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SMD Refuge X – lessons learned
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Sep 16, 2008 at 6:57 am #1231186
OK –
just got back from a very windy and rainy trip to Michigan. Learned a valuable lesson. While I did seamseal the tent, I forgot about the guyout points of the canopy. Water started leaking through the seams and even duct taping it both from inside and outside did not entirely seal the tent. And water did get blown in sideways, which I guess is to be expected with a simple (non bathtub) floor.
Any other experiences with the Refuge out there? Oh, and the tent did collapse due to a combination of soggy ground and wind. LOL What a weekend.Sep 16, 2008 at 7:41 am #1451275You met the right conditions to see the weaknesses of these types of shelters. I have too when I took a tarptent virga to the Guadalupe Mountains (Crest Trail) and saw high winds. Another time I took a thunderstorm cell coming into the front of the virga while camped on a river. We live and learn ; ).
These things can happen with any shelter that is not completely sealed from precipitation/wind, so you have to learn (or guess) when is the best time to use a given shelter type for a trip.
Sep 16, 2008 at 11:50 am #1451303I hope the next generation of the Refuge X has the bathtub floor and interior pockets. How much could that add to the weight?
Sep 17, 2008 at 1:38 pm #1451423>I hope the next generation of the Refuge X has the bathtub floor and interior pockets. How much could that add to the weight?
I am in the process of retro-fitting these two 'fixes', plus adding flaps to the top vents. I'm doing it with cuben, so weight is minimal.
It's all about balance. Do you want the LIGHTEST two person tent in the world, or the most luxurious and weatherproof?? I think adding an ounce of cuben will improve the weather-coping and comfort of this tent enough to justify it.
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