Morning Dew – Cuben Tarp

Condensation from the person will be on the inside. Dew from the air will be on the outside. In either case, a dry shirtsleeve can be wiped across the surface.

–B.G.–

Dew and condensation are the same thing, be it from your breath or the surrounding air. The air can only support so much moisture at a give temperature and when your shelter fabric falls below that temp, water condenses on it.

There is no escape and it is a fact of life with any single skin shelter. Carry a small sponge or synthetic towel. Of course ventilation helps, but when the fabric hits the dew point, it will condense moisture. IMHO, a full ground cloth prevents moisture from wet ground adding to the problem. This can be very noticeable on grass. Just a simple polycryo sheet will take care of that.

You might find drier conditions away from water, but when the clouds join you, it gets wet. Same issues with rain gear and perspiration. There is no dry air to dry you either!

These are common conditions in the PNW, literally hiking in the clouds.

Great info… thanks guys. And I've added a ground tarp to the gear list… now to try the setup out in the "real world".

Outside of the dense fog issue…in most cases, the effects of morning condensation are nullified where you have air movement – breeze, wind, etc. Along the west coast the air is almost always moving at least a little…in cahoots with the waves. Until you move inland or find a serious wind block, you shouldnt see much buildup at all under a flat tarp, unless it has been pitched in a way that somehow traps all air.