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Tents on Whitney
#40915 11/08/14 10:13 PM
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Hello,
I'm planning on backpacking whitney for a week next summer. I know there might be thunderstorms with wind. Will a tent from walmart be fine? Ozark Trails 2 Person Junior Scout Dome Tent.

Heres a video of it.. Rain test of an improved Walmart Tent
Will have guy out lines in each corner help?

Thank You
Trent

Re: Tents on Whitney
NV-1 #40916 11/08/14 11:23 PM
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Probably almost certainly not if you get into tough conditions.

Think about renting a Marmot/NF/Mountain Hardware class of tent.

That will give you a better idea of what you need when you go to purchase...


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Re: Tents on Whitney
NV-1 #40917 11/09/14 06:16 AM
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Certainly guy lines will help, but the true test of a mountain tent is how well it stands up to high winds. A backyard rain test is not a good indicator of how well any tent will perform in the high Sierras. You'd be much better off getting a tried and proven tent from a manufacturer of real mountain tents, not Walmart or Sears, and the like.

Go to a local mountain shop, like REI, or another, and ask their advice.

Last edited by Bob West; 11/09/14 06:19 AM.
Re: Tents on Whitney
Bob West #40920 11/09/14 06:31 PM
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It depends and that is the problem. I don't like depends at 12,000' with 50 MPH winds.

I have seen a "WalMart" tent utilizing 4 mil. poly sheet for a fly at Trail Camp. My thought was God help them if it rains or gets windy.

Re: Tents on Whitney
NV-1 #40956 11/11/14 06:45 PM
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Here's your wind test before taking it up high: head to Death Valley between late Feb and early April when the annual spring desert winds are howling. Pitch in Furnace Creek at Texas Springs or Stovepipe Wells campgrounds. Stay 3-4 days. If your tent is still there and/or standing at the end of that time, it's likely good enough for the Sierra.

And no, an inexpensive Wal-Mart tent won't cut it if things get really breezy. You don't need a $500 tent, but you do need a sturdy one with high-quality poles. I've used REI, Nemo, and Black Diamond tents in high Calif winds, and they've all stood up well. I've also seen lower quality tents used by others collapse, as well as poorly-anchored high-quality tents fly like kites. Also, one in particular stayed anchored but the zippered door ripped loose (wazzu?).

Then again, you can always deal with it like some of our Aussie brethren and just throw your bag down on the ground and dare the wind to blow you away (or even wake you) . . .

Re: Tents on Whitney
Bulldog34 #40958 11/11/14 07:14 PM
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BD - yuppers, the zippers on the palace didn't make it through a overnight Death Valley wind event. But to clarify, the palace is a Colman family tent that is supposed to sleep 7, with a side entrance for the dog. There were 2 of us sharing the tent, with very comfy air mattresses. This is not a tent that would ever be on my back hiking uphill anywhere. It is strictly a car camping tent.

Renting a good quality tent is always an option. Or if you do a little research, a good quality used tent might be a better option than a Wal Mart tent for about the same cost.

I have had really good experience with a Sierra Design tent. I had it for over 20 years and it held up well in some really strong Sierra storms. I bought the newer version of the same model a few years ago, I'm hoping to get another 20 years out of it.

Re: Tents on Whitney
NV-1 #41001 11/16/14 02:08 PM
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Originally Posted By: Trenton
Hello,
I'm planning on backpacking whitney for a week next summer. I know there might be thunderstorms with wind. Will a tent from walmart be fine? Ozark Trails 2 Person Junior Scout Dome Tent.

Heres a video of it.. Rain test of an improved Walmart Tent

Will have guy out lines in each corner help?


Looking at the video, the four corners have a point where the tiny rain roof ties on. Those would make perfect places to reinforce the tent in a windy situation. For a one-week trip, I'd say that would be enough, since the chances of high wind aren't that great.

The rain test of the tent missed a big point: nobody was inside during the rain test. It is a single-wall water-proof tent, with, I assume, a more open vented area under the little rain fly. If one (and worse, two) person(s) were inside the tent during rain, condensation would form on the walls, since people's breathing produces significant moisture.

I would rather be under that tarp (but larger than 5x7!) during an extended rain period. The tarp would have better ventilation and therefore much less condensation.

There is a wide spectrum of options for shelters in storms, both in cost and weight. Since the troop is traveling slowly, opting for something heavier and more elaborate might be better.

Re: Tents on Whitney
Steve C #41027 11/18/14 07:41 PM
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That video was a great simulation of a lawn sprinkler. Any seam-sealed tent on the planet would pass that test. If you plan to camp in the back yard with the sprinklers on, you'll be fine, except for the condensation Steve mentioned. Forget the goofy video, let's talk logic about the range of shelters and conditions on a 7-day trip camping at 10,000 ft.

Start with no tent. You'll be just fine for maybe 80%-100% of the nights on an average week in late July. Do you feel lucky?

How about that 5x7 tarp you inquired about in another thread. Great for the backyard sprinkler rain test seen in that video. Not so good for winds above say, 20 mph. If the direction is consistent, you might be able to pitch it well with some skill. Most likely the wind with shift and you'll get soaked from side spray, even in a light rain with high winds. You'll survive, but miserably. A couple days of that and you'll be looking for an exit trail.

The Walmart special might give you more coverage than a small tarp, but the 2-poles system is probably heavy small-diameter fiberglass, prone to bending and buckling in high winds. Extra guy lines can get you through a moderate storm, but there are limited tie-off points and weak stitching for serious wind gusts. The rain fly is partial coverage and doesn't seem to allow much air flow between the fly and tent. That design is a perfect recipe for condensation. Does it matter which way your sleeping bag gets soaked, from dripping condensation or wind-blown rain or leaky seams? You're screwed either way. With all that said, the odds of this happening is still only 5-10% on a 1-week trip in late July, in my estimation. If you get hit with a lot of snow, all bets are off. But at least you'll have some protection from the bugs. If you're on a tight budget, and you can use this for car camping, and you feel lucky, what the heck. Be sure to seam seal it, set up extra guy lines before you go, and try to keep the windows cracked for extra ventilation. You'll live. Don't worry about a footprint under the tent, it's disposable, and something else will fail before the floor does.

Think about renting a high quality tent, but most of those are heavy so they can hold up to the abuse of rental equipment.

Consider a larger tarp that will handle side winds. Practice practice practice pitching it in various configurations.

Lastly, and perhaps the best advice, use your google skills to hunt down a used tarptent or lightweight backpacking tent that will last you for years and get you through the tough times. If you hike enough, the storms will find you and you'll be glad for your investment.


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