Questions about the use, selection, and care of portable shelters consisting of poles for support and some form of fabric to protect from the elements.
5
votes
2answers
174 views
Is it normal for a double skin popup tent to leak in slight rain?
About a year ago I was given a three person dual skin popup tent. Almost new but possibly a factory second.
(It's made by "Vango" and I think it could be a "reject" because one of the four guy ropes ...
10
votes
3answers
295 views
How do you remove mold from a tent?
Of course, the best way is to prevent mold on a tent from occurring by airing, cleaning and storing it appropriately. When doing this I've never had any issues.
However, there may well be cases where ...
5
votes
1answer
66 views
How can I 'inflate' or plump up my my sleeping bag?
I have a very nice sleeping bag which has been kept stuffed as compressed as possible in a backpack for a couple of months. After reading about the negative effects of such actions, I was wondering if ...
4
votes
2answers
129 views
Do I need to worry about snow covering up my tent?
I have a two-layer dome tent, cheap and not particularly designed for winter. Do I need to ever worry that during a heavy snow downfall during the night that tent might be covered up with snow and I ...
6
votes
3answers
232 views
How to set up a tent in deep snow
How should I set up a two-layer dome tent for 2/4 people in deep snow (waist height)? Do I need some additional equipment (snow shovel)? Insulation under the floor (further than the sleeping pads)?
...
5
votes
3answers
640 views
Dome tents vs popup tents, are there any inherent pros or cons besides price and ease?
I was lucky enough to be given an almost new double skin popup tent.
Where I'm camping right now it's got windy a couple of times and rainy a couple of times.
A friend of mine who is camping in his ...
3
votes
2answers
270 views
How often should I waterproof a tent?
Currently I waterproof my tents at minimum once a year and often times 2 or 3 times a year. Other than condensation I don't usually have too much of a problem. On the other hand I live and often camp ...
19
votes
7answers
790 views
What are the downsides to sleeping in a hammock on a multi-day hike?
I've read that hammocks are a very light way to travel through the wilderness. You just need the hammock, a cover, and a light sleeping bag, but there must be disadvantages compared to taking a tent ...
5
votes
1answer
99 views
Repairing a North Face Tent rain cover
I have bought a North Face RoadRunner 3 tent 10 years ago. It is a great tent, and it served me well during a 9-month trip to South America.
The problem is that the transparent part of the rain ...
7
votes
2answers
208 views
What is the difference between single and double wall tents?
Tents are described being either single or double wall.
What is the difference and when is one preferred over the other?
8
votes
3answers
166 views
What is the true risk of suffocation from different combustion sources in a tent? (CO2, CO)
Aside from risk of fire (which for this question we will assume has been fully mitigated) what is the real risk of suffocation if one were to use a stove, lantern, or candle lantern in a tent?
There ...
25
votes
7answers
2k views
How to deal with condensation in a tent?
I often camp in rainy or very humid weather, and I often have condensation forming inside my tent. What can I do to minimize this?
My tent has vents, but I’m not sure how to make the best use of ...
8
votes
3answers
635 views
Will a tent provide some protection from bears?
When camping in a bear country, will a tent provide an additional protection from bears, as opposed to just sleeping outside or in a hammock? Provided I take the usual precautions of keeping any ...
6
votes
2answers
115 views
How do I reseal a tent bottom with many pinprick holes
Our tent pan has a LOT of very tiny holes in it. We've never had to use a footprint, and our tent has always kept water out, but that is no longer the case. I don't want to carry a footprint due to ...
11
votes
1answer
933 views
What's the difference between a 2, 3, 4, and 5 season tent?
I'm looking to buy a new trekking tent, a good quality one, e.g. Hilleberg, Fjällräven, Vaude, etc. At Vaude they categorise tents in 2, 3, 4, or 5-season. What's the difference between a 4- and a ...
5
votes
3answers
384 views
What is a freestanding tent and why should I want one?
What is a free-standing tent? What are the advantages of a free-standing tent as opposed to a tent that isn't, and what are the disadvantages?
