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Thread: Wet Tent??

  1. #1

    Default Wet Tent??

    Planning my HMW trip and was curious as to what others are doing. The scenario is we are breaking camp and the tent and fly are wet. How does everyone stuff the tent/fly into their packs? Do you put it in waterproof stuff sack (seems like you'd be carrying the extra weight of the moisture till the evening, not to big a deal), in the pack outside the compactor bag, outside the pack (don't really want anything outside the pack)?

    Just curious if I was missing something or it's just suck it up and drive on...

  2. #2

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    Lots of valid approaches. Mine is to bag the important things inside the pack using a trash compactor bag. The tent (tarp in my case) just goes into the pack as the last item on top. Give it a quick shake before packing to eliminate the bulk of the moisture, then just leave it handy for setting up when you get to the next campsite. Because the important things are packed in their own watertight bag, any remaining moisture on the tent or tarp is harmless.

  3. #3

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    Kind of my train of thought...I dont want to get mired down with 50 dry bags....

    Thank you

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Meenkya View Post
    Planning my HMW trip and was curious as to what others are doing. The scenario is we are breaking camp and the tent and fly are wet. How does everyone stuff the tent/fly into their packs? Do you put it in waterproof stuff sack (seems like you'd be carrying the extra weight of the moisture till the evening, not to big a deal), in the pack outside the compactor bag, outside the pack (don't really want anything outside the pack)?

    Just curious if I was missing something or it's just suck it up and drive on...
    I posted basically the same question in the General forum on 4/29/18 so you can see what people said at that time.

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    Another point regarding this is to stop and take an extended break for lunch or some other time if and when the sun comes out or it is otherwise a reasonable time to do some drying. Then pitch or spread you tent and other wet gear out to dry, at least partially, before repacking again and heading on down the trail. During extended wet periods, sometimes the only chance to dry out your gear is an hour to two when the opportunity presents itself during the day. Otherwise, you get to camp, everything is wet, it doesn't have a chance to dry out overnight, and you pack it wet again the next morning. Making camp with dry (or drier) gear is much nicer, especially when it is wet outside, than making camp with wet gear. And, if you use down insulation, drying out your gear is imperative.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  6. #6

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    I second the lunch break idea. A ridge with a breeze, a big sun warmed rock, if you stumble across an empty shelter during the day... all good places to get a bit of drying time. Sometimes drier is enough.

  7. #7
    Registered User evyck da fleet's Avatar
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    And since you’ll be passing by shelters I’ve stopped for lunch while it’s raining and dried off my tent inside the shelter. Remember to sweep up afterwards.

  8. #8

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    I carry a small piece of a ShamWow cloth (but any chamois works) to wipe down my tarp or tent. Great for condensation, it also speeds the drying process. I'll wipe everything down before making my morning coffee and let it dry while I get packed up. If it's still damp, I'll lay it out during breaks in the sun.
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    First thing is to wipe down the rain fly with a pack towel. You won't get the fly dry, but you'll remove a large percentage of the weight. I then fold the fly such that the wet sides are facing each other. I then stuff the tent body in the tent stuff sack followed by the rain fly. The tent then gets lashed to the outside of my pack using the bed-roll lashing straps (as my rolled up Neo XLite goes inside the pack quite nicely).

  10. #10
    Registered User stilllife's Avatar
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    Why not put it in the mesh pocket on the back of your pack, if it has one.

  11. #11

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    If my tent is soaked there's no way it's getting anywhere near the inside of my pack. It's always carried horizontally on the outside bottom of my pack---next to the sleeping bag compartment. My tent sack is porous which allows water to drain out while I'm hiking---gets lighter as I move.

    Trip 189 (10)-XL.jpg
    Green tent on bottom.

    The bigger challenge is to get an ice covered tent covered in Ice Varnish back inside its stuff sack. And then strapped to the pack. The ice could not be removed and I cursed for 15 minutes trying to get it stuffed. See pic. This is a fairly common winter occurrence.

    Trip 188 (31)-XL.jpg

  12. #12

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    I also stuff it at the bottom of my pack below contractor garbage bag liner. Lunch time drying of all my stuff definitely happens when there's a bit of sun. Never have used a cloth to dry stuff, but can see the benefit of doing that

  13. #13
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    While I'm definitely the square peg in a round hole with this, perhaps those who hate having to deal with wet weather camping will consider this:

    After my first couple rain days on the trail I vowed I would ignore UL wisdom and do something to improve the experience. Packing the wet tent isn't a big deal for me, using a BA FC2 the bag is pretty water resistant so a wipe off before packing is all that is necessary have the tent in my pack. To me a bigger concern was the amount of dirt/grit that got splashed on to both inner and rain flies and which wont wipe off well when wet. With the constant wiggle of a pack I can see the grit causing accelerated wear.

