Tent rain barrier ?

[Grizz900]

Good o Rocky mts. Really looking forward to camping out but making sure your tent is a good one is important as knowing how to use it, care for it, store it, etc. There is a tent with a design just like an eureka copper canyon I once had but the rain fly repellent is on 600mm I could sleep inside my truck and save 270 bucks n buy me a tent next year as I have a rod reel line to buy as well but just wanted to hear what a few others of u would say? Im getting 274,00 back in taxes in a week so this will help huge!

I rathe

Copper canyon has 1200mm water barrier but I’d have to pay full price on it but you get what u pay for. Anyone been in a down pour using 600mm and survived the night? Thanks

 

[westcoast]

As long as there is an open space between the rain cover and the actual tent there shouldn't be any problem, unless your in a monsoon. Wind is the enemy.

 

[kevind62]

I have an Magellan Ponderosa 10 man tent (I love the way they rate the sleep capacity of tents. Packed like sardines.) I think I paid $125 for it on sale at Academy. It's a screened top with a separate rain canopy. I've been in it in several of our gulf coast monsoons and stay dry. No leaks. Set up and takedown are easy with one person. Takes about 5 minutes to set up and about 10 - 15 minutes to take down and pack. Folding it and getting the air out is what eats up the added time in take down. It's a bit heavy so you're not going to backpack it a couple of miles into the wilderness. But if you can drive to your campsite or use one of those trail carts it's nice. I like the bigger tents for room.

 

[dillon]

I bought a 10x12 Kodiak Canvas Cabin tent with a screened in 8x10 front awning for our annual mt/id trout fishing month long road trip. It has withstood several Rocky Mountain thunderstorms. It stood firm and not a drop of water leaked in. It seems to keep a bit cooler than a nylon tent in hot weather. The screen keeps those nasty mosquitos at bay too. Kodiak makes several different tent styles and sizes. It's my first canvas tent and I would never buy anything else again and probably won't have to unless I want a different size. This thing will by passed through the generations of my family...

 

[Grizz900]

I bought a 10x12 Kodiak Canvas Cabin tent with a screened in 8x10 front awning for our annual mt/id trout fishing month long road trip. It has withstood several Rocky Mountain thunderstorms. It stood firm and not a drop of water leaked in. It seems to keep a bit cooler than a nylon tent in hot weather. The screen keeps those nasty mosquitos at bay too. Kodiak makes several different tent styles and sizes. It's my first canvas tent and I would never buy anything else again and probably won't have to unless I want a different size. This thing will by passed through the generations of my family...

Darn Kevin you got a great sz tent for 125.00

So I see the canvas tents for many yrs but they’ve all been much more expensive than what I can afford. Maybe s good surplus in Cheyenne? Has one. Cool is key fur sure. Taking an afternoon nap in my truck doesn’t sound like much fun anyway. I’ll look into canvas but I kind of like the design of a few tent like the copper canyon from eureka with it cool full mesh ceiling u can see the stars at night

 

[gpwhitejr]

I have several tents for different purposes. If you are camping alone and don't need a lot of space the Sierra Design Clip Flashlight is worth a look. I have 2 of those, the original and the new model CF2. It is a great tent for bicycling, and one of my kids spent a month living in it in Madagascar with no complaints. The new one is all mesh so on a clear night you can look at the stars. With the fly on we stay dry, though we haven't been in a monsoon. The list price is $200, but I see it for around $130 at various vendors.

 

[Grizz900]

Thank you you sound like a man who knows. Thanks

As long as there is an open space between the rain cover and the actual tent there shouldn't be any problem, unless your in a monsoon. Wind is the enemy.

 

[flav]

Westcoast is right, once your fly is wet and pushes up against the sides of your tent it's game over no matter how good your rainfly is. I've weathered some strong downpours in my little eureka that has 1000mm protectant, but once the wind starts blowing I know it's time to take other measures.
In Oregon it rains a bit. Many people here set up a second barrier, like a tarp or canopy, above their tent so the rainfly doesn't have to work as hard. It looks cheesy, but it works well for little money and you can weather a serious storm in a cheap tent.
I wouldn't trust a tent design like the copper canyon in a serious storm anyway. It has a small fly that only covers the top of the tent. For serious rain protection you want a full rainfly.

