SKILLS: PACKING UP FOR WINTER
Top tips for storing your kit until spring
The end of the camping season is always a sad moment and you’ll need to make sure your gear stays in top condition during its hibernation. As most of us prefer to camp in milder weather with longer hours of daylight, keeping your tent and camping gear in good nick when it is stored away for a long period of time is important.
Tempting as it might be to throw it all in the garage or shed and forget about it until spring, there are some essentials you need to do to make sure you don’t get any nasty surprises when you get ready for the first trip of the new year.
Before storing everything away, it pays to unpack it all and check carefully for damage, holes, tears, damp, mould, mildew, seam strains or any other signs of wear.
STORING YOUR TENT
The biggest issue you’ll face with your tent is mould and mildew, which will make the tent smell bad and eventually can cause the fabric to rot away, leaving it only fit for the bin. Your battle against mildew starts before you even leave the campsite.
Try to take your tent down when it is as dry as possible. If it is wet at packing-up time, shake off as much water as possible and wipe more away with a clean, dry cloth or a towel. If the tent is still damp and you have room in your car, drape it loose over the luggage in the boot rather than putting it in the bag.
Either way, when you get home, unpack it and leave it out to dry as soon as possible. If the weather makes this difficult, even spreading it out in a garage or shed is better than leaving it in the bag while wet. Just waiting a few days can cause irreparable damage to the fabric.
Wait for a dry day to make all the checks on the tent’s condition. Pitch it in the garden if you can or, at least, spread it out on the ground so you can check it thoroughly.
Those repair kits that came with the tent and airbeds may now come into their own.
In particular, look out for and replace broken poles, damaged zips and worn guylines. Also check for tears in the groundsheet and flysheet. Some rips can be simply sewn back together, either by hand or with a sewing machine, then coated on both sides with seam sealant. For ragged tears and seams it makes sense to add a patch.
Repair or replace dodgy pegs, fraying guylines, split poles, broken buckles and rubber bands that have lost their elasticity.
STORING YOUR GEAR
Air off sleeping bags for a couple of days and store them in large mesh bags or folded neatly in a wardrobe or airing cupboard. Take a close look at drawcords, zips and seams, repairing any damage where you can. It might be time to wash the bags (many can be machine washed these days); follow the manufacturer’s advice.
Wipe down tent furniture like wardrobes,
kitchens, tables and chairs and check for any damage. All sorts of crumbs plus other food stains and remains might fester through the winter so give fabric, shelves and structures a good wash.
Washing surfaces, fabrics and structures with a mild solution of bleach helps with hygiene and prevents the spread of mildew. Clean out coolboxes and food storage containers thoroughly.
Camping stoves can easily get dirty through general use and you should wipe down the outside regularly during camping trips to prevent a build-up of grime. Annual cleanings are recommended before storing your stove at the end of camping season – give the burners a clean with warm, soapy water and a cloth.
If the gas jets get clogged, unscrew the
burner from the stove, lift off the rings and use a small needle to clear any waste, then clean it with soap and warm water before rinsing and reassembling. Make sure it’s completely dry before packing away.
Pots and pans will also benefit from a good scrub, as well as the stove storage bag.