I finally figured out why my tent was always damp inside

For years, I blamed condensation on the weather until a ranger in Yosemite pointed out I was pitching my rainfly way too tight. He said a small air gap is needed, and after trying it, my gear stayed dry. Anyone else been taught wrong about fly tension?

3 comments

3 Comments

susanb343d ago

That's such a common mistake, isn't it? We get told to make everything taut to fight the wind, but then we trap all our own wet air inside. Makes you wonder how many other little tips like that get passed around and just become camping gospel without being right.

jessica1302d ago

But what if the wind is actually the bigger problem? A super tight fly can stop the tent from collapsing in a real storm, and that matters more than a bit of dampness. I've had gear get soaked from flapping fabric pulling in rain sideways, which is way worse than condensation. Sometimes the old advice sticks around because it works when conditions get bad, right?

stellaperry3d ago

Tight fly means less flapping in the wind, which is the real enemy. A little damp gear beats a tent that sounds like a flag in a hurricane all night.