[Closed] 3 person tunnel tent with decent hydrostatic head

Don't know much about the technical aspect of tents tbh but I'm going to question your logic here. You're talking about rain vaporising & seeping in through the flysheet that way. Is that really a "thing"? Do you not want the flysheet to be permeable to vapour so that condensation from the inside can pass through/evaporate? Surely the permeability couldn't be one-way?

Sure it's not condensation from the inside? In my limited experience it's tents being set up badly that causes condensation on the inside, especially when it's humid (like in a rainstorm!) as it's more difficult for the condensation to evaporate.

I have a Vango F10 Xenon with a HH of 3000mm, been out in heavy rain & winds and it's kept dry as a bone inside. IME keeping the flysheet taut & separated from the inner is most of the battle, getting good airflow is important but that's unlikely to be a problem in high winds!

I've seen it mentioned a few times that the HH figure is "just a number" used to sell tents and that there are more important factors like materials used, construction (quality of seems etc) and as mentioned pitching technique, etc when it comes to waterproof-ness.

Anyway my recommendation would be whatever fits the bill in the F10 range as I've got 2, they're the only "proper" tents I've ever owned/used and they've both been great 😃

I'm going to second the issue is condensation as much as leaky fabric.

Thirded - good airflow is probably your answer

I have a 3 person WildCountry with an extended porch which is still going strong after about 10 years and countless nights. Plus a couple of Hillebergs which are indestructible (at a cost).

Correct me if I'm wrong but I've never really understood hydsrostatic head top trumps. A head of 3000mm means that a column of water (in a pipe obviously) 3 meters tall can be stood on the fabric and it won't leak.
I don't think I could even set a tent up so wrong that is would ever achieve that. Maybe about 300mm if it got a proper sag in the middle.

I have a 3 person WildCountry with an extended porch which is still going strong after about 10 years and countless nights.

those days are long gone. they make crap tents with crap back up these days.

Used to be great with great back up.

I've been using a Beta 450xl for a year or so. I've just come back from 4 nights in Eskdale where we experienced storms with some incredibly heavy rain, which did not leak through the tent. I have also spent a weekend in it when it rained heavily and constantly for the whole time.

It is more than waterproof enough, however it does suffer from poor air-flow so condensation does form, but then that happens in pretty much all tents IME.

Alpkit Viso 3 worth a look. Decent sized porch anyway.
Though checking the specs, doesn't seem to mention the head.

I have an alpkit viso 2. Same hydrostatic head, but it is fine. Vents quite well from both ends. I would imagine the viso 3 will suit your requirements.

We had a hard time trying to replace our 15 year old North Face 3 man tent a couple of years back. Prices seemed to be about the same as we'd paid all those years earlier but quality was worse in everyday.

Hilleberg still make tents to the same quality they always did and their prices have gone up by inflation as a result. We sold our 2 man Hilleberg tunnel for as much as we paid for it 10 years later as a result. (Great tents but we needed a well ventilated summer tent, not a 4 season tunnel....)

Correct me if I’m wrong but I’ve never really understood hydsrostatic head top trumps. A head of 3000mm means that a column of water (in a pipe obviously) 3 meters tall can be stood on the fabric and it won’t leak.

Yes, but hydrostatic head will deteriorate with use and wear. Technically a tent fabric has to be above 1000mm HH to be legally waterproof. But you'd need some pretty savage rain to penetrate a 3000mm proof fly-sheet fabric, I think around three times the pressure of a domestic pressure washer, at which point waterproofing is probably the least of your worries as the tent will have exploded, maybe 🙂

Technically a tent fabric has to be above 1000mm HH to be legally waterproof.

I very much doubt there is any statute covering tent waterproofness!

I have the 350xl.

Had it 5 years, only gets used a few days a year, but never had any issues, and fabric is in good condition and not showing any wear

I agree with the others, what you experienced was almost certainly condensation getting bounced off the inside by the rain.

I'm pretty sure I've got the 350 model. It's been excellent and put up with some hideous weather and kept me and my gf bone dry.

Thanks all..my current tent is about 13yrs old so it may well have deteriorated with time and alpine UV.

It does get pitched properly, buy im pretty sure even when there is no condensation on the inside, that a flash heavy storm allows a mist of water through. I may however be wrong 🙂

Decathlon sorted me out. Had one of these Arpenaz vis a vis style tunnel for 8 years or more now. Car-camping perfection IME with just room for table, chairs and cooking. The door is also a sun canopy. Decent ventilation, plenty of hanging storage pockets. It won me over, as I don't generally facour favour tunnel tents but it was a snap joint-purchase in the sale. I'd pay full price again for it if/when it finally fails,but it shows no signs yet!

Never let water in even tho *only* 2000mm it's done the worst of Welsh rain and Cornish weather. It has been (bonfire-sparks) burned and patch-taped' inner tent has been squirrel-eaten and patched, also loaned it to friends and was returned with a smashed fibreglass pole, I easily replaced it using the provided spare. It keeps on going despite all the weather and abuse! I have more hardcore tents, ie heavy canvas trailer tent, and a 2-berth self-supporting geodesic storm tent, but for easy, reliable and spacious car-camping the Decathlon one has been a true gem.

Recently bought a Vango Helix 300. Old stock but still a few about. Around £115.

Good points, light for a 3 man at 2.5kg
Easy pitch inner first. Unlike some the pole sleeves are very loose so easy to insert and remove the poles.
5000mm flysheet. Pole th room for two 6ft people. Acres of space used as a solo.
Less good points with light weight comes thin groundsheet I would either use the optional extra footprint or a bit of polythene etc for protection.
Pegs supplied are aluminium pins. Decent size but I spent £20 On Amazon for a dozen titanium v pegs. Better pegs and a 60g weight saving.

current tent is about 13yrs old

It's not a hydrostatic head thing then it's an old tent thing!

I very much doubt there is any statute covering tent waterproofness!

Sorry, I should have said 'to be described as waterproof' under whatever ISO standard or whatever it is governing tents. Or at least it's quoted as that in quite a few places. Disregard.