The switch to a Hilleberg Akto

[BRWNBR]

I have the ENAN and love the tent set up and layout. However....
It is the wettest tent I have ever slept in!! Condensation just drips off the tent body and the tent fly drips even more! Severely disappointed, after 19 years with cheap tents I went "top of the line" and got soaked every night for three nights.
On a side note...I have a hardly used ENAN for sale?! Lol

 

[Gumbo]

All of this condensation talk in the Akto/Enan makes me nervous. I bought a Akto to replace my old 1 man Sierra Designs thinking if Aron Snyder raved about it and some other folks did too without mentioning the horrible condensation it must be OK. Of course I read online about the condensation issues, but I thought it was either in very high humidity and cool temps at night or folks who don't know that they should vent. Figured I hunt in MT where humidity is low and I can always leave the vents open and usually the door. Hopefully it will be OK. Are there any Akto/Enan users who DON'T have condensation issues?????

 

[BRWNBR]

I used mine on a rainy sheep hunt. Not much wind. Vents open, basicly just the ends and the air that comes up from under the fly. But dang, wished I had a bivy bag to keep my sleeping bag dry inside the tent! Was missing my old seirra design one man tent....

 

[Yellowknife]

I've used either a Nallo or a Akto on 6 or 7 mountain trips now with the full gammut of weather. Condensation is a mixed bag in my experience. Most of the time it seems as good or better than a typical 3 season tent. For instance, this week I found my Atko fly to be dry almost every morning with just an occasional light breeze. Even nighttime showers didn't cause any condensation. My buddies MSR tent was certainly wetter. On the other hand, on a Kodiak trip last year we survived a night in heavy fog and rain with temps in the mid to low 30's. We had HEAVY dew on the inner tent and got pretty damp (Nallo).

I think that's just the trade off with a solid inner. In certain temps and weather it's going to collect moisture. The rest of the time it keeps you warmer and dryer. For my uses, I'm happy with it.

 

[BRWNBR]

I think solid walls for base camp is good. But when relocating each day or so a dry tent is a must. I read where one guy used a candle lantern in his akto to eliminate a wet tent. This is my first solid wall(minus the door as it is mesh) backpacking tent I've owned, soooo bummed I will try it again on the next sheep hunt and see how it handles cooler weather.

 

[Nick Muche]

Just gives more truth to the statement about a man never having enough tents... I've had condensation issues with hilleburgs as well, but it was due to the climate we used them in. When it's wet, and there isn't a breeze, they get wet on the inside. Conversely, when there has been a good breeze at night, they've been great and no condensation.

Aron using one in Colorado, as mentioned above, is night and day different than in Alaska and I know he'd agree.

The more I use my cheapo Big Agnes Fly Creek and Jack Rabbit, the more I like it. No issues with condensation but I wouldn't count on it as the season gets deeper into late fall.

 

[BRWNBR]

Hilleberg just emailed me back about their ENAN tents,
They carry a towel to dry their inside of the tents and put gor tex coats over their sleeping bags to keep them dry!!!
WHAT ON EARTH?!?!

 

[Nick Muche]

Well, that's plain nuts.

 

[Lawnboi]

Iv wanted to try a hilleberg for a while now but think I'll stick with the tarp and bivy after reading this.

 

[deadwolf]

I had some condensation on a rainy night last week in my Nammatj tent, got the end of my bag a little damp. This has happened at times in virtually every tent I've owned, particularly if there was little to no ventilation, for example if there wasn't any breeze at all. I expect to deal with it at some point, and my sheep hunting partner said he's put a plastic bag over the foot end of his bag if it got bad in his older tent. The Enan isn't a big tent, I can see where just breathing and sweaty gear could get it damp, especially seeing that it's a tent with a fly that goes all the way to the ground unlike many of the other tents that one may compare it to. It is ironic that we mention condensation in these double wall tents when the single wall mid guys just expect to deal with it and all run bivy sacks just for that reason. I don't know what the remedy might be, but I'm happy with my two Hillebergs and have one more I'm planning to order soon. On a side note, I'll be using the Enan in mid September, should be plenty wet out to get a good litmus test of my own since I've only used mine in the summer so far.


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[C Bow]

I bought the unna for my first tent for my first outing in September I was thinking if I buy quality to start with I would be ahead of the game. Can someone advise where I can buy a good quality sleeping bag cover

 

[BRWNBR]

I've heard the bigger tents do get better ventilation. Just stinks that none of my old cheap tents had any issues remotely like this ENAN does. I go with good gear and now need to plan on the inside of my shelter being wet?! No thanks.

 

[deadwolf]

I'm curious how the Rogen, Niak, and those who's flys don't go all the way to the ground might breathe. Maybe someone with one of those might chime in with their experience.


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[ColoradoBackpackHunter]

So I was in my Akto from Saturday until today and I had zero condensation issue as some of you guys were describing. There was a small amount of moisture on the fly but nothing that would cause anything to be soaked. I was sweating it with all of the stories but I absolutely love the Akto and can't wait toes how it holds up later in the season.

 

[Elkfitness]

I ran the akto the last two years. I really never had any condensation issues but I always ran the mesh inner. The pick below has it set up with the inner during last weeks archery season in Colorado at 10k ft.

 

[ColoradoBackpackHunter]

I wonder if the groundsheet has any effect on it? I see you are running one as was I and I was also around 10k.

 

[Elkfitness]

Maybe, I always use the footprint. Makes the vestibule that much better.

 

[Elkfitness]

I wonder if the groundsheet has any effect on it? I see you are running one as was I and I was also around 10k.

You picked a much flatter spot than I did!

 

[ColoradoBackpackHunter]

After a few trips jammed at the side or the end of the tent I became an expert and finding flat spots.

 

[chmusar]

I have a niak with the footprint which I leave attached, I have spent around 40 nights in it this year in varying conditions (apart from deep snow) even with 2 people in it and have had no problems with condensation, the way the fly is cut at the bottom seems to work well at avoiding condensation as well as the door which is all mesh(i did make a door template which I Velcro to the door when in cold conditions . I used to have a akto and did have issues with condensation and after using the Niak I would not go back to a akto. I am based in the UK so the seasons are not as defined as they are in the states.

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