Tarp and bivy condensation

[lintond]

Need some help from the Rokslide crew. On my scouting trip this weekend I ended up having some condensation buildup in both my bivy (tigoat raven) and my ParaTarp. The tarp was dripping wet this morning after a light thunderstorm rolled through around dinner. I'm wondering how to avoid this? More ventilation? Add the vestibule? My bivy also had some condensation, but not as much. I was basically only using it as a ground cloth to protect my pad and bag. It wasn't zipped up or anything. Any help would be great. Everything dried quickly in the sun, but obviously I won't have the extra time once I want to be out hunting.

 

[SHTF]

Condensation is pretty unavoidable Lintond. You can pitch your Tarp a bit higher up and increase the airflow but youll still have some condensation as heat rises. As far as the bivy I also use a Tarp Mountiansmith Mountain LT. I never use a Bivy as its not needed. I never understood the Bivy idea unless its below freezing and snowing out to increase your heat around you. Otherwise Bivy to me is a waist of weight and space in my pack. My 2 cents.

Not sure I was much help but their is my experience. =-)

 

[a3dhunter]

Pitching it off the ground is the only thing that will help, adding the vestibule would just make it worse.

 

[Brock A]

Yep gotta pitch it up off the ground a few inches. I learned the hard way. I am guessing the vestibule would work if you added the stove.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Like the other guys have said, pitch it a little off the ground and see if that helps. Sometimes it doesn't seem to matter what you do.

In Washington, the bivy is a must to keep your pad and bag dry when using a tarp imo.

 

[lintond]

I've been using the bivy as a two part system. Protecting my pad and bag, and second part was to fend off the Mosquitos at night. I was planning to add a tyvek sheet to help keep my other gear clean in vamp. Might just ditch the bivy.

 

[SHTF]

Justin Ive used a Bivy in Oregon and Washington I found the Bivy you get your stuff even wetter from the condensation in it =-). When I say Bivy Im talking a full on gortex. Now I guess if you got a bivy that is gortex bottom and netting along the top I suppose that would work as you suggest. I tried the Bivy thing I never could get it comfortable and breathable enough to keep it from condensation =-). Thats me and I run hot too so that maybe part of it.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I don't use Gortex anything. I'm using the Tigoat Raven Omni which breaths really well. The bottom is waterproof and the top is just water resistant. It's just enough to keep anything that blows under my tarp off my down quilt.

I'm not using the bivy to keep condensation off my bag as that is what the tarp is for.

 

[trk3263]

I also use the Tigoat raven and a paratarp. The reason I like the paratarp is because I can use it more of a tarp and not an aframe unless the weather gets bad. This would definitely help keep the condensation down unless Otis raining sideways and than up pull the sides down as an aframe.
I also normally keep my bivy open at night unless it is cold and I need the extra warms. I like a bivy because it keeps my gear protected from dirt and anything that could puncture my neoair (kinda).
Are you a stomach sleeper or side sleeper? If so this may be a major cause of condensation if you are breathing into your bivy.

Hopefully the pictures work having some issues with the new Taptalk

 

[SHTF]

Thats probably why I didnt have much luck with the Bivy then. =)

 

[Tim in Wa.]

makes a big difference when you pitch the front of the tarp a few inches off the ground.I agree that you are better off without a bivy

 

[Justin Crossley]

Are you guys closing your bivy and breathing inside?

Mine has a full bug net over my head so I can keep the bugs off without filling it with condensation by breathing in it. Also as you can see my cuben fiber tarp has a ton of ventilation. I'm yet to get any condensation inside my bivy. The last trip that I went on, I had wet socks and t-shirt when I went to bed. In the morning I was warm and dry.


This photo shows the bivy zipped shut but that's not how I sleep in it.

 

[Lawnboi]

Raise an edge of the ptarp to get some air moving. That is going to happen with any single wall shelter. I almost never pitch my ptarp in the a frame way. Only when the weather is bad is mine buttoned all the way to the ground.

Also im a big believer of the of the event bivy. Its the first bivy that I have found that I could breath in and not get condensation. ID bugaboo is what I use.

I would not take my tarp without the bivy for an extended trip, I like to have a bombproof setup