We are off to south wales on saturday for 5 nights. When we went away to cornwall (for our 2nd camping trip ever) over easter. We arrived to terrible weather and pitched in the pouring rain and really bad winds. We found we had a lot of condensation and loads of mud. Do any of the more experienced folk have any tips for camping in bad weather as the forcast is quite bad. Do you all keep seam sealer with you in case? What about waterproofing stuff(???? - don't know what its called!!) is it necessary? We only have normal pegs but will be investing in deltas for future trips (unfortunetly its too late now)
TBH if you bought a tent made by a decent manufacturer, it shouldn't need any waterproofing!
Most tents with a waterproof rating of over 2000 HH can handle the good old British summer but its a good idea like you said to check the seams periodically as this is a the most likely location for any leaks...
Bad weather is where footprints come in really handy as they will protect the main groundsheet of the tent from mud etc- especially good if you have a S.I.G....
A lot of people on hear rate the Delta pegs really highly, we have not felt that we need them yet and use a mixture of cheaper pegs on our tents, as long as you peg out correctly and check the guys periodically you should not have any problems.
We did think we had some leaks where the bedrooms join the side of the tent - its a coleman darwin 7. This weekend will only be the second time qe've used it but we put it up in the garden when it was nice and soaked it withe the hose and nothing came through. We now think it might have been condensation!! No luck with wellies due to fat legs lol - got crocs instead
I keep seam sealant just in case but I think you've hit the nail on the head with condensation. It can be as much of a problem, if not more of a problem, than leaking when it's wet outside.
dont no what tent you have but if you can afford it get a better tent double skin in other words inner +fly with fitted ground sheet stop your problems except pitchin in rain thats some thin we all put up with more often than not
have a look for the shorter Hunter wellies available, I struggle to find wellies to fit to but managed to get a pair of these Hunter ones last year from M&M direct. They are a very attractive floral design LOL but do a much better job at keeping your feet dry than crocs which I wear loads.
------------- Thistledown Easter
Nantcol June
Domaine du Verdon Castellane and Etoile d'Argens Frejus Aug
I generally agree with 3madboyz, if it's your third trip, you should'nt need to use re-selant or reproving your tent if thats what you mean, just yet. I have had my tent for 3 seasons and i hav'nt done any thing to it as yet. except for drying it out and taking dry mud of it. Its fine, but I do take seam sealant now just in case, but never used it.
Genral tip is put a ground sheet down to keep mud of the bottem of tent clean. for inside tent i use a mat or smallground sheet just inside of tent to stand on when taking muddy shoes,boots off. As for pegs I hav'nt need to worry about them, they stay solid. I use rock or hard ground pegs or both depending where i am. As long as you follow the general rule which is advised on this forum. about the angle you should be fine. Also peg all the guy ropes out.
We'll be using rock pegs on the elastics and deltas on the guys.
Plus we always take a thick woven cotton bathroom-type mat for the tent door area, it traps the mud and grass and the odd puddle, and just gets chucked in the wash back at home and comes out sparkly new every time.
Rydale Clothing do some wide wellies which actually fit, plus we'll be packing the waterproof overtrousers and ponchos :)
Take cardboard with you or go to the local supermarket when you get there and flatten a few boxes and keep them in the car. Cardboard is brill in doorways to help prevent muddy doorways and help once you have a muddy doorway. I keep a piece by the door in wet weather too for dripping muddy people to stand on whilst they take their shoes and dripping coat off!
Sounds naff but its surprising how long a good piece of cardboard will last you before need to be chucke and changed for a new piece!
------------- I used to be emvid then a Little Lemon but now I am Emvid again!
Thanks everyone. The campsite have e-mailed today to warn they are due bad weather tomorrow and to expect a wet field!! I think its going to be a case of hoping for the best - lots of good ideas though
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Topic: Bad weather preperations!!
