Condensation in Oztent

G'day Stephen

"condensation will happen in ANY type of tent" I have to disagree, my southern cross has been in the same conditions and nothing like the pic above. There were four other tents on that same trip & not one had the same problem as our new OZ tent?????

IMO Its the type of canvas that's used on the OZ tents "made in China for Australian conditions" (just doesn't work).

As I was told a fly will fix it all but that defeats the purpose of a 30 second tent.

This pic was the outside of the tent in the early morning that caused the monsoonal rain inside the OZ tent. Over 5 weeks of this we tried everything.Image Could Not Be Found

As soon as the sun hit the canvas we had to have everything out or it all got drenched.

Hi Ingo
When you have been camping as many times and places as we have, you will understand that I am in a position to give the true facts and ANY tent in the right condition will get condensation build up in the tent - canvas or synthetic type tents. Like I have stated above, we also have a Southern Cross Canvas tent as well, so I am in a position to comment on both tents. The OzTent is not made of the same canvas for sure as the Southern Cross, it has a more synthetic feel.

There are a few points that I can see from your photo that might explain the situation - ventilation and fly.

Without knowing exactly the situation, it looks like a very heavy frost on your tent, with no windows open for ventilation. Your back window is zipped closed for starters and no fly. If you had a fly over your tent, it will prevent a dew build up on the main part of the tent, which in turn will freeze as such in cold conditions. This frozen skin over the outside of the tent will in turn attract moisture from inside the tent, which will cause the moisture build up in the tent. Years ago while on a trip through Queensland for 3 months, the first thing that we purchased for our very heavy duty canvas tent was a fly, as each morning in the tropics was like a show, The fly fixed this straight away.

We have been in our RV4 with heavy rain, and we always have the back window fully open, it does not let the rain in and allows air flow through out the tent. I am sorry to hear that you were not happy with your OzTent, but with a few simple trials, you could have eliminated to a very great degree the situation that you encountered.

The most important thing of all, you are out there in our great country with your young family. These are the best type of holidays that you can give your family and you will look back on your photos in years to come and think of the great fun that you have had.

Take care and keep the windows open.

Cheers

Stephen

Stephen,

Border line of calling me a liar with your opening comments, everything I have stated is all true facts.....Im sorry you cant except it!!

I had 3 x Oz tents that were replaced under warranty and when the fourth was being offered, I demanded and recieved a complete refund ...... True Facts!!!!!

"Crappy Canvas" is used on the Oz tent so it needs two layers (fly) to keep it dry in cold weather.......True facts!!!!!

The Fly defeats the purpose of having a 30 second tent.....True facts!!!

Southern Cross with doors and windows closed IN THE SAME CONDITIONS doesnt condensate like photos above ........True facts!!!!

Ventilation: As stated over "5 weeks we tried everything" there was no use freezing with the vents/windows open cause it did the same thing regardless!.........True facts!!!!

IMO they are not worth the $$$$$$$, My Opinion like it or not!

Guess we will have to Agree to Disagree.

Could it be that Oztents use a superior canvas (heavier, more closely woven, more filler) than other tents?

If this was so, the more air proof tent would reduce the "natural" air flow or exchange through the canvas and therefore increase the incidence of condensation.

Be interesting to see whether a few years constant use of the tent would reduce the problem

If this is so, the irony of this thread would be that the company is damned for providing a better quality product

Hi Austastar.
It is good to see you have enforced exactly what I have stated above - Ventilation. Like you, we are more than impressed with our RV4, and we still have the Southern Cross on the shed, and it does not come out since the OzTent. Just looking at the pictures above, and the tent has no cross flow air ventilation - say no more.

Cheers

Stephen

Stephen

Maybe If you took your hand off it long enough to stop squinting, you may have read twice already….. Here it is for the Third time in red.

QUOTE: As stated over "5 weeks we tried everything" there was no use freezing with the vents/windows open cause it did the same thing regardless!.........True facts!!!!

This would mean that cross ventilation was tried and without the fly could not be stopped.
Obviously there is a prob with these tents WITHOUT FLYS otherwise this post wouldn’t be called “Condensation in an Oz tent”.

You can have the door open and get no ventilation if there is no wind.
No ventilation = condensation.
Even with a tin roof, and there ain't much more waterproof than that.
To prevent condensation entirely you need insulation between 2 vapour barriers. i.e. the warm damp air must not directly contact the cooler surface that it would condense on.

2 choices.

1. Block the contact with insulation and vapour barriers

2. Divert the warm air away from the contact with ventilation.

Works for canvas, plastic, tin or any other roofing material.
Works in houses, boats, fridges, caravans, cars etc.

cheers