How to Dry a Tent?

Oh condensation. One of life's little pleasures. You could dry it out at your convenience later in the day on the trail so you're not packing a wet tent around. Sure it will dry in a hot garage. But please don't store your gear out there. If you do you will greatly reduce the life of the PU coating on your fly. Will get all sticky on short order.

Site selection can mitigate condensation problems. But sometimes you'll have to deal with it.

Thanks! And yeah No I am not storing my nice gear in there. Its not a problem in the winter for heat. It's one thing that bugs the heck out of my parents store so much crap in our very hot garage.

I prefer hanging a tent, bag, etc. versus draping them over something. Can you hang your tent in your garage — with the door open? If you have a yard or access to the outdoor, maybe rig something with some cords and clothes pins?

Ken,

"Will get all sticky on short order"

I've had that problem with a couple of my REI tents. They've been stored in a heated bedroom inside my house that is typically about 70 degrees. Do you think the temperature could be a factor?

What would be an ideal storage temperature for a dried stuffed tent in a bag?

Hey dude, thought I'd chime in here with some advice. Best thing you can do is learn about condensation so that you can prevent it. Yes, rain sometimes is the cause of your wet tent, but it sounds like mostly what you need to reduce is condensation. First, read this:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/single_wall_shelters_condensation_factors_tips.html#.U-kBnUhGzy0

The idea is to get airflow. Do you sleep with the fly doors open or closed on your tent? DO you pitch it in a way that encourages airflow? Sometimes, mainstream tents are more about being rain proof than condensation proof. Focus on getting the air flowing and it should help a lot.

In terms of drying, its the same… all about airflow.