wet tent

“I have been using the Stephenson 2R for 2 years now on 7 backpacks and it is always very wet with condensation. This does not vary with altitude or weather. I have used on backpacks in arid areas and wet; and altitudes from 2K to 13.5K and I have to wipe it down with my camp towel at least 3 times a night and in the morning it is still soaking inside. This is to the point that it gets thru my bag. I have both end vents wide open and make sure nothing is in front of them and that makes no difference either. In good weather if I leave the door or the windows wide open then there is only a little condensation. You would think there wouldn't be any then. It is not just that I am a wet type guy either. I have let 3 different friends use it and they have had the same results. Any suggestions.”

“Wow, their web site sure is strange! What's with the naked girl in the sleeping bag? Sounds like a ventilation design flaw. Maybe it's the topless girl, I think my tent would be full of condensation too.”

“Try a vapor barrier liner inside your bag, unless you are allready useing a warmlite bag. This will cut down on the condensation from your sweat, but still leaves condensation from your respiration. This will also help keep your bag dry (your sweat will not be going through the bag).

Mind that I don't own any Stephenson's stuff (wish I did though). I did use a single wall tent for 8 months (when I camped) on my current bike tour-sold it in Kathmandu.

The tent I used was a Eureka! Zeus EXO 2, there old style. It "rained" inside like you describe above zero. I brought along a tarp and started using it as a huge vestibule, and kept the tents vestibule tide back (wide open). This, and using the VBL, cut down on the condensation.

Near & below 0C I didn't leave the vestibule open, but the condensation was tolerable because it froze. Just shook it out in the mornings.

~Happy Holidays from Bangkok!~”

“Seems to be a trait of most single wall tents.

Unless you are in a very dry climate or have great ventilation, seems like you are going to get condensation.”

“Get rid of it. I thought buying a world class tent like North Face Spectrum 33 single wall tent was going to be the lightest tent I have ever owned, I was wrong............I had the same problem you described , so I don't use it, went back to a Mountain Smith SKYLEDGE 2 man with a footprint fast pack design for the extra light weight, weighs less that the Spectrum and no condensation problems.”

“My tent is single wall and does not have a floor. I always have condensation. I would not wake up in the middle of the night to wipe it off. I don't know what the phobia is with condensation.”

“I don't like single wall tents either. Same problem. Most 3 season tents blow flat in high wind or under snow load & most 4 season tents are heavy. In fact, most of the time I don't use em. If I need to spend the night (or a few hours) I just curl up in a weather-tight ball & sleep for a couple hours. (in cooler weather-don't like snakes) Put my weather-proof parka on & rain pants, throw in a 4x6" chem heat pack (for when my body temp drops) & drift off. Couple hours later, I'm off again.”

“Sounds like you put out a lot of BTU's. Might be your metabolism. Some folks are just 'hotties'.....lol.
(thread degradation follows)”

“LOL..what is wrong with creating a little condensation...there ain't nothing better for waking you up than backing up into the COLD condensation on the inside of the tent/tarp first thing in the morning (LOL).”

“Don't sweat it!”

“Be sure you pitch into the wind to maximize air flow through the tent. Avoid pitching next to water or in open spaces where moisture collects.

Condensation is just one of those facets of camping that you have to deal with sometimes. Not a deal breaker, IMHO.”

“I'm always fascinated by these single-wall condensation threads. I have a Bibler I tent (single wall) and have never experienced any condensation problems. I'm certainly not complaining, :), just trying to understand why I don't have these problems?”

“Apparently because Bible makes a good tent.

Speaking of condensation, I got drunk the other night and slept in the back of my truck in the bar parking lot. When I woke up in the morning, there was so much condensation back there, you would have thought I was dehydrated.”

““I'm always fascinated by these single-wall condensation threads. I have a Bibler I tent (single wall) and have never experienced any condensation problems. I'm certainly not complaining, :), just trying to understand why I don't have these problems?”
wanderer
11:32:41 AM
12/27/06

It may be the climate you're using it in. I've always had condensation problems with single wall tents here in the northeast. I've even had a problem a few times using a tarp.”