Iced-up tent zip

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 norrisdan71 21 Mar 2018

I have a Hilleberg Nammatj2 tent which comes in handy on ski tours in Norway and Sweden. Problem is with all that snow melting, the inner and outer door zips get iced up and pretty much stuck and I just know I’m going to end up pulling out a zip coil and wrecking the tent mid way through a trip.

Ive thought about getting the door panel adapted and adding a snow tunnel secured with cord ( basically a short tube of material I can clamber through, like you see on heavy duty pyramid tents at the Poles) to act as an alternative door or finding some way of ice-proofing the zips (Vaseline, light oil?). This must be an issue on big mountains, anyone got any handy hints, experience/opinions on snow tunnel doors or an alternative solution? Thanks.

 Dave the Rave 21 Mar 2018
In reply to norrisdan71:

The only reason I exit my tent is to urinate. I’ve solved this problem by using my mates Nalgene bottle when he’s gone to sleep. When the sun comes up and warms the tent, I empty it in the porch then refill his bottle with water. The look on his face when he takes his first sup is priceless. In fact I hate camping in winter but this ritual is priceless and keeps me going. 

 edunn 22 Mar 2018
In reply to norrisdan71:

I got stuck in a similar situation with some mates on DofE once. We used a can of deodorant and a lighter to 'lightly heat' the zip. Worked a treat . . . and we lived!!

1
 Prof. Outdoors 22 Mar 2018
In reply to Dave the Rave:

I do the same when camping with my mate.

Not sure I should be "boasting" about this.

https://www.nalgene.com/product/2078-2064/

 

Post edited at 12:25
 nufkin 22 Mar 2018
In reply to norrisdan71:

A bit of bike-chain teflon lube, or similar (I've heard of rubbing a candle along the zip, but maybe this would clog more easily), applied every so often might help. I think Hilleberg suggest this anyway as part of the maintenance routine

 John Ww 22 Mar 2018
In reply to norrisdan71:

Use some silicone spray, such as that used in cold counties to stop car doors freezing to the rubber door seal?

 Jenny C 22 Mar 2018
In reply to nufkin:

Beeswax is great on stiff zips, not sure if it will help with frozen ones though.

OP norrisdan71 22 Mar 2018
In reply to norrisdan71:

Thanks all. I do use a piss bottle, convenient. I’ll give the other suggestions a try too.

 Robert Durran 22 Mar 2018
In reply to norrisdan71:

Pee in pee bottle. Use warm pee to melt zip?

 ShortLock 22 Mar 2018
In reply to Robert Durran:

Cut out middle man. Pee on zip.


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