Hi guys,

I know when you fish nights in wintertime you're going to get condensation with a single skin bivvy/brolly. But I saw someone write aquatexx gets less condensation that nylon bivvy's. Is this true? Who has had both?

I only had a Aqua Armo with Aquatexx that also got condensation/drips on the ceiling in colder nights,sm so I can't compare. I know people rate the quicker drying of nylon over Aquatexx.

In reply to Post #1
I've have multiple Aquatexx bivvies and multiple nylon bivvies, they all suffer condensation similarly. Only way to eradicate is with winter skin

In reply to Post #1
I have always preferred Aquatex type material over nylon and felt it suffers less and and darker inside maybe warmer in winter less flappy in windy weather
but Nylon has the advantage of drying quicker and lighter to carry both have pros and cons
but using a groundsheet and a double skin and lots of ventilation is the only real answer

In reply to Post #1
HI, i have both the tempest brolly (mk1, nylon) plus wrap and a tempest 100 advanced (aquatexx) plus cap wrap. The winter skin on the brolly does make a huge difference for preventing condensation but does not eliminate it completely. Without its really bad. The Aquatexx Tempest is completely different. As long as i get the cap wrap on before the brolly gets wet there is little if any condensation. However if the brolly is wet it cannot breath and then suffers from condensation.
A groundsheet also make a huge difference.

Weight wise the brolly is about half the weight though so depends on what you want.

What issues do people have with condensation? Is it just that they don't like to see it in the morning, or that its actually dripping down on them during the night?

I don't want a heavy, dark shelter so always go for nylon. I don't use a wrap, groundsheet or front and have never had any noticeable condensation in the brolly.

In reply to Post #5
Open shelters are completely different and likely not too bad. Only really an issue if you have the door down. Personally not keen on open brolly fishing after waking up with cygnets under my bed chair and 2 adult swans looking over me. So aquatexx for me

In reply to Post #5
Hi Tom,

I am actually looking to buy a day shelter that I can also use for the odd overnighter.

The Tempest 100 T ticks all my boxes, lightweight, higher entrance, fast drying and quick to set up. But someone got me thinking about condensation. In windy weather, my Aqua Armo gave me cold drips on my face. Not a big deal, but comfortable is different. When that someone mentioned about nylon being worse for condensation, I wanted to ask you guys with real world experience.

I can only spend my money once and therefor I would like to spend it wisely.

If nylon really is much worse for condensation, I will just buy an oval for day sessions and buy a Fox Frontier for all overnighters (as that has breathable fabric too).

In reply to Post #7
I have the 100T brolly in nylon, for me it's the perfect shelter. Replaced an original Tempest Brolly. Extra headroom is great and doesn't increase the pack up size or weight noticeably.

Gives the option of front, groundsheet, wrap etc if you need it. I might get the social cap for longer wet winter sessions.

I've never had issues with condensation with either nylon brollies and you can pack them up wet without having to bother drying out at home.

In reply to Post #6
I use a Brolly year round and still get condensation on the underside in cold/damp weather. There's no avoiding it really other than a winterskin

Condensation varies from person to person too. I very rarely get any, and don't use a wrap. Even when I didn't have a skullcap on, none.

In reply to Post #1
Cold air is denser than warm so, by the very nature of pitching next to a lake and therefore usually at a lower level than the surrounding land exacerbates the chance of condensation, dugout swims certainly don't help either, zipped up doors, breathing and cooking all produce water vapour, no matter what the manufacturer claims no material will be breathable enough to prevent moisture and condensation.

In reply to Post #10
Maybe you died years ago, changed into a zombie and have been going fishing instead of doing zombie stuff.

In reply to Post #7
Take a look at the new hide xl.. that should tick the boxes plus has the inner vapor shield (drip catcher) lol

In reply to Post #12
No it's because all his moisture has been sealed in by catfish slim.

In reply to Post #14
You know you want to catch one Andy

In reply to Post #15
Getting that close to the beasts you caught is plenty close enough thanks

In reply to Post #16
Wimp

In reply to Post #8
Thanks for that insight Tom! So nylon is more robust/durable than aquatexx? I will always dry out a bivvy after it's been wet, but it's good to know.

In reply to Post #11
Yes, absolutely true. I don't think you can eradicate condensation fully. Some nights are just very humid (like you can see on your car windows in the morning, without any rain).

In reply to Post #13
Sorry, but i had an Titan T1 that i sold due to random cracks appearing in the bivvy bag (that is the same material as the bivvy) after only lying in a heated storage for half a year. So, Nash isn't going to get my money anymore for bivvy's.

