Mec Nunatak Installation and operation manual

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MEC NUNATAK
This booklet tells you how to prepare, assemble, and maintain your
new tent; please keep it for future reference. Set up your tent at
home before your first trip; this will allow you to inspect it for any
manufacturing defects, check that all parts are present, and learn the
assembly procedure with minimal stress on the tent and on you.
NUNATAK Height inside 1.24m
1.98m
2.44m
0.84m 0.7m
1.45m
Your Nunatak
tent package includes:
Tent body
Tent fly
Five shock-corded poles
Aluminum stakes and nylon guylines
Aluminum pole repair sleeve
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SEAM SEALING
The seams of your tent have been waterproof taped on all exposed
seams. All features, such as Velcro® pole anchors and door tiebacks, have
been welded onto the inside of the fly to avoid any small leak points.
However, for extremely wet and windy conditions, you may want to re-
seal selected parts of your tent. These include parts of the inner tent
where condensation or windblown rain could potentially wick through,
such as lantern loops or pole clip suspension points. You may also wish to
seal the “in” side of any untaped floor seams exposed to ground moisture
or rainfall. For seam sealing and tent repairs, we recommend a quality
after-market polyurethane sealer such as McNett Seam Grip®.
Work in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling sealant vapours. For
complete sealing, evenly apply only the minimum required amount of
sealant into needle holes, thread, and fabric joints. Allow to dry and cure
overnight. McNett sealants (Seam Grip, and similar) cure more quickly
in a moist or humid environment. Before packing the tent for the first
time, dust newly sealed areas with talcum powder or spray them with
303TM Protectant; freshly cured sealer can bond to itself even when dry.
If the tent is used hard and often you may need to reapply seam sealer
in high-wear areas.
SITE PREPARATION
Remove sharp objects that might puncture the tent floor.
A ground sheet beneath the tent is not necessary for waterproofness,
but it will reduce long-term wear on the tent floor. A ground sheet should
be cut or folded smaller than the tent floor to prevent water pooling
between the floor and the ground sheet. Another light and convenient
option is MEC’s custom-made, coated nylon Footprint.
In winter conditions, we recommend digging out a platform with
surrounding walls. To avoid melting depressions in the snow under the
tent, pack the snow down solidly by ski or foot.
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SET-UP
A note about shock-corded poles
Shockcord (bungee cord) is meant to keep pole sections in the proper
order—not as an automatic assembly mechanism for poles. Do not hold
one section while whipping the rest of the pole back and forth, or toss
the poles into the air; either procedure excessively stresses the pole joints
and shockcord. Instead, fit poles together section by section, making sure
that each piece slides completely into the next. Forcing an improperly
assembled pole into place can damage the pole and/or the tent body
and fly.
Assembling the Tent
1 Assemble all poles carefully as described in the previous paragraph.
You will have four equal-length poles and one shorter vestibule pole.
2Lay the tent body out flat. In windy conditions, peg all the floor corners
before proceeding.
3Gently insert each of the four poles through one of the pole sleeves on
the tent body. Push the poles through rather than pulling them; pulling
may cause the pole sections to partially separate, leading to jamming
inside the sleeve. Do not insert the pole ends into the grommets until all
the poles are in their sleeves.
4Starting with the two poles that cross at the apex of the roof, insert the
pole ends into the appropriate grommets on the tent body. It may help
to have one person lifting the top of the tent to loft it up as you tension
these poles. Be especially careful in windy conditions – this is the stage
when the greatest stress can be placed on the poles.
There is more than one grommet on each webbing tab so that you can
increase or decrease the tautness of the tent to compensate for fabric
slackening or tightening caused by changes in humidity. When first
erecting the tent, it is best to use the outermost (loosest) grommet
on each tab.
Attaching the Fly
1 Drape the fly over the tent so the doors in the fly line up with the doors
in the tent body.
2Insert the shorter vestibule pole into the pole sleeve found on the inside
of the fly over one of the doors.
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3On the underside of the fly, opposite each of the points where the
poles overlap, is a Velcro® wrap-tie. Lift up each corner of the fly, and
attach the wrap-ties over the appropriate pole intersection. To do this:
wrap the longer Velcro tab horizontally twice around both poles, pull on
the tab end to cinch it tight, then secure it by folding the shorter Velcro
tab over it.
Attaching these wrap-ties is very important for strengthening the tent.
The wrap-ties allow the poles to reinforce one another in a series of
trusses; they also connect the corner guyline attachment points directly
to the poles for maximum stiffness when these guylines are rigged.
