cot put holes in tent floor

[Salivanto]

Hello,

Just got back from my second camping trip in recent memory and I've found that the cots we used this time put some holes in the bottom of the tent floor. I'm looking for information on how to fix it and also how to prevent this from happening again.

This is the second time out in this tent and the first time out with cots. I've got two different types of cotts. One even claims that it has "tent friendly" feet and the other seems even more tent friendly. The ground was rocky, so I'm not surprized that I have a hole now, the floor having been ground between metal and stone. Still, our old tent has been through three owners and the same cotts and has no holes in the floor.

One obvious prevention would be not to use the cots, but since we've used cots in other tents with no problem, I think there's got to be more going on here. Could it be a question of quality of the tent floor? Is there something we could put down, like a carpet, to protect the floor when the ground is rocky -- should it go in the tent under it or both? We used a brand name ground cloth, and that has holes too.

Any tips on patching the floor? It was a $40 tent, so I am not overly panicked about this, but I'd like not to repeat this mistake if we decide to get a new tent or repair this one.

[packerz4]

how about putting tennis balls on the cot legs?

i'd patch it with some tarp material, and silicone/glue stuff. you could even sew a patch on it, and seal the seam with the seam seal stuff.

when i use seam seal, i let it cure for a few days then lightly dust baby powder on the seams to keep it from sticking together when i fold the item up... works for me.

i also use homemade seam sealer... one part clear ge silicone to one part mineral spirits, stir with a paint stirrer attachment in my drill press... (use a stadium tumbler cup for the mixture), when it's thinned out to a consistent blend, i use one of those 1/2" cheap sponge/foam brushes to apply to the seams, let cure, apply the talcum or baby powder and voila!

tk

[SmokeyBob]

I use those plastic snap on lids that come with coffee cans and some brands of canned dog food have them.

[tonyj]

Second time I've suggested this in 5 minutes--duct tape.

[Salivanto]

Thanks for the tips on repairing.

As for tennis balls or plastic lids... I haven't checked to see exactly which cot made the holes (or whether both did) but neither one has feet, per se. The legs on both are more of a loop, which comes down like a leg, comes to a bend, runs under the cot and then bends back up to form the leg for the other side. It's true that the newer cott has a slight zig-zag in the part of the leg which runs along the floor, so it's possible that only a part of it does touch the ground. I'll check that out and try to figure out what I can put there.

[SmokeyBob]

With the type of legs your talking about. Cut a 4" or 5" wide strip of 1/4" plywood the length of your cots width. Sand the edges and corners so they are rounded and smooth.

Another thought, if your not doing this. Use a heavy duty ground cloth under the tent and check the ground for rocks, sticks and any other sharp object. Use a ground cloth that's just a little bit smaller than the length and width of your tent. The first time it rains you will understand why. And for added protection I also used a ground cloth inside my tent.

When you take up the inside ground cloth all the dirt comes out with it. And the inside of your tent is still clean.

[Salivanto]

Thanks for the tips, Bob.

The problem with this last site is that it was all rock. It wasn't a question of one or two rocks to avoid. I picked the least rocky place I could find.

Since posting my last note, I checked the new cot and it does have a bit of a zig (or zag) in the bottom part, so I see that it really does rest basically on two "feet" per bar.

I'd missed the duct tape suggestion before my last post. That certainly is in-scale with the value of the $40 tent... but I suppose a home-made caulk patch is as well. We'll see.

[BrwBier]

How about carpet samples, usually about .50 to $1.00 and you pick through the pile for colors you want.
Brwbier

[SmokeyBob]

Carpet samples is a great idea.

They would work great on rocky ground.

[Elumia]

how about that black foam stuff used to insulate pipes on your cots?
It's cheap and light.
Mark

[Salivanto]

Great... More suggestions. Keep em coming. Thanks everybody.

I've been thinking about using a carpet remnant, but I wasn't sure whether I should put it inside the tent, outside, or both.

I can't figure out why this hasn't happened before with the old tent. I really need to inspect the damage to see which cot did it.

[asianflava]

It sounds more like the rocks put the holes in the floor, it was helped along by the cot. Best bet would be to prevent one of the 2. Since you need the cot, you should find a way to prevent the rocks from touching the tent floor. Maybe a ground cloth like a tarp or canvas would help. Or you can just buy a ground cloth.

[Salivanto]

Or you can just buy a ground cloth.

Ironically, that's the exact groundcloth we were using. There are holes in that too.

[Salivanto]

how about putting tennis balls on the cot legs?

i'd patch it with some tarp material, and silicone/glue stuff.

I've acquired 7 of the 8 tennis balls I'll need...

I'm trying to figure out what you mean by silicone/glue stuff. D'you think I could use caulk, or did you have something else in mind. Any specific brand name you'd use?

[packerz4]

I don't think it really matters. anything will work. if it were my tent, and i were looking for a long term fix, i'd patch the holes, (using contact cement, silicone adhesive, anything) then i'd sew around the patch and seam seal the the stiches.

my previous post explains the type of seam seal i use on my tent.

maybe others have an idea for a type of "patch glue"?

good luck!
tk