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Condensation

Ark79

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Read a few post now about condensation when winter camping. Wondering if anyone has any tips on how to stop this or deal with??

Tent,hammock, ground sleeping. All useful to know for newbies like myself
 
My dad use to light a couple of candles in the shed at winter times (believe he still dose ) for the same reason.....rather dangerous in a tent and ni impossible in a hammock right enough.
 
The best option is to sleep in a normal Goretex or similar bivvy bag and breath outside of it.
If it rains, the best option is a lean to poncho shelter to cover a bit the head area of the bivvy bag. The best is to breath in to the direction where the shelter is open.

Like this we usually haven't to much condensation problems. If a fire is burning in front of the lean to shelter during the night, we have nearly no condensation problems.

More comfortable but for hiking only an option for groups is a fire heated cotton tent.




(Here I recommend to buy:
4 pieces of Kohtenblatt Kohte 20 schwarz

in 285g fabric quality. And nothing else.

If the fire burns you need no extra roof. If you leave the tent, you can throw a military poncho over the smoke hole in the roof. That poncho you need to sleep on, so you have it with you.
Every corner can be used as entrance or emergency exit. A special entrance part is bullshit.)

Alternativ the following different but very similar high quality option. (Tschum 2 P is to small to use it with 2 persons and fire during the night, but possible with only one person. Tschum 4 P is the better choice in my opinion.)


 
In the Winter hammocking world people use a "frost Bib " or " condensation sheet" to collect condensation from breath , it wont stop condensation but will collect it and thus prevent your sleeping bag or top quilt getting wet .

 
All cracking information guys 👍:D It’s a little thing but it can be very problematic when in freezing temperatures.....👍
 
I think I made a fault with the first link.
Here ones more:


I prefere to press with the poles from inside up to the cross in the top.

That needs shorter poles and is a stronger construction.

Poles, cross and pegs we usually make in the forest instead of carrying them around.

For that we take folding saw and hatchet with us.
 
As you see this German Scout Tent "Kohte" costs only 440 €.

Every german scout group has one.


Here we light an open fire in the middle.
A tent stove isn't necessary.
 
My dad use to light a couple of candles in the shed at winter times (believe he still dose ) for the same reason.....rather dangerous in a tent and ni impossible in a hammock right enough.

Always(almost) have a 10 hr candle in one those (eno? eco?) holders thru' the night if using the lavvu, hung up?
 
I had terrible trouble last year with condensation, I tried a few nights out in Feb I think (I gave up and came back inside) and there was a layer of ice inside the tent outer layer, having a tunnel tent did not help as the hot air had nowhere to go, so I had a fan on during the night to help air flow which did help a little but was rather annoying.

Lesson i learnt was have a domed tent with venting at the top .
16031
16032
 
If you ever deside to change it Med......have a look at a Slumit Gobi tent or similar (domed)......I have not had to much condensation problems with it.

Quick up and down pitching too.
 
I think, I see in the photos on the outer side of the tent frozen dew.

Dew is like rain. It comes when it wants to, and you can't do anything against, and it comes often!

Only a fire heated cotton tent really helps here, because that dries out the fabric.

In the conditions you show us, every plastic tent would have become whet from every side!!! Every construction!
It was simply an incredible whet night.

If it's less bad, if you don't have dew, but ice from inside, it would help to let the entrance open. I usually close the entrance only in heavy rain and storm.

I have a Hilleberg Nallo 2 tunnel, what should be better constructed, but its very similar. Hilleberg recommends it for 3 seasons.

For winter camping Hilleberg sells the Nammatj 2.



I don't mean, you would have to buy one, but here you see, that it's far easyer to air it.

I am totally convinced about the following rule:

Hilleberg doesn't sell every tent main construction, no cotton lavvu, no Military poncho, no pyramide tent.

But always if they sell a type, they found the perfect size and shape, the perfect construction. This tent must been made like this, every thing else is made wrong.

So if there is a difference in another product, usually it's a more or less heavy fault.

Believe me, I have seen a lot of tents in my life! The largest shops sell them in Berlin next door from me, and I currently live round about 6 month a year on different camping grounds, changing the place every second or third day.

The Nallo 2 has the airing window at a different place. The Entrance can be open in the higher part during the night, the lower part can be closed, making a protection wall, a wind shield where you have the head.

 
Proper ventilation and keeping the damp stuff outside, then the most of the issue is tackled.

Maybe as a trick many don't consider is to wear a scarf of buff over your mouth when you sleep, as that's gonna trap some of the moisture from your breath, sure you're gonna end up with wet lips but make your pick: a damp chin or damp walls. 😉
 
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