GoLite Eden?

[Empacitator]

I've got a custom PyraNet 1 coming from them as an inner net tent for my DuoMid, I'll post a couple of pictures when it arrives. Cuben floor in .74 and 10" Cuben sides with the .51 weight fabric The estimated weight is 200 grams.
John Stultz, from Bearpawwd was extremely helpful to deal with and so far only have good things to say. The inner, from order placed to shipping, was only 7 days!

[Nuts]

200grams is incredibly light... i too found john ok to deal with..

[Drifting]

let us know what you think Empacitator!

[hikingoz]

Just to put my 2 cents in, I've taken my BD Firstlight single skin along the Port Davey, South Coast, South West Cape and Southern Ranges tracks. It is a pretty good sil nylon single skin design. No problems with leaks or anything like that. It was ventilated at both ends. Long story short, I got wet from condensation crossing the Southern Ranges. There were pools in the bottom of my tent.

I don't recommend single skins for wet conditions based on experience

[Nuts]

without checking i thought the firstlight and similar were not silnylon but a BD in house fabric (like epic). If so, not as waterproof (supposedly breathable), supprised condensation was a problem. I dont know whether a 'tent like' single skin structure is the best, I like a separate (or mesh joined) floor for exactly the reason that condensation is easier to deal with. The golite Utopia leaked like a sieve (condensation aside), with its (low seams and) separate floor though, the person using it stayed dry.

[hikingoz]

The newer bd tents are made out of breathable material and older models out of sil nylon. You can tell very easily between them. New ones are 'wasabi' green and the old one's are yellow, atleast for the firstlight. It's a pretty good tent because the single skin enclosed design makes it very weather proof and there is a hell of a lot of sitting room for a tent with a tiny footprint. It is almost a case of 'biggest sitting space' 'smallest footprint'. Unfortunately condensation makes it uncomfortable in wet conditions.

I wonder if anyone has tried a 'nano-shield' model firstlight or similar in humid conditions and can comment on condensation?

Actually, I stand corrected. Early firstlights were made out of 'epic' fabric. Polyester with siliconised fibres woven in. Apparently breathable. Well in my experience NOT suitable for continual wet conditions.

[Nuts]

well... it Was never designed for wet humid conditions... as mentioned (also) i'm supprised that condensation was a real issue (any more than any other small tent), a quick search seems to indicate that not being waterproof is the biggest gripe.. The odd happy camper amongst them shows that there are few absolutes though.

[hikingoz]

From experience I'd say that the BD firstlight is about as waterproof as any siliconised nylon tent when seam sealed. it isn't really breathable and lacks proper ventialation. Believe me, it wasn't leaking on me, it was condensation
If you look at the design it's obvious that condensation is going to be an issue. If it's raining you can only leave the door open a smidge.

door closed

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I would rather a double walled tent for Tasmania despite the wieght gain based on my 'single skin' experience.

[Franco]

From experience I'd say that the BD firstlight is about as waterproof as any siliconised nylon tent when seam sealed

That is not my experience, at least not against my Traptents. ( the ones I own not the TT stock...)
I have had myst from penetration in a few occasions in the Rainbow and the Contrail but I never experienced the fabric becoming saturated and then dripping like the Lighthouse has done.
Most comes in from the pole area. Some is condensation but I believe that a lot is from the fabric becoming saturated and dripping where the poles press against it.
With silnylon the problem tends to be heavy rain drops, so you can be inside the tent and have heavy rain on you for hours and no myst whatsoever, then get some and later again nothing.
Several times I have had all night rain on them with no problem at all.
In my backyard on a side by side test after several hours I usually had some drops inside the Lighthouse (various spots) but none with the Rainbow.
However if perfectly clean under moderate rain the Lighthouse has remained dry inside all night for me.
Mind you there are several types of siliconised fabrics in use so results will vary.



Franco

[hikingoz]

Fair enough Franco, I'm sure there are better materials out there. I don't think the Firstlight has major issues with waterproofness.

I havn't tried a controlled test but I have noticed my firstlight gets most wet when there is constant rain, no wind and near freezing conditions, rather than in particulalry heavy rain.

There is commonly condensation all over the inner of the tent but definately also drops that appear on the underside of the poles. This moisture always appears in misty droplets and is always more concentrated higher up and the droplets get thinner further down the walls of the tent. I have never experienced dripping unless I bump the tent.

Whenever wet cold conditions occur I find myself wiping the entire inside of the tent off with a cloth before breaking camp.

Saturation could happen with these tents but I find condensation to be the most common problem in my experience.

[Franco]

This moisture always appears in misty droplets and is always more concentrated higher up and the droplets get thinner further down the walls of the tent

Yes this also is true with the Todd-Tex (PTFE) Bibler tents . The poles get colder than the fabric so when the rising warmer air hits them it condenses.
On the plus side the heavier Todd-Tex is pretty water proof...


I havn't tried a controlled test but I have noticed my firstlight gets most wet when there is constant rain, no wind and near freezing conditions, rather than in particularly heavy rain.

Can be with silnylon too. Often heavy rain comes with some wind so there is air movement to shift the moisture from the inside. With constant rain and no wind the humidity level can be very high so you get wet walls (inside) and a rather unpleasant environment. That is why I favour air flow over "warmth" because blocking air flow can boost the temperature but also increases the humidity and at low temps that makes us feel colder than it is.
I have seen people coming out from inside an almost fully sealed two wall tent complaining that they had a wet night and I have been warm inside my single wall with plenty of air circulation...
Their sleeping bag was damp, mine perfectly dry.
Franco