Restores and adds water repellency to weather-proof fabrics Adds UV protection to prevent sun damage and double the lifespan of gear; works best after application of Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarWash Concentrated refill for spray-on application Great for use on tents, fly, backpacks, awnings, boat covers, umbrellas, patio furniture, and panniers Water based, non-persistent, and contains no PFAS, optical brighteners, or added scent The most effective, safest protection for tents and gear. Adds water Repellency and UV protection. Effectively doubles the life of gear by preventing reduction of fabric tear strength over time. The same great water proofing and UV protection for you non-clothing gear, Now in a concentrate formula. Great for refilling the regular spray bottle, or just dilute and paint it on. Makes 3500Ml.
Restores and adds water repellency to weather-proof fabrics Adds UV protection to prevent sun damage and double the lifespan of gear; works best after application of Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarWash Concentrated refill for spray-on application Great for use on tents, fly, backpacks, awnings, boat covers, umbrellas, patio furniture, and panniers Water based, non-persistent, and contains no PFAS, optical brighteners, or added scent The most effective, safest protection for tents and gear. Adds water Repellency and UV protection. Effectively doubles the life of gear by preventing reduction of fabric tear strength over time. The same great water proofing and UV protection for you non-clothing gear, Now in a concentrate formula. Great for refilling the regular spray bottle, or just dilute and paint it on. Makes 3500Ml.
Restores and adds water repellency to weather-proof fabrics Adds UV protection to prevent sun damage and double the lifespan of gear; works best after application of Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarWash Concentrated refill for spray-on application Great for use on tents, fly, backpacks, awnings, boat covers, umbrellas, patio furniture, and panniers Water based, non-persistent, and contains no PFAS, optical brighteners, or added scent The most effective, safest protection for tents and gear. Adds water Repellency and UV protection. Effectively doubles the life of gear by preventing reduction of fabric tear strength over time. The same great water proofing and UV protection for you non-clothing gear, Now in a concentrate formula. Great for refilling the regular spray bottle, or just dilute and paint it on. Makes 3500Ml.
Restores and adds water repellency to weather-proof fabrics Adds UV protection to prevent sun damage and double the lifespan of gear; works best after application of Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarWash Concentrated refill for spray-on application Great for use on tents, fly, backpacks, awnings, boat covers, umbrellas, patio furniture, and panniers Water based, non-persistent, and contains no PFAS, optical brighteners, or added scent The most effective, safest protection for tents and gear. Adds water Repellency and UV protection. Effectively doubles the life of gear by preventing reduction of fabric tear strength over time. The same great water proofing and UV protection for you non-clothing gear, Now in a concentrate formula. Great for refilling the regular spray bottle, or just dilute and paint it on. Makes 3500Ml.
Last updated at 05/12/2026 20:54:53
Nikwax Tent and Gear Cleaning, Waterproofing, and UV Protection
Free delivery
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originally posted on REI
We have an old Camp Dome 4 that we bought a decade ago or so. We normally use two or three times a year, with the exception of this past year -- we've done a fair amount of pandemic camping.I treated our fly and tent walls with Solarproof a year or two ago. We recently went camping during a substantial rainstorm and the water beaded nicely and the fly shed rain as it was designed to do. We were pitched on a slight incline, so some rain ran over the footprint and seeped up through the tent floor. Other than that, our tent was dry. Our friends had trouble with their tents, however. I've since treated our tent floor and am curious to see if we have that problem again.I'm not sure that Solarproof will resurrect a decades-old tent, but it will definitely prolong a ... MoreWe have an old Camp Dome 4 that we bought a decade ago or so. We normally use two or three times a year, with the exception of this past year -- we've done a fair amount of pandemic camping.I treated our fly and tent walls with Solarproof a year or two ago. We recently went camping during a substantial rainstorm and the water beaded nicely and the fly shed rain as it was designed to do. We were pitched on a slight incline, so some rain ran over the footprint and seeped up through the tent floor. Other than that, our tent was dry. Our friends had trouble with their tents, however. I've since treated our tent floor and am curious to see if we have that problem again.I'm not sure that Solarproof will resurrect a decades-old tent, but it will definitely prolong a tent's working life when you make it part of your maintenance routine.We're borrowing a friend's tent for camping this coming week and buying some Solarproof to treat the fly. That's how much I like it.
