Excellent Ventilation, Little to No Condensation

By C. Reinke Ranked #154 - Tents May 5, 2008

After listing everything I wanted in a tent, and researching reviews, I realized that the tent I wanted was going to cost quite a bit. So I saved up and bought this tent specifically for its climate versatility, such as very cold, wet weather like Glacier Bay, as well as hot dry sunny climates like deserts. To my disbelief, the Todd Tex material is in fact, everything they say it is. Ditto on the ventilation. During our two week Glacier Bay kayaking trip we experienced almost daily constant rain, and/or misty fog, along with two days of storms with high winds. This tent never leaked! Even though our clothing was wet, and the air was of such high humidity you could almost see the moisture, this tent allowed us to sleep dry. The only condensation you will experience with this tent is on the poles (not the fabric). This is not a problem since the moisture will run down the poles and collect in the little corner pocket. We simply used a 6 inch piece of highly absorbent pack towel and soaked up any moisture that collected there during the night, and were on our way. Between the breathable Todd Tex material and our breathable Wiggy's lamilite sleeping bags, we were actually (unbelievably) able to dry clothing during the night by putting them in our bags with us. In addition to the material, other features we fell in love with included the two doors, optional vestibule(s), and optional attic. I highly recommend the vestibule and the attic. We hung our rain gear inside the vestibule to drip during the night, and it provided extra needed space for maps, clothing bags, gear bags, etc. in planning the next days course. Other than the obvious food/cooking/hygiene items, we were able to store all of our "bear safe" gear inside the vestibule. (We only had one vestibule.) The vestibule also allowed us much more ventilation than we would have had without it, during the nights we experienced rain with wind. I cannot image doing a trip like that without the vestibule, as it was key to our comfort in many ways. All in all, this tent is well worth the money and I am very glad I did not do a trip of this caliber with cheaper, less well designed gear. Save your money and buy this tent. It will perform as described by the manufacturer. Just a note - I did seal all the seams on the tent before the trip. I cannot comment on the performance of this tent without seam sealing. Also, the yellow interior walls are really nice (aesthetically) when it has been raining for a week and you crave a sunny day.

View Details: Black Diamond Ahwahnee Tent 2-Person 4-Season

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