[pct-l] Re: Gear Tradeoff -- Tents versus Sleeping Bags

[Bighummel@aol.com (Bighummel@aol.com)]

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Ron writes:

> The real question is why did it get soaked in the first place and what
> practices would now employ to prevent that from happening again. Otherwise,
> what you're saying is that it's impossible to hike in those same conditions
> without getting a soaked bag.

It got wet in the first place because everything gets wet under these
conditions, no matter what you do.  I averaged more than 20 miles per day
because it is more interesting to me to walk in the rain than sit in a tent
in the rain.  Putting up and taking down the tent and fly in the pouring
rain, day after day, eventually gets wet inside and out, let alone the
condensation in 100% humidity conditions.  I think that I also got lazy about
two days into it, believing that surely it can't last too much longer.

What would I do differently now?
1.) I sure as hell wouldn't take a down bag and risk losing ALL insulating
value after a few days.
2.) I sure as hell wouldn't take a tarp that I would have to carefully setup
in a pouring drenching with the peak about 16 inches off of the ground so
that the driving rain can't come in under any side.

Thus, I would now do what I did then.  Carry a double walled tent with a
synthetic bag.  Between the insulation value of the double walled tent and
the synthetic bag I was and will be comfortable, even though moist or wet.

And, thus, yes, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP YOUR BAG DRY IN THESE CONDITIONS.
Again, let me qualify "these conditions";  It is raining non-stop day and
night, you are hiking significant miles each day, you don't know that it will
continue raining for five to nine days straight but that's what it does.

Another comment about condensation.  The amount of condensation in any given
tarp or tent set up will be directly dependent upon the amount of moisture in
the air and the temperature profile while you are camping.  If the
temperature drops below the dew point (= that temperature at which the
moisture in the air will condense out forming a mist) then you will tend to
get condensation anywhere that the air is that temperature.  If the moisture
in your tent is greater than that outside, it will have a different (usally
higher) dew point than that outside of the tent.  If the tent insulates
somewhat then the dew point inside the tent might not be reached before the
dew point outside, resulting in you finding the inside of your tent dry with
the outside soaked.  Conversely, the dewpoint inside might be reached and
that outside might not (common).

Let's all agree that condensation can not be stopped.

If that is so, then the design criteria should be to shed it outward away
from the interior of the tent.  The lower the angle of a surface is the
greater the tendency will be for condensation to collect into drips and fall
onto you.  Thus a steep walled pyramid shape should be best wherein,
condensation on the inside of the tent or fly will run down the steep walls
instead of dripping upon you.

In my old SD Starflight this is the case.  The pyramid shape provides ample
head room and sheds consensation excellently.  It most cases the condensation
formed not on the inside of the tent (very rare) but on the inside of the fly
collecting then outside of the tent on the ground.

Now, in the south half of California, where in all seasons outside of winter,
it doesn't rain much, a tarp and down bag should certainly be the equipment
of choice.

Ron, I challenge you to sleep in your 25 year old down bag under a tarp on a
star-filled twenty degree night!  My bet is that you won't sleep and you'll
freeze.

Best regards and enjoying the friendly discussion,

Greg "Strider" Hummel