Sunday 17 August 2008

It leaks!

The sky was grey at threatening as I set out on my evening run across the moor. The summer seasons wetness made tussocks grow to full volume which didn't help as I splashed through the wet ground. Past Hart Tor, beyond Black and on to Leather and Sharpitor; sky blackened and the visibility dropped to nothingness as I grabbed for my compass to take a bearing for the road I wanted to cross. The rain came down and the chill bit in as I made the old railway track that passes the back of Ingra Tor. I was chilled clean through to the bone despite a fast pace and by Swell Tor Quarry had donned my lite Speed jacket. Around Kings Tor and onward toward Princetown I reached the car. I grabbed my larger sack and popped the Golite Hex up for a nights shelter with the full intention of a good day to follow tomorrow. The rain came down like stair rods and the wind pressed against the Hex. I was puzzled: where the hell was that water coming from..... damn it's the seams....It leaks!

Arggghh!!!

9 comments:

David Wood said...

It leaks?? Good grief. I've heard nothing but good things from all and sundry about the Hex. That's a real surprise.

Do they actually expect you to seam-seal it perhaps?

Terra Nova do on their Superlite range - but they're very quiet about it. Nothing in the packaging. They just kinda mumble it into their sleave when you ask them why your Superlite tent leaked in a downpour...

Maybe the same situation here?

Anonymous said...

Dawn had leaking seams as well recently.
Is there a conspiracy going on?

Looks like some seam sealer is needed. But wouldn;t of happened with a tarp ;-) ^_^

Walk Dartmoor said...

Alas folks yes I believe seam sealant is in order.

Actually it is a Shangri la 3. But I call it a Hex errr, ahem... because to all intents and purposes thatis what it is.

Redyetidave, you are quite right, seam sealing is one of those things folk dont really come out of the closet about, it is just mumblings in quite circles where nobody can really quite discern what is being said!

Hopefully Dawn may be able to enlighten me as to how it happened to her Darren. Its odd relly, you cant work out where the heck it is coming from, it took me about 1/2 an hour of puzzling to sus' it out.

Anonymous said...

The thread is hydro-something-or-other, and is 'supposed' to swell in the wet and seal the seams.

We had problems with a leaking Shangri La 2 a couple of months back, however, we've not had any problems with our older Hex3.

Maybe the thread used in the new Shangri La range is has changed since the Hex3?

Walk Dartmoor said...

Maybe, but it still leaks.
:-)

John Hee said...

a night under tin then?

Walk Dartmoor said...

If you mean the car John?..... No.

The drip was tiny to start with it was the morning that brought the worst wind and rain, then the dripping was somewhat more noticeable.
Bloody tarps!

Martin Rye said...

"Bloody tarps". Good to see your knocking them on the head then. Tipi tents are for wild west movies ;-)Have fun.

Anonymous said...

This seems to be a common occurence in the newer Golite shelters. My Hex three also needed some some seal. Oddly my Shangri two has proved ok, just a few minor leaks. Believe me, it got subject to some extreme wet. Write up soon. Dawn