Wonder If anyone knows of a skilled "Stitcher" either in Chiang Mai or Lamphun area that can repair a rather rare old tent of mine?

 

It was made over 30 years ago, a mountain tent by the Phoenix Company from the UK.

 

Problem is, the groundsheet has disintegrated and needs to be replaced, the material I believe is neoprene coated high grade nylon. I have shown it to a few of the local material and clothes manufacturers locally but no one has any idea as to the fabric other than it being nylon.

 

I would like to replace it with the original material if possible, but if push comes to shove I would just settle for something available locally that is light weight and waterproof. The work involves unpicking all of the stitching from the nylon upper tent section, to remove the groundsheet, unpicking all of the cotton ties around the groundsheet that accept the pegs and replacing them too.

 

It is not really an easy job and the local clothes places around here don't want to touch it.

 

Anyone have any tips or contacts as to someone in Thailand that could do this sort of job? I understand it is probably way cheaper to buy a new tent, but this one has some sentimental value and I would love to get it restored.

 

Thanks.

'REI' in Seattle 'used' to sell this material by the yard, and ship it world wide.

You might want to contact them and ask if they still do.  https://www.rei.com/

Believe the OP ought to ask himself how needed to return the tent to original condition. The tent is old, so maybe some cobbler can sew a bottom on the thing, but looks may suffer.

9 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

'REI' in Seattle 'used' to sell this material by the yard, and ship it world wide.

You might want to contact them and ask if they still do.  https://www.rei.com/

Thanks for that, I will take a look, appreciated!

I believe tyvek is available in Thailand. Its some kind of waterproof breathable material used in the building trade but it is often used to make diy bivvy bags and shelters. Should work as a ground sheet and possibly someone sells it in CM.

13 minutes ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

I believe tyvek is available in Thailand. Its some kind of waterproof breathable material used in the building trade but it is often used to make diy bivvy bags and shelters. Should work as a ground sheet and possibly someone sells it in CM.

That is the stuff they make Fedex bags with, inn't it?  Not something I would want for a tent floor but good for many other things.

 

16 hours ago, Dante99 said:

That is the stuff they make Fedex bags with, inn't it?  Not something I would want for a tent floor but good for many other things.

 

I didnt know Fedex used it to make envelopes. I quick google will show lots of info about tyvek being used for ground sheets, tarps, bivvy bags. Its possible to get it with a camo pattern printed on it. People are making jackets out of it. Lots of how to youtube vids,  fedex envelopes turned into wallets.

I had a  big sheet of Tyvek which i cut up for a sleeping ground cloth.  Incredibly slippery so i slid right off, if on any kind of slope. Tyvek has many merits but friction is not one of them.

9 minutes ago, chingmai331 said:

I had a  big sheet of Tyvek which i cut up for a sleeping ground cloth.  Incredibly slippery so i slid right off, if on any kind of slope. Tyvek has many merits but friction is not one of them.

Thats sounds quite funny! Did you get the tyvek in CM? I wouldnt mind having a diy bivvy bag rather than some $300 gortex one even if it had Fedex  "the world on time" wriiten all over it. 

There are many different waterproof but breathable fabrics now that Gore-tex's patent has expired. No need to pay the long price for the name.

 

On ‎12‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 8:18 PM, chingmai331 said:

I had a  big sheet of Tyvek which i cut up for a sleeping ground cloth.  Incredibly slippery so i slid right off, if on any kind of slope. Tyvek has many merits but friction is not one of them.

This stuff is not Tyvek then, it is quite rough on the inner side and smooth but not slippery on the outer, I still think it is some sort of Neoprene on or impregnated onto / into Nylon.

On ‎12‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 8:48 PM, FolkGuitar said:

There are many different waterproof but breathable fabrics now that Gore-tex's patent has expired. No need to pay the long price for the name.

 

Now there is a good idea! I never thought of Gore Tex, thanks for that, well worth looking into.

9 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

Now there is a good idea! I never thought of Gore Tex, thanks for that, well worth looking into.

 

But didn't you say that you wanted this for a ground sheet? That has no need for breathability. So long as it's waterproof and lightweight, you'll find almost any cloth effective. No need to spend extra for a quality you don't need.