My go-to tent went from solid to saggy in just two seasons

I bought a Kelty Grand Mesa 4 back in 2021 and it was fantastic for the first year and a half. The setup was easy, it held up in wind, and the rainfly kept everything bone dry through three straight days of downpour in the Smokies. But this past summer, I took it out to a site near Lake Placid and noticed the poles just didn't snap together as tight. By the second night, the whole thing was sagging in the middle and water pooled on top during a light drizzle. I think what caused the change was storing it in my garage attic where it got baked in 90 degree heat for months. The pole sleeves and fabric stretched out, and the coating on the rainfly started peeling. Has anyone else had a tent lose its shape after a short time, or did I just ruin mine by bad storage?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_thompson415h ago

Wait, the coating on your rainfly is actually peeling after just two years? That sounds insane for a Kelty, but yeah, that garage attic heat probably cooked the waterproof layer right off.

the_nina11h ago

Two years though? I mean, I get that attics get hot but dang, that seems super fast for a Kelty tent. My old one lived in a closet and lasted like eight years before the tape started lifting. Idk maybe I just lucked out with a good batch back then or something. But hearing that the coating is actually peeling off after only two years is wild to me. That's not even like a gradual wear thing, that's like the whole layer coming apart. Makes me wonder if they changed their materials or something recently.

rubyk8614h ago

Garage attic heat definitely wrecked the coatings, not the poles going bad on their own.