question about my vango banshee 200

[steingis]

i took it out with me for a 4 day trip and it rained moderatley on the last night after i had it all set up,
i noticed that the flysheet was wet on the inside after an hour or so and even some rain dripped down onto the inner tent, my sleeping bag got wet at the bottom where i must have been pressing against the flysheet as im probably slighty tall for the tent at 5,11

should this tent be doing this in moderate rain? should the flysheet be wet on the inside? its my first what i thought to be a decent tent so thats why i ask

i bought it 2 months ago so cant take it back to the store

 

[DR2501]

I'm not an expert on this tent, although my dad has one. Even after two months you can take it back if it has a leak (providing you haven't damaged it) as its not fit for purpose. The only caveat to that would be if the instructions told you to seam seal/otherwise waterproof it before use?

 

[Chilliphil]

I've never had this problem with mine and it's been used it all sorts of bad weather. I'm about the same height as you as well and never thought of myself to be too tall for the tent - not saying it isn't a tight fit though!! Did you have it pitched nice and tight? Can only think that it might leak if it was a bit "saggy" in places, therefore making the flysheet tough the inner tent.

 

[Chilliphil]

To add I haven't seam sealed or further water proofed mine.

 

[DR2501]

Does the Banshee have a tape that runs underneath the inner from edge to edge of the fly? If so, a lot of tents that have that need it adjusting as they're not all the correct length and this can cause sagging

 

[Badger74]

It could have been condensation as well.

 

[DR2501]

Seems a bit excessive for condensation though doesn't it? Again, I have no first hand experience of the tent but its a decent brand so it should have some ventilation?

 

[Chilliphil]

I've never had a condensation problem with mine, always seemed well ventilated.

 

[steingis]

after like an hour or so i felt the flysheet from the inside and it felt as wet as the outside it was too wet to be condensation as i noticed some dampness through condensation on the previous nights and it wasnt like that

possibly it could have been more taught than i had it but i dont think it was touching the inner anywhere apart from where my feet were, but that doesnt explain why the inner flysheet should be so wet? is it supposed to be wet to the touch?

5,11 is fine so long as you dont shift up or down a couple of inches or so in your sleep!

 

[Nohoval_Turrets]

Condensation is generally heavier when it's raining, firstly because the cold rain cools the fabric and water will condense, and secondly because humidity is generally higher.

You can test the fabric at home by stretching out a bit of it loosely so that it sags, leaving a place where a small amount of water can collect. Pour a little water in - not much, just enough to wet your fingertips. Then see how long it takes to come though. A good waterproof fabric will hold the water in without dripping pretty much indefinitely.

 

[steingis]

Condensation is generally heavier when it's raining, firstly because the cold rain cools the fabric and water will condense, and secondly because humidity is generally higher.

You can test the fabric at home by stretching out a bit of it loosely so that it sags, leaving a place where a small amount of water can collect. Pour a little water in - not much, just enough to wet your fingertips. Then see how long it takes to come though. A good waterproof fabric will hold the water in without dripping pretty much indefinitely.

thanks nohoval i will try that when i get it dryed out again ive just had it out and it showered without me realising
i did not know that about condensation or that it could condensate so quickly

 

[rik_uk3]

Condensation depends on things like temperature, humidity and of course you (you leak steam like a simmering kettle). The smaller the tent the greater the condensation problems may be; smaller area catching moisture, less ventilation due to small tent design. I've camped in summer and winter in 'nylon' tents and some days the tents are bone dry, others they have dripped to some degree. To a certain extent its luck of the draw (or conditions).

 

[Dave-the-rave]

Big bloke in a tiny tent can be a damp trap, depending on conditions. Use the air vents. The groundsheet is vulnerable to tearing and damp so use something under the groundsheet. I use a piece of cheapo economy tarp cut to fit. Water getting under the ground sheet can lead to a damp trap, as will bringing wet gear into the tent. There's pro's and con's to modern tents.

If the tent IS actually leaking take it back. I believe yours is rated 5000mm hydrostatic head so it should be pretty good.

 

[steingis]

Big bloke in a tiny tent can be a damp trap, depending on conditions. Use the air vents. The groundsheet is vulnerable to tearing and damp so use something under the groundsheet. I use a piece of cheapo economy tarp cut to fit. Water getting under the ground sheet can lead to a damp trap, as will bringing wet gear into the tent. There's pro's and con's to modern tents.

If the tent IS actually leaking take it back. I believe yours is rated 5000mm hydrostatic head so it should be pretty good.

i used a small cheap summit tarp i got from yorkshire trading underneath the tent which doubles as an emergency shelter seemed like the logical thing to do as ground was wet everywhere,
i think that is the way i will go about pitching tents from now on also gives you a dry base to kneel on while you figure out whats goes where
i actually had some wet gear in the small area between the inner and outer doors as i dint want them to get completley soaked outside also had door zipped up
the tent has 2 vents but they are small and i dont think they will give a great deal of ventilation
it looks as though i have a condensation issue what ill also do is pitch it in the garden before a rainy day and see how it goes

 

[Badger74]

what ill also do is pitch it in the garden before a rainy day and see how it goes

Don't wait for the rain, uses a hose

 

[DR2501]

Although you shouldn't have to wait long for a rainy day...

 

[boney gumbo mcgee]

Just wondering if it could be also the amount of rain we have had and the ground being a lot wetter than normal and body heat making the moisture rise. I have a Banshee 200 and I have never had condensation probs.

 

[rik_uk3]

Don't wait for the rain, uses a hose

Thats not a valid test really, you need to expose the tent to the general conditions and add your own body to show anything; a hose will only show how waterproof the tent is and not how much moisture it will 'catch' from you and the ambient weather conditions.

 

[petrochemicals]

the inner tents are designed for insulation in some tents, Vango being one brand that does incorperate it. The thing is with your breath in such a small tent you will get condensation if its cold and you don't need insulation if its warm, never saw the point of them due to condensation over single skin tents.

Nests seem to be more mosquito linked, and an inner should protect you from the drips from the fly to the inner.

What a tent like the banshee needs is an air inflow intake opening low down and an air exit high up at the peak of the inner to let the air out to be swept away by the airflow over the inner under the outer, but people have come up with a silly idea of insulation so it is not there. Your good local seamstress should be able to put it in, if you get some no see ums mesh.

You can't have insulation in a small tent anyway and you either drown or have airflow. If its the draught your worried about, make the inflow more constrictive.


Over the inner under the outer, geez

roger roger.

 

[steingis]

well the weather is not playing ball and decides to get sunny(ish) so i put about 3 buckets of water with watering can over the tent and it seems to be holding up to that sooo i dont think i can fault the tent for collecting water vapour from the inside ?