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Pro tip: my grandfather's 1970s canvas tent outlasted two modern ones, and I think I know why
Bought a modern 4 person tent for a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park two summers back. Treated it well, dried it out every time, still got a leak at a seam by the third use. Then I dug my grandfather's old canvas wall tent out of his garage in Ohio, bought it in 1974 according to the tag, and it held up through a full week of rain without a drop getting in.
Turned out the difference is simple. The old canvas breathes, and when the fibers get wet they swell up and close the gaps. The new stuff is coated and light, but once that coating wears at a fold, that is where the water comes in. We gave up breathability for a lighter pack, and we pay for it later.
I still bring the new tent when I have to hike in far. But for car camping the heavy canvas one comes along, and I have stopped worrying about rain. Anyone else still using old canvas gear, and how do you deal with the weight?
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