Has Your Tarptent Ever Rained On You?

Ben, a small quantity of condensation formed in the Virga 2 I used for a 4 day trip in NE OR. Very mixed weather, ranging from high 20’s to low 40’s at night w/ one overnight rainstorm. It stayed on the walls/ ceiling. I just wiped it down w/ my packtowel and no worries. Superb ventilation and tent positioning really worked to minimize it. Boo hoo–I just sold it.

Using my Spinn Tarp, I’ve had as much condensation or more. But it has been in used in a larger set of conditions.

Hey Ben:
I own the Rainbow as well and the first time I used it was on the Gabriolino Trail at about 2k feet. Still night, high humidity, 30 degrees and on a grassy area. I got an enormous amount of condensation inside the tent — BUT it never rained on me or my stuff. Like most of us with single wallers, I just keep a MSR type towel handy and wipe it down. No big. If I had smacked the ceiling or walls, yeah, I would have been singing that old song, but again, one learns to adjust one’s habits when one owns a single waller like the Rainbow. We also learn to use the wind direction and vent options to maximum advantage. I’m not telling you anything you don’t know just confirming that owning this type of extremely lightweight tent, or even a tarp, requires an different mind set. And when you make the decision to own this type, you should also make a decision to go with the flow. N’cest pas?

So what is this HS device thing? An internal brethable rainfly? Does it make the tent into a psuedo 2 wall shelter? Provide extra warmth?

It is a clip on liner designed to catch the “mist” that sometimes can occur when heavy rain causes the inside condensation to drip on you. Many have commented on this problem with single wall tents and Henry has found a very light and practical solution. Sorry there are no pictures of it as yet.
Please ask again if this is not clear.
Franco

It is just a tent liner, they have been around for ever. The American Indians used them with there Tipi’s.

Similarly I have spent several comfortable days and
nights in a large tipi made from two layers of
uncoated parachute cloth-the really thin stuff-
that some Air Force survival instructors set up.
Despite heavy wet snow mixed with rain we stayed
dry. Even had a fire in the center for cooking and
warmth. The steep pitch and double layer was
all it took.