Anyone else having issues with single wall tents and staying warm?

ElkElkGoose

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I have a seekoutside tipi and western mountaineering sleeping bags and cant seem to be able to stay warm. Regardless of how warm of a sleeping bag I run I still get cold. The weird thing is that my pits will be wet from sweat but I still am cold.

Im beginning to think it may have something to do with the moisture build up in the single wall tents making it very humid inside and sucking warmth away inside my bag? I have very heavy condensation build up.

Anyone else deal with this or have a solution?
 
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Open it up. Pitch it high for airflow. Don’t camp in low spots or near water. I only close up my tent if it’s raining.
 
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ElkElkGoose

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I know that helps with condensation but does that help with whatever is going on with the wet cold feeling Im getting in my bags?
 

Shrek

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Do you have an insulated pad under your bag ? If not that could be your problem. A warm bottle of water in the bottom of your bag may also help you. Are your bags being used at their lowest rated temperature ? If so and you’re a cold sleeper that could also be a problem. Airflow will keep the moisture at bay usually.
 
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ElkElkGoose

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I wear a cotton tshirt and wool undies. Sea to summit insulated pad underneath.
 

Brendan

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Down but its not getting dripped on directly, maybe damp from the humidity?

Doesn't need to be dripped on directly. If it gets too wet, even from sweat, it can de-loft and stop insulating. My first reaction is that this isn't an issue with your shelter...
 

Huntnfmly

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Same as backpackhunter said I think you're using too warm of a bag and are sweating. Happened to me last year I tried a 0degree dri down bag it only got down to 20 and woke up clammy feeling unzipped my bag a little and that took care of it
 

Carl

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"Athletes" don't get cold! Sorry, couldn't resist.

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Justin_the_EDG

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Sounds pretty clear that you're sweating out your system, in combination with trapping extra humidity and condensation in your tent. In cold temperatures, once the sun-heated effect fades away, the tent itself provides a relatively small amount of added insulation. So if it's a couple degrees lost to dump a bunch of wet air, it's definitely worth it to open the doors, pitch it a little off the ground, open the vent, whatever it takes to keep humidity down.
 

JP100

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dont wear cotton!

Get a tent thats not dripping with condensation and see how you go. I generally have my door half open in my tents regardless of the temp, unless it raining or windy.
You can never have too much ventilation
 

Mike7

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I think Backpack hunter is right. If you are sweating and then waking up cold, you should vent your bag more.

If you are not using a wood stove, consider also switching the tipi to a pyramid shelter which is very easy to vent, regardless of the outside weather.
 
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First thing is, if you are having condensation issues, pitch the tent up a couple inches off the ground, and vent the peak, if that is possible, ventilation is a must and you can’t have too much. Also, site location is key in that you’re not camped over super wet/saturated ground, which I assume you’re not. Wear insulating/hydrophobic layers to bed. Your pad sounds fine, what are the temperatures you’re experiencing this in? I guarantee you that it’s not your shelter. A double walled shelter does not provide much more heat holding capacity than a single wall.


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