Z i p p e r s
One of the keys to zipper longevity is to keep them away
from sand and grit. When pitching your tent, be careful
to keep the door and window zippers out of the dirt.
Never step on the zipper. Keep zippers clean by washing
them (at home) with a garden hose and pressure nozzle.
Most zipper failures result from wear to the coating on the
inside of the zipper slider (the metal toggle). Once that
coating wears off, the metal abrades rapidly, and the
zipper slider no longer joins the continuous plastic coils
securely. The plastic coils then tend to separate behind the
zipper slider. You can replace a worn out zipper slider with
our patented Zipper Repair Clamp. The Zipper Repair
Clamp (pictured below) is available from your local
Mountain Hardwear dealer.
T e a r s a n d O t h e r D a m a g e
Small holes and tears can be repaired in the field using
either a needle and thread, adhesive repair tape, or liquid
urethane (Mcnett™ Seam Grip). Field repairs do not void
the warranty of your tent.
C A R I N G F O R Y O U R T E N T A T H O M E
Never pack or store your tent if it is dirty and/or
damp. If you do so, mildew can form and ruin the
waterproof coating on your tent. Mildew will cause
your tent to smell and can eventually delaminate and dam-
age the polyurethane coating which will cause your tent to
leak. There is no cure for mildew damage. P r o l o n g e d
moisture on the polyurethane coating (storing the tent wet
for more than a few days) can cause hydrolysis. This will
soften the coating and cause the coated fabric to become
sticky and bond to itself. Mildew damage and hydro-
lysis are not covered under our Lifetime Warranty.
U l t r a v i o l e t ( U V ) Light
Ultraviolet light degrades lightweight tent fabric (and
almost any synthetic material). UV light will cause the
fabric to fade, lose strength, and eventually disintegrate.
The canopy of the Satellite consists of an UV-resistant,
waterproof, titanium dioxide membrane laminated to a
40-denier polyester ripstop fabric. While this titanium
dioxide membrane is practically UV-proof, the polyester
fabric is not. The best way to prolong the life of any tent
is to keep it out of the sun as much as possible. Pitch the
tent in a shady spot whenever possible. By striking (taking
the tent down) in the morning and repitching the tent late
in the day, you will add to any tent’s longevity.
F o o d S t o r a g e
Never store food in your tent. Animals will often tear or
bite their own entrance into a tent to get at your food.
Pole Care
When assembling the poles, never allow the pole sections
to snap against each other. Always make sure that all pole
sections are fully engaged before bending. Keep the poles
clean and free of silt, sand, and salt, taking special care
with the tips as they are not anodized and can corrode.
When disassembling your poles, always start from the cen-
ter, then work your way to the tips. This allows the elastic
cord to be evenly stretched, an important matter when the
poles are stored disassembled for a long period of time.
F I E L D R E P A I R S
P o l e s
If you break a tent pole you can repair the break tem-
porarily by splinting the pole with a short aluminum sleeve
(called a repair sleeve—three such sleeves are provided
with the Satellite). The aluminum repair sleeve is fitted
over the broken pole section and taped (or wedged) into
place. Ski pole repair sleeves, tent stakes and even branch-
es can be used to splint broken tent tubes.