originally posted on mec.ca
Easy to use, technically you only need to wet the fabric before applying but I gave my tent a wash, since my tent had only ever been hosed down until then. Makes the fabric look nice, and seems to do it's job well, though I haven't field tested it yet.Downside: One bottle only covered the rain fly of my 3p tent... I was disappointed, but should have read the reviews. Definitely buy 2 if you have anything bigger than a 1P double-wall tent!I wish MEC sold the concentrate version... I could have saved some extra money and had more than enough to cover my rain fly, footprint, and tent floor.
originally posted on backcountry.com
I have a tent that is ~9 years old and in excellent condition (no tears, no rips, clean inside and out, always put away bone dry and stored in a cool place). Unfortunately, water had started leaking through the rain fly. I'm not talking about through the seams, I'm talking about through the sidewall fabric. I mixed up this concentrated Nikwax Solarproof up according to the directions and have tried applying this to the underside of the fly and outer side of the fly. I have tried applying it to the fly when dry, when wet, by spraying it on, by rubbing it in with my hand... nothing works. In fact, when applying this to the outside of the rain fly, whether by hand or spray, it actually leaks through the fly, resulting in drips on the inside of the fly that I have to ... MoreI have a tent that is ~9 years old and in excellent condition (no tears, no rips, clean inside and out, always put away bone dry and stored in a cool place). Unfortunately, water had started leaking through the rain fly. I'm not talking about through the seams, I'm talking about through the sidewall fabric. I mixed up this concentrated Nikwax Solarproof up according to the directions and have tried applying this to the underside of the fly and outer side of the fly. I have tried applying it to the fly when dry, when wet, by spraying it on, by rubbing it in with my hand... nothing works. In fact, when applying this to the outside of the rain fly, whether by hand or spray, it actually leaks through the fly, resulting in drips on the inside of the fly that I have to wipe down as well. Maybe this would work in extending the life of a good rain fly, I haven't tested that, but in terms of breathing new life into a rainfly that already leaks - don't waste your money - I already wasted mine and am writing this review to save yours.
| Is discontinued by manufacturer | No |
| Water resistance level | Waterproof |
| Recommended uses for product | Water |
| Item dimensions L x W x H | 7.6 x 7.6 x 20.3 centimetres |
| UV Protection | True |
Nikwax Tent and Gear Cleaning, Waterproofing, and UV Protection
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
We have an old Camp Dome 4 that we bought a decade ago or so. We normally use two or three times a year, with the exception of this past year -- we've done a fair amount of pandemic camping.I treated our fly and tent walls with Solarproof a year or two ago. We recently went camping during a substantial rainstorm and the water beaded nicely and the fly shed rain as it was designed to do. We were pitched on a slight incline, so some rain ran over the footprint and seeped up through the tent floor. Other than that, our tent was dry. Our friends had trouble with their tents, however. I've since treated our tent floor and am curious to see if we have that problem again.I'm not sure that Solarproof will resurrect a decades-old tent, but it will definitely prolong a ... MoreWe have an old Camp Dome 4 that we bought a decade ago or so. We normally use two or three times a year, with the exception of this past year -- we've done a fair amount of pandemic camping.I treated our fly and tent walls with Solarproof a year or two ago. We recently went camping during a substantial rainstorm and the water beaded nicely and the fly shed rain as it was designed to do. We were pitched on a slight incline, so some rain ran over the footprint and seeped up through the tent floor. Other than that, our tent was dry. Our friends had trouble with their tents, however. I've since treated our tent floor and am curious to see if we have that problem again.I'm not sure that Solarproof will resurrect a decades-old tent, but it will definitely prolong a tent's working life when you make it part of your maintenance routine.We're borrowing a friend's tent for camping this coming week and buying some Solarproof to treat the fly. That's how much I like it.
