[pct-l] UL tents not working in Pacific northwest conditions

[GARY HEBERT]

>
> Actually, I don't know what "didn't work well" actually meant. I read it on
> someone's blog that she had heard many people were becoming disappointed
> with their tents in the Oregon rain. I assumed it meant people got wet.
>

As I sat in my The One, I often wondered if it would keep me dry in heavy
rain. It seemed to do wonderfully in light rain. Here are the worries I had
about heavy-duty rain, with or without wind:


1. I rarely was able to get a really taught, perfect set-up. Part of the
netting on the back wall often peeked out from under the back of the tarp. I
could envision rain getting in this way and pooling in the bathtub floor.

2. The front vestibule-like area was never tight, either. There seemed to be
nothing I could do to get it tight, unless I was lucky to have a small hill
in front of me. The front would flap violently in the wind. Were it to be
raining, with the fabric snapping in the wind, I could envision a lot of
water flinging into the tent and pooling in the bathtub floor.

3. The only way to get a really tight set-up was to stack some rocks below
my trekking poles to raise the tent extra high. When set up that high, the
netting would not peek out the back, but now there would be a larger amount
of exposure in front. I could envision wind-blown rain hitting my face all
through the night.


I never had a chance to trade my visions for reality.


Someone recommended I try a tarp. It turns out that I already own a really
good tarp. I set it up in the back yard yesterday. It's 8x10 feet and so
spacious I can't imagine getting wet under that in the rain. I can envision
myself plopping down the tarp with my stuff underneath, setting it up and
getting inside with plenty of room to stow my wet things far away from my
dry things. I don't think a bivy sack would even be needed, it is so huge. I
may use that outside of mosquito country if it is a better way to go for
rain protection.


         What do you think?
>


I have a Six Moon Designs Luna Solo (enhanced) and use adjustable trekking
poles. I've spent a fair amount of time playing with setup technique to try
to get it taught. I called Ron Moak for more tips. It helped. I would
recommend you call the manufacturer to ask for specific details and
coaching. Little things are subtle but make a big difference.

My setup is still not perfect and I rarely get it near perfect in < 5
minutes. Usually it requires some adjusting and repositioning stakes,
loosening & retightening lines, etc.

The Luna also uses mesh around the bathtub floor. How hi I pitch it matters.
ventilation vs. keeping sideways rain out.  I think the trick is pitching
the rain side as low as possible while allowing for ventilation on other
sides.

It's the same with my tarp shelter (MLD Patrol Shelter).  I need to practice
more with this as it's pretty new. I plan to pack my MLD SUL WPB bivy (4.5
oz) for rainspray/wind. Tarps are great for ventilation, but it's hard to
overcome a chilly windy nites' heat loss. Same for sideways rain

My suggestion is pray for really crappy rainy windy conditions and
test/trial it in your backyard or nearby where you can always get warm and
dry. Low risk, high knowledge/experience gain.

The same applies to condensation. You gotta suck it up and suffer through to
find out what helps and what doesn't.  You can read about it in forums but
until you try it, you don't learn you didn't understand it. Then go back and
reread and clarify the answer/tips, and try it again.

My guess is these "didn't work well" fell into one of two catagories:

1.didn't understand well enough how to tweak setup, choose location to
pitch, etc.

2.unrealistic expectations from single wall tarp/tent. (condensation,
rainspray, breezy, etc.)
(There are ways to minimize and cope with these, making it much more
bearable, but not eliminate them)

FedEx