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You are here: Home / New Features / Podcast 013 | SKILLS SHORT – Tent-bound in a Storm

Podcast 013 | SKILLS SHORT – Tent-bound in a Storm

by Backpacking Light on July 8, 2019 New Features, Podcasts

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Summary

In this episode, Ryan offers some practical guidelines for managing wet gear, condensation, and camp chores if you have to be holed up in a tent during a prolonged period of inclement weather.

PODCAST 013 1

Outline

  • What happens inside a tent in inclement weather?
    • Relative humidity and dew point
    • How condensation forms
      • Effects of excess moisture vapor
      • Effects of temperature drops
  • How to manage condensation
    • Convective air flow using differential ventilation
    • Campsite location and wind
    • Minimize sources of moisture
  • Wet gear management
    • Raingear, clothing, footwear
    • What I use for a mud room
    • Mentioned: Locus Gear Djedi
  • Shelter Setup and Takedown in Inclement Weather
    • What I do with a Djedi-style tent
    • I’m a fan of this American tent, which offers a fly-first pitch option
      • read my review
      • watch my review video so you can see how I pitch it fly-first
      • visit the maker
  • Cooking in a tent
    • About my upcoming “How to Cook in a Tent” video
    • How hikers have it wrong about “minimizing the risk” of cooking in a tent
  • Bathroom breaks and the pee bottle
  • How I go outside my tent without having to put on wet shoes and socks without having to pack the extra weight of camp shoes
  • Packing up wet gear and a wet tent
    • Where I store my wet tent fly
    • This pack has a terrific wet gear pocket (see my review or watch my YouTube video about it)
    • What I do with the wet tent fly while hiking

Related

  • Wet, cold feet when backpacking: how to keep your feet dry(er) and warm(er) in inclement weather
  • How to choose backpacking gear for inclement weather: clothing, sleep, and shelter systems
  • Tarp camping techniques for inclement conditions

Feedback, Questions, Tips?

  • Submit them via email or Twitter and get featured on our next podcast!

Credits

  • Backpacking Light – Executive Producer
  • Ryan Jordan – Director and Host
  • Andrew Marshall – Producer and Host
  • Brian Rigby – Guest Interview
  • Look for Me in the Mountains – Music
    • Written by: Chris Cunningham and Ryan Jordan
    • Performed by: Chris Cunningham (acoustic guitar, lead and harmony vocals, harmonica), Chad Langford (upright bass), and Tom Murphy (mandolin).
    • Produced by: Basecamp Studios in Bozeman, Montana

Sponsors

  • This episode of the Backpacking Light Podcast is supported and kept advertising-free by Backpacking Light membership fees. Please consider becoming a member which helps support projects like this podcast, in addition to a whole slew of other benefits!

Contact

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  • Backpacking Light – Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
  • Andrew Marshall – Instagram | Twitter | WWW
  • Ryan Jordan – Instagram | Twitter | WWW

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Home › Forums › Podcast 013 | SKILLS SHORT – Tent-bound in a Storm

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  • Jul 8, 2019 at 5:36 pm #3601142
    Ryan Jordan
    Admin

    @ryan

    Locale: Central Rockies

    Companion forum thread to: Podcast 013 | SKILLS SHORT – Tent-bound in a Storm

    In this episode, Ryan offers some practical guidelines for managing wet gear, condensation, and camp chores if you have to be holed up in a tent during a prolonged period of inclement weather.

    Jul 8, 2019 at 11:51 pm #3601177
    James Marco
    BPL Member

    @jamesdmarco

    Locale: Finger Lakes

    A good review of wet weather camping. Thanks!

     

    Jul 10, 2019 at 7:56 am #3601379
    Rex Sanders
    BPL Member

    @rex

    Locale: Central California Coast

    Great overview, I learned a few things.

    A few more tips especially for single-wall tents:

    • Avoid contact with wet tent walls to keep you and your gear dry. You might need a shelter with more headroom and interior space, walls that don’t impede movement, and doors designed to reduce contact getting in and out. Or even a double-walled tent.
    • Think of your tent as a clean sanctuary, and avoid bringing any mud inside. It spreads rapidly and makes life much less pleasant.
    • Keep a pair of warm, dry, clean sleeping socks as dry and clean as possible. You’ll be much happier.
    • Pitch your tent to promote wind flowing through – aim your biggest vents into the wind.
    • Wipe condensation off the inner walls of single-wall tents with a sponge or microfiber pack towel. Be sure to squeeze excess water completely outside the tent.
    • Wet gear in a vestibule still adds moisture inside many tents.
    • Avoid steaming food or drink inside the tent. Cook, eat, and drink hot liquids elsewhere if possible, like under another shelter or tree. Consider a group cooking/hangout tarp.
    • Don’t freak out about condensation on your down sleeping bag, quilt, or puffy. Most modern, high-quality down gear is very water-resistant. It’s still better to keep stuff as dry as possible.
    • If you hear or see a “slow” leak – don’t roll over and go back to sleep, deal with it now! Slow leaks all night long can create big puddles and problems.
    • Before you pack up, wipe moisture off your gear with a sponge or pack towel. Packing wet gear only makes it wetter by forcing water into previously dry places.
    • Learn weather patterns, and time your tent setup and breakdown for breaks in the rain. On one trip, everyone else put up tents in the rain as soon as we got to camp. I knew the rain would stop for a while just before sunset, so I waited.

    — Rex

    Jul 10, 2019 at 9:44 am #3601386
    john hansford
    BPL Member

    @johnh1

    1. Yes it’s interesting how much water gets onto a tent. Some years ago I walked the HRP from Atlantic to Med using a sil nylon Trailstar. One night at altitude I ended up in cloud/mist , and the tent was drenched outside and inside, although there was no actual rain.

    In the morning I wiped all services in and out with a sponge, and squeezed it out into my Evernew pot which has ml markings. In all I collected 600 ml / 21 oz of water, more than the weight of the tent. It was still not completely dry, and presumably the material had absorbed some moisture too, so the total weight of water was even more.

    I think Ryan forgot to mention wiping down with a sponge, because I first got the tip from him. Thanks Ryan!

     

    2. Regarding walking around outside the tent, if you are liable to cut your feet, then surely the stuff sacks on your feet are going to get damaged too. Better to put your shoes on over the top, or just carry light bread bags to wear in your shoes. I then pack my tent in the bags.

     

    3. I seem to be in the minority regarding sleep socks mentioned here. Even thin ones make my feet too hot, so that’s a few ozs less to carry. That’s also one reason I changed to a quilt – so I can more easily cool my feet.

     

    You can see that mist:

    Aug 13, 2019 at 6:31 am #3605857
    Roger Caffin
    Moderator

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Avoid steaming food or drink inside the tent. Cook, eat, and drink hot liquids elsewhere if possible, like under another shelter or tree. Consider a group cooking/hangout tarp.

    Could be difficult in a howling storm, couldn’t it?
    My wife and I always cook and eat and wash up inside the tent. It is always amusing to watch the steam head out of the downwind vent or window.

    What to do in a howling storm in the snow when you need to go to the loo? Many is the time when venturing outside the tent in our dry clothing in Alpine conditions was simply not a realistic option. As I did mention in ‘When Things Go Wrong’, I just dug a deep hole in the snow inside the vestibule, and then filled it in. There was no smell at all.

    Cheers

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