Dew Management

[unclefuzz]

Hello,

My family is new to camping. We just took our first trip with me, my wife a 4-yr old and a 7-yr old. Things went pretty well, got some pretty good notes for what to do differently. One thing that I'm having trouble finding any pointers on is dew management. The temperature during the day was about 85 degrees, but at night the temps fell to below 60. The result was a fine sheen of dew atop sleeping bags, pillows, and pretty much anything left out in the tent. Anyone have any pointers on how to alleviate this, or is this just a part of camping that must be endured?

Thanks!

[renodesertfox]

Welcome unclefuzz to campin forums, happy to see you have pulled up a log to ask a question. Great subject..."Dew Management"...and that's a great title too! The answer is detailed so I'll get everyone going...opinions here are great and in no time you have many to choose from. Hopefully too, you'll stick around and find something that interests you and your opinion can be heard! Great way to make new friends!

It is not at all uncommon, in a very wet region, to find the inside walls of the tent wet.

2 reasons. When it is raining and wet out if you touch the inside of the tent wall you can cause water to wick through the tent wall essentially creating a leak.

In cool (2 - 10 C), high humidity climate your warm moist breath can and will cause condensation on the interior of tent walls.

I have observed this in both ancient canvas tents from the '50s to more modern fabrics of our modern age.

One of the primary reasons you get condensation on your tent is because you are inside your tent. You lose about a pint of water overnight just from breathing. Your breathing creates a lot of humidity inside your tent if the tent is not well-ventilated. The tent walls are just a bit warmer than the air outside your tent. On a clear night, the tent walls can get quite cool. Most of the condensation on your tent occurs when the humidity from your breath hits the cool tent walls.

And there's also the "Dew Point" to consider - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dew_point .

[tplife]

High-end manufacturers have eliminated this problem in the last few model years with more liberal use of mesh. With a full rain fly, you don't sacrifice much in warmth as you still have an outer layer. Even the 4-season models are on-board, but with zipper closures to reduce the openings for the extra mesh. But as far as condensation inside the tent, it's a good design feature.

[unclefuzz]

examples?

High-end manufacturers have eliminated this problem in the last few model years with more liberal use of mesh. With a full rain fly, you don't sacrifice much in warmth as you still have an outer layer. Even the 4-season models are on-board, but with zipper closures to reduce the openings for the extra mesh. But as far as condensation inside the tent, it's a good design feature.

Could you give me some examples of some models, some Coleman tents perhaps? I am currently equipped with a Coleman tent (circa 2004), I forget the exact model name, but it looks like a conestoga wagon. The entire roof is open and mesh, so I thought I'd be in pretty good shape for moisture control. I was wrong!

[tplife]

Could you give me some examples of some models, some Coleman tents perhaps? I am currently equipped with a Coleman tent (circa 2004), I forget the exact model name, but it looks like a conestoga wagon. The entire roof is open and mesh, so I thought I'd be in pretty good shape for moisture control. I was wrong!

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the Coleman models. I like brands like Sierra Designs, Marmot, or Big Agnes due to the lifetime warranties and rugged construction. Extra cost for sure, but because I camp regularly they are far less expensive for me in the long run. Some web searches should bring up your design if you can get the name of the model.

[Bigdog57]

If you have a lot of mesh on top, and you don't use the rainfly, the dew just settles right into the tent. Been there, done that! This isn't the problem of breath condensing, just the normal outer dew. Same as you find on your car in the morning. The rainfly will help control it.
But, you will lose that view of the stars overhead!

[geobet1]

Could you give me some examples of some models, some Coleman tents perhaps? I am currently equipped with a Coleman tent (circa 2004), I forget the exact model name, but it looks like a conestoga wagon. The entire roof is open and mesh, so I thought I'd be in pretty good shape for moisture control. I was wrong!

BigDog hit the nail on the head - at least here in Florida, and pretty much all the humid southeast. Leave an opening for dew to settle and it will. Used to encounter it all the time. Finally fixed it though, bought a Kodiak. And, yes those vents at the top really work to circulate the air and get rid of the moisture. A bit pricey but well worth it. Don't wake up feeling like I slept in a laundermat anymore.

[frank6160]

I find that if I close all widows just before sunset/dark that when bedtime comes there is less dampness. You can then decide to open windows or not. In hot humid areas you will want windows open. I use Coleman tents. I also take my sleeping bags out after a couple of nights and air them out during the day.