Wet top quilt, again!

[cmc4free]

Another possibility is that this is moisture coming from your body because we sweat a lot even while sleeping. Your core is the hottest part of your body and has to most surface area so it would seem reasonable that it would put off a lot of moisture. If this wicks through your quilt and hits very cold air it could condense on the outer edge of the quilt.

He's using a VBL inside his TQ though, which should greatly reduce that possibility, one would think.

[OneClick]

He's using a VBL inside his TQ though, which should greatly reduce that possibility, one would think.

Yeah, it's certainly not body vapor at this point. The VB liner is preventing that. Even if it was sweat, my foot box would be wet too...that's ALWAYS the first spot for me. Also the UQ end where that heat is leaking out. Both have been dry.

This last trip pretty much proved it was weather. I will continue the VB liner on cold multi-night trips and keep a close eye on my frost bib setup. I still think my breath is part of the problem and I hope to block it better.

[michigandave]

Yeah, it's certainly not body vapor at this point. The VB liner is preventing that. Even if it was sweat, my foot box would be wet too...that's ALWAYS the first spot for me. Also the UQ end where that heat is leaking out. Both have been dry.

This last trip pretty much proved it was weather. I will continue the VB liner on cold multi-night trips and keep a close eye on my frost bib setup. I still think my breath is part of the problem and I hope to block it better.

I still think your drooling in your sleep. . Or maybe a deer is sneaking up on you at night...

[OneClick]

Or maybe a deer is sneaking up on you at night...

Ok fine, he scared me and I peed a little!

[BillyBob58]

Ok fine, he scared me and I peed a little!

At last, a reasonable explanation!

[scrope]

He's using a VBL inside his TQ though, which should greatly reduce that possibility, one would think.

I missed that. You are correct.

[OneClick]

I'm putting a fork in this one. It's hopeless. Just did 4 nights in consistent low temps of 25-34°. Same tarp setup every night, similar breeze, same clothing.

Night 1: VB (full body vapor barrier liner), no moisture!
Night 2: no VB, moisture, but kinda expected that
Night 3: VB, no moisture...but...
Night 4: VB, SOAKED.

Both of the wet quilt nights I checked in the middle of the night/early morning. The second night I was actually getting cool due to the dampness and low loft. Again, I succumbed to drying the quilt over my MSR Reactor burner. VERY risky but I'm all out of ideas. When looking closely, I could see water beading up more along the baffle stitching, so that's where the most heat is being lost and meeting the cold air. But why is this still happening with a VB? I don't know the exact science but can warm air hitting cold air, even without my body vapor, produce this wetness?

[blgoode]

Try using bug net next time. I’m curious if that would help.

[TxAggie]

I’ve been trying to keep up with this thread, and just wanted to confirm this is with the same top quilt every time, correct?

If so, then maybe that’s the issue. Maybe there’s just something about this particular TQ that leads itself to absorbing moisture more than normal. Have you tried cleaning it? I wonder if somehow it absorbed something that is causing it to basically wet out like it is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cmoulder]

Also need to know the Relative Humidity... (ambient water vapor).

In fog/drizzle, everything is going to be wet no matter what. Period.

But RH can be very high even with no fog/drizzle.

Different results are always due to different conditions, so there was some difference between 1 & 4 that was present but not observed, most likely RH.