Wet Tents

[wello]

Whether it's due to overnight rain or just condensation, I often have a wet tent in the morning. Particularly in winter, it's rarely dry by the time I'm packed up and ready to go. Having a wet tent on multi day walks can be annoying, but losing time waiting for it to dry is too.

What do you do in this situation?

Wello

[HitchHiking]

With my double wall, I pack my inner in a separate dry bag. Works well as its a fly first set up. With my single skin, I struggle some times. Ive tried towling the inside which sometimes makes it worse. Setting up early and not going in untill needed ect. Its pretty rare that its that bad though.

[tas-man]

I carry a cut down piece of synthetic chamois, about 300mm x 200mm, that I keep in a ziplok bag, and use to absorb most of the moisture before packing up the tent in the morning (also use it as a personal towel when necessary). But nothing helps if doing a pack up in the rain! In that case, a good shake out before rolling up is the best one can do. I have also on occasions, unpacked my tent at lunchtime if the weather is OK, to dry it out further, or completely.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I first pack away into a dry bag my inner tent than I shake as much moisture away from my outer tent and pack that separately on the top of my pack, I find if I don't shake the water of my tent it weighs a ton, the outer is the first thing I see when I open my pack. That way if it's raining when I arrive at camp. I erect my outer tent first than crawl in under the outer with my pack, erect the inner tent. That way everything inside is dry and remains dry. Works a treat.

[Bill P]

G'day Wello, If you have a bit of sun at morning tea or lunch time, spread it out to dry. You only need a few minutes of sunshine to dry them. Make sure the bag you've stuffed the wet tent into is water tight- manufacturers supplied bags are often not. Bill P

[hikingoz]

With my single skin BD firstlight tent, I pick the whole thing up poles and all and give it a good shake. This doubles as my shower. I also take a chux, which doubles as a towel

[MartyGwynne]

Hello all, I do the chux wipe which gets most moisture off even if its raining (they are almost as good as those multi tools) then shake it off and quickly roll up and stow in the pack with the wet things (most of the pack).
It is nice to dry out during the day but normally it is wet all day and very windy (don't want to loose the tent). Setting up a wet tent is something best done quickly loosely throwing the fly on top of the inner and quickly setting up the tent. Some bits get wet but just get out the old chux and wipe over, you may have a damp tent but it should be a waterproof shelter.
Sometimes I may even carry a small tarp with me and set that up over the tent mostly keeping it dryer which helps.
Marty.

[John Sheridan]

Don't suppose there is something you can spray on the tent to make mosture bead away, or is what's on the tent the best ?


Cheers.