Single Skin tents

[bluetongue]

Interested in REAL LIFE experiences single skin tents in TAS. After having read several threads on pros & cons eg. mist coming through the sil nylon, I am still confused etc as to their suitability on exposed sites in Tas, There is a plethora of preferences for different makes BD RAB Tarptent Hilleberg all seeming to predominate but wondering when push comes to shove are any worth the trouble when it comes to getting a good nights sleep- correct pitching seems to be one of the key elements, but to be frank I am just wondering how far the light weight barrow can be pushed, esp in Tas where 4 seasons can happen in 24 hrs.
Thks

[creeping_moses]

I have used a Mountain Hardware eV3 in SW Tas. It has worked very well, but when sleeping on cold nights below the snowline (3 people) it will collect a fair bit of condensation. Not enough to drip off, just the walls get damp. Basically, the higher the altitude you're at and the more wind there is, the less condensation you will get. That being said, I used it at sea level on the south coast track on a lovely summers night this year (2 people) and it was fine. The ev3 has multiple large vents that can be used though and they work well. In heavy rain, the ev3 has been excellent, and the more wind the better in my books when using single skin tents!

One thing I do not like about the ev3 is the fully enclosed nature, i.e. no vestibule. It is perfect for the actual purpose of the tent (high altitude - serious snow useage), but it isnt very useful for SW Tas conditions at all, so keep that in mind. I brought this tent to be used on snowy winter trips, when I wanted a spacious tent, weight was not a prime factor for me at all, and rarely ever is. I only used the ev3 in summer because I didnt have another option at the time. For only SW Tas usage, I do think you can do much better than single skin tents, as they are almost all made for high mountains. When using a single skin tent in Tas, you must be aware of the risk of a tear. Offtrack and even ontrack "campsites" that are not in the snow (snow camping in Tas is rare in the first place these days) are full of things to tear tents on and this can be disasterous with a single skin tent.

[dee_legg]

I've spent many nights in a Bibler (BD) Tempest and it continues to be my tent of choice when weight isn't the most important consideration. Other than it's bombproof pole structure, the fabric is really good. It has a soft feel (kind of like sports tape) which means that any dampness that does form on the tent walls doesn't feel clammy or drip off- it gets soaked up.

The best thing about a single skin tent is no flapping noises of the two layers in the wind.

I've used this tent in the higher parts of Tas but also spent a week using it in the Pines at Arapiles during summer. It has been great in all conditions.

Good luck choosing a tent!