Tent condensation

[Mav359]

Hi guys

Being a noob to camping & with me signing up for SGL8 I have started to slowly put my camping gear together starting with a tent and an air bed. Being the the child that I am i had to try it out so I pitchedthe tent in the garden.

I didn't sleep in it over night, I wanted to check it for leaks, see how the air bed fitted and stayed up over night and generally have a look. Very happy bunny, the air bed is as comfortable as my bed indoors and was as firm as I left it. The tent too I am very happy with, it's a Quechua pop up which even as a complete novice was able to put up and take down easy enough

The thing I found supprising was the amount of condensation that build up on the tent, the inner bedroom is almost like a tent within a tent so that was dry but the porch areas roof was quite wet, it had held the moisture and the ground and the few bits I'd left inside were bone dry but as soon as you put you hand to the roof the water would fall to the ground....

Is this normal, would a heater combat the condensation? Is there anything I can do to prevent it etc....

[nightfisher]

Sorry to say but tents can be prone to condensation, i use a bivvy that has 2 skins, plus a third skin for really cold work, the more layers it has the less it gets condensation

[Kai]

Condensation happens I'm afraid ( think breathing into a plastic bag. ) the important think is to make sure it's well ventilated during the day so the bedding doesn't get too damp

[Mav359]

I had considered throwing a large tarp over the whole thing, not pretty but do you think that would help, if that's the first layer it might take the brunt of it perhaps?

[Kai]

Don't think it will help as most condensation comes from inside the tent or from the moisture in the grass

[Mav359]

That explains a lot, the ground sheet for the tent tapers inward at the front and the porch area of the tent only sits on top of the ground sheet so it leaves the inside slightly exposed to the grass on either side.

I think I'll invest in an additional groundsheet to cover that portion of the ground and perhaps Velcro it to the inside to remove that exposure. As you have already said it wont remove the issue but it might help if the ground isn't exposed.

[Moonshane]

the good news is that modern tents dry off in a jiffy assuming it's dry.

my scope tends to get condensation on the primary when in the tent so I just de-cap in the morning (obviously being careful the scope does not face / cannot be blown around to face the sun) and it clears in no time at all.

[Phil Fargaze]

Well done! You have followed the first golden rule of camping. You have put up your tent and are checking your gear before you need to rely on it far from home. An extra ground sheet under the tent can be a help to protect from stones and be warmer. I don`t know if it will reduce condensation. Just remember to make sure that the extra ground sheet does not protrude beyond the outside of the tent because if it rains the water will roll of the tent and be directed under the tent.

[Mav359]

LOL it was less me being thorough but rather the 12 year old in me screaming "woohoo new toys lets have a play". That and I'll need to practice folding it away, nearly had my head off the first time I tried.

Ill bring the second grond sheet up just inside the tent to use as a second floor to prevent the ground from being exposed inside the porch area of the tent, there will be none of it outside of the tent.

[allcart]

Also any cooking or water boiling will only add to the condensation problem. Tents should have an inner and outer skin with an air gap between them. The inner skin is ventilated, usually at the top to let out moisture, and the outer skin will keep out rain. If you have a condensation problem, its best to avoid touching the skin of the tent unless you want to get wet.

[Mav359]

LOL that one I figured out, my 2year old nephew was over visiting and was stood in the porch area getting rained on every time I touched the tent, he was soaked but thought it was the funniest thing ever which made me laugh, my sister wasn't so amused!!!

[rowan46]

if you have electric hook up a fan heater will significantly reduce condensation

[Phil Fargaze]

You will find that depending on the conditions and location that condensation does vary. If I remember rightly, at SGL7 condensation was not much of a problem, but it was very cold at night.

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Alan,

Is it the 2 person or 4 person version of the Quechua pop up tent?

Condensation can be a wonderful source of drinking water in a desert but a pain in the .... on a British campsite.

It is important that the tent should be as waterproof and water-resistant as possible but must have adequate ventilation.

As you say you have not slept in it yet, now did it get so wet? I trust that the sleeping area stayed dry.

How is the groundsheet attached to the tent?

