Took me 3 years to realize I was setting up my tent rainfly wrong

I always had that flapping noise at night until a buddy at a campsite in Yosemite showed me I was staking the fly too loose. He pointed out the tension straps were meant to pull diagonal, not straight out. Anybody else have a gear setup they messed up for way too long?

2 comments

2 Comments

davis.ivan1mo ago

You got the diagonal part right but the loose part is half true. The fly needs some slack for ventilation so condensation doesn't build up inside. Too tight and you trap moisture overnight. Woke up soaked more times than I can count because of that. The real trick is getting the corners snug but leaving a small air gap along the sides. Depends on the wind too. Still took me years to find that balance.

the_sarah1mo ago

Honestly, sounds like camping just comes with a free science lesson and a side of damp socks.