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Hi samandian I lay my wet packs out underneath the mattresses, had a folding camper for 3 years and in all that time have laid them out under the mattresses and have never had damp/condensation.

Keith

Hi samandian I lay my wet packs out underneath the mattresses, had a folding camper for 3 years and in all that time have laid them out under the mattresses and have never had damp/condensation.

Keith

sorry posted twice don`t know what happened

Keith

If you think about what the wet pack sheets are, they are water proof tarpaulins basically. they are not breathable (ours certainly aren't anyway) and so will stop water /moisture on eitehr side if laid out. That works fine as far as mositure from your mattress going down towards the bed boards, but not such good news at keeping any moisture trapped against the bed boards. Over an extended period you could be keeping excess moisture against the untreated wood whoch can't be good?

For that reason we were advised to keep them folded right back

Its a similar principle to keeping a winter cover wrapped tightly around your FC in warmer weather

A good airing always helps any situation so whatever you decide to do, consider keeping good airflow through the FC wherever possible including under the beds (especially if you don't have slatted base)

Another vote for on the side here - we've had fc's for over 5 years and never had any condensation.

If I am away for more than a long weekend I put some tins of beans or similar underneath to lift the mattress and let it air

Hi we have just bought a sterling and it has wet packs under the seats as well as under the mattresses. What is the right way to use them?

Thanks

Ignore this I just did a search and found the answer!

Your body can cause the condensation. Heat onto mattresses,  onto rubber sheeting  & not having any  air at all going underneath or through=dampness.

Although we used to roll ours up and away till needed. We had put cotton sheet on top of the bed board and of late a large sheet of cardboard. Away for 10 weeks and not one sign of anything in all the rain we had from May onwards.

Using the cardboard was the left over from winter storing in the garden as it soaks up moist and it is being used as an insulation. learnt from going up to Scotland many years ago in a motor-bike & sidecar and having brown paper round our feet for warmth it worked.

If you have the wet pack cover laid out under the mattress, then when you come to use it for a wet pack, you would need to lift the mattress, probably from the outside at the side, in order to pull the cover out from under the mattress. You would need to do this on both sides of the unit, possibly allowing the mattress to get wet in the process.

If you have the wet pack cover rolled up along one side of the mattress, then by dropping the inner tent and reaching across the mattress, while remaining inside the unit, you can then unroll the cover over the beds.

The condensation issue has nothing to do with it. You keep the wet pack cover where it will allow you to cover the bed area before you go outside into the rain to start folding the unit.