Easy to use, technically you only need to wet the fabric before applying but I gave my tent a wash, since my tent had only ever been hosed down until then. Makes the fabric look nice, and seems to do it's job well, though I haven't field tested it yet.Downside: One bottle only covered the rain fly of my 3p tent... I was disappointed, but should have read the reviews. Definitely buy 2 if you have anything bigger than a 1P double-wall tent!I wish MEC sold the concentrate version... I could have saved some extra money and had more than enough to cover my rain fly, footprint, and tent floor.
I have a tent that is ~9 years old and in excellent condition (no tears, no rips, clean inside and out, always put away bone dry and stored in a cool place). Unfortunately, water had started leaking through the rain fly. I'm not talking about through the seams, I'm talking about through the sidewall fabric. I mixed up this concentrated Nikwax Solarproof up according to the directions and have tried applying this to the underside of the fly and outer side of the fly. I have tried applying it to the fly when dry, when wet, by spraying it on, by rubbing it in with my hand... nothing works. In fact, when applying this to the outside of the rain fly, whether by hand or spray, it actually leaks through the fly, resulting in drips on the inside of the fly that I have to ... MoreI have a tent that is ~9 years old and in excellent condition (no tears, no rips, clean inside and out, always put away bone dry and stored in a cool place). Unfortunately, water had started leaking through the rain fly. I'm not talking about through the seams, I'm talking about through the sidewall fabric. I mixed up this concentrated Nikwax Solarproof up according to the directions and have tried applying this to the underside of the fly and outer side of the fly. I have tried applying it to the fly when dry, when wet, by spraying it on, by rubbing it in with my hand... nothing works. In fact, when applying this to the outside of the rain fly, whether by hand or spray, it actually leaks through the fly, resulting in drips on the inside of the fly that I have to wipe down as well. Maybe this would work in extending the life of a good rain fly, I haven't tested that, but in terms of breathing new life into a rainfly that already leaks - don't waste your money - I already wasted mine and am writing this review to save yours.
I bought this for my caravan awning which was over 8 years old. It was easy to apply and dried quickly. Regrettably the awning was damaged in strong winds so I replaced it. The product was not responsible for damage just the high winds and excessive age of the awning. I have some left over which I will use on other items. I know it works as my son recommended it because he uses it in his outward bound business.
I have been using Tent and Gear Solar Proof Waterproofing for years after a tent fly started breaking down and leaked. I suspected that the sun was responsible since there wasn't any visible wear and the fly looked faded. The problem may have also stemmed from material robustness but I wanted to do something with a new tent that was preventive in nature versus hoping that new equipment marketing hype was accurate.I read some positive reviews regarding Nikwax Solarproof and liked the idea of adding more water resistance to my flies on top of UV protection, so I started using it. Over the years my tent flies appear to resist fading far better and I have never had a tent leak due to the fly since.Tent manufacturers' material technologies and treatments have also ... MoreI have been using Tent and Gear Solar Proof Waterproofing for years after a tent fly started breaking down and leaked. I suspected that the sun was responsible since there wasn't any visible wear and the fly looked faded. The problem may have also stemmed from material robustness but I wanted to do something with a new tent that was preventive in nature versus hoping that new equipment marketing hype was accurate.I read some positive reviews regarding Nikwax Solarproof and liked the idea of adding more water resistance to my flies on top of UV protection, so I started using it. Over the years my tent flies appear to resist fading far better and I have never had a tent leak due to the fly since.Tent manufacturers' material technologies and treatments have also progressed over time and a skeptic might argue that my observations could also be due to their improvements. I would agree but I would argue that the incremental benefit due to Solar Proof far exceeds its low cost. For me it's a no brainer to use this on my tent flies and packs.
