tent condensation

Nigel,

Have a look at Steven Horner's review of the Trailstar.

http://www.stevenhorner.com/?p=1003

Condensation is unavoidable.
Any time there's a dew (not infrequently, at least at low level), you will get condensation on your tent outer. No matter how well ventilated it is, it's not as well ventilated as the grass outside.

All you can do is...
a) camp where there's no dew (under trees etc, which has its own drawbacks)
b) use a steep sided outer that lets the condensation roll down (eg a pyramid)
c) use an inner that will keep off the drips (solid, not mesh).

Thanks for all the replies.

So condensation is unavoidable and someone said a tent outer close to the ground (e.g. Akto) will suffer worse, a very open outer (like well off-ground Tarp) is best and also if you get a steep-sided (I guess an A-frame type?) then condensation  can roll down quicker. My TN LC is already fairly open outer but I know condensation is just clinging to its insides and immediately overhead the fabric is practically horizontal.

What about if you treat the outer sheet's inside with a DWR so condensation rolls (better) down the inside? I did that about 10 years ago with a fairly high-sided tent and I was quite happy with that, it was just some brand I forget of paint-on waterproofer.

There are these type of tents which are very steep-sided and a single-skin with a mesh all around the bottom, I found an example of the Tarptent Sublite making use of hiking pole style with steep sides.  I wonder if the internal condensation will run outsude  the mesh and not in the mesh to the groundsheet? The model I link above looks unlikely to windstand a strong wind but the ideas seem to address weight, condensation, privacy, keeping the wildlife out. A more sturdy looking one is the Contrail.

I've been searching the above Tarptent,  and its shown this issue of condensation was discussed many times (sorry). I'm probably not going to be able to improve in my context on the TN LC.

If you want something similar to the Tarptent system, you could probably buy the single skin tent of your choice and get Oookworks to sew in perimeter netting and a groundsheet. If Oookworks won't, you could order the tent in the states and have it shipped to Bearpawwd for them to do the work and forward the tent to the UK.

Some tents such as the Golite SLs have attachment points or a groundsheet, which means you can have the groundsheet bathtub style above the netting so no worries about condensation running onto it.

I just spent 3 nights on the Aussie alps using the new Tarptent Starto Spire 2  (by my self, my mate was using a Moment)The first night we camped by a creek on drier side of it, the other (flat and pretty) was almost a bog.On the bog site two other tents were pitched. All the tents were wet outside and under the fly in the morning (we reached dew point so everything was wet,,) I had a good night sleep and so did my mate but he always does..( not sure about the others but the tents were dripping)The second night we were next to a river but much drier night , all was well.The third night we were at 1800m with another six tents around. It rained all night but we also had frequent winds only around 20-30kmph. (I have a Kestrell thingo...)In the morning comparing notes , I had the driest tent and my mate did well too.Why?The other shelters were full double wall (fabric) all zipped up having occupants that had wet clothing and (as usual) far too warm sleeping begs so producing an enormous amount of condensation.My mate slept with the ends of the tent open and the door partially open (to him 13c is warm...) I had one door fully zipped up (windward) and the other half done up but because of the size of the shelter (large for two...) and because I don't sweat very much I also had a restful and dry night.So again to me the way to minimise condensation is to allow wind flow, have some headroom and generally a bit more volume than some shelters offer.BTW, the StratoSpire 2 uses 2 trekking poles. For 1 person the SS1 will be more than adequate.Francofranco@tarptent.com

So its Trailstars this year.

Last year it was Scarps.

The year before duomids.

The year before that shangrila's.

The year before the year before the year before it was the Laser.

I sense the people on here are not at all gullible..

Good info Franco.Have you seen the Moment mod with pieces of thin plastic and velcro to make stays for keeping the top vents fully open.

Hi SDI did something like that when it first came out but then never bothered using them because they usually stay open for me. I also stopped using the liner because I prefer to just wipe if needed (my mate does too) but it is a personal choice.Franco

Hi Franco, I keep the Z stays in the peg bag so I put them in when setting up. Otherwise usually saw the vents where closed when I was getting into the sleeping bag and had to venture outside in my boxers.

TOBLERONE wrote (see)

I sense the people on here are not at all gullible..

My equipment cupboard is well stocked with the second hand cast-offs of equipment that just isn't as cool as it was a year or two ago, purchased at a knock-down price from dissatisfied OM, UKC and miscellaneous Ebay denizens.

Please don't discourage people from chasing after the Next Big Thing, because I'm really banking on them selling their Scarp 2s next year. I quite fancy one of those

Two skin tents (most of the time) for me.

I can take the Hex as a single skin as it has steep walls...tried smaller single-skins and don't like the lack of wriggle room and the proximity to 'wet'. I guess you can always use a bivvy bag inside a single skin, but it's not my idea of fun on long trips.

I've had my Scarp three years

And my Hex five

But obviously other tents form an orderly queue.....

Condensation management

This shot may explain a bit better what I was trying to say above.


Most of the hikers arrived on the spot (a bit of a bald at 1800m with a good size refuge and toilets) around midday. It had been raining most of the morning and kept raining all afternoon till the next morning. When we got out at about midday the next day it finally cleared up.So most set up their shelter in the rain , then changed inside living their wet clothes there under a fully zipped up shelter.All had multiple (wet...) layers under their rain jacket and none had "breathable" pants so their trousers were wet too.. I only had my socks and wool T wet (eVent pants)  and was able to keep the large door open ,on the lee side,  all afternoon. (I had a light Montane rain jacket that does not breathe at all , so walked most of the morning without it, briefly putting it on when drizzle turned into heavier rain.My mate had a cotton T on. (he is used to cold weather)So there was no condensation inside my shelter when I closed the door panel for the night.


This is midday ,the day after , from across the valley, at 1900m. Where we camped is still in the clouds.(follow the ridge on the left)  3c including wind chill (about 25-30kmph winds) (for those who think we don't get "weather" around here) It is the end of spring for us.Franco

Check out the Terra Nova Solo. No longer in production though.
Single pole curved ridge,inner mesh, two very steep sides,zip vent
along the top ridge also meshed against the midge.Large outer
porch.Front side lifts up completely if you prefer the open sky.
Tub groundsheet, condensation, if you know your pitch no probs.
Mine is five years old and still 100% safe and watertight.Cheers

My 1-man tent before my TN LC was a Coleman Viper. In hindsight I can see it had less of a condensation problem than my later TN LC due to its steeper sides, plus it had a roof mesh area protected from rain via a flap which was a guy attachment, mesh both sides meant also no condensation from the person. Was cold in winter though.

Looking at the amount of fabric, I don't know why that design isn't used now? Massive porch too. It was made of cheap tough fabric over twice the weight of my TN LC but that design made with more epensive lighter fabrics would be better I think against condensation.