In reply to Post #18
As with every choice it's subjective, but since nylon shelters came about I do not understand why you would choose Aquatexx or the other similar variations.

Were nylon the expensive material and Aquatexx the budget and they were marketed as such which would people choose?

Nylon

- lightweight
- allows more light through for a brighter shelter with natural light
- zero maintenance required
- drys quickly, can be packed away wet.
- hard wearing
- seams can be fused rather than glued


Aquatexx

- Heavy
- Dark when inside during daylight hours
- you may feel the need to coat in an expensive liquid each year.
- will fade significantly if used frequently, may change colour completely
- takes a long time to dry
- will deteriorate to point of mould if left packed away wet.
- reports of de-lamination and pitting issues
- Really heavy

I have had a few nylon and aquatex shelters on the aqua 60" brollies when they were made in the uk my aquatex one was slightly lighter than the nylon version and after packing the nylon one away wet that one completely delaminated and so did my nylon winter skin for my original armo.

I think all shelters should be dried out after use and think its a bad idea to pack any away wet.

The aquatex shelters are a bit darker on the inside and do take longer to dry out but dont suffer expansion and contraction issues in the weather like the nylon ones do.

The aqua shelters i have had and still own both nylon and aquatex both are quite good with condensation i think the aquatex is slightly better.

A comparison i can give between different makes is when i first got my original aqua armo it was october and was on my second night a friend turned up for the second night fished in next swim with his fox evo by the morning his bivvy was dripping with condensation yet for the second night running i had none in mine??

My nash titan viper which the armo replaced was terrible for condensation, there are some conditions when all my aqua bivvies have had condensation but i genuinely believe not as bad as other makes

The Chinese Aquatex isn't a patch on the original British made stuff !!

In reply to Post #23
That might be why i have had found it very good, even the m3 i still have was an early uk one without the rear vents

Anyone that thinks packing a nylon bivvy away wet wont do it any harm is mistaken and completely wrong !!!

I loaned a friend my spare nylon bivvy he failed to tell me it had rained when he packed it up as it was a spare when he returned it I just put it in the loft months later it had completely delaminated inside it was like a used durex hanging down
Aquatex type materials every time for me its a fact that all my nylon shelters have been worse for condensation

In reply to Post #6
I've been under a profile without ground sheet and it's suffered condensation, over wraps help, I tend to have a small candle burning seems to help but then I blow it out before I sleep and wake up with condensation. Inner capsules tend to keep the condensation to the outer skin.

I carry a towel to wipe the inside down.

In reply to Post #26
Burning a candle and then blowing it out will not help with the issue but make it worse. A flame produces water, so after you have blown the candle out, all the moisture in the air will condense on the cooler surface of the Bivvy. The only way to avoid it is to keep the candle burning all night to keep the air temperature up in the Bivvy. Or keep the door open.

Regarding which dries the faster, my aquatex Armo mk 1 dries far faster than my nylon bevvies. Simply because the water beads on my nylon Bivvy but the aquatex Bivvy, the water does not bead but the material just gets wet. A slight breeze or the sun shining and the aquatex dries rapidly. The only way to speed up the nylon drying is to keep towelling it to break up the beading water. But, if I water proof the aquatex overwrap, then it too becomes a pain with water beading and I have to towel that dry too if I'm in a rush.

Putting away a wet nylon Bivvy is a no no. The nylon only has a polyurethane backing and will easily delaminate and start peeling and left too long, black mouldy manky spots will appear.

In reply to Post #25
I obviously wouldn't put a wet brolly in the loft for months

I usually fish one night a week. I live in a one bed flat on the 4th floor. If the Brolly is wet when I pack up it's staying in the bag until next week as I have nowhere to dry it. Quite often by the next week the Brolly is pretty much dry, the water just leaking out the bag. Never had any problems.

if you have to pack up any shelter in the rain
and its that time of the year when its raining for days on end so you cant dry it out in the garden
I simply partially open it up and stand it in the bath/shower room overnight when I get home especially in winter its always dry by the morning

I like to take the metal work out of my bivvy,I then hang it on a big clothes maid.I put this near a radiator,once it is nice and dry I give it a quick iron before reassembling and packing away neatly.

Hmmm, you made it a bit difficult for me. Maybe I will go for a cheap oval then for day sessions and a fox frontier for the nights I will fish.

Thanks for all of your views. Really useful!

In reply to Post #25
Agreed. Nylon - wet and cold in winter
Aquatexx type - drier and warmer. Stick an overwrap on as well and dry as a bone, but in my opinion not needed.
Facts

In reply to Post #32

In reply to Post #30
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