Went to ground... what would you do?

[nothermark]

I'd have gone to bed in the hammock with a space blanket over the ridge line if I did not have my top cover.

What you can do is pitch the tarp with steep sides so more condensation runs down before it shakes off and hang your poncho or rain jacket as a door to block wind blowing through.

[Suede]

I'd have gone to bed in the hammock with a space blanket over the ridge line if I did not have my top cover.

What you can do is pitch the tarp with steep sides so more condensation runs down before it shakes off and hang your poncho or rain jacket as a door to block wind blowing through.

+1 on this and I would add an UCP to reduce or eliminate condensation on the UQ.

[BillyBob58]

I was camping at the local state park here in north Alabama the day before yesterday and ran into some challenging weather conditions. It was windy and extremely humid and foggy. It had been raining and everything was wet. We set up the hammocks and tarps early in the evening. After standing around the camp fire, eating dinner, etc. I checked on the hammocks to find them quite wet. We were getting tons of condensation on the under-side of our tarps and the wind was shaking the tarps causing the condensation to rain down onto the hammocks. We ended up using the four season tent which, fortunately we had with us. Also, fortunately, to avoid exposing it to the humidity for any longer than necessary, we hadn't put out our down insulation, so that was still dry.

I've dealt with both condensation and wind but not both together like this. Usually the condensation on the inside of the tarp isn't really a problem but it was getting shaken off by the wind onto the hammocks. Usually when it's been windy I haven't had much condensation. How would you have handled similar conditions? What could l have done differently? It doesn't seem like larger winter tarps with doors would have helped because there would still have been lots of condensation.

Thanks

Thanks for posting about this experience. It is great when things go awry while car or backyard camping, or when a backup like your 4 season tent is available- rather than 20 miles from the car and trailhead.

If this had been far from the trail head and happened after you hung your down insulation, it would have been a much worse situation. Particularly if there were multiple days of this or if there was a lack of sunshine on the following days for drying out.

And this is the type of situation where any possible advantages of synthetic insulation are sometimes discussed, or even the new treated down options.

I'm wondering if various types of socks would be a significant help? I wonder how the only sock like product I have used, the HH Super Shelter with optional over cover, would have fared? It has shrugged off the worst windblown tornado warning rain, in a fully exposed hang from the only two trees in the back yard, using the tiny HH tarp. I didn't even have the OC then. Plus the pad has dried very quickly in past tests. But I have never tried it in the conditions you describe.

[BillyBob58]

...........................

Fog and prolonged cold don't go together. Whatever little dampness might get into your gear from a foggy night is likely to leave it the next day.

FWIW, all of the tents in our troop had similar issues that night.

That's what I always thought! Then I spent 85-87 in the Salt lake City area. During their inversions, I have seen extremely dense fog settle in for days, with temps at 10F! If I just drove into the mountains 1000 ft higher, it would be blue bird sunshine days!

I never understood how visible moisture could hang in the air when temps were below freezing, but I saw it many times. It always happened after there was a good layer of snow on the ground, and only in the deep valleys.

[Durangoz]

Thanks for posting this. We had a similar experience here in SC without the wind. Dense fog came in during the night. I woke at 4 am to drops of water falling on the tarp, but it was not raining. I guess condensation was falling off of the trees. My entire underquilt surface was soaked, and the exposed top surface of my top quilt was wet. Underneath the tarp was very wet. I can see if there was wind, it would have shaken the water off on top of me. I think I will bring something absorbent to dry off the inside of the tarp next time. I have been debating about a underquilt protector and if it should be breathable or waterproof.

[brooklynkayak]

I have had similar experiences in a tent and everything was often wet inside and out. Ventilation makes no difference if it is 100% humidity.
This issue can happen quite often in coastal areas.
We did sleep OK even though our gear was quite wet and did wake from some spray in the face from time to time.

I do agree that a hammock sock would help considerably. You would still get moisture from condensation inside the sock, but it would be reduced and the spray would be less of an issue.

Regarding the temperature inversion fog that they get in SLC and other mountain valleys, it doesn't really contain as much moisture as warm weather fog, so not an issue with soaking your gear.
It does contain smog and so everything gets dirty, like a thin coat of frozen mud.

I know, I grew up in SLC and like BillyBob58, I got to spend some time above the clouds a few times and it is quite the experience.

[mbiraman]

Great pic O&B

[OutandBack]

Awesome photo, outandback!

Excellent O&B.

Great pic O&B

HaHa thanks guys, Just an old hippy hanging before hanging was kool.

I'm still thinking of ways the OP could deal with the issues of raining on the hammock from condensation collecting on the tarp.
A steeper pitch might help but then there is the wind issue he talks about. That's a stumper...

Growing up in Huntsville I learned how to camp on trail that crosses MonteSano mtn, Huntsville mtn and Green mtn.
Not sure that trail is still there 33 years later. I've heard its all expensive homes now.

[MDSH]

I'm thinking a wool sock. There's a reason they raise sheep and wear kilts in Scotland.

.

[BillyBob58]

Great pic O&B

I agree!

HaHa thanks guys, Just an old hippy hanging before hanging was kool.

I'm still thinking of ways the OP could deal with the issues of raining on the hammock from condensation collecting on the tarp.
A steeper pitch might help but then there is the wind issue he talks about. That's a stumper...

Growing up in Huntsville I learned how to camp on trail that crosses MonteSano mtn, Huntsville mtn and Green mtn.
Not sure that trail is still there 33 years later. I've heard its all expensive homes now.

Speaking of raining on the hammock even under the tarp, I have not dealt with that with fog yet, but with winter camping in my back yard. Winter or not, I would often get condensation on the underside of my tarp with my exposed backyard sites. Usually using a stand, with no over head tree cover and over grass. Though this has never happened to me yet in the woods. In the winter this condensation freezes. I would sometimes brush against or bump the tarp trying to get in the hammock, and more so with the tarp battened down trying to block wind. This would either get my jacket wet, or cause it to start snowing on my hammock and TQ, or both.