Escaping Condensation By Up-sizing

[Harmless]

I'm looking at some single-walled tents, but I move around a lot at night, and I sometimes camp in high humidity. That makes condensation a concern.

Tarptent has a couple of 2-man tents which weigh only a few ounces more than similar 1-man tents. Would up-sizing to a 2-man tent be a realistic way of keeping condensation from dampening my sleeping bag?

[saltysack]

With proper set up location etc you can greatly minimize it. If it's really bad use your rain jacket over the foot box of your quilt or bag. Took I'll getting used to. Check out lightheart gear solong 6. Large one person with room for two...


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[Lyle]

Since generally your bag gets wet when you rub against the wet (from condensation) walls of your tent, getting a larger tent CAN help alleviate the problem, but not necessarily. It will depend on how you fit into any tent. Make sure there is side to side room, and more important make sure the tent is high enough to keep the foot of your bag from brushing against the top. Often times in a tent that is designed for light weight as a primary concern, the foot end of the tent is quite low. Make sure to take into account the added height of what ever sleeping pad you will be using and also potential tent sag when wet or snow covered.

As saltysack said, proper location and set-up can go a long way in minimizing condensation. Try to get a tent that allows you to leave doors open during light and moderate rain.

Have you considered a tarp - no walls to brush against and you can usually set them up as high as you need to keep from brushing the top, plus they allow the absolute best ventilation - even netting cuts down the air movement substantially when there is little breeze.

Mostly, it will be a matter of learning the nuances of whichever shelter you choose so that you can get the most out of it. There will be a learning curve for most shelters.

[egilbe]

Alternately, you can look at tarps with a bug screen and bathtub floor. Sounds to me like you need something with double walls, not single walled.

[Starchild]

Larger tent means more damp fabric to pack also. Cuban fiber can help as it holds less water, so yes it may be damp however it just can not get as damp as sil-nylon.

[Berserker]

Condensation is just part of hiking in the East, if it's humid you're likely gonna get some no matter what you do. I don't try to fight it anymore, I just carry a small pack towel to wipe the inside of my tent down in the morning. If it's bothering you because you're bag is getting damp from bumping into the tent walls, then getting a bigger tent will likely resolve that issue.

[The Solemates]

Choosing the right tent, choosing the right tent site, and pitching the tent appropriately can bring condensation to what I would consider to be negligible even if the most humid of conditions. Granted, I must admit I dont hike a lot in the heat of the summer in the South [doesnt meet my 3 camping criteria - 1) no bugs 2) no hot 3) no people], but I dont ever have problems with condensation.

[rocketsocks]

...let's review
what is condensation? For our purposes here it is the opposite of evaporation, but plainly put it is when water changes from a gaseous state (water vapor) to a liquid state (condensation). When your tents interior (a micro climate) has reached a level of saturation it condenses on the interior walls, the only thing that can change that level is the tempature, or lowering the level of saturation through ventilation. A lager tent just means your gonna have more area to wipe down...that said, if ya want more area to give ya more room so your not bumping into the walls, then yup a larger tent will do the trick.

[nsherry61]

Once upon a time there was this surprisingly effective invention called a double walled tent. They really worked very well, and they generally weigh less than a bug net and a tarp. In the end, with a double walled tent, for a couple ounces of weight (relative to a single wall tent), you get to be basically condensation free and bug free at the same time. . . that being said, I still prefer a tarp to a tent most of the time (more space, more ventilation, better view, lighter weight, more creative). But, I also generally prefer a double-walled tent to a single walled tent if I have to use a tent for some reason.

[rocketsocks]

Once upon a time there was this surprisingly effective invention called a double walled tent. They really worked very well, and they generally weigh less than a bug net and a tarp. In the end, with a double walled tent, for a couple ounces of weight (relative to a single wall tent), you get to be basically condensation free and bug free at the same time. . . that being said, I still prefer a tarp to a tent most of the time (more space, more ventilation, better view, lighter weight, more creative). But, I also generally prefer a double-walled tent to a single walled tent if I have to use a tent for some reason....yes, then the marketeers figured out they could market a single wall tent with a bug net attached and market it as a double wall tent calling they mesh interior a wall....rediculous! Now the unsuspecting haven't a clue what they have, or what they need.