4Fit all of the grommetted webbing tabs on the fly over the appropriate
pole ends as shown in figures A and B. Fold the grommet tabs under
the body of the tent. This puts the pull loops facing away from the tent
and allows for easy removal of the fly by simply pulling down on the
pull loops.
5 Insert the vestibule pole ends into whichever grommets are unused on
the loops at the door corners.
6At a minimum, peg out the two back corners of the tent and the two
front corners of the vestibule.
Rigging for Severe Weather
The Nunatak has numerous anchor loops and external and internal guy
points so that you can rig the tent according to anticipated conditions. If
in doubt, it’s usually best to err on the side of “over-securing.”
• If winds are anticipated, guy out the two triangular side wall patches to
add stability and reduce fly movement.
• For strong winds, stake out the four external guy points (the triangular
fly extensions with inset grommets). Set these guy lines as near as
possible to a 45° angle from the door axis of the tent.
• In extreme conditions, anchor the two triangles above the vestibule pole
sleeve and use the internal guy points to provide additional stability.
There are four internal guy line loops on the top of the inside of the tent
and six on the floor (be careful not to mistake the smaller clothesline/
lantern loops for the guy loops). Run guylines from the top of one side
figure A figure B
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of the tent to the bottom of the other side of the tent to enhance the
tent’s stability and support the frame. If the terrain prevents using of all
the external guy points, try combining internal and external guy lines.
Ultralight Set-up
With the Nunatak Footprint (sold separately), you can erect the fly
without the tent body. This makes for a very light, compact, basic shelter,
though it is not made readily bug-proof. Condensation will also be more
evident on the inside of the fly.
Setting up the fly using only the Footprint is best done by two people.
Spread the Footprint out flat on the ground. In windy conditions, you may
wish to peg it out at this point. Next, set up the two poles that cross to
form the apex of the tent roof: while one person holds these two poles
steady at their crosspoint, the other person inserts the two poles into the
appropriate grommets at the Footprint’s two front and two back corners.
Spread the fly on top of the poles (and the person holding them), making
sure the fly doors are properly aligned with the Footprint. The “inside”
person should then attach the appropriate Velcro wrap-tie from the fly
around the poles’ crosspoint. Insert the two remaining poles into their
appropriate Footprint grommets. Attach the appropriate Velcro wrap-
ties to secure these two poles to the first two poles at the four crossing
points. Attach any remaining Velcro fly wraps directly to individual poles.
Attach the grommet strips at the base of the fly to the pole tips, folding
them under as described in “Attaching the Fly”, Step 4. Guy and peg
out the tent as usual. Keep vents and doors open as much as possible
to minimize condensation. You may also pile up or scoop away materials
such as snow, sand, etc. around the base of the fly to vary the amount of
airflow through the tent. Please disturb soil as little as possible to leave
the site untouched for others to enjoy.
Anchoring the Tent
The #7001-T6 aluminum stakes included with the tent are suitable for
general use on relatively soft ground. However, in very hard-packed
ground you will need stronger (and heavier!) stakes that can withstand
the force needed to drive them in. On snow, sand, or other loose-packed
surfaces, wider T-Stakes or aluminum snow stakes will hold better; these
stakes hold best buried horizontally. You can also improvise with other
“stakes” (hiking staffs, ice axes, branches, rocks, trees), using the tent’s
stake loops or cord as required.
When packing for your trip, consider the conditions you’ll likely encounter
and what sort of anchors you’ll require. You can often leave several of
the supplied pegs at home and replace them with improvised anchors,
thereby saving weight and space in your pack.
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Ventilating the Tent
Proper ventilation is the key to minimizing condensation in any tent. Keep
fabric doors open as widely as the prevailing weather permits. If bugs
or drafts aren’t a problem, leave mesh doors open too. Crack each door
open from the top down; warm, moist air rises and will escape through
high openings. If the design of your tent allows for it, have openings at
both ends or both sides of the tent to allow air to flow through for best
ventilation. On very hot nights, when you are confident there will be no
rain or dewfall, you can leave the flysheet off and use the inner tent alone
as a “bug tent.”
Disassembling the Tent
The most important consideration in taking down a tent is not to stress
the poles and fabrics. First, disconnect guylines and release the tension
from the tent. Next, release all the poles. If your tent has pole sleeves,
push the poles out of the sleeves instead of pulling them out. To minimize
the stress on the bungee cord in the poles and to speed disassembly,
fold each pole in half first, and then fold down towards the outsides, two
sections at a time.