See also:
What is a self erecting tent and why should I ...
6
votes
2answers
173 views
In what conditions is a four-season tent needed?
Growing up hiking the southern Appalachians, I've never actually needed a four season tent. However we are starting to look at hikes around the country where the temperatures and conditions get worse ...
4
votes
2answers
554 views
What is a self erecting tent and why should I want one?
What is a self erecting tent? What are the advantages of a self erecting tent as opposed to a tent that isn't, and what are the disadvantages?
10
votes
1answer
196 views
Is my tent pole a lightning rod?
I have used the Mega Mid tent almost exclusively for hundreds of nights out over the last many years. It's versatile, well ventilated, light... but has this pole sticking straight up the middle.
Is ...
9
votes
2answers
3k views
How do I use these “guy line runners” to adjust the tension on my tent's lines?
I was given my current tent and I have to admit to being pretty ignorant of tents, having not done much camping since I was a kid some decades ago.
Now when it came time to use the guy ropes I ...
9
votes
1answer
339 views
Tent floor waterproof rating
I'm currently looking to buy a new tent. The old one had a floor that was said to withstand a hydrostatic head of 10000 mm, but the tents I find in the stores here go to at most 3000 mm for the floor, ...
5
votes
2answers
211 views
Big group/basecamp tent
I want to buy a large group tent. I want it to be our communal cooking/dining tent. I'm look at things like the Mountain Hardware Yurtini or Space Station but it won't be used at altitude (so the ...
6
votes
4answers
221 views
What should I replace guylines with?
I need to replace some guylines on one of my tents. I normally use some paracord lying around but they have been getting tripped over more and more. I found some glow in the dark paracord, but before ...
9
votes
4answers
406 views
Best way to light a tent
Usually when I require light inside the tent I just prop a torch (flashlight) up somewhere, if it's bright enough then up at the roof of the tent the reflected light gives a nice ambient glow. Has ...
13
votes
1answer
179 views
Does any tent manufacturer promise to have replacement parts?
A few years ago I got a 2-person tent for backpacking. At some point, I let the rain fly get too hot. It became sticky and its waterproof coating peeled.
I tried to buy a replacement rain fly, but ...
14
votes
1answer
194 views
Why tunnel tents for the poles, Geodesic for the mountains?
I've noticed that polar expeditions seem to favour tunnel tents, and mountaineering expeditions prefer geodesic designs. Is there a reason why one design fares better than the other in its preferred ...
15
votes
7answers
926 views
Can/Should I cook in my tent?
When camping in bad weather I'm always asking myself if it is a good idea to cook in my tent with a gas cooker. Obviously there is the danger of fire. But how dangerous is this really? Can you easily ...
14
votes
2answers
167 views
What is the proper tension for a tent line
When setting up a tent and staking it out, what is the proper tension for the lines? I generally just make them arbitrarily tight, but have no idea how that would perform in high wind or other ...
9
votes
2answers
123 views
What should I look for if I want to buy a winter-proofed tent?
I really like to go snowshoeing during the winter. I'm going up to 3500 meters and when I'm doing long tours I would really enjoy to try out winter camping in very remote areas. Is it a good idea to ...
7
votes
2answers
685 views
What mosquito nets can be used while camping?
When camping in areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic, what options are there in terms of mosquito nets? The mosquito nets I've seen are meant to be hung above a bed and tucked under the ...
5
votes
4answers
744 views
How can I make a footprint?
I recently got a Marmot Aeros 3P for Christmas, but haven't been able to find anyone currently selling the footprint that goes with it. So how could I go about making one?
10
votes
4answers
209 views
Is it worth buying a footprint?
I recently bought a new tent, is it worth the extra $40 to purchase a footprint for it as well? Or are there alternatives that can be found on the trail or even made at home?
9
votes
2answers
161 views
What is the best way to store my tent?
How can I store my tent when I'm not using it for months at a time, so it is still in good condition when I use it again?
