Tipi Instructions

Hello and thanks for buying one of our Tipi Tents.

Here are the instructions for the best way to put it up, take it down and how to store when not in use.

We’ve provided a step-by-step picture guide for you to follow along with the written instructions.

At the bottom of these instructions we’ve added some advice and tips on how to get years of good service out of your tent by looking after it properly.

Enjoy! And don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, good ideas or better ways of doing it. Once you’ve erected your tent, we would love to see your Boutique Camping pictures, so please send them to us at [email protected].

They may even feature on our blog or Facebook page! Putting up a Tipi Tent Some general advice

• We advise having 2 people to erect the tent, as it will of course simplify the process. By all means, you can put it up on your own, but of course the more the merrier, easier and quicker! • Find a flat piece of land, with ample space to comfortably put up your tent remembering to include room for the guy ropes • To prevent damaging the groundsheet, remove all sharp objects from the area. Things like stones and roots etc • Be careful when creating tension with the guy ropes, always try to keep the tension even, and never over do it. Be firm but gentle. • Before you peg out the tent, make sure all zips are closed, and check again when you adjust the guy ropes • Peg out the guy ropes in line with the tent seams How to Put Up Your Tipi

A1)Open all bags and lay out all parts. There are two bundles of purple guys ropes. One set with metal adjusters and one set without. Unravel them. A2) Unroll the tipi, canvas side up, and find the centre (hat). It is velcroed to the top. Separate the hat from the tipi and tie all the guys (without metal adjusters) to the hat. We recommend using a bowline knot.

A3) Now tie all the remaining guys to the tipi as follows

Lay out the tipi so you expose the guy connector points as in picture (there are two wedding connector points on each vertical seem. We will call them Top and bottom connector points.

Taking one guy at a time, untie the guy rope knot from the metal adjuster as in pic. Take the end you just untied and tread it through the bottom connecting point, from left to right. And retie the knot into the metal adjuster

Now tie the other end to the top connector point (we recommend using a bowline knot)

Complete attaching all the guys to the connector points the same way. B1) Putting up the Tipi up

Find a suitable pitch and clear away any twigs or stones. Roll out Tipi and position door as required (think about wind direction and views)

Take out the pegs bag and find the thinner of the two sizes.

Walk around the tent placing each peg through the ground sheet eye, pulling the ground sheet out each time. Attach the hat to the top of the tipi, by reattaching the Velcro

Open the pole bag, and connect the pole.

Walk into tipi with pole and find the top and the hat

Push the pole into the top and the hat and walk the pole upwards until it is vertical. The tipi will stay up (unless it is windy) Collect up a third of the remaining pegs and start placing them in the ground whilst connecting them to the adjustable guy lines; directly opposite the vertical seams .

Position the pegs the same distance from the tipi all the way round. Tighten the adjuster end of the guy as you go round a second time.

Now straighten the hat to have the flaps and the two flap guy lines next to each other

Now line up the hat guys with the vertical seams. Once lined up pass each guy end through the black webbing eyelet and tie a bowline in each

This loop can be pegged out Finally the remaining pegs are for the skirt tensioner. If you are expecting rain these pags are a must,as the tension allows water to run straight off. The pegs go throughthe webbing slider loop at the base of each vertical seam.

If you are using the tipi without a ground sheet, then these webbing loop pegs are essential, as they become the replacements for the smaller ground sheet pegs

Be sure to push every peg in to the ground at a suitable angle, and as deep as possible.

Finally you can play with the hat flap to allow air out of the top. Job done!

Next time you put your Tipi up it will take a fraction of the time, you should find it takes around 10 minutes. Taking down your Tipi

If you follow this routine your tent will stay clean, dry and last you for years.

It is VITAL that your tent is stored Bone Dry. If you have to take it down wet get it straight out when you get home and hang it over something to start drying it out.

If you wait a day or so you run the risk of mould. Once you get that you’re stuck with it as it grows inside the material not just on the surface of it.

Hang it on a washing line, in the garage or over furniture, anywhere where it can start to dry.

You should remember to take your tent down on the groundsheet. This way it doesn’t touch the ground and get stained and muddy.

1) Get everything out of the tent and brush out any mud and dirt 2) Remove the pegs holding the stabilizing guy ropes 3) Loosen the adjustable straps and un-tuck the bottom of the skirt 4) Remove the central pole and the tent will drop in on itself, and rest on the groundsheet.

5) Zip up the door 6) Remove pegs at bottom of the wall of the tent, but not the groundsheet pegs yet.

7) Either take shoes off or crawl onto the tent and pull the top of the tent over to one side

8) Go round throwing all the guy ropes onto the centre of the tent 9) Put the bag next to the tent so you can tell how thick a roll you need to create.

10) Take one side and fold over towards the middle so the edge ends up in the middle of the tent.

