Hammock Sock Condensation Issues/Questions

**Coffee** · 02-06-2007, 09:31

Originally Posted by blackbishop351

Maybe the pores in the nylon are just going to close up past a certain temp, like Jeff said.

I think I made the drawstring channel on mine so that the string would have about a 1" opening to run through. I haven't had any issues. What size cord are you using? That can make a difference too - a larger diameter cord will help just as much as a larger channel.

Now that you word it like that it makes sense. If when it is really cold the water vaper in your breath gets bigger, and that size is greater than the pore size in the nylon then it won't go through the material.

I used the grossmergear spectra that is super thin. The problem is that I wasn't thinking and made the seam too small for that. I think it is more the bunching up of the seam than the size of the cord with mine that is causing problems.

**Ewker** · 02-06-2007, 09:57

Last Friday night I camped at Savage Gulf. The temp at 10:00pm was 8°. My tent is a Hubba which is basically mesh except for the floor. I did have the rain fly on but I still get great ventilation. I woke up Saturday morning with more frozen condensation on the inside of my tent than frost on the outside. My tent poles were frozen together. I had to warm them up to get them apart. The condensation was worst where my head was.

When you warm breath hits the cold material it freezes. If you are a heavy breather or snorer then you will have more condensation than someone who doesn't.

Now in my tarptent I sleep with my head at the front of the tent which is mesh. That allows my breath to escape and not form on the top of the tent.

This is from a tenter so you may want to disregard anything I say

**blackbishop351** · 02-06-2007, 13:07

Originally Posted by hammock engineer

Now that you word it like that it makes sense. If when it is really cold the water vaper in your breath gets bigger, and that size is greater than the pore size in the nylon then it won't go through the material.

I used the grossmergear spectra that is super thin. The problem is that I wasn't thinking and made the seam too small for that. I think it is more the bunching up of the seam than the size of the cord with mine that is causing problems.

I think it might be more the material itself shrinking and causing condensation. Just like when you heat something, cooling it shrinks it symmetrically, so the holes in the weave of the fabric might actually be getting smaller. Think about a net made out of shock cord - when you let go of it, the spaces between the cords get smaller, not just the perimeter.

I don't know what size you made your channel, but try using a slightly larger cord. You might be surprised.

**Coffee** · 02-06-2007, 14:09

Originally Posted by Ewker

Last Friday night I camped at Savage Gulf. The temp at 10:00pm was 8°. My tent is a Hubba which is basically mesh except for the floor. I did have the rain fly on but I still get great ventilation. I woke up Saturday morning with more frozen condensation on the inside of my tent than frost on the outside. My tent poles were frozen together. I had to warm them up to get them apart. The condensation was worst where my head was.

When you warm breath hits the cold material it freezes. If you are a heavy breather or snorer then you will have more condensation than someone who doesn't.

Now in my tarptent I sleep with my head at the front of the tent which is mesh. That allows my breath to escape and not form on the top of the tent.

This is from a tenter so you may want to disregard anything I say

This is actual pretty relavent to what I am seeing. I was basically sleeping in a single wall tent. It wasn't frozen on the sock though. I think the temp was above freezing on the sock. There was no frost on it. All the mosture was liquid. Frozen would have been better.

I am liking the idea of a cold weather model with some sort of mesh to vent my breath. Steeling yet another idea from you tenters.

**Coffee** · 02-06-2007, 14:14

Originally Posted by blackbishop351

I think it might be more the material itself shrinking and causing condensation. Just like when you heat something, cooling it shrinks it symmetrically, so the holes in the weave of the fabric might actually be getting smaller. Think about a net made out of shock cord - when you let go of it, the spaces between the cords get smaller, not just the perimeter.

I don't know what size you made your channel, but try using a slightly larger cord. You might be surprised.

Gotcha. I am used to thinking about electrical stuff that you cannot see. That leads me to overlook some of the obvious. It actually happens a lot when I make stuff.

The channel is pretty small. The more I think about it. It was working well with the head end open at higher temps, maybe a cold weather version is inorder. If anything else it gives me a reason to make something else. I can almost hear the sewing machine come out now.

**Hangman** · 02-06-2007, 15:11

Nice reports, I had a very minor condensation issue at the Pa. Ruck. The temps. were around 14 degrees. I was in my hennessy, with hhss,nest on bottom. 20 degree wm bag as a quilt. i was using a 8x10 sil tarp about 2.5 feet above the bug netting. the area of condensation was on the bug netting about the size of my hand near where my head was. So i can see where you would get some with other set ups as the bug netting is very breathable. It was strange to see it attach it self to the bugnetting and than little by little it built on its self crystlizing. really was not a big issue as it was a small area. hammock engineer, its nice to read your detailed reports hope to see you on the trail. I leave on the 26th of march doing the approach trail.

**Grinder** · 02-06-2007, 15:16

HE,
Your wish is my command. I uploaded a few pictures of the set up.

It's hard to get good pictures with all this sunshine today. (Eat your heart out!!<G>)

http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...php?i=482&c=14

This pic and the next three.

I noticed I didn't really tie the corners together. I got the center to one corner.

When I was in it, I just arranged it to drape over both sides.

Miles of Smiles
Tom

**The Breeze** · 02-06-2007, 16:46

when I made my hammonk cover I put a hole right over the head and have sleep in it 6 time cents then and no condensation at all. even on mount rogers, and I stayed warm every night. this said your body produces as much as two quarts of water in 8 hours it has to go somewhere if it is warm and dry out side evaporation will take care of it, but when its cold and dry the heat to make it exchange is not there so it forms into water droplets and freezes if it cold enoff same thing with you ac at home took a class one time heheheh hope this helps

**Just Jeff** · 02-06-2007, 21:10

FTR, I didn't say the material shrinks or anything about pore size. It probably shrinks some, but I doubt the condensation has anything to do with pore size...I've seen breath freeze on bug net mesh before. It's probably more a function of the cold temps making the material so cold that the moisture condenses/freezes on contact rather than venting through.

Great idea on the poncho liner.

**blackbishop351** · 02-06-2007, 21:23

Originally Posted by Just Jeff

FTR, I didn't say the material shrinks or anything about pore size. It probably shrinks some, but I doubt the condensation has anything to do with pore size...I've seen breath freeze on bug net mesh before. It's probably more a function of the cold temps making the material so cold that the moisture condenses/freezes on contact rather than venting through.

Great idea on the poncho liner.

Sorry about the misquote...it was late