The nerve-wracking "first opening"
It is March. The sun has finally started to thaw the asphalt in the driveway, and the birds are singing as if they are getting paid for it. For many of us who free-camp with a roof tent or camp-let, this means one special thing: It is time to pull off the tarp and open the marvel for the first time since October.
I will be honest with you – I always feel a little lump in my stomach when I pop up the roof tent for the first time in the spring. Was the canvas completely dry when I packed it away last fall? Has a family of wood mice decided to overwinter in my foam mattress? Does it smell like a damp basement?
For those of us who base our free-camping on canvas, tent fabric, and zippers, spring cleaning is a bit different than for those who roll around in fully integrated fiberglass motorhomes. We have to think about impregnation, breathability, and mildew. Here is my personal checklist to get the roof tent and camp-let 100 % ready for a new season on the road.
Step 1: Airing out and the big wash
The very first thing you must do is choose the right day. Find a day where the sun is shining and there is preferably a light breeze blowing. Set up the roof tent or camp-let in all its glory, take out all the mattresses and sleeping bags (if you forgot to take them out last fall – shame on you!), and let it stand open for a couple of hours before you do anything at all. Let the wind blow out the winter's stale smell.
Next, bring out the bucket. But wait a bit! Do not bring out the strongest chemical in the garage. Canvas fabric (polycotton or pure cotton) is sensitive stuff.
- Use mild soap: Green soap water or special detergent for tent fabric is the only thing that applies.
- Use a soft brush: Gently brush away bird droppings, tree resin, and old dust. Do not scrub so hard that you destroy the fibers in the fabric.
- Rinse extremely well: Soap residues left in the fabric can actually attract moisture later, and then you are back to square one. Use the garden hose, but by all means: Keep the pressure washer far away!
Step 2: Impregnation – your shield against unpredictable spring weather
When the fabric is washed and has dried completely, it is time to consider impregnation. If the fabric started to absorb water (became dark and wet) on the last trips last fall instead of the water beading up, you must re-impregnate.
When we talk about unpredictable weather here in Norway, I just have to highlight the video Til Halden i bobil - Full haglstorm på Østlandet (Vanlife i Norge) by Ruben's Vanlife. It shows with all clarity why your canvas must withstand a beating! Ruben experienced that the sky suddenly opened up with brutal hail and rain – a classic Norwegian spring phenomenon. Make sure your fabric is tight and newly impregnated before you end up in the exact same situation. A leak during a hailstorm in April is the recipe for a bad mood.
Use a breathable impregnation (often a silicone- or fluorocarbon-based spray, depending on the manufacturer's recommendation for your type of fabric). Spray on an even layer, especially over seams, and let it cure according to the instructions.
Step 3: Zippers, gas struts, and mechanics
The fabric is only half the job. Roof tents and camp-lets have several moving parts that have stood still and oxidized for months.
- The zippers: This is perhaps the most important component for comfort. Are they sluggish? Use an old toothbrush to clean the teeth from dust and sand. Then rub over with a block of beeswax, stearin, or use a special lubricant for zippers. (Avoid oil – it attracts dirt like flypaper).
- The gas struts: For those of us with pop-up roof tents with gas struts, wipe down the rods with a damp cloth and give them a little spray of silicone spray. Then the tent pops up just as smoothly as when it was new.
- The chassis (for camp-lets): Do not forget the rolling stock! Check the air pressure in the tires, inspect the tires for cracks, and lubricate the drawbar and jockey wheel.
Step 4: Mattress and moisture control in the sleeping area
Have you ever slept in a roof tent in March or April and woken up with a mattress that feels like a wet sponge on the underside? Condensation is the free-camper's biggest enemy when the nights are cold. A warm body plus cold outside air equals moisture under the mattress.
Spring cleaning is the perfect time to tackle this. Remove the cover on the mattress and throw it in the washing machine if it is washable. While the cover is washing, let the foam itself air out in the spring sun for a whole day. Sunlight is actually antibacterial and kills superficial fungus and bacteria.
Pro-tip: If you do not already have an anti-condensation mat (mesh underlay) under your mattress, this is the spring you should invest in one. It creates a thin layer of air between the mattress and the cold floor, which drastically reduces the moisture problem.
The big reward
It might take a whole Saturday to get the roof tent or camp-let ready. You will get sweaty, you might get a little green soap in your eye, and the neighbor wonders why you are standing on the car roof swearing at a zipper.
But when everything is scrubbed, lubricated, and dried, the wanderlust really starts to boil. Check out Epic Caravan Adventure | Exploring Norway | by The Adventure Guy for some proper inspiration. Even though he goes on a trip with a large caravan, the nature experiences, the mountain passes, and the wild Norwegian nature in the video are exactly what we free-campers long for. Sit down in your newly washed tent with a cup of coffee, watch this video, and let it remind you why we love this life.
Finally: The departure checklist
Before you embark on the year's first free-camping trip with the app in the dashboard, do a final check:
- Are all tent pegs and guy lines intact and free of rust?
- Do the 12V outlets work, and are the batteries in the headlamps replaced?
- Are the mounting brackets for the roof rack (for roof tents) re-tightened? The winter cold can cause metal to contract and nuts to loosen.
If you have done all this, you are more than ready for the start of the season. Do like thousands of other Norwegians: Open the Fricamp app, find yourself a lonely and beautiful spot along a Norwegian fjord, and enjoy the sound of the spring wind flapping in newly impregnated canvas. See you down the road!