First good storm of the season! And a problem.

**Kyle** · 05-09-2013, 13:34

I was just sitting inside, with the windows open, enjoying the sounds of the season's first real good thunderstorm. No precipitation, just a constant, roaring thunder, and it was loud. But then... THEN it starts dumping hail. What do I do? "HERE IT COMES, I'M GOING OUTSIDE!" Grab my packa, a hammock, and my Superfly and head outside to enjoy from an elevated perspective.

Problem: I am pretty darn sure my Superfly was misting. I know most people say, "oh no, you're crazy, silny doesn't mist; it's just condensation formed under the tarp being knocked off by drops of rain." I had the tarp up for like 2 minutes before I was realizing it, and it was pitched high and wide. That couldn't have been condensation (right?). What's the deal? Does silny mist or not? I know for a fact I wasn't imagining it. I had my phone in there with me (to record the storm, duh. Doesn't everyone do that?) and was watching teeny tiny drops of water appear on the screen, as well as feeling them on my face.

Ideas? I figure silny can't possibly be that useless in a storm, or nobody would use silny for tarps... lol.

**Whatknot** · 05-09-2013, 15:09

The air is usually VERY humid during storms. Dew point being high causes the air to become saturated so moisture from your breath readily condenses on any surface that is cooler than the dew point (temperature). I recall that Shug, in one of his videos asks why sometimes his tarp is dry and other times wet. . Its all about the relationships of humidity, dew point temps and the temperature of the tarp/fly surface.

**Rolloff** · 05-09-2013, 16:07

Sil doesn't mist?

Who said that

**Cannibal** · 05-09-2013, 16:44

My guess (that's all it is) is that you had the tarp strung tight. Is that true?
Brandon does build his tarps to be pulled very tight on the ridgeline and even (I think) suggests doing just that in his setup video, but that isn't always the right answer.

Here is the theory: When you pull the sil tight, the weave is going to open and expose very small tunnels through the sil impregnated nylon; thereby allowing for some misting. The best solution I have found is to set the tarp a little looser when big storms are coming. It doesn't stretch the weave apart and allows the fabric to absorb some of the impact of the falling rain. When I set my sil tarps loose in a storm I don't notice any misting, so I think the logic is valid.

I believe it was Certain who first made this observation (many moons ago) and since reading her post, I've been pretty successful in avoiding any misting issues.

**Kyle** · 05-09-2013, 17:35

Originally Posted by Cannibal

My guess (that's all it is) is that you had the tarp strung tight. Is that true?
Brandon does build his tarps to be pulled very tight on the ridgeline and even (I think) suggests doing just that in his setup video, but that isn't always the right answer.

Here is the theory: When you pull the sil tight, the weave is going to open and expose very small tunnels through the sil impregnated nylon; thereby allowing for some misting. The best solution I have found is to set the tarp a little looser when big storms are coming. It doesn't stretch the weave apart and allows the fabric to absorb some of the impact of the falling rain. When I set my sil tarps loose in a storm I don't notice any misting, so I think the logic is valid.

I believe it was Certain who first made this observation (many moons ago) and since reading her post, I've been pretty successful in avoiding any misting issues.

I'd thought about this too. At the moment, I've got the tarp on tensioners, so I can't crank it nearly as tight as I normally would, so it wasn't insanely tight like it normally is. I dunno. Perhaps it's just a matter of more testing being in order. BRING IT ON, WEATHER. Lol.

**Red Wing** · 05-09-2013, 18:44

I'd put my money on the humidity.

When you do a good amount of winter camping, you start realizing exactly how much condensation your breath causes under your tarp. It's felt like it was snowing sometimes when the tarp would rustle on winter hangs and humidity was low. In a high humidity area, circumstance, I could absolutely see your breath causing "misting" under your tarp in storm mode, without a doubt.

**Kyle** · 05-09-2013, 19:01

Originally Posted by Slo

I'd put my money on the humidity.

When you do a good amount of winter camping, you start realizing exactly how much condensation your breath causes under your tarp. It's felt like it was snowing sometimes when the tarp would rustle on winter hangs and humidity was low. In a high humidity area, circumstance, I could absolutely see your breath causing "misting" under your tarp in storm mode, without a doubt.

It wasn't in storm mode, it was pitched pretty high and wide, with the doors put away entirely. And it was only up a couple minutes before I realized it. Those are the two reasons I'm highly skeptical of condensation, but who knows.

**questtrek** · 05-09-2013, 20:01

Under heavy or long lasting rain Sil Does Mist! .....

**Red Wing** · 05-10-2013, 15:30

Originally Posted by questtrek

Under heavy or long lasting rain Sil Does Mist! .....

he said it was only up for a couple minutes and pitched high and open. So it's not condensation like I originally thought, but I can't see Sil misting after just a couple minutes. I dunno.

**SilvrSurfr** · 05-10-2013, 15:55

For what it's worth, I hung my HG cuben fiber tarp during rain and extreme humidity once, and there was condensation inside the tarp immediately - that's just how much water was in the air. That's the one and only time my cuben fiber tarp has ever "misted," but I know it's in the realm of possible.

So I wouldn't be surprised if you experienced the same thing with silnylon.