Could you have an afternoon nap in a cotton tent (pitched in the shade) more so than a polyester one in South of France temperatures? I looked around a fellow campers Biscaya all season polyester while at Beynac in the Dordogne region of France and found it to be notably cooler than our outwell polycotton! Could it be that it was better ventilated or should it be cooler in hotter weather (it was around 30 degrees). The only cotton tent that I have experienced is a karsten at the same campsite a year earlier owned by a dutch family and compared to our Montana 6 was like a fridge - a £4000 fridge.
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We have a "Cotton" Biscaya 370, and to be fair, no matter what canvas your tent is, you don't want to be in it, when the mid day temps reach +40DegC, like they do in the Southern Ardeche in July.
The main advantage of "Cotton" is in the mornings, and evenings, when things are considerably more pleasurable, than say a "Polyester" tent.
I don't see Cabanon's "All Season Polyester" being any more comfortable, than "PolyCotton", in fact I would argue that "PolyCotton" would be the better option, although niether would be as good as "Cotton". in hot climes.
The important things are shade and ventilation. It's well know that cotton tents perform better, but where the expensive tents exceed is with the methods of ventilation. You can get by if you put a tarp over a cheaper tent but you have to look at methods of getting a through draught through the sleeping area.
------------- Ollie
2016
Monplaisir - Provence
Camping Les Gorges du Loup
Hi Francais, knew a debate was coming! fact of the matter was that the two tents (polycotton & All season polyester) were only 20 metres apart and the all season polyester was notably cooler - I thought it was a polycotton but was assured it wasn't and now know this to be the case (Biscaya 440). I have also had our friends note that our 'expensive' polycotton was not much cooler than their double skin polyester royal biarritz! We do however admire the sound deadening of the polycotton and agree with the general consensus that in the early morning they stay less hot for a while. We are seriously considering a full cotton for our Summer hols in France but need space for a family and don't want it to cost too much <£2000 possibly an Awaya 370 or 440.
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Had I known that Obelink, were doing a traditional "Cotton" frame tent with ZiG, that would have been my tent of choice instead of the "Cotton" Biscaya.
Anyway that was back in 2008, and the Biscaya has been fine.
All my tents are canvas and they are cooler on a hot than poly tents for sure.If it gets to 30 degrees or more I find something other than being in the tent to do though.Not very pleasant. My wife and I recently spent a weekend at the Murray River and it didn't get below 30 degrees,even at night.Even in a fully ventilated canvas tent,sleeping was difficult.
------------- If there's no camping in heaven. I'm not going!
All my tents are canvas and they are cooler on a hot day than poly tents for sure.If it gets to 30 degrees or more I find something other than being in the tent to do though.Not very pleasant. My wife and I recently spent a weekend at the Murray River and it didn't get below 30 degrees,even at night.Even in a fully ventilated canvas tent,sleeping was difficult.
------------- If there's no camping in heaven. I'm not going!
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We always parked our TT in the sun, in the South of France, kept it cleaner. Not so much resin from the trees or bird droppings!
We kept the windows open, and bought a small fan to help with the afternoon siesta. Cooler than outside, but if its 35° its going to be warm inside. Mind you the tin canners often could not sleep at night and had problems with their fridges, we had to take warm cloths for the night.
Cotton is great, but it needs ventilation as well.
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Topic: How much difference in 30 degree heat?
