Author Topic: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote  (Read 18338 times)

gunwharfman

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #45 on: 09:54:12, 19/05/18 »
I've had my tent for a long time and know it very well. As Mel writes, much condensation is caused by breathing, I agree with that. In my experience condensation also seems to happens over a range of temperatures, I sometimes get a little which is no bother but sometimes the condensation is 'heavier', especially in the autumn and can blend together to form large droplets. Is not a problem for me, I'm just acknowledging that it happens sometimes. One thing I do notice however is that large slugs seem to like the damp inner tent a lot, in the morning I often find them right at the top of my mesh. It used be a bit unnerving waking up in the middle of the night to see a large slithery thing gradually making it up the side of my inner tent but I'm now used to it.

As a related matter. I used to always fill my flexible water container and leave it lying down between the innner and outer tent near to my head, before I settled down to sleep, but I became really fed up with mice running back and forth across it, I'm sure they thought it was just a fun water bed!

I've had a few drips on my face in certain weather conditions but never enough to have an effect on my sleeping bag or anything else.

marmottungsten

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #46 on: 14:59:24, 19/05/18 »
The first night I went camping with my Tungsten I found a single, big, black, slug under my footprint the following morning but none on my mesh inner or inside the fly so maybe they just don't like my Tungsten.  I certainly haven't seen any mice running around my tent.  Whereabouts are you...US or UK?  I'm just wondering if the mice thing is something only common to the States, as I often see you tube videos from the US where they mention mice eating their food, or chewing on their expensive equipment, but haven't heard of anything like that here.

April

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #47 on: 20:57:10, 20/05/18 »
I went out to one of the hills in Surrey and about an hour after going to bed a massive thunderstorm with heavy rain came through and lasted for several hours...Not a drop of moisture was felt on the inside.

Which tent are you comparing this to? You must have had some crap tents in the past if you think this is some sort of exception. I would be returning a tent to get a refund if I got wet after a few hours of rain.

Allowing air flow to through between the mesh inner and outer fly reduces it to next to nothing. 

This is the same as with a more solid inner

But then, I don't plan on going camping when bad weather is forecast anyway.

This thread is about the best bombproof tent, you say you camp low level (the Surrey hills' highest is 292m seemingly) and you don't go out in bad weather, perhaps you need to get a bit more experience in adverse conditions before you can recommend your tent as the best bomb proof tent.

I certainly haven't seen any mice running around my tent. Whereabouts are you...US or UK?  I'm just wondering if the mice thing is something only common to the States

We do have mice in the UK

Condensation on the inside of the flysheet is caused more by breathing + the difference in temperature between the inside of the tent and the outside.  If you experience this then it's a sign that (a) you're alive; and (b) you're sleeping inside the tent.   ;)

 ;D
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marmottungsten

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #48 on: 00:51:05, 21/05/18 »
Which tent are you comparing this to? You must have had some crap tents in the past if you think this is some sort of exception. I would be returning a tent to get a refund if I got wet after a few hours of rain.

This is the same as with a more solid inner


No it's not, because solid inners are not as breathable as mesh!

 
Quote from: April


We do have mice in the UK



Yes, but have you ever had them running in or around your tent, or eating through your food bag or other equipment?  No, didn't think so!  Hence why I think this may a problem peculiar to the States...Perhaps they have a different species of mouse over there that is more bolder than ours?

April

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #49 on: 08:53:49, 21/05/18 »
American "No See Um" mesh is dense enough to block wind.

No it's not, because solid inners are not as breathable as mesh!

This seems to be a bit contradictory. So you say the mesh inner blocks wind but not air flow? It is very clever mesh to be able to do this.

Yes, but have you ever had them running in or around your tent, or eating through your food bag or other equipment? 

Yes. On campsites but not when wild camping. We have even seen mice on Helvellyn summit in the cross shelter scurrying around eating the crumbs people were dropping. They weren't scared of people at all.
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marmottungsten

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #50 on: 09:22:36, 21/05/18 »
This seems to be a bit contradictory. So you say the mesh inner blocks wind but not air flow? It is very clever mesh to be able to do this.



