Brought my dad's old canvas tent on a trip to the White Mountains

It was the same one we used when I was a kid, and I figured it would be fine for a weekend. The first night, a quick rain shower turned into a steady downpour, and I woke up in a puddle. The waterproofing had totally worn off after maybe 15 years in the garage. I spent the rest of the trip in my car, which was a real bummer. It taught me that gear needs a check-up, even if it looks okay from the outside. Has anyone else had a classic piece of kit fail on them out of nowhere?

3 comments

3 Comments

max8081mo ago

My old truck's spare tire looked perfect until I needed it on a backroad in Vermont. The rubber was so dry it just split apart. I mean, stuff just quietly falls apart if you don't use it, even when it's just sitting there. Makes you check everything now.

young.emma1mo ago

Yeah that "quietly falls apart" thing is so real, @max808. I started putting a reminder in my phone to check my spare and the jack every six months. I just give the tire a good look for cracks and make sure the pressure is still up.

perez.christopher29d ago

A buddy of mine had the same thing happen with his boat trailer tire. He'd been meaning to replace it for two years and it blew out right as he was backing down the ramp at Lake George.