Tents - mesh inners?

[psmiffy]

Tents seem to be the order of the day at the moment

A lot of tents nowadays seem to have inners partially made from mesh –normally at the top – presumably to cut down on condensation in the inner

I have never experienced condensation in the inner of all the tents I have owned sans mesh – probably due to sleeping with a least one inner door open or behind the mesh door unless it is very cold

If it rains it is my experience that the outer tent will have a lot of condensation on the inside surface – do you get any condensation “rain” through the mesh?

 

[willem]

To answer the last question first: apparently yes. These tents are made for US conditions. In the UK and elsewhere in nw Europe you get dripping condensation, and drafts.
Willem

 

[snorri]

I have never experienced condensation in the inner of all the tents I have owned sans mesh

Neither have I.

 

[sgw]

I have used partial mesh inners on a few different tents and rarely experienced any problems with dripping. The exception being a budget tunnel tent I had which leaked from an imperfectly sealed inner tent loop and dripped through the mesh as if it wasn't there.

However on a better quality tent, a Salewa Scorpio, which developed a similar leak, I was amazed to notice the drips ran down the outside of the inner mesh as if it was a sealed surface. The mesh being treated I presume. I have also recently used a Vango Banshee with a substantial mesh area. When pitched on a particularly sloping site I found it impossible to get the gap between inner and outer even all round. At one end the inner mesh was actually stuck to the wet inner but still didn't transmit any water inside!

I am not a big fan of closed in and sealed tents at all. I often camp with a tarp and like to be able to see out. I also enjoy a breeze on my face providing its not too cold. I consider a tent as shelter and use my sleeping bag for warmth. If I want to save weight I often just take the fly.

 

[sgw]

I have never experienced condensation in the inner of all the tents I have owned sans mesh

Neither have I

Nor have I.

I don't think the mesh is to prevent condensation on the inner but to improve breathability of the inner. Not quite the same thing. An inner with poor breathability would be more likely to create a clammy dampnes over all surfaces inside rather than on just the surface of the inner.

 

[andym]

For many many years singleskin tents were the norm and provided you didn't touch the sides and the seams were properly sealed people stayed reasonably dry.

As I understand it, the design philosophy of the new wave tents is to prevent condensation by having the maximum ventilation, then a mesh inner to protect against insects.

There are plenty of parts of the US where it rains as much, if not more, than in Europe (or at least in London is typical).

 

[smeg]

Neither have I.

That's because you've never been backpacking in the Scottish Highlands in the middle of October for 2 weeks when it has been freezing cold and raining every day It's not 'a lot of tents nowadays' having mesh inners, it's the US designed ones you're referring to. They also tend to have thinner groundsheets and higher flysheets (from the ground) than others.

Condensation is mainly a problem when it's cold, damp/wet and still, if it's windy it's not usually an issue due to the air circulation between the inner and the flysheet (the wind blowing under the flysheet). You can get condensation in any tent but some are better at dealing with it than others, i.e. better ventilation. A mesh inner will obviously help with air circulation inside the tent.

As for being showered in "rain" from the inside of the flysheet wet from condensation, it shouldn't drip onto the inner and make it or you wet, it should run down the inside of the flysheet and drip off onto the ground. But this does happen when it's very windy because the flapping flysheet (I'm not swearing lol) shakes the water off onto the inner. Makes little difference whether it's a mesh inner or not in this instance - you will still get wet! That's not a common occurrence though, at least not in my experience, usually when it's hammering down with rain it's also windy in any case.

A tent with a mesh inner is fine for Summer UK use unless you're a real wuss, saying that - it can get quite cold in Scotland even during Summer in the night but that's more a sleeping bag issue than tent. I've just bought a new one person tent myself which has a mesh inner (Mountain Hardwear Sprite 1), I'll likely be using it in Scotland in October. Obviously it'll be draughty and colder than my other Vango tent under certain conditions but am also hoping I wont have the condensation problems I've had with the Vango (Spirit 200). You can't have it all ways...

 

[smeg]

For many many years singleskin tents were the norm and provided you didn't touch the sides and the seams were properly sealed people stayed reasonably dry.

Cotton tents? How far back was this 'norm'? If there's enough condensation forming in a single skin tent, which there usually is, it runs down into the groundsheet which is never a good thing it makes everything wet. I'm impressed with this tent though where there's mesh between the flysheet and groundsheet stopping the water running in. Just common sense which a lot of tent designers don't seem to have. Makes a change to see a bit of innovation, I was considering getting one myself. Check out it's weight, although it's intended to be used with trekking poles which you might have with you backpacking but probably not whilst cycle touring

 

[andym]

Cotton tents? How far back was this 'norm'?

Well sufficiently recent for me to remember and probably psmiffy too. Double-wall tents are a pretty recent innovation. OK maybe with the passing of time memories of leaking tents have faded, but equally we camped in them and nothing awful happened to us (possibly because condensation was less of an issue with canvas?).

 

[snorri]

That's because you've never been backpacking in the Scottish Highlands in the middle of October for 2 weeks when it has been freezing cold and raining every day

I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. In mid October I am usually to be found in the comfort of my centrally heated home in the Highlands.

My comment on condensation referred to experiences in summer weather in mainland Europe and Iceland.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

The mesh inners on tents designed for the American market have nothing to do with condensation. The inners are bug nets, and when it's hot and you have to be in a completely zipped up inner because of all the biting critters (and snakes looking for somewhere cosy), only complete mesh inners will have enough ventilation to be comfortable on hot, sultry nights. There's lots of nights in the States when you only pitch the inner to allow as much breeze as possible will pass through. If you do need the 'rain fly', then having it clear of the ground again allows air in.

UK, European and New Zealand tents then have mixture of mesh and solid inners (to balance the ventilation / draught proofing required), commensurate with their intended use. For instance, mountain tents used above the snowline will only have ventilation areas that can be sealed against spindrift and a fly sheet with snow flaps that seal completely against the ground. In contrast, two season beach tents won't be so fastidious.

 

[smeg]

I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. In mid October I am usually to be found in the comfort of my centrally heated home in the Highlands.

My comment on condensation referred to experiences in summer weather in mainland Europe and Iceland.

What's the weather like in Iceland in Summer, a bit random I'd imagine? Similar to Scotland in Autumn?