Hilleberg Atko vs Megatarp

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So last year I picked up a Megatarp and now a stove. Love it... Well kinda...

Thursday morning the rain came, then the snow. And it's supposed to snow through Saturday.

I can't find any dry wood and I have to say about three Hail Mary's to get the stove to light.

Then I've never had a condinsation problem before this... I can't win for losing!

Would a smaller Hilleberg like the Atko be a better bet for days of sustained precipitation and wet snow?

I love the Megatarp and the stove non the less, just don't think this is the right application.

Heading to town for the night and could pick up a Hilleberg.

On my vacation and hate wasting time not hunting. I don't mind hunting in this weather! I called in a nice bull actually yesterday. It's just I'd like to get warm and dry and night and have a comfortable camp life.

Thanks

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Tsnider

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how far in are you camped? me personally id leave my camp setup there and when i went to town id be buying a stack of wood and hike some in and set up a bunch of that wet wood around the stove. do this at a time you can actually keep the fire going though, rage that thing for like 2 hours. i have to plan out large purchases though so id be more desperate. the reason i bought my sawtooth and stove is to stay comfortable in those situations though. so yeah. id be hiking in some dry stuff. condensation is just gonna happen. i have a big pack towel, like 3x4 or something. i use that when condensation gets real bad and ring it out outside, then hang it on the clothesline in the tipi to dry it back out. works for me. i have not yet gotten caught with soken wet wood issues yet.
 
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TradLife406
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Great Falls MT
how far in are you camped? me personally id leave my camp setup there and when i went to town id be buying a stack of wood and hike some in and set up a bunch of that wet wood around the stove. do this at a time you can actually keep the fire going though, rage that thing for like 2 hours. i have to plan out large purchases though so id be more desperate. the reason i bought my sawtooth and stove is to stay comfortable in those situations though. so yeah. id be hiking in some dry stuff. condensation is just gonna happen. i have a big pack towel, like 3x4 or something. i use that when condensation gets real bad and ring it out outside, then hang it on the clothesline in the tipi to dry it back out. works for me. i have not yet gotten caught with soken wet wood issues yet.
Is it normal for rain to splash through the tarp fabric?


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colonel00

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Is it normal for rain to splash through the tarp fabric?


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Are you sure rain was coming through and it wasn't just the condensation splashing off the inside as rain hit the outside? How did you have the Megatarp pitched? Any single wall shelter, especially if it is pitched tight to the ground, is going to build condensation. If there is nowhere for the warm, moist air in the tarp to escape (no vent in a Megatarp I don't think) then it just builds and collects on the walls.
 
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Tradlife406
I'll buy the megatarp from you if you want to sell it!!!
Torrey
1-225-315-6677


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OP
TradLife406
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Are you sure rain was coming through and it wasn't just the condensation splashing off the inside as rain hit the outside? How did you have the Megatarp pitched? Any single wall shelter, especially if it is pitched tight to the ground, is going to build condensation. If there is nowhere for the warm, moist air in the tarp to escape (no vent in a Megatarp I don't think) then it just builds and collects on the walls.
I was watching for the big C that first day. The inside was dry at first, but the rain was coming down hard and that's the only thing I can think of.

Going back up around noon. I've got some more trioxane, fire paste stuff. Also going to bring a wood saw to break the larger branches into kindling and tender with the Esee.

Planning on repitching the shelter too. I crammed it into too tight of spot so that's on me. I'll cover my gear I left up there with the Sheep Tarp while I move stuff.


Honestly, I think that Atko could be perfect for spiking out away from my Megatarp in these conditions. I was really looking forward to covering some ground and being aggressive. This weather is just too much for a sheep tarp and light bivy for spiking. I guess guys get the big C with the Hillebergs too, but I was thinking of just using the vestabule door and leaving the main door half shut with the vents open. The hard part will be when she finds out I bought it...

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colonel00

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From what I've heard about the Akto, keep the vents at your head and feet open and that is supposed to help quite a bit.
 

Read1t48

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I'd find, or pack in, dry wood. Like others mentioned, the dry wood will burn the wet wood if you keep it near the stove and rotate it out. To me, the stove helps dry out clothes, too.
Can't do that with the Akto.
I've packed in wood before for this reason... Sounds dumb, but in some climates, it's the only thing I could do. Works great once you get it down.
 

Graves14

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WI have no experience with the mega tarp but I just used my Akto on a mountain fishing trip. Got to camp about 6 pm as it started to sprinkle and set up the Akto. 16 hours later it was still dumping rain and then it started to hail. I had both vents (head and foot ends) opened and the fly vent propped open and had very little moisture in the tent. I was really happy with how it performed.
 

MT_Wyatt

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WI have no experience with the mega tarp but I just used my Akto on a mountain fishing trip. Got to camp about 6 pm as it started to sprinkle and set up the Akto. 16 hours later it was still dumping rain and then it started to hail. I had both vents (head and foot ends) opened and the fly vent propped open and had very little moisture in the tent. I was really happy with how it performed.

Can I ask you how "hanging out" was in that tent for that long? Are you on elbows leaning over the whole time or can you sit up in the middle? I'm about to purchase that or a niak....thanks


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FlyGuy

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Was extremely wet on my WY Elk Hunt earlier this month. Rained, sleeted and/or snowed on us 9 out of 11 days - was not expecting that! Condensation in my tut was manageable. Pitched in a hurry (was sleeting) in some pretty tall and already wet grass, so most of the condensation was on me.

Anyway, regarding the stove lighting. It was much tougher to get lit with wet wood than I expected - even with the triox tabs. Mostly for me that had to do with working on it through the small opening. Found a pretty reasonable solution though. When backcountry spot #1 didn't work out and we found night bugles off the roadside we ended up truck camping. With that, I discovered...

Lighter fluid. Yep. Makes getting that wet wood stove fire going a breeze. Going forward I think I'll be adding a very small bottle of this to my kit. Maybe find a small container to put a few ounces in or bring one of those 4oz Zippo lighter refills bottles.




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colonel00

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Was extremely wet on my WY Elk Hunt earlier this month. Rained, sleeted and/or snowed on us 9 out of 11 days - was not expecting that! Condensation in my tut was manageable. Pitched in a hurry (was sleeting) in some pretty tall and already wet grass, so most of the condensation was on me.

Anyway, regarding the stove lighting. It was much tougher to get lit with wet wood than I expected - even with the triox tabs. Mostly for me that had to do with working on it through the small opening. Found a pretty reasonable solution though. When backcountry spot #1 didn't work out and we found night bugles off the roadside we ended up truck camping. With that, I discovered...

Lighter fluid. Yep. Makes getting that wet wood stove fire going a breeze. Going forward I think I'll be adding a very small bottle of this to my kit. Maybe find a small container to put a few ounces in or bring one of those 4oz Zippo lighter refills bottles.




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On many hunts, especially when the weather is iffy, I've started taking a book with me. Good old fashioned analog book. Yeah, it's a weight penalty but it can have several uses. First and foremost, it's great to have something to do when the weather sucks and you are stuck in the tent or on later season hunts when it gets dark so early and you may be spending some time in the tent before you go to sleep. Second is it's a fire starter. On a recent caribou hunt we got hammered by snow and rain. Everything was wet and starting a fire was a challenge. I think I went through 75 pages before I finally got a decent fire going that could dry out other wood as it burned. I'm sure there are other uses too. Backup TP?
 
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