It's already been out 6-7 times for a couple overnighters and a couple 4 days trips this summer.Been to the beach and desert a couple times each.The strongest winds it has survived were maybe 20mph,tops...nothing really.It's as stable as anything thing I owned before,and it can get WINDY in the high desert.

I made it as low as I could for me because of the desert winds.I like deserts,I go alot.I crawl around in a drunken stupor and look at the belly flowers....

I just went 4 days a couple weeks ago in the pouring rain north on PCH from L.A. to Santa Barbara.....POURING RAIN the mostof the time.Stayed at Leo Carrillo and ElCap campgrounds.

Did just fine.

There's a vent at the top,that allows a breeze to run through the top of the tent,and carry moisture away.I "borrowed" that idea.Some big name tents do that on their single wall tents.It works.

Basically,if you look closely at how good single wall tents(or any tent really) are vented,all you need is a big enough area for the expected moisture to be able to excape.The inside of your tent is hopefully warmer than the outside air.Hot air goes up,you need enough circulation through the top of the tent to capture that air,then move it out.Fresh air come from the vestibule in front(for most single wall).Zip and unzip the vestibule as needed to control moisture.You have a sleeping bag to keep warm.

If the vestibule is designed correcty,you can open it up without it raining inside your tent.That's just so that you can get in/out without drenching your stuff,it's nice to not have to stare at four walls for days on end also..

Venting a tent is basically like building a chimney for your house...Cold air comes in the bottom,warm air leaves at the top,If I leave the top of the door open a crack,I have 4 way venting at the top,so no matter which way the wind blows,the tent gets vented,raining or not.As your breath cools,moisture drops out of the air and collects on the wall,single or double.The more warm air you move from UNDER the canopy,to the outside,the less water there is to drop out.Double wall tents don't need vents and stuff,they whole idea is to seperate you from the water with netting,the let the water drip outside.Single wall you need to prevent/limit it from the start.You keep good airflow going from bottom to the top(a chimney) and that limits the amount of moisture that drops out.Just like if you blow air across a tube,it will lift a liquid,in the case of a single wall tent,it's your breath.

Do I like to be in it when it rains for a couple days in a row? not really,but I can say that about any tent.Is it livable?It's as good as any tent I've owned.There isn't pools of water in the corners,it doesn't drip on my head in the morning,doesn't soak my shirt if I touch the wall or create rivers of water heading towards the floor.I've done my time in tents,in all conditions,let's face it,if you have to be in a tent when it's raining,I don't care if it's in Florida or the deserts of SoCal,40*-100*,it's not much fun.....Really.......,it's not.....I don't care how many walls it has.....or a tarp with no walls at all....those of you that have had the pleasure of using a shelter half when it's pouring down rain while in the service will understand...don't forget that trench goes on the uphill side...unless you NEED a mudbath.

I didn't work from a pattern.I used masking tape on the patio floor to decide how big I wanted it,and fudged a couple inches just in case,didn't want to end up in a cocoon.I wanted poles 16" long,so made some poles up,screwed around until the walls were steep enough,height was right and there was enough tension in the poles to carry the weight of the material.I used the groudsheet to dummy up the poles.

Next the poles sleeves were made to lenght.The pole sleeves were made,complete with pockets and adjusters.I left plenty of material for making seams for the panels to come.So basically,I have a tensioned tent with no panels.

Cut out the camo material for the back and 2 sides.Pin in place,allow for seam allowance,trim,remove the poles.Start at one side and work my way around to sew the panels in,making flatfelled seams.I now have a 3 wall tent.I ran a 1' poly strap from the front top,down to the ground to figure out the vestibule size,sewed it on.I used poly because that is the only means of support for the doors,just thought it would be much stronger than making a seam.Made the panels for the vestible,same as the others,flatfelled to the pole sleeve,flatfelled seam sewn to the 1" poly.

The floor just hangs from the back and side walls,it's supported in front by the netting.There are 2 seams in the netting to add some strenght,they attach from the floor to the pole sleeves.They give the floor front support,the netting is stretchy in one direction,so the seam helps hold the floor up in front.The floor seam on the 3 walls is folded back on itself and sewn,basically to make a drip ledge,so that water does not follow the wall around to the floor and get caught between the floor at the groundcover....been there done that!

That's the short version.Basically I had a tent shaped object starring at me.I added all of the other crap on,netting,zippers,window,eyebrow,tiedowns,floor,pockets,attic,everything.Seam sealed it inside and out.

That concludes todays lecture on the world of tent making according to Booger1....