choice of tents

Richard, I own a Sierra Designs, the Lightning. What I did not realize before buying it on an impulse at REI was that it has no vents in the fly. It was a miserable sweaty sauna in hot weather. With rain falling you could only crack a lower zipper (actually exposing the contents of your vestibule to rain), or leave it closed and suffocate. It is going back to REI unless I can cut and improvise a large top vent to allow the hot humid air to chimney out. Looking at the Hyperlight photos, I see no vent there. Be advised.
My REI Quarter dome is almost as light, and has a nice vent at the top.

Richard,
have you been in the "seed house", I am 6'2" and did not fit, at all.
I ended up going with the MSR Hubba, see my "reader review".
http://www.msrcorp.com/tents/hubba.asp

Good luck,
Doug

.

Richard, whatever you get make sure there is a covered vent at the top of the fly, preferably a large one. For the reason Brett cites plus others, I won't even consider a tent without a good vent.

My beloved BA Seedhouse tent — and many, many other tents as well — do not have fly vents. There are numerous users of Seedhouses and Hubba Hubbas, etc. and it seems like I have read very, very few lamentations about the lack of a fly vent. I myself have never missed having a fly vent, nor have I ever felt uncomfortable in any way without one. HOWEVER, I haven't camped in 85F / 100% humidity nights either. And so I wonder aloud…

Would a fly vent really make a meaningful difference in the above situation (i.e. the difference between feeling like you are in a sauna versus feeling acceptably comfortable)? In my mind, in 85F and especially in 100% humidity — and if there is also no breeze at all — I imagine I would feel uncomfortable even lying directly under the sky. In other words, under the circumstances, I probably will feel pretty darn unccomfortable inside any tent — fly vent or not!?!

For those who won't even consider a tent that doesn't have a fly vent… I am wondering if perhaps the benefit of the fly vent is exaggerated — or if too much hope is being placed on it??? Just wondering.

Ben, I can't comment on very hot weather because it's been quite a while since I camped in it–back when I lived on the east coast. But for me, fly vents have several advantages:
1) In warmer weather there is a noticeable increase in ventilation. I would much rather be in my Roadster, which has two top vents, but partial netting than my Walrus Swift, which is all netting, but has no top vents. 2) All that moisture that we are breathing out has to go somewhere. Since warm air rises, a large vent at the top allows much of it to escape, keeping your tent dryer. 3) In case of snow sealing off the air flow at the bottom of the fly, you still have a source of fresh air.

O.K. then maybe I should have asked which super light tents have a big vent in the fly ?

Richard:

You mentioned the need for lots of ventilaton. Is this for venting dry heat or will you be facing the humid tropics of northern Oz?

I imagine most of Oz is dry / temperate — except the north. If the former, then you should also look at some of the tarptents. Franco lives in Oz and posts here regularly. Do a search on his name and / or tarptents and you'll find tons of info and photos.

But if you are going to camp in the tropics or areas of high humidity, it probably doesn't hurt to look for tents with fly vents…

It is a bit hard because I flyfish in New Zealand and Australia . The problem is the mosquitos in Oz and the sandflies in NZ (if you have not had an any time with sandflies you are missing one of the more effective torture methods that mother nature has provided us). NZ is a bit more humid than Oz but can still be very warm . I would love nothing more than to be able to use a tarptent because of its light weight and cool nature but would be only a shell in the morning drained of all bodily fluids .

Richard.

A tarptent is NOT the same as a tarp.

Six Moon Designs single-wall tarptents are all FLOORED tents, and Henry Shires tarptents come in either FLOORED or floorless models. All of them have plenty of bugmesh and ample ventilation, and are quite rainproof.

You want the floored models so that you can retain your bodily fluids. New England has skeeters and black flies, and sand fleas on and near the beaches. A floored tarptent works well to keep them all at bay.

Richard, from your description, it sounds like you frequent warm, buggy places. IMO, this is where tarptents really shine. At least, that’s when I most like to use mine.

Also, plenty of room for tall folks in these shelters.

The large peak vents I was referring to in my earlier post are most useful in traditional tents when you have to batten down the hatches. Tarptents, by design, have perimeter ventilation all around and have a very open and airy feeling, perfect, I think, when you are trying to get rid of excess heat, rather than hold it in.

Richard, I am from Fl and I know hot, humid and rainy weather. I cant agree more with Dondo, tarptents are going to be your best bet. I have owned a few tents and when the rain and hot weather hits no vent is large enough!

The tarptent will give bug, and weather protection with plenty of ventilation. I suggest Henryshires rainbow 2, for the reasons it has dual ventalation on both sides and plenty of space. The smaller area of space inside of a tent the more your body will heat it up. Even inside the mesh part of a tent with no fly your heat is trapped, without a good breeze.

You also might want to check out the Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo. It should be out very soon and looks great. I hope BPL compares it to the Double Rainbow at some point. You can't go wrong with either company.

I am wondering aloud if a tarptent is really suited for truly hot/humid places???

We all know that tarptents excel in temperate places with low to moderate humidity. Dry heat is no issue either. But in sultry summer nights (think warm, humid and still air) — when all the vents in the world will make little difference — wouldn't condensation again be a problem?

>>But in sultry summer nights (think warm, humid and still air) — when all the vents in the world will make little difference — wouldn't condensation again be a problem?

Ben, I agree that in still, humid air condensation will be present on the underside of the tarptent canopies.That's why I like Corey's and Matthew's suggestions for the Rainbow 2 and the Lunar duo. They both have plenty of mesh or either side to catch whatever breezes may be present for cross ventilation and plenty of space inside so that contacting the walls in still conditions will be kept to a minimum. But I know that you've traveled a lot and have experience with hot, humid climates. What do the local people do to stay cool and protected from the bugs and rain?

Your fellow Austrailian, Franco, has a TarpTent Contrail solo tent. His rave reviews and pictures of this new tent from Henry Shires convinced me and now I have one too. I love it for it's design, versatility, quality of construction and attention to detail.

And it goes up in less than 2 minutes! Packed weight is 24.5 oz.!! Great ventilation W/ a peak vent too. I'd say it's likely the best ventilated single wall solo tent out there.
Eric