Best tent for rain

[BPLwiia]

I would be interested in more information about this company too. The Duo uses a Sil-nylon with a 3500mm rating, looks very roomy and is only 2 lbs. Wow.

They also sell a Cuben solo tent ($595). You don't see many of them around.

[Ryan C]

E J: I have a Tarptent Moment. It works great for most situations but I have had horrid condensation problems a few times. One was after a thunderstorm with everything saturated. We had to camp under some trees and every time a drop fell from them onto the TT, it splattered condensation like rain. Of course, this could happen in ANY single wall sil-nylon tent. The other times have been in stagnant dewy wet grass areas where any tent would suffer. There was no wind in both of these situations and that contributed to the problem. They are great if a slight breeze is blowing.

I would still recommend the Moment for most situations. It just happens to be very humid where I camp sometimes and I prefer a double wall in those settings.

EDIT: I did finally learn after some of those experiences to take a pack towel or shirt to wipe condensation from the TT walls if condensation keeps building up. I just forget to wake up and do this most of the time though.

[Franco Darioli]

For those situations you can always add the liner. it is an extra 4 oz but may be worthy for you.
Franco

[BPLwiia]

The Zpacks Hexamid Twin Tent looks interesting. Would a swirling rain be able to reach you? It looks like the sides only go down so far.

[brent driggers]

Franco,
Is there somemore info about the liner available? Interested in how it attaches. Thanks for any info.

[Franco Darioli]

Brent
You need to add two clips to the underside of the pole.
If you order a liner for your, just add "clips " needed to the comment section, they come free of charge with instructions.
One is to be attached next to the top corner where the door zip ends, the other half a way on the other side of the pole between the two existing clips. (just fold that side in half to get the distance.
I have done a few, very easy even for me ( and I failed plasticine at high school)
looks like this :

Franco
[email protected]

[Bob Bankhead]

Franco:

Are you saying that the customer has to sew on their own clips in order to attach the Moment liner? That doesn't sound right. I thought Henry's tents came complete by default, including attached clips for any optional liner. If one doesn't use the liner, those clips can serve other purposes.

[David Ure]

What's the weight of the liner?

[brent driggers]

I read above that it is 4oz.
I also believe that he is referring to people who have already own a Moment doing it themselves.

also just noticed that the OP was looking for a 2 man tent.

[jon kre]

Ill throw my 2 cents in. I used a Black Diamond Hilight all summer long with multiple trips in the Cascades and absolutely loved it. The tent sets up from the inside so in a downpour you just hop in and within 10 seconds you have shelter while you assemble the poles. I dont quite understand all the double wall recommendations, I stayed very warm and very dry every rainy night. After a few days of rain there is slight condensation,and i mean SLIGHT, but that is to be expected. Im 6'2 and can relax comfortably without feeling claustrophobic, which was a big seller for me.

[Franco Darioli]

Bob
Yes that is a retro fit.
The DR has an optional liner too for people in high humidity areas.
Some will prefer just to wipe , as I do.
Franco

[Barry P]

“What are some of the better tents for keeping one dry from the rain in the wet Adirondacks.”

Easily 75% of my backpacking has been in rain. I don’t know why I’m so lucky that way.

One time I got 4” of rain dumped on me 3 nights in a row— in the Black Hills in 2008. The thundering was terrible. But I was extremely impressed with the GG Squall Classic (24oz). It kept me perfectly dry. One of my hiking partners used my Double Rainbow (34oz). He stayed dry until a stake came out. He hurried and put it back in the ground and used a towel to wring out the offending water.

I prefer single wall tents in the wet weather. I unroll it with the roof on top. The insides stay dry when setting up the Squall. If there’s some moisture sneaking in during setup, a towel does great at drying.

This year I’ve been lucky trying out the Hexamid (8oz). I’ve always set it up in dry weather but several times I got pounded with nighttime rainstorms in MO, IL, and ID; and the inside stayed dry. A couple of times it was wet between my ground cloth and short Neoair. I haven’t figured out the physics yet of how that happened.

Good luck on your tent choice.

-Barry

[BPLwiia]

Barry – did you have the extended beak option on your Hex? It looks like that option is one that I would choose or perhaps the door.

[Barry P]

“Barry – did you have the extended beak option on your Hex? It looks like that option is one that I would choose or perhaps the door.”

No. Extended beak didn’t exist back in April. So far I have no desire for the door or extended beak.
I’ve always pitched the back of the tent into the wind. Also I was always in a windbreak of trees. I really haven’t needed a vestibule. Well where do I put my muddy shoes? I don’t wear shoes but wear sandals. And several times they have got extremely muddy. So I just leave them outside in the rain. In the morning I put on clean sandals (from all the rain pounding). Actually, there’s several things I leave out in the rain— just to give me a little more tent room.

I’m deviating—- the sandals are only slightly damp since they don’t soak water. I put on a dry pair of coolmax socks and continue my journey in the morning.

[BPLwiia]

"I would stay away from single wall tents. I have a TT here in the PNW and I get wet when it rains all day. The single wall just doesn't work for me. It may work well for others, but the rain gods just don't like me in a single wall tent.

How about a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2?"

John – can you comment more about the weather conditions you had and the problems you experienced with your TT? Was it a a deluge for 2 hours, 3-days of constant rain, swirling and sideways rain, etc?

[Brian Johns]

Aren't all tents pretty much for rain and only for rain? I guess other types of precipitation as well, but if it's not precipitating in any way, any tent would do – unelss you really want to sleep in.

[BPLwiia]

Bibler/BD tents are more designed for snow and wind than rain. We're talking about rain on this thread.

[Jake D]

holy 4 year bump batman.. some of these tents may not have existed then ;)

[Kenda Willey]

This is one ooolllld thread! And still so relevant. I do, however, wonder at the fans of the BA Fly Creek in the rain–what do they know that I don't? I have one and it's the worst in the rain: The entry is slanted so that moisture drops into it whenever it's opened. Entering is not so bad, if you wipe away all the moisture drops before unzipping, but I've yet to find a way to exit without raining into the tent. I've tried holding up a towel with one arm while unzipping, I've tried slapping the tent wall from the inside before exiting, and I've tried a couple of other things, but no method yet that prevents moisture raining onto the net inner. To make a long story short, the Fly Creek is the last tent I'd take when expecting rain.

[Kattt]

A hammock with a big 4 season tarp.
I know it isn't what you asked for, but to me nothing beats a hammock set up in the rain.

[BPLwiia]

Try waiting out a 24-hour storm in a hammock. In a tent, two people can move around, exchange dialogue, play cards, and otherwise mix and mingle.

In a hammock, you're condemned to a swinging, claustrophobic, nylon coffin…..alone.

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