All Hokie, All the Time. Period. Presented by First Bank & Trust Company

JoesterVT JoesterVT OP
Jul 20, 2025 at 02:40 PM ET
Follow up to the beach gear thread....re: de-beaching
I'm also the guy like Don and Fiji who does the majority of the hauling and set-up so I definitely understand that situation. We call it "campus erectus" in our circle. Specific question is after beach care for the gear. I usually do one last campus erectus back at home to everything down with copious amount of fresh water from the hose. My specific question is how best to treat the rusting areas on chairs and tents, etc. our chairs specifically have a lot of moving parts and I'm seeing a lot of rust in those areas. Anything I can do to help protect/preserve those areas in situ? I figure a light application of WD40 would help but also potentially make a mess on the cloth parts and also on us when we use them in the future. Is there any answer here to preserve and extend the life of these things or just let it go?

13 Replies

great2bahokie great2bahokie
Here's a switch I made this year and you should do the same.
Dump the pop-up canopy and go all in on the Sun Ninja! Easy set up and break down. Takes up a fraction of the space in your truck. No rusting parts. You can find variations for less $$$ on Amazon if you wish. You're welcome!
JoesterVT JoesterVT OP
I've seen those in use on the beach
I like the stability of the EZ up.
B777Fr8Dog B777Fr8Dog
inflatable chairs
E
EDGEMAN
Brillant!
T
turkeywinghokie
It is a beach chair. Fresh water will extend life
But it is only going to last so long.
JoesterVT JoesterVT OP
Eh....these are slightly higher end and not necessarily meant for beach use
Also not necessarily my decision to purchase them. Nuff said🤣
Hokie Fiji Hokie Fiji
Don't actually do much "de-beaching" and most of our stuff is cheap
Most expensive gear I have is the EZ-Up tents. I hit them with WD40 occasionally but that's about it. They generally last about 5 years or so before I replace them. As for chairs, we have a few beach chairs (the kind with the metal frame in which you're basically sitting a few inches off the ground) that we've purchased at local shops that have lasted up to 10 years in some cases with very little attention. Beyond that we do the cheap canvas bag chairs and replace them as needed.
E
EDGEMAN
I would have said WD-40, but I understand your reservations.
If the stuff isn't that expensive, just replace it every ~5 years or so....
VaTechie VaTechie
crap, I would use PB blaster if already have rust
love that stuff.
E
EDGEMAN
WD-40 has a similar product.
They have released several different formulations over the last decade, and one is similar to PB-B.
JoesterVT JoesterVT OP
Cool thing, modern WD40 comes with a handy flip up straw
For precise application. I hit the joints and then wiped questionable areas with a WD40 rag. Might help some, certainly can't hurt.
E
EDGEMAN
And if it's for beach use, buy cheap crap.
DonHo-kieHi DonHo-kieHi
I’ve got nothing? Salt air is awful. I bought a grill when I first bought
My beach house and it was pocked and rusted out in a couple years even if scrubbed and covered before putting it away. I bought a smaller one now that I can cover with a large plastic leaf bag that I tape around the whole top of the grill. Have also covered the side table portions with Saran Wrap taped on with painters tape. Helps a fair amount. Beach chairs? Maybe a light coat of petroleum jelly on the joint areas? Store them sealed in a leaf bag!