Packing the Tent
If possible, fold and roll the tent rather than stuffing it into its sack—rolling
makes a smaller package, and causes fewer creases in the polyurethane
coating. The tent and poles may be carried separately for easier packing
or load sharing. There are two drawcords on the tent sack. Use the lower
one when carrying the tent separately from the poles; this makes a
shorter package that fits sideways into a pack. If carrying the pole sack
on the outside of a pack, securely attach the drawcord to the pack to
avoid loss.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Protecting the Tent
Ultraviolet damage is the single largest hazard your tent faces in its
lifetime. Fabrics should not be exposed to sunlight for extended periods
of time; this will eventually result in colour fading and fabric failure. The
uncoated fabrics of the tent canopy are most susceptible to damage from
UV and should be covered by the more durable fly. If extended exposure
is unavoidable, cover the tent with a tarp or a sheet of nylon.
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Lighting your Tent
Using a candle lantern in a tent carries definite risks. Never leave a candle
lantern burning unattended; always watch for fire hazard from overheating
fabrics or spilling wax. Spilling wax can be dangerous, particularly to eyes
and other sensitive areas. It is your responsibility to use candle lanterns
wisely and with extreme caution: we do not endorse the use of any
flame or heat source in a tent. Cooking in a tent is strongly discouraged
because of fire hazards and carbon monoxide inhalation risks. Unlike
campfire smoke and other fumes, which cause you to gasp for air, carbon
monoxide can render you unconscious without any warning.
Food in Tents
Mop up spills promptly with water. Many foods, particularly acidic ones
like fruit or juices, can weaken synthetic fabrics over time. In any case it is
best to eat and store food away from a tent to avoid attracting animals.
Cleaning
Clean the tent by hand while it is set up, using a sponge, a mild non-
detergent soap, and warm water. Rinse thoroughly. Do not dry clean,
machine wash, or machine dry. Stubborn stains like tar can be left in place
and dusted with talcum powder to prevent transfer to other areas of the
tent in storage. After cleaning, a spray-on water repellent designed for
synthetic fabrics may be applied to the flysheet if surface water repellency
is weakening. (This is apparent when water droplets no longer bead up
on the fabric.)
If the poles are exposed to salt or salt water, rinse them in fresh water and
allow them to dry before storing. (While aluminum does not rust, it can
become brittle through unseen corrosion over time.)
Lubricating the Poles
Occasionally apply a light coating of a silicone-based lubricant like 303TM
Protectant to the tent pole connections. If the poles are used extensively
in marine environments, treat them more frequently.
Storing your Tent
Dry the tent and poles completely before storage to avoid mildew or
hidden pole corrosion. Store in a cool, dry place out of direct light.
Mildewed tents can be cleaned as described above, but there is no way to
remove the dark stains without damaging the fabric. Mildew will probably
take some time to affect the waterproof coatings, so the tent should still
be usable.
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REPAIRING YOUR TENT
Fabric Tears
Watertight repairs to rips can be made with seam sealant such as McNett
FreesoleTM, AquasealTM, or Seam Grip®. For tears shorter than about 1.5cm
(1/2in.), apply duct tape to one side and sealant to the other. On longer
tears, apply duct tape to one side of the tear and, on the other side,
a patch of no-see-um netting that extends about 6-12mm (1/4-1/2in.)
beyond each edge of the tear. Use oval or circular patches (rounded
edges are less likely to peel away than sharp corners). Cover the patch
thoroughly in sealant. Once the sealant is completely dry, the duct tape
can be removed from small and large repairs alike.
For longer trips, we recommend taking an expedition sewing kit and extra
nylon, webbing, a spare pole section, and narrow-diameter (2.5mm) tent
pole shockcord. Coghlan’s Seam Saturant or the like will prevent wicking
through a tent fly via seams or webbing.
Fixing a Pole in the Field
Slip the pole repair sleeve over one pole end. Slide the sleeve along
until it is centred over the break in the pole, then wrap it into place with
duct tape. Be careful not to damage the tent fabrics when removing the
damaged pole.
Replacing a Broken Pole Section
The MEC Grip-TipTM pole tips are press-fitted into place. Carefully tug out
the pole end tip nearest to the broken section. Being mindful of how
to retie it later, untie the end tip. Slide pole sections off the cord until
you reach the damaged section. Remove the broken piece, being careful
not to damage the shockcord. Thread on a new section of appropriate
length and diameter, followed by the other sections, then re-tie the end
tip knot.
Zippers
A worn slider is the cause of most zipper problems. An occasional
application of 303TM Protectant or a silicone-based lubricant will help
reduce wear. Grit accelerates slider wear. Keep zippers clean by rinsing
them under water after use in windy/sandy environments. Sometimes,
carefully squeezing the top ends of the slider with a pair of pliers will
restore some life. If an inner door slider fails, run it as far as possible toward
one end of the zipper, and use only the other slider for the duration of
the trip. A sewing repair shop can replace inoperable sliders.
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