[Gambit McCrae]

I don't know why everyone thinks you have to batten down the hatches every night they sleep in the tent. I keep a door fully unzipped and rolled up on a nice starry night. if its high precip I leave it half zip. If its high winds and rain, battem em down take an elongated object like a forked stick or camp shoe and wedge up the sides so they are not against the ground. letting more air in the tent.

When a human sleeps for a solid night, they expel something like 1 liter (maybe 2) of water. When ventilated well, this just evaporates. But when the tent is buttoned down to the ground like an upside down country crock tub, the water cant escape.

Lastly, when I sleep with a door open for ventilation, I am not bringing into consideration the folks that do not have an inner bug net and bathtub floor. As my net and floor from TT weigh little to nothing, don't know why you wouldn't take it. but on the "lastly", of this statement: When the tent is buttoned down 100% the air and inside tent environment gets stale, odors get trapped. If you leave a door open or cracked, it lets breeze in every so many minutes that freshens up the ol homestead lol

[nsherry61]

...rediculous! Now the unsuspecting haven't a clue what they have, or what they need.
That's why I say, go buy a cheap 8x10 poly tarp for <$10, learn to pitch it well in all kinds of weather, and forget about all that expensive tent foolishness.

[Deacon]

I don't know why everyone thinks you have to batten down the hatches every night they sleep in the tent. I keep a door fully unzipped and rolled up on a nice starry night. if its high precip I leave it half zip. If its high winds and rain, battem em down take an elongated object like a forked stick or camp shoe and wedge up the sides so they are not against the ground. letting more air in the tent.

When a human sleeps for a solid night, they expel something like 1 liter (maybe 2) of water. When ventilated well, this just evaporates. But when the tent is buttoned down to the ground like an upside down country crock tub, the water cant escape.

Lastly, when I sleep with a door open for ventilation, I am not bringing into consideration the folks that do not have an inner bug net and bathtub floor. As my net and floor from TT weigh little to nothing, don't know why you wouldn't take it. but on the "lastly", of this statement: When the tent is buttoned down 100% the air and inside tent environment gets stale, odors get trapped. If you leave a door open or cracked, it lets breeze in every so many minutes that freshens up the ol homestead lol

Exactly. I'm laying on the sofa reading this thread and wondering why I've never had one night with condensation on the inside of my ZPacks duplex, and my cuben Solong 6. You explain the solution well.

[nsherry61]

I don't know why everyone thinks you have to batten down the hatches every night . . .
Extremely good and valid point.
However, some people DO like to feel secure in their fully enclosed tent, safe from the wind and bugs and snakes and voyeurs and bears? For those people, a double-walled tent is probably the best option. But alas, we are getting off the point of the OP.


. . . wondering why I've never had one night with condensation on the inside of my ZPacks duplex, and my cuben Solong 6. You explain the solution well.
Only partly explains the solution. The other part, if you truly haven't experienced condensation, is that you haven't spend the night in an situation that lead to heavy condensation. I agree that ventilation is 80% of the condensation solution.

However, there are at least two situations, that many people may not have to deal with, that do lead to enough condensation that a single walled tent will be a significant nuisance, even if it's worth putting up with for the other 95% of the time, depending on where and when you are traveling. In seriously wet stormy weather, it is impossible to keep the tent open enough to both keep out blowing rain and keep condensation at bay. But, even during nice weather, especially under a clear sky, near water, or in another moist environment, condensation gets everywhere, and is especially bad on any waterproof surface cooled by radiant heat loss to the sky combined with reduced air flow like the inside of a single-walled tent, even with doors open.

[The Solemates]

I for one only sleep in a tent if rain is a possibility. Otherwise it's usually just a night by the fire in the wide open.