I'd give it five stars almost, as it is a very good product, but it's water-base lets it down a bit in certain situations. I did all my children's school back packs with it to lubricate zips, waterproof and protect against UV, as they do get some exposure to sunlight. I refurbished a Coleman Timbertop Deluxe tent I picked up for free that had only been used twice. I treated the fly with Nikwax. Some areas on the top of the fly (over the dome area) repelled this product due it it being water-based, so there must have been something applied to that area from the factory. The fly was washed in my bath tub prior to application of Nikwax too. As a result, there was no UV treatment applied to that area and I have no idea what was on the fabric already. Be aware that if ... MoreI'd give it five stars almost, as it is a very good product, but it's water-base lets it down a bit in certain situations. I did all my children's school back packs with it to lubricate zips, waterproof and protect against UV, as they do get some exposure to sunlight. I refurbished a Coleman Timbertop Deluxe tent I picked up for free that had only been used twice. I treated the fly with Nikwax. Some areas on the top of the fly (over the dome area) repelled this product due it it being water-based, so there must have been something applied to that area from the factory. The fly was washed in my bath tub prior to application of Nikwax too. As a result, there was no UV treatment applied to that area and I have no idea what was on the fabric already. Be aware that if there is previously applied treatment of something else, it can repel this product. Do apply this product in still conditions. The spray is fine and the slightest breeze will carry away what you would otherwise expect to fall onto the fabric. Being expensive, you want the tent to get it, not the wind take it away. I used a SOFT CLEAN broom to spread it around the fly for even coat and massage it into the seams. This also aided with reach. A cloth will only absorb it into the cloth and make the task harder. Keep the spray bottle, as it is a good quality spray bottle that can be rinsed out with hot water a few times to remove most of the Nikwax. I have three of these bottles I had removed the Nikwax lables and marked them for different cleaning tasks. I did purchase elsewhere, but Snowys stocks it now and I do have other things to add to my cart... again...
I've been using Nikwax on my leather boots for decades but wasn't aware of this product until a rep from MSR suggested I use it on an old tent fly that was losing its water repellency. This stuff works amazingly. I was probably most impressed with how it restored an old rain jacket to like-new. I subsequently used it on all my wet bags, gaiters, and packs. Be careful with overspray when applying it though. There's a section on my faux wood kitchen floor that is still slippery from the stuff.
The Tent Proofer is exactly as described in the listing. I was unable to use the hand sprayer supplied as the parcel didn't survive the couriers (Evri) fully intact, both boxes were opened and partially flattened, the sprayer was broken. I had a spare pressure sprayer that i used, it was easy to apply & covered well. Our first camping trip in June will see how the proofer performs if it does rain.
I used the waterproofing spray on an old raincoat which has lost it's waterproof quality. I tested the waterproof quality of the coat before and after application. I followed the directions on the bottle carefully, and then after allowing the spray to cure, tested it again. Water on the rain jacket was not beading off and the water was still seeping into the Gore-Tex. I returned the bottle and REI kindly refunded it.
I have used solar proof for the last 2 years on my backpacking tent. My little tent was already 7 years old and it was not leaking and I didn't want it to start. My experience has been on a couple hundred nites on the AT & CDT with plenty of rain.Finding the concentrate is great. Now I mix my own in the old 17oz spray bottle. 5 oz of concentrate and then fill w water. Big money saver.I would solar proof my rain fly and the bottom of my tent. It was always adequate on the rain fly and it works on the bottom but it wears off faster there, so i tent sealed the interior floor most recently. I have also used it on my cycling tent which is a hubba hubba and it got old and I have reseam sealed it and I use solarproof every year on the rainfly. So far my tent is ... MoreI have used solar proof for the last 2 years on my backpacking tent. My little tent was already 7 years old and it was not leaking and I didn't want it to start. My experience has been on a couple hundred nites on the AT & CDT with plenty of rain.Finding the concentrate is great. Now I mix my own in the old 17oz spray bottle. 5 oz of concentrate and then fill w water. Big money saver.I would solar proof my rain fly and the bottom of my tent. It was always adequate on the rain fly and it works on the bottom but it wears off faster there, so i tent sealed the interior floor most recently. I have also used it on my cycling tent which is a hubba hubba and it got old and I have reseam sealed it and I use solarproof every year on the rainfly. So far my tent is waterproof. I can feel the difference on the tent. It feels brand new and slippery again after I'm done.This is an easy product to apply on a damp tent. Just have a dry rag handy to spread it around and make sure there's not pools and drips of it and then you let it dry while the tent is set up.
| Is discontinued by manufacturer | No |
| Water resistance level | Waterproof |
| Recommended uses for product | Water |
| Item dimensions L x W x H | 7.6 x 7.6 x 20.3 centimetres |
| UV Protection | True |
