Let's talk precipitation. My biggest concern with getting a single wall tent is precipitation. I'll be starting in early march, so it will be cold. I like tents versus tarps for the extra warmth value at the beginning, but will likely switch out later on for a tarp. But for now, I'm focusing on single wall vs double wall tents. Weight is better with a single wall, but I'm worried that my down bag will get wet because of precipitation. Recommendations? and another question- do you tent users bring groundcloths?

In my experience I have found that I actually sleep warmer under my tarp.

I have a NF solo 12 and its light and small im 5-10 165lbs. I was on silersbald this year an it was -15 with the wind chill this was in april? I could spell my name in the condensation FROZEN that was.... Its a small azz tent but i like to carry a lot of food an GOODIES. So the i figure i hike about if not more than im sleeping so? A liitle discomfort either WAY YOU CHOOSE. I also have a 28dg synthie bag. And it didnt get 2 wet. JUST when i went to spell my name in the ICE. lol Also in the humidity. it was nice but once again i sweat at night so it does have alot of vent. kicker and 2 haeds.

Pick up a Six Moon Designs or a Shire and be done with it. You can always carry a lightweight bivy.

The Titanium Goat bivies weighs 6-8 oz and are available w/ insect hoods and pack small.

If I was in the market for a new tent right now it would definitely be the Gossamer Gear Squall Classic. They make it under license from Henry Shires. It is based on his original Squall Tarptent. The difference is they make it out of spinnaker sail cloth and cut out some other features to save weight. The spinnaker cloth does not stretch and sag when it is wet. The total package is advertised at 23 oz and reviewed at 27 oz. Check it our here: http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/Squall_Classic.html

I have a Six Moon Designs Europa 05 and a Tarptent Rainbow. I have also owned a Tarptent Cloudburst in the past. I have nothing but good to say about all of these tents. Before I switched to single wall tents I used an MSR Hubba. It was more than twice as heavy and had 1/3 less space. If you are a person who enjoys using the shelters, as I am, consider that you are only going to use your tent as a backup. When I analyzed it that way, I much preferred to carry less weight.

Finally, I prefer tents to tarps because of bug protection. It is more convenient to carry a tent with an integrated floor than hassle with a tarp and bug net.

Good luck with your decision and your hike!

I have a Stephenson 2R which has stood up to some pretty horrendous storms. If set up correctly (which is a no-brainer), it maintains perfect circulation so that there is no condensation within. I use down bags exclusively. They don't get wet in there.

In 2004 the rains came, not all at once but day after day after day after night--well, you get the picture. It seemed to me that the silnylon tent was beginning to become saturated as was my silnylon poncho. Soooooo, I got a cute little Kelty tarp from Campmor that I would hang above the tent in all sorts of configurations. Since the tent had mesh screen sides when I wanted it too, it would sit there, perfectly ventilated, like in a breezeway, with the tarp protecting it from rain and/or sun.

That tarp was stolen from my site at Pipestem SP in 2004 while I was at The Gathering. I've decided to replace it now and will do so with Neo's tarp.

Point of this is that, if well designed, single walls are terrific and, if you want to give it a little more protection, a lightweight tarp can make it a palace.

--Kinnickinic

Henry Shires Rainbow 2 Tarp Tent = the best single wall tent out there. I used it for 4 months with one bad morning of condensation. Loved this tent, but that was me.

What's the best cloth material for wiping condensation of of stuff?

I have a single wall Zeus II {same as my pUp} & have had no problems...Also, i spoke 2 a hiker last week in Damascus who is on a loooong lay over (since TrailDayz) using his Zeus I w/no issues....But we weren't talking "FROST"..good luck..

What's the best cloth material for wiping condensation of of stuff?Forget cloth. Get a kitchen sponge, cut it in half, and throw it in your tent. Weighs less than 1 ounce, dry.

In Australia we have a type of kitchen/bathroom cloth called Chux. The "superwipe robust" type is very light and (IMHO) much faster to use than a sponge.
A quick impromptu test was performed recently one the plug fell into the tab whilst the washing machine was emptying it self. My laundry floor is clean now.
I have one for the tent, one for the kitchen (pot/cup/spoon) and one for personal hygiene. In an emergency they can be used as bandages.
Franco

[QUOTE=earthbound;386609]Let's talk precipitation. My biggest concern with getting a single wall tent is precipitation. I'll be starting in early march, so it will be cold. ..................etc,etc,etc,.................... ........./QUOTE]




i bought a KELTY DART-2 (a 3lb single wall tent for 2) a few years back & have never had any problems w/ precip.


http://www.backcountry.com/images/items/medium/KEL0023.jpg

have been pondering a Shire tarp-tent RAINBOW purchase...

www.tarptent.com

Good Luck with you hike!

The problem with condensation in a single wall is caused by the difference in temperature between the two sides of the tent.. Like moisture condensing on the outside of a glass of iced tea.. If you can sleep a little cooler and a little windier, the condensation will be a whole lot less... I learned this about half way thru my thru in 05... Henry Shires has some good tips .. on setting a tarp tent up.. set it up so the front catches the wind as much as possible without threatening the stability...

Any single wall tent, regardless of make, features, vents, etc...will collect condensation somewhere. How much is the key factor. I've used single walled tents since the mid 90's and they have gotten heaps better in terms of ventilation but that only takes you so far. Keep in mind that double wall tents get tons of condensation also it's just on the fly, not the tent inner.

For example, I live in NZ these days and wind here is pretty strong. For that reason, even on a calm night, there will be a very good breeze coming through the tent all night long. However along the AT, where you can easily be in a dark, damp gap somewhere in summer, the air won't move much. So you will get heaps of condensation. Along the AT I get condensation in open ended tarps that are "floating" in mid air, needless to say a single wall tent will be considerably worse.

Condensation will drop on you if it pissing down on a calm night. Water will form above you and when the driving rain hits the tent, the interior drop can fall on you. This is rare, but it does happen. The key isn't to avoid condensation, but to find a way or a tent designed to deal with it. Some of Henry Shires tents are OK with this as well as the MSR Fling, which has a way for dripping condensation to escape the tent.

[quote=question- do you tent users bring groundcloths?[/quote]
I use a material called Tyvex, it is used as a Vapor barrier in home
construction, I cut it with a pair of scisors to the size of the tent.
My favorite tent is a gerry, although it is big for long trails.
I wash the tyvex about 9 times with very mild Hair soap
dr, Bronners magic soap about 9 times in a washing machine.
this makes it softer, and more plyable.
for long hikes i use a cheap tent i found from gear guide,
it's a small bivy type that opens on the side, not the front, and an
extra Synylon tarp hung over it for rain protection.

Like No. 6 above I used a tent with tarp suspended over it for the first two months of my thru hike. I also had a piece of plastic (3ft by 9ft) as a ground cloth. I was always dry and so was my down bag. Later I ditched the tarp and kept the tent rain fly taunt taunt. No bugs and no water. Because I wore leather boots I would use the ground cloth during a rain storm to keep me and them dry. It was so long I could cover myself completely when I climbed underneath it and sat on one end. The other end I tucked under my boots and pack. I didn't cut the plastic down to the foot print of the tent, just left it 3 feet wide. Down side was weight for "housing" was high, even with the one man tent.