11) Repeat on the other side 12) Repeat the folding until you end up with a roll the same width as the bag.

13)Place the roll on the bag to stop grass stains/mud 15) Now un-peg the groundsheet. Unless you are in the driest of dry conditions there will be condensation from the grass on the underside. You need to let this dry off so, weather permitting, flip the ground sheet over (don’t do it on the same spot as the condensation was) and give it couple of minutes to dry off. A couple of pegs will stop it flying away and consider laying it over something dry if the grass around is wet (car, tarmac, fence, whatever) Not doing this means you’re storing a damp tent + possible mould.) If you have to take it home damp pack it separately to the tent, dry it off when home and then pack together.

(If you have to take the groundsheet home wet underneath, try folding it in on itself so the wet bits touch the wet bits, and the dry outside will stay dry.)

16) OR if all nice and dry - fold the groundsheet in on itself until you end up with a strip the same width as the tent, then fold it again until you have a square. Then slightly unroll the tent. Put the groundsheet, poles and pegs on top, and roll it all up. So everything is together inside the tent.

17) Use the ties to secure, and put it in the bag.

Job done and as the poles and pegs are secure in the middle of the tent they are protected and you won’t leave them behind. Cleaning Your Tipi Tent

What with the British weather, odds on you’ll probably get some mud splattered on it at some point.The best way to get it off is to leave it alone until it’s dried out. If that means taking the tent out again when you get home then that’s what you need to do.

Once the tent is bone dry, a stiff hand brush will work miracles. If you mess around with wet mud or a wet cloth you’ll end up just rubbing it in.

To clean the Groundsheet, wash it with a hose and broom/brush or a not to powerful jet-wash and allow to dry.

General Information

Cotton. Cotton tent canvas can be divided into three different kinds: lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight canvas.

Lightweight canvas weighs between 130 and 180 gr/m² and is suited for lightweight expeditions on foot.

Middleweight canvas weighs between 180 and 220 gr/m² and is used for tents designed to remain for longer periods in one place.

Heavyweight canvas weighs 220 to 320 gr/m². Bungalow tents, group tents and army tents are being made out of this. Therefore you just bought what is rated as a heavy- weight canvas tent.

Cotton shrinks when wet, making itself waterproof when it rains.

The canvas has been impregnated to protect it from dirt, ultraviolet radiation and fungus.

Advantages Cotton / Canvas: - Strong - Breathing and humidity regulating

Disadvantages cotton: - Dries slowly - Sensitive for dirt and fungus Maintenance The cotton must be dry before storing the tent. Never keep the tent stored away wet for longer than two days. Otherwise fungus can affect the canvas witch will create little black irremovable dots. The canvas has been impregnated with anti fungi but when using the tent often this process should be repeated every two years. Maintenance starts when setting up the tent.

When the tent has not been erected properly uneven forces will pull on the canvas. This could eventually lead to damage. It is in your interest to keep the canvas as clean as possible and remove stains when created. Dust can best be wiped away with a soft brush,very soft! Lifespan The lifespan of your tent is very dependent upon camping conditions. Air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, natural dirt (bird droppings, sand, salt water) and domestic dirt (cooking stains, soda, wine, sun cream) limit the lifespan of your cotton canvas tent.

- Lightweight canvas last 15 to 40 weeks. - Middle-weight cotton canvas 20 to 40 weeks - Heavy-weight canvas 40 to 60 weeks of outdoor usage.

Zippers The zips sometime have to endure extreme tension caused by wind, badly erected, pressures caused by people or object leaning into the tent.

- Handle the zippers with care. - To protect the zippers treat them with silicones once in a while. - Verify zippers before using, no insurance on zippers after use.

Fungus and stains Due to insufficient ventilations fungus can affect the canvas. It is important to store your tent dry so no fungus or other stains can appear. When you have to temporarily store the tent wet, be sure to put your tent back out to dry ASAP.

- Store your tent 100% dry. - When dealing with fungus use a soft brush or sponge and a lot of fresh water. Only use specialised tent-cleaning product to remove difficult stains. Other chemical products can cause the cotton to leak. We suggest you have your tent re-impregnated after washing it. Leaking Cotton can, when new, let some air through and leak around the seams. After the canvas has been wet once this will no longer happen because of the cotton expanding. Very light stains can appear on a wet tent, this causes no problems. Mainly because of ultraviolet radiation workingon the tent this layer will wear down no longer making the tent waterproof.

- To preserve your tents water resistance and prolong its lifespan, the outside should be regularly treated with a sealant (you can get a can of Seam Sealant from our website)

Any problems or questions feel free to call us; even if it’s a weekend we’ll try and answer.

Or email us at [email protected]

We hope you have lots of fun with your tent

BC x www.boutiquecamping.com [email protected]

0203 394 2986