I finally figured out why my tent always felt damp inside

I was camping near Lake Tahoe last fall and woke up soaked, even though it didn't rain. I realized I had my old Coleman Sundome set up right under a big pine tree. The dew was dripping off the branches all night onto the rainfly, and because I didn't use a ground tarp, the moisture just wicked up from the soil. Anyone else have a spot that always seems to trap damp air?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_nina1d ago

Oh, that's a classic mistake. Pine trees are terrible for that drip, drip, drip all night. You really need that ground tarp, or a footprint, to block the soil moisture. I learned the hard way too, in a similar spot up in Oregon. Picking a clear site makes all the difference.

blake6911d ago

Ugh, that pine tree drip is the worst. It's like the universe's way of teaching you to check the small stuff before you commit. @the_nina is totally right, and I see it everywhere now, like not checking your coffee maker has water before turning it on. The little oversights always cause the biggest headaches.