Help Please (OUTWELL MONTANA)

[Ian2006]

Early in 2005 I bought a 4 person Outwell Montana 4 tent, I didn’t use it till 18 months later, when we went away for a weekend to “test” the tent. On the Saturday it rained and the wind picked up, every time the wind hit the tent we were sprayed with water, even at night in our sleeping section, we would be sprayed through the mesh at the top. I took the tent back and was able to replace it for the latest model, the one with a porch on the side. But this was the same, the reason I bought this tent was for its 5000 mm hydrostatic head. I used to have a canvas bungalow tent and never had this sort of problem, is this the norm with this sort of tent??

[dacombej]

I can't offer much in the way of help I'm afraid, but we have got 2 Outwell tents; a Colorado 8 and a Winfield. I don't know about the Colorado 8 as we've been very lucky with the weather each time its been used. Like you we bought the Winfield mainly because of the 5000mm hydrostatc head, and from the sound of it we have had a similar experience; its has had a couple of wet and windy outings and on each time when the wind got up a fine spray of water came into the tent. I'm still not sure if it was rain coming through due to the force of the wind or condensation being blown off the inside of the tent - the jury is still out with this. My experience is that these newer tents do seem to accumulate more condensation than the canvas models so its possible that this may be the cause, although I can't remember this happening with our tents (and we've camped in some pretty 'interesting' weather at times). Heres hoping for rain free camping in the future. Regards

[Ian2006]

Thanks John