    Anyway after much skull sweat I have decided to carry a rain tarp to cover my entire tent. It turns out one can make a 10'x10' polycryo tarp pretty cheaply and at well under a pound weight penalty...which is too much until you consider its full utility as a multi function tarp. For me: 1)its a ground cloth to spread gear on for folding, setting up camp etc.
    2) its a shower "floor" so one does not need rocks etc to prevent making a mud hole where you stand(actually it serves several functions in its shower role- but YOU dont care because you dont shower )
    3) you can cover an entire picnic table with a rain roof by placing your hiking poles on the table to pitch it high - really nice when you're tired of squatting on a shelter floor for hours
    4) it can also be used on warm nights instead of the rainfly which will allow massive airflow while still giving protection from dew 5) pitched with the outside edges right on the ground you can eliminate splash and grit getting to your tent as 10' is wide enough to go out beyond your stakes. Also at 10' long you gain a lot of protection/shelter for your entry/vestibule which is the biggest short coming of the BA FC's to me.
    I'll be heading out to do the MD section the week of Oct 22 and will be giving it a real world test then, if anyone is interested in how it works out.

  14. #14

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    Crossup---Bringing such a rain tarp also works as an overhang shelter big enough to squat under and build a small twig fire. Keeping the flame low turns a tarp into a real home lodge.

    TRIP 174 Pt2 020-XL.jpg

    BUT . . . a decent stand alone tent provides great storm protection in tough conditions without worrying about an extraneous tarp flapping about and getting pounded by tremendous winds. A good tent is made to handle such winds with you inside secure . . . adding a tarp only complicates matters.

    And often in bad storms the tent will get wet anyway with a tarp because the wind blows in from sides . . so you end up packing up not only a wet tent but a wet tarp.

  15. #15
    Registered User Crossup's Avatar
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    Good points Tipi, I decided on polycryo because it can't assorb any significant moisture and with the smooth surface rinses off clean. So a wipe down will reduce any water clinging to it to a very small amount, and unlike the tent, at $30 I dont mind rubbing grit off if needed. Also while it may be less than totally dry, it will never need to be packed inside my pack nor will it ever touch my sleeping bag unlike the tent walls- we all know what happen when they do. So while not a perfect solution and one that will obviously become problematic with enough wind, I think they times it will help will justify carrying it...especially if used as you illustrated. Anyway, many ideas sound good on paper, we'll see how it goes on the trail

  16. #16
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    I just pack up my wet tarp and net tent, stuff it in its silnylon stuff sack and dry it when the sun comes out. It goes into the top of my pack, on top of my rolled up trash compacter bag. I want it handy to get to, if and when, the sun comes out. I weighed my tarp after this last weekends hike when it rained saturday night. Wet, it weighs 14 ounces more.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by stilllife View Post
    Why not put it in the mesh pocket on the back of your pack, if it has one.
    This. I don't worry about it. Stuff that needs to stay dry is in a plastic bag.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by egilbe View Post
    I just pack up my wet tarp and net tent, stuff it in its silnylon stuff sack and dry it when the sun comes out. It goes into the top of my pack, on top of my rolled up trash compacter bag. I want it handy to get to, if and when, the sun comes out. I weighed my tarp after this last weekends hike when it rained saturday night. Wet, it weighs 14 ounces more.
    I think this sums things up pretty well. Pack it up however you please in a way that doesn't get the rest of your stuff wetter than it already is and make it easily accessible to pull out and dry for a few minutes when the sun or a good wind come around to assist in the drying effort.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  19. #19

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    If its not raining but my tent is wet, I use a bandana/packtowel and wipe as much liquid off the tent as possible. This makes a world of a difference especially with a cuben shelter. Next, I pack it up as usual. Finally, rather than storing my shelter inside my pack which I normally do, I cinch it down under the Y strap on top of my pack for the day in its stuff sack.

    If I have the time and if the suns out, ill let my tent dry out whilst I take a rest break. If not, i try to get my tent setup asap in camp to let it air out as much as possible.

    I'm switching to modular shelter systems. Single walls are nice, but in extended wet weather, they are not ideal. I think being able to seperate the inner from the outer is very important in really wet climates.

    Hammocks are ideal. Wet tarp and wet suspension can be packed seperately from dry hammock body.



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  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Meenkya View Post
    (don't really want anything outside the pack)
    I'm the opposite. Outside the pack is always where I want my shelter. That way, when I leave the protection of the tent in inclement weather, everything else is already packed.
    It also maximizes pack space, which makes a difference when that's at a premium. This is an Exos 58 on day 1 of 7. So much room to spare that I might have actually been able to get away with using my 38L version, but only with the shelter on the outside.

    FB_IMG_1538550267315.jpg
    Unfortunately, lightweight to UL packs with straps on the bottom are getting rare, but vertical on the side can work, too.
    Would also make things simpler if you wanted to dry the tent out during the day. People talk about that, but it's not something I ever do myself.

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