Reconditioning an old Force 10 tent

Hi all,

I've been given an old Vango Force 10 Mk 4 by a friend. I think it was bought for family holidays a long time ago, but they didn't take to the camping thing, so it was only ever used once or twice and has just sat on a shelf since.

Fantastic tent! It must be at least 15- 20 years old, maybe older, but I've had it up in the garden, and it looks in really good nick except for a few minor problems, which I'd appreciate help with:-

1) The rubber guy rings have all perished (unsurprisingly), and need replacing. My local camping store only sells these in blister packs in ones & twos & for a silly price, and they are not quite the right length. Anyone know a mail order place that would sell me the 20+ that I need to replace them all and keep a few spare, without breaking the bank?

2) I need to reproof the cotton outer. Can anyone suggest the best product for this and the best way of doing it, given that it's a fairly bulky item?

3) I think it may have been put away damp at some point, because the outer seems to have shrunk quite a bit, particularly the bell ends, which are quite misshapen and smaller than they should be. Is there any way I can pull it back into shape? I'm thinking maybe a good soaking and then leaving it pitched under really firm tension as it dries? Might this work, or it there a better way?

Any advice on any of these would be very much appreciated!

give me a few days and i can find some. you can have them when/if I find some.

From the Vango web site:
www.vango.co.uk

'I have an old tent - can I still get parts for it?
We have spares for most of our tents. We will hold most spares for the most current models. email us with model/year/part/size of the item you need and we will do our best. Alternatively try your local retailer and they might be able to provide the part.'

For general tent care, see the OM/Grangers care section:
www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article.asp?UAN=2992

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OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

Also Point North:
http://www.pointnorth.co.uk

Sells pretty much all the tent spares you can shake a stick at.

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OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

Cemlyn - fantastic offer, thanks!
Jon - thanks for the links. I'd been to the [new] Force 10 website without success, but not to the Vango one, which is obviously who I need to try. I'll consult them over the shrinking problem. The Grangers article is useful. Fabsil and sprayer it will be!!

we still use some mk 5's. can't help with the re proofing but we replaced all the rubber guy rings on our tents with shock cord,bought by the metre,(the same as the bungee cords with the hooks on the end) this was bought from a camping shop in skipton and was about quarter of an inch - three eights of an inch diameter,it does the job perfectly, just pass it through the tab and tie in a knot at the right length.for the miss shapen ends i would do as you suggest and hope!you're not piching it at too steep an angle are you?if you spead the "a" frame a bit wider it will allow the bell end to sit nearer the floor.
mick

If I were you I'd burn it instead.

Would also use shock-cord for the replacement of rubber rings.