sheep s**t on my Akto

Hi All

I was just wondering to prolong the life of my tent whether it is worth washing the underside of my inner tent which after leaving to dry has lots of tiny straw like bits stuck to it which I think is the remnants of sheep s**t along with mud. Also the parts of the fly that touch the floor and the webbings are a bit dirty should i wash those too  ?

The footprint is a worthwhile investment

Up to a point...  We have footprints for the Kaitum and Tarra but only use them out of the boats or the car where weight and bulk is a non-issue and we've nothing to lose (and out of the boats we may be on rock).  But part of what you're paying for in a tent like an Akto, both with the raw money and the extra weight compared to rivals, are remarkably tough materilas.  No, it's not impervious to damage but if you take some care with pitching it really shouldn't need any extra backup in typical use, and it saves you having to carry extra stuff.

Meanwhile, from Hilleberg's web page concerning cleaning:

If you tent is dirty try and clean it with a wet cloth or sponge in luke-warm water or rinse it in a bath tub. Do not use any detergents and do not wash your tent in a washing machine!

I clean mine with a damp cloth once it's home and airing.

Pete.