Kifaru tarps

[300Weatherby]

i just got my supertarp on friday seamsealed it about 5 hours before it started to rain. i decided to sleep under it that night in the backyard. It rained non-stop all night. my question is i could feel very small water drops on my sleeping bag that was coming threw the tarp. it wasnt enough to get things wet, you could just feel the water. is this just the material or do i need to seamseal it again? Thanks.

 

[Aron Snyder]

i just got my supertarp on friday seamsealed it about 5 hours before it started to rain. i decided to sleep under it that night in the backyard. It rained non-stop all night. my question is i could feel very small water drops on my sleeping bag that was coming threw the tarp. it wasnt enough to get things wet, you could just feel the water. is this just the material or do i need to seamseal it again? Thanks.

Condensation I would guess, but you may need to re-seal.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Yeah, sounds like a condensation issue. Stoves take care of a lot of the condensation issues.

 

[300Weatherby]

ok thanks a bunch guys. ill re seal it just to be on the safe side.

 

[Darren Best]

Without a stove and liner you need to have plenty of ventilation, don't be afraid to lift it up a little to let some air flow through.

 

[300Weatherby]

how long are the stakes you guys are using? i have some groundhog will they be long enough to get the tarp up off the ground and still hold in a bad wind. how many stakes do you use?

 

[Rizzy]

I carry a few groundhogs, a few durapegs, and a few aluminum spikes, they are about 6"-8" long. In the snow I've used branches with good success. You will get more condensation when you set up on grass versus dirt. Most of the time the ground is uneven and there will be gaps around the bottom which will help with ventilation. You will need a minimum of 6 stakes w/o the annex and 7 with the annex, and 8 with the annex and stove. Use rocks, branches, trees, or whatever is around you for the guyout lines.

Wear your rain gear bottoms to keep you dry while crawling in/out and sitting next to the stove. The stove will quickly burn a whole in the snow if you don't put rocks or a snow platform under it. This was a trip to the high country in April, the deer and elk hadn't made it to the party yet on that trip

 

[300Weatherby]

thanks Rizzy. im excited to get thing thing up in the hills. if all goes as planned ill be going up this weekend for a night or two.

 

[Eagle]

That's actually a common thing with sil nylon shelters in really heavy rain, I've had it happen multiple times in the Rockies. I can't remember the exact name for it, but I don't think it is condensation, but basically a very minute amount of water that eventually makes it through the material. Not something to worry about in my opinoin. If you needed to reseal, you'd likely have been feeling good sized drops hit your bag or you. Been there too on the second day of an eight day trip. No fun.

 

[Rizzy]

I noticed the misting the first few times I was set up in rain, you can feel it on your face when your falling asleep. I think the condensation that builds up on the inside gets shook off by rain hitting the outside making it seem like it is leaking a little.