i am so glad i saw this thread. I spent our first and only camping trip last year moaning at the kids to not touch the tent sides as i too remember my dad shouting at us when we camped as kids and it rained.
We didn't have a problem last year with our diablo last year.
I had assumed this was because the tent was pitched inner first and the the main dome and bedrooms are double skined. I think the inner is supposed to absorb condesation if a small amount drips onto it. There was a definite issue with condensation in the porch which only has the flysheet.
I'd completely forgotten about this issue when buying our Montana 4 as a weekend tent and am now concerened about how much condensation there will be in the living area!!
Condensation isn`t really that big a deal, unless your tent is so poorly designed (ie not enough vents) that it`s dripping into the living area every morning. Or that you`re boiling a kettle every thirty minutes! If the inside of the fly is wet, you give it a quick swab over, open the door and any windows you can and it will air out dry in half an hour.
In a flysheet first tent you will see the condensation and be able to touch the wet bits. With an inner first tent it will still be there on the flysheet but unless you push the inners up against the fly or look between the inner and the fly you won`t be aware of it, except in a porch area. There won`t be any marked difference in total amount of condensation between an inner first tent and a flysheet first tent of similar size, with similar ventilation and with the groundsheet down in the flysheet first tent. (Good reminder on that one, TW.)
My only suggestion is that if you`re camping in a flysheet first tent and weather conditions are such that you`re going to get maximum condensation in the tent (very cold night, raining, wet ground) then you keep the EHU and any stuff you need to keep bone dry inside an inner pod as a precaution.
> If you touch the walls of a canvas tent then the water
outside will breach through the woven canvas <
Not anymore these days, unless the canvas is very old and not maintained. I have had canvas tents for 35 years now and the were 'touched' very clearly. Either by myself being young and wrestling with a friend during rain, or later by my children or ourselves sticking heads up at the wrong place. Sharpish objects may lead to a (temporary) leakage.
Actually syntethic tents are very similar.
The risk of touching is rather overrated, especially for well maintained tents.
Canvas breathes much better than syntethic fabrics.
But some drops on the insode won't hurt.
I only would start worrying when they keep coming on a very specific place and lead to dripping or a clear current dwonwards alongside the fabric.
Ventilation is the keyword. I would not wipe.
When ventialting two points of ventilation causing an aircurrent through the tent is much better than one ventilation point, e.g. just opening the 'door'.
When buying a tent, the ventilation system (incl. the location of the vents) is one of the major criteria for comfortable camping, during rain, damp circumstances as well as during hot weather.
I have to agree with wlee, I remember as a child not being able to touch the side of the tent or the wet coming through, but now have a canvas tt and couldnt resist having a touch just to see if it was still true, and nothing happened, Yippee!! dont have to worry about it and it breaths much better and is nicer in warmer weather.
Can i just say thank you to everyone with your advice, very much appreciated . I thought the biggest problem was with my son touching the side of the tent, and I have not swabbed the tent down, cos i always thought you couldnt touch it! (Always told of by my mum and dad for this as a child!!!!) Glad to know things have changed.
Looking forward to next trip away, and not so worried now about the comdensation that comes through!!!!
Will post on here and let people know if the advice worked :o)