 

[gpwhitejr]

If you have plenty of cargo space get one of those canopy things that people use at farmers markets and the like (about 50 bucks at Dick's or Dollar stores etc.) and pitch your tent under that. We have done that when car camping and it works great for rain, tree sap, bird droppings, etc.

 

[Rip Tide]

I have a similar Eureka tent. Forget the name.
I find it necessary to apply seam sealer to the seams of the fly every year, but other than that, it will not leak.
I've never felt the need to use an additional tarp over the tent and fly. If you take care of your tent, you won't either.
However, in the past wind has been an issue. It's smart to stake down the fly as well as the tent itself.

 

[DonW]

If you've never slept in a vehicle before as a word of warning it can be downright miserable in hot or humid conditions, even in ideal weather it can be uncomfortable without some screening on windows and something to keep water out with windows open. Sorry can't help with current tent options as it's been many years since I bought one, but as a one time expert on such things as tent camping (used to be my job for a short time) get the best quality tent you can afford (not saying spend a fortune but look for deals on quality tents, there always something on sale or look for last years floor model or?) and with a little care it should last for many years.
Also keep in mind ground thermal/vapor barriers can be just as important to comfort as the tent it self.

 

[Grizz900]

i'm getting used to the forum and i'm sorry i never clicked a like on all of you guys posts. Thanks very much, all of you for your feedback. I've been in wyoming not even 2 weeks yet and i've been enjoying the thunder storms and lightning. We don't get many on the west coast. At least not where i have lived and i've been up and down from CA to Alaska.

Wind can kick up wicked here. i am a weather person, i like 4 seasons and i hope to move more closer to the Rocky Mnts, before years end. I guess using graphite rods could be a little risky out there when the weather turns. Do you guys keep fishin when lighting storms are over head?

 

[sparsegraystubble]

There is nothing really dangerous about standing in water while waving a 9 foot graphite lightning rod during a thunderstorm.. What could go wrong?

Most of us stop fishing (I think, at least I do) when a storm is going on. Even when there are storms in the area, you can be hit by a random bolt from a storm up to 10 miles away.

Several years ago I was float tubing on one of the Laramie Plains Lakes and though no storm was visible, the air was heavy and there was just a lot of heavy clouds. I was paddling along trolling a leech when my rod hand started really tingling. I looked down and saw blue sparks jumping from my wet hand to the wet cork grip of the rod. Nothing painful, but it kept going to the point that I figured that if the air was that charged with energy, then it was probably time to go.

Another angler was launching as I took out and I told him about it, but he shrugged and kept going. He experienced the same thing and it spooked him enough that he came back to shore within 10 minutes of launching.

I don’t know if we were just being nervous Nellies, but I would probably do the same thing again.

Don

 

[losthwy]

As flav mention a large tarp over your tent works well if you have trees. You can find quality tarps in various sizes online. And it will give the add benefit of more useable outdoor space during rain and shade. Below is a link on how to rig tents and tarps.

My guyline & tension system for tents, tarps, and hammocks

 

[buffler razz]

We have a few different tents, depending on the trip, from backpacking to our pop up camper. We just spent the week up in Glacier NP in our Kodiak Canvas Springbar 10 x 10. The weather was less than ideal and downright miserable a few nights. Not a drop of water thru the canvas.

As for lightening, learn what to watch out for as weather develops. You may even find a local outdoors group or shop that offers a free class. My brother and I were out on a local river last fall and a storm was building up and was raining a little. I had set my rod down and as I picked it up there were tiny arcs that jumped from my finger tip to the reel. Too focused on fishing and not enough on the approaching storm.

 

[Grizz900]

I can't afford those nice Canvas tents. I reluctantly settled for a Kelty pinebrook 6 person. It has a huge screened window and ceiling screens. My dog likes to look outside so she'll like it. Tent was only 179.00 both tent and rain fly are taped at all seams and the rainfly covers all windows unlike the copper canyon. But had Basspro offered the copper canyon I would have bought it.

the Cons are it's center height is a mere 5'8 I'm used to 7ft.
Being cooped up in pine bluffs, I sometimes wish I could just go. Take off, go camping and stay camping until fall, that way I can fish. forget about everything else except my monthly eye care. At 62, I think I can hack it! Go, take off for a few weeks or just stay gone camping and fishing then if I get tired of it I can always drive home. rest. Then take off and travel to another part of the state. I'm thinking of starting this in Mid August. I just hope I don't run out of money. If I can find some free camping, i'd be living on only 600.00 a month spending money.