Contrail and misting

Good to read your report, I'm certain my next tent will be a contrail. My photo was taken on the Everest trek but it was 27 years ago! That shocks me!

Hi Ian
I met a couple of Swiss hikers that were doing the same circuit 16 years after the first time. They commented that nothing had changed.

I had tested the Contrail (when new) with a water hose and did not get any spray inside, but had mist in a few occasions after prolonged hard rainfall. This last episode seems to confirm that silnylon is "waterproof" but there is a need to wipe off the condensation .

BTW, I strongly suggest to have at least one local guide as the Maoist have "fundraising checkpoints" . It is very safe as long as you pay. Our guides negotiated down to a third of the initial demand.
Franco

Thanks for the great pics. Your trip must have been one not to forget. Good thing you brought your Henry Shires gear, those other blue tents look like moisture traps!!! :)

Jeff

Jeff, those tents have 1" thick poles, good enough for base camp. I don't want to give the impression that a Tarptent is the ideal shelter for high altitude, but the Contrail did the job. With it you need some experience in site selection and been able to adapt it to the conditions. Note my use of the rear mid pole and front guyline.(with this set up I can bounce coins on top of it)
Unfortunately my camera malfunctioned but here is a shot of some of our porters. Note the mats (in the pink wrapper) and the rubber sandals.
Each load is between 40 and 50 kg.
Franco

and two of the girls

Hi Franco. Not sure if I'll ever get back but will carry some 'insurance' money if the Maoists are still 'tolling' the tracks !
Here's a photo of a porter before the days of rubber sandals. Such Luxury !

Franco,
Neat pics of the Contrail, especially with the rainbow in the background.
Glad to hear of your experience in the Himalayas. My highest Contrail camp was 8,500 ft. in Yosemite this summer.

Keep on posting those great pics of your adventures.

Eric

Ian
Funny you show a barefooted porters. During a 5 day off (tourist) trail crossing because there was only a rough or nonexistent path, at times the porters hat to take the sandals off to remain upright. Even our Sherpas at time touched ground. If I had no sticks I would have fallen on my bum at regular intervals.
Here is another shot for Eric

see the "external frame" thread

Franco

possibly Annapurna III and Gangapurna in the background.
Please note my better than HS pitch …..

I have purchased silcoat from 2 well known retail suppliers now – I will not mention names at this time – but when I test the fabrics for waterproofness by putting a couple of cups of water in enclosed sections of it, it leaks water through after a short period of massaging it. At this point it would not surprise me if the misting everyone talks about really is rain drops blasting water through. I'm really dissappointed in this whole silcoat thing.

Sumi,
I think that is what is happening. Silcoated nylon is not considered absolutely water proof from my understanding. There a those in this forum that can speak more elegantly than I can on this subject, but basically if the force of the impact of the rain exceeds the hydrostatic head of silnylon (the pressure at which moisture will be forced through the fabric) then “misting” occurs. Jim Wood discusses this HERE. This is why some silnylon tent floors get wet. The weight of your body can push any moisture under the tent through the floor.
-Mark