It's about breathability...Just like American "No See Um" mesh, as used on tents like my Tungsten, Gore-Tex is a breathable material you will have heard of...As a breathable material, it stops wind and rain from coming through but it lets moist air pass out through the fabric, keeping you dry and warm...And that is exactly what a mesh inner tent does.  Solid inner tents are more like the old PVC coated Nylon waterproofs you used to get...They may stop wind and water, but unlike Gore-Tex, they are not breathable, so they do not allow moist air to pass back out out through the fabric, making you feel damp and clammy.  This in turn can make you feel cold and miserable, especially if it's cold out too.  Moist air caused by your breath and sweat is trapped inside a solid inner tent, causing condensation to form on the inside, which will run down onto the floor of the inner tent, making your sleeping bag damp.  This can greatly reduce how warm it can keep you, giving you a cold, damp and restless nights sleep.  But a mesh inner allows this moisture to escape, keeping you and your sleeping bag much drier and consequently much warmer.
« Last Edit: 09:28:48, 21/05/18 by marmottungsten »

beefy

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #51 on: 09:51:16, 21/05/18 »
Quote
Moist air caused by your breath and sweat is trapped inside a solid inner tent, causing condensation to form on the inside, which will run down onto the floor of the inner tent, making your sleeping bag damp.  This can greatly reduce how warm it can keep you, giving you a cold, damp and restless nights sleep.  But a mesh inner allows this moisture to escape, keeping you and your sleeping bag much drier and consequently much warmer.
Our MSR doesn't  Get condensation inside the inner,
A space blanket wrapped over your sleeping bag would end up causing a build up of moisture wetting your bag !!!
Surely all this nonsense has to be a wind up  :D
It's Entertaining though   ;D


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NeilC

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #52 on: 09:58:51, 21/05/18 »
Mesh reduces (to near zero) the chances of condensation forming directly on the inner tent. It does nothing to prevent it forming on the outer tent. That is a ventilation issue but can never be completely overcome. The more ventilation the more draughty the tent unfortunately. In a lot of UK conditions, condensation forming on the fly is pretty much guaranteed, which is why we have two skinned tents in the first place. Mesh is nothing like Goretex and doesn't work the same way whatsoever. "Solid" inners are not PVC or coated and are very breathable anyway. Not as breathable as mesh obviously but much more draught-proof and better able to shed water drops.

No-see-um mesh is not wind-proof. 100% mesh inners are generally made for the US market because they're less suited to the colder, damp conditions of the UK and Nordic countries. There's a reason firms like Hilleberg don't do 100% mesh inners for expedition tents - because they've found it's not the best material for max warmth or longevity. That's just the way it is. Most mid-range tents tend to have part mesh - usually above the height of a prone body to reduce the draughts whilst still allowing for the better ventilation and weight-saving (maybe the main reason in reality) of mesh. They could easily use all mesh but they don't.

Mesh is less effective at stopping condensation dripping from the fly but that is also a very much a design issue and a well designed tent will minimise this. However if the tent is buffeted by winds then it can happen and in those conditions a more solid inner can be better especially if treated with DWR.


As for "bomb-proofness" it's silly to pretend tents like that Marmot are in the same league as Hilleberg, a company famous for making amongst the strongest expedition-ready tents in the world, albeit some pretty heavy ones. I'm sure it a good tent and quite probably more suited to average 2/3 season backpacking for many people. But it's not the last word in strength.

I'm sure the Tungsten is a great tent. Looks better than mine that's for sure. And will be comfortable and practical for most the sort of backpacking people on site do. I doubt it would be first choice for the climbing dudes who camp out in gale force storms and driven snow in the Highlands. So defo would not be on my list as the most bomb-proof tent.

Having said that the Soulo is not Hillebergs most bombproof tent anyway so still wouldn't win that title.



beefy

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #53 on: 13:00:10, 21/05/18 »


Yes, but have you ever had them running in or around your tent, or eating through your food bag or other equipment?  No, didn't think so! 
Actually YES we have, as April has already commented  :P

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April

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #54 on: 13:13:33, 21/05/18 »
Solid inner tents are more like the old PVC coated Nylon waterproofs you used to get

I think you are getting a bit mixed up here. Do you think we mean a single skin tent when we mention solid inners?

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richardh1905

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #55 on: 19:49:00, 13/06/18 »
I've had a think about this, and, despite its weight, I think that I would rather be in my old Force 10 MK2 than anything else when the weather really gets rough. A tent that will NOT let me down; solid as a rock.
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Rajboy

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #56 on: 20:16:32, 13/06/18 »
Solid Inners on tents or custom inners for single skin shelters.
BREATHABLE Ripstop nylons. ::)
Just google 'Extremtextile' to get the info'.
MSR, Big Agnes, Nemo etc, use the lightest denier weight ripstop nylons.
....... ::) ::)
Not rocket science 8)

beefy

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #57 on: 20:59:28, 13/06/18 »
Solid Inners on tents or custom inners for single skin shelters.
BREATHABLE Ripstop nylons. ::)
Just google 'Extremtextile' to get the info'.
MSR, Big Agnes, Nemo etc, use the lightest denier weight ripstop nylons.
....... ::) ::)
Not rocket science 8)
Eh ?  :-\
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Rajboy

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #58 on: 21:57:04, 13/06/18 »
 ::)

beefy

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Re: Best 1 person bomb proof tent vote
« Reply #59 on: 22:10:22, 13/06/18 »
Which tents use rocket science  ;D
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