I have an Outwell Trout Farm 4 polycotton tent, it has a zipped in heavy duty groundsheet, plus a plastic footprint underneath that.

Then it has an Outwell carpet in the non-sleeping area. So there is 3 layers of material between me and mother earth.

I have not suffered any condensation yet, as the ventilation on these tents is fantastic.

I do not cook or even boil a kettle in the tent, cooking can be a major source of vapour.

As mentioned earlier it is absolutely essential to keep your bedding dry. Putting a tarp over the tent may cut down the ventilation and make the condensation worse!!

Incidentally, at SGL 7 and other star parties we leave our scopes out all the time. I cover mind with two survival bags and guide lines secure it.

I remove the telrad in the morning and let the sun dry out any condensation on the scope from the previous night.

If it is safe to do so, try sleeping out one evening in November, as that should be roughly the same temperature / humidity levels as in March.

Make sure that you can get into the house if necessary during the night.

Let's us know how you get on.....

Cheers

Adrian

[Ingues122]

If your tent has vents that can be held open without letting the weather in then it's a good idea to pitch them to catch the breeze, it's not going to solve your problem but a bit of airflow always helps. If it's bothering you loads then you could always buy some dehumidifying crystals to leave in the living area. They're cheap as chips and reusable.

Also, if you wake up in the middle of the night with a bad back and frost bite, it's because an air bed is not your friend in cold conditions! You lose most of your body heat through the ground. That was a hard lesson to learn for me in the Lakes in February!

[Capricorn]

See no one has said the obvious: Don't breathe. :eek:

You are a major source of the moisture.

[ollypenrice]

Airbeds are not the best, it must be said. Self inflating foam filled mattresses originally marketed by Thermarest are the top kit. They are costly but mine is marching on after over twenty years and several continents. Decathlon and others make cheaper copies. Just put a woolen blanket on the airbed now that you have it. You lose heat from below and through your head.

Two skinned tents are all about condensation. The purpose of the outer skin on nylon tents is to stop the rain getting to you (you amaze me Holmes!) but it has a second function which is to collect all the condensation on the inside and conduct it into the ground. The trick is, when in the inner tent, not to lurch about and push the inner against the outer because, if you do, you will wet the inner. No points!

As for all this talk of heaters in tents, well, (Splutter splutter, Colonel Blimp mode, you'll be wanting heated showers next and dry clothes for the next day! Nancies! WImps! Bah humbug.)

Olly

[Moonshane]

Airbeds are not the best, it must be said. Self inflating foam filled mattresses originally marketed by Thermarest are the top kit. They are costly but mine is marching on after over twenty years and several continents. Decathlon and others make cheaper copies. Just put a woolen blanket on the airbed now that you have it. You lose heat from below and through your head.

Two skinned tents are all about condensation. The purpose of the outer skin on nylon tents is to stop the rain getting to you (you amaze me Holmes!) but it has a second function which is to collect all the condensation on the inside and conduct it into the ground. The trick is, when in the inner tent, not to lurch about and push the inner against the outer because, if you do, you will wet the inner. No points!

As for all this talk of heaters in tents, well, (Splutter splutter, Colonel Blimp mode, you'll be wanting heated showers next and dry clothes for the next day! Nancies! WImps! Bah humbug.)

Olly

oh shut up Olly and get back in your warm room

spot on advice above. heating a tent's a waste of time. just put your sleeping bag round you and you'll soon be toasty.

[RikM]

+1 on the Thermarest type self inflating mats. I've got a Vango branded one and it works a treat.

[nickdud]

my name is nick and i like camping! there! i've said it!!

plenty of ventilation, no airbed, just a matress......

And a VERY BIG DUVET:)

i have 3, 10tog double duvets in 2 cases(1under,2over-reverse for summer)

TOASTY:D

[Laowei Tony]

The best way to reduce condensation is simply increase your ventilation. Don't put your fly too close to the ground, yes the grass will give off moisture so a proper footprint may help.

And a work of warning...

NEVER EVER EVER COOK IN A TENT!

The two big reasons are fire and carbon monoxide. Put up a seperate tarp to cook under if required.