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About 3 or 4 years ago I bought a secondhand Khyam Ridgidome XL tent for use as a second tent for me to camp alone with the kids or a smaller weekend tent from our usual canvas frame tent.  I am not sure how old the tent is but am guessing 8 or 9 years from what the previosu owner told me and the burgundy and green colour. Have only used the tent for one long dry hot and sunny camping trip summer 2006. I resealed all the seams thoroughly when I purchased the tent.

Erected the tent yesterday in the garden to test it out in this weekends rain.  I have the full groundsheet down and the inner set up inside.  This morning we have had moderate to light persistant rainfall. I went into the tent and although I can see no actual beads of water on the interior; when I actually touch the inside of the tent it feels wet. My hand is wet. Is this normal for nylon tents? I have only really ever had canvas tents and this is  not what happens when I touch the inside of my canvas tent.  My canvas tent feels dry on the inside unless you keep rubbing the same spot.

I have also noticed a few small drops of water on the edge of bedroom groundsheet on the outside of the bedroom pod.  I am guessing this is coming from where the bedroom hooks onto the tent interior as the loop feels very wet. The seams look fine and intact all around this - so not sure what is causing it.

Thankfully the interior of the bedroom pod looks dry as a bone, however, I am aware that the tent is not in use and therefore me and my 2 kids not in and out for the bedroom pod (with all the tugging on the loops that can cause) as we may well be on a wet day confined to our tent.

So I suppose I am asking nylon tents owners is this normal for a tent to feel that wet on the inside even if it does not look wet? I don't think it is condensation as no one has been in the tent and I cant see any. Does it sound like this tent is on its way out? Do you think it would be worth reproofing a tent of this size and age? ANy advice opinions or info would be gratefully received.

Thanks Emma

Just a thought but could this be caused by the ground being a different tempreture from the atmosphere (I'm not exactly technically minded ).

 When you are actually using a tent you do ventalate it by going in and out. So this could be the reason why you can see it. Also you are actually looking for this, where as when you are a way you are too busy enjoying yourselves to notice the extent of this. I personally would say its condensation.

Hope so anyway!

It's very likely that the flysheet fabric is starting to deteriorate with age. Does it feel "crunchy" at all? Synthetic tents have an average lifespan of 5-7 years of "normal" use, ie basically a 2 week holiday plus some short breaks, or 6 months of continuous use. Less if it's been somewhere with a lot opf UV exposure. Plus even sitting around in a bag for years the fabric will slowly deteriorate. 8-9 years is pretty old for a tent.

The wet might not just be leakage though. Condensation from the ground can cause a lot of water vapour inside a tent, and tents of that age tend to have less ventilation features.

What would I do? Well, if the tent fabric is not crunchy or splitting, and is not starting to look milky in some areas inside then it's possibly worth reproofing it. Big job though and proofing fluid is not cheap, and realistically you'll really only get one or two more seasons out of it. I personally would be looking at a new tent and perhaps sell the inners and poles on Ebay.

Thats what I was wondering Val with the age.  I think it is water seepage thats wet on the inside because when the sun came out briefly a minute ago there is definately some soaking darker patches in various areas. It looks to me like the  water has actually seeped into the fabric.

Looks like I may be persuaded to purchase a Vango Orchy then!!!

Quote: Originally posted by emvid1 on 21/6/2008

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Thats what I was wondering Val with the age.  I think it is water seepage thats wet on the inside because when the sun came out briefly a minute ago there is definately some soaking darker patches in various areas. It looks to me like the  water has actually seeped into the fabric.

Looks like I may be persuaded to purchase a Vango Orchy then!!!

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I have the same tent of about the same age and it still as good as it ever was.

The internal wet feel is normal for nylon in certain conditions, in my experience. We added an annexe to ours and the annexe was like that first trip out, so I wouldn't be so quick to assume the material is no longer good.

Perhaps you should use it and field test it that way before writing it off. That model is far better than the current crop that you can buy. 4oz fly instead of 2oz that practically every tent uses these days and the newer models whilst more lightweight have been comprimised with cheaper less sturdy materials, made in China and the like.

Personally, I'd make certain it was no longer good before replacing it as having seen the current model, I wouldn't swap mine for the new version, no way.