PSA: I finally gave up on my old canvas tent after a rainy weekend in the Smokies

I used a heavy 8-person canvas tent for over 5 years, thinking it was the tough, classic choice. Last weekend, a surprise storm rolled in and that thing soaked through in about an hour, and it took me two full days to dry it out afterward. I borrowed my buddy's newer 3-season nylon tent for the next trip, and it was bone dry after a similar downpour, plus it packed down to the size of a sleeping bag. The weight and dry time difference is insane. Anyone have a good nylon tent brand they swear by for wet climates?

3 comments

3 Comments

alexc931mo ago

Big Agnes saved my butt in the PNW.

jamesm481mo ago

Man, I gotta disagree with you there, @alexc93. My Big Agnes tent soaked through on a wet Oregon coast trip last fall. Switched to a Hilleberg for that kind of weather and haven't looked back.

the_tessa29d ago

Oh man, I feel that. In my experience, Big Agnes is a solid choice for a lot of stuff, but they definitely have their limits. Me and my tent got absolutely humbled by a surprise storm in the Sierra last summer - woke up at 3am with a puddle forming right under my sleeping pad. @jamesm48 I think you hit the nail on the head about Hilleberg being a different beast for real wet weather. I haven't made that jump yet but after that trip I started seriously looking into heavier duty options. My friend swears by his MSR tent for coastal trips too, says it handles condensation way better than my old BA ever did. Your mileage may vary of course - maybe I just got a dud batch or my campsite selection was cursed that night.