstorm and that's a perfect way to test the DIY sealed seams.
