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cheaphiker
01-22-2006, 01:39
I have a BA seedhouse 1 tent and I'm thinking of getting the footprint for the fast fly setup. Should I worry about waking up to a wet down bag if I don't use some kind of lightweight winter bivy over my bag? how do you tarp people deal with condenstion and moisture?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions and comments.

Footslogger
01-22-2006, 13:29
Just make sure that there'e adequate clearance under your tarp between the sleeping bag and the under surface of your tarp and spray a DWR coating on the top surface of the sleeping bag. As long as your bag does not come in direct contact with the tarp and there's decent ventillation, any moisture that develops on the bag should be minor and will not penetrate the DWR coating.

At least that's been my experience,

'Slogger

cheaphiker
01-22-2006, 18:03
I'll be trying this without a mesh between me and the tent fly on a humid and somewhat cold night in my backyard some time soon out here in the east coast where I'll be doing most of my backpacking. Thanks for your input.

general
01-22-2006, 21:32
tarps generally condensate less than tents unless your in the clouds. better ventalation. my bag came with a dwr coating on it, when i bought it, 7 or 8 years ago. i've never re-treated it, and it's never been a problem. the only wet night i've ever spent in it was caused by an emergency bivy sack (the modified space blanket type). talk about condensation.

JJB
01-22-2006, 22:57
I'll second the condensation in a bivi. As a winter newbe I went out a couple of weeks ago just outside of Greylock. Thought I was being real cool and used my brand new bivi with a zero degree down bag and woke with a scary amount of condensation on the inside of my bivi. I was then told to vent the bivi by opening the foot area of the bivi. I'll see how it works the next time around. Hopefuly in a week or two.

Sly
01-22-2006, 23:07
Condensation from a tarp or single walled tent isn't likely to soak the down. I use both and although the foot of my sleeping bag looks damp in the morning, it's never created a problem.

That said, if at all possible, it's always a good idea to air dry a down bag daily.

cheaphiker
01-23-2006, 21:00
Judging from your experiences with a winter bivy inside a tent and/or tarp I think I'll scratch that idea of my list. In the mean time I'll be looking for one of those footprints specially made for the seedhouse.