On a couple of occasions I've been surprised with condensation on the bottom side of my tarp. I don't have it tight against my hammock and I know it is not dew soaking through the tarp. It has happened in mid 50's and mid 30's. Is this common?
On a couple of occasions I've been surprised with condensation on the bottom side of my tarp. I don't have it tight against my hammock and I know it is not dew soaking through the tarp. It has happened in mid 50's and mid 30's. Is this common?
Sounds like good old condensation to me. Water vapor in the air collecting on the cool surface of the tarp. I get it in pretty much any temps between freezing and 65° F.
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Warm moist air, from your breath and body, hitting the cold tarp leads to condensation. The more the tarp is closed up the worse it is.
"In your face space coyote"-HJS
What kind of tarp do you have? Some are more prone to this than others, in my experience.
I probably get condensation on the bottom of my tarp more than on top, or at least as much.
Mike
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I guess this happens also if you emit an unusual amount of body heat.
I'm not asleep... but that doesn't mean I'm awake.
Yes, it is quite common at least in my back yard. I don't recall if I have ever had it or not sleeping over night in the piney woods. But in the back yard, it happens even if I am not in the hammock emitting vapor which can then condense. Must come up from the grass. And it can really soak the inside of the tarp.
Here is something I have lived by from Ron at Six Moon Designs its for tents but still applies pretty much with tarps. Managing Condensation
The inner wall on a double wall tent separates you from condensation on the tent fly. Ultralight tents and tarps force you to deal directly with condensation. This requires learning how to minimize condensation and how to deal with it when it inevitably occurs.
Condensation occurs when warm moist air comes into contact with a cold surface. In a tent, a big source is the air that pours out each time you exhale. Given the right conditions, condensation will form even if you're not inside the tent. By learning to control the amount of moisture in the air you can reduce condensation.
You can reduce the moisture present by ensuring you've got maximum available ventilation at all times. Avoid lowering your canopy all the way to the ground or closing up your vestibule. Make sure you're utilizing any natural air flow to keep air circulating around inside your tent.
Avoid camping too close to streams. Instead look for natural benches above the streams. Avoid depressions where cold air can settle during the night. Locate your camp under a canopy of trees instead of in an open meadow. Trees can retain a significant amount of heat radiating off the ground. This can result in a warmer sleep and a condensation free tent.
To deal with the condensation that will inevitably form, develop a plan of attack. Volume is one key to dealing with the effects of condensation. Make sure your shelter is large enough so that you can still effectively function if the interior is wet. If your shelter is too small, you may feel yourself trapped, making any movement difficult without getting you or your gear wet.
Have a cloth available to wipe down the walls when you first wake up. Organize your gear so that it's easy to assemble when you have to pack up in the morning.
If you find yourself with a wet tent when your break camp. Try to take some time during the day to dry it. Ultralight tents and tarps dry remarkably fast and there's nothing like crawling into a dry tent when you make camp in the evening.
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