Tent liners - What kind of material?

[colonel00]

After reading another thread I realized that I really didn't know much about liners but I might want to make some for my Cimarron after using it in constant rain in Alaska. It became quite annoying to have the condensation constantly falling on my as the rain hit the tent and those random cold drops in the middle of the night sucked. Anyway, I was curious as I obviously haven't seen them in person as to what materials they were usually made out of.

I would think that coated nylon would be out as it wouldn't breath and just build up condensation of its own. A regular ripstop nylon would just collect moisture and get soaked eventually, wouldn't it? How about a breathable DWR coated ripstop nylon top of stuff?

Anyway, please chime in if you know have any knowledge or even pictures.

 

[realunlucky]

No help but been thinking of adding one myself for future trip to kodiak. My understanding is the liner helps keep condensation down by not letting the moisture in your breath come in contact with cold shelter wall and form into water. I'm not sure so I'll subcribe and follow along. Someone else asked about this last year and got zero responses hope this thread gets some traction

 

[colonel00]

Interesting. I was thinking it was there just to act like the interior wall of a double wall shelter. Basically it lets the moisture through where it condensates on the exterior wall. The liner is just there to minimize the drips and spray from the condensation in the wind and rain.

 

[realunlucky]

Breathable and waterproof? Sounds heavy and expensive. I know nothing of the science behind double wall construction I could be way off

 

[colonel00]

You can get what's called calendared DWR ripstop nylon. It isn't waterproof but it will shed water pretty good. It's a common material in sleepign bags, quilts, etc. Calendared means it has been heat rolled which makes it downproof and then it has the DWR coating to repel water. I have a little of it that I have made pullouts out of. Ripstopbytheroll has it for like $5.25 a yard I think.

 

[realunlucky]

Thanks just did some research and saw that also. I'll be looking into getting some soon thanks. Also seems my reasoning for double wall was off and your option was more standard. Thanks

 

[rayporter]

once in a storm i tied up a piece of survival blanket over me. it worked fine since it was just for one storm.

i have a mosquito net cut to hang over me in my 12 man that also works ok. it catches most of the drips. probably 95% of them.

 

[Upcountry]

I think it's hard to beat no-see-um mesh for this purpose. It won't add any warmth to your shelter, but that can be a benefit, as you'll be able to use it year round to keep the condensation off you, or keep the bugs at bey. As for material for full walls, I would think that you could get away with something really lightweight, with a dwr coating, or probably even uncoated. Maybe the 1.0oz HyperD that Ripstopbytheroll sells....
I think that Seek Outide's two person nest is pretty well thought out with the full ripstop sides and back, and then the mesh vertical wall. This gives you the best of both worlds, although to your question more specifically, I'm not sure what material they are using for the walls.

 

[colonel00]

Interesting points about the noseeum. We had a nest setup in the Cimarron for my girlfriend and then my dad slept in it when we were in the rain. I guess it did to a pretty decent job of minimizing the spray as he never mentioned it. Reading Seek Outside's site, they mention "Liners are constructed of a lightweight DWR material." which can be had at 1.1oz weights. Instead of a liner, I may just go ahead with my plans to make my own nest for the Cimarron. I do also see that RBTR has .5oz noseeum so that might be the ticket.

 

[Kevin_t]

We use DWR for liners as stated, however, no seeum does provide 90 percent protection when angles and tension are good (for instance a nest, or liner). A sleeping bag cover / bivy angles are not as good

Make sense ?

Kevin

 

[colonel00]

Thanks Kevin.