A good ventilation system reduces the formation of condensation, improves the indoor climate, and increases sleeping comfort. We have developed the Helsport Airflow II® ventilation system, which gives you the best night's sleep.
Ventilation must ensure a steady supply of fresh air/oxygen (for reasons of both safety and sleep), as well as control condensation out of the tent. The ventilation system must be able to do this in two ways: through ventilation and ventilation. This is best achieved by a constant and controlled airflow through the tent. Ventilation can be compared to opening windows in houses to get a quick and large replacement of air to ensure both a good atmospheric and thermal indoor climate.
At Helsport's various tents, there are a number of different valves and ventilation systems. It varies between simple valves with cord closure, valves with zipper closure, skirt valves, and ceiling valves. The main principle is that you want to draw in the fresh air to the ground and release hot and humid air high up in the tent. Warm air rises, and a natural flow of air is created through the tent.
Cold and oxygen-rich air is drawn in through air valves at the ground, and the warm and oxygen-poor air rises and is released higher up.
This is how it works
- Cold and oxygen-rich air is drawn in at the ground under the outer tent and through separate circulation valves located low down and ensures circulation and replacement of moist air both in the inner tent and in the layer between the inner and outer tent.
- Hot, humid and oxygen-poor air rises and is released via the inner tent door's mesh valve on the opposite side and further out the outer tent's upper valve. The opening must be regulated in relation to how many people there are in the tent. It is important that the mesh valve on the possible second inner tent door is closed, as this valve will otherwise destroy the airflow.
Atmospheric indoor climate
High CO2 levels feel like "heavy air". In order for the CO2 level not to be too high where people are staying, each person must have a fresh air supply of at least 8 liters/min. Experiments at NTNU and SINTEF have shown that with Helsport's Airflow II® ventilation system, this requirement for fresh air is met. Tests done with tents without this type of ventilation system show that there is too little supply of fresh air, and thus too high CO2 levels.
Thermal indoor climate
Helsport AirFlow II® ventilation system ensures a good thermal indoor climate by transporting moisture out of the tent. This avoids condensation to a greater extent. Moisture due to condensation can reduce the insulating ability to sleep bags and clothes, while the air will feel clammy and heavy. A good thermal indoor climate, therefore, increases tent comfort.
Storm flaps
All our X-Trem tents are equipped with storm flaps, and then a system like Airflow II® is critical to get enough air inside the tent. So if you buy tents with storm flaps, or you get this sewn on later, it is important that it has a circulation valve that ensures that air is let in downstairs. When we sew storm flaps on tents that do not have this before, we always recommend that an extra air valve is sewn. This valve is also important in tents without storm flaps that are used in the winter because if you dig down it will be close down anyway. This is the reason why the ventilation on our Pro tents with 4-season ventilation is similar to the ventilation on the X-Trem tents with storm flaps.
Many tents are made in a way that requires good circulation under the tent. When these tents are used on snow or dug down, ventilation becomes more difficult, as they do not have the vital circulation valve.
On tents to be used in the winter, the valves must be placed high up to avoid being covered by snow. Remember that you can use the door to the inner tent as a valve to contribute to extra airflow in the inner tent. Breathable materials are used for a good indoor climate and to prevent condensation even with closed valves.
Condensation
Condensation in connection with tents is water vapor in the air that changes to liquid form. It is important to understand the condensation problems that occur in all tents.
There are mainly three sources of condensation in a tent:
- from the people staying in the tent (breathing, sweating, and wet equipment)
- from the air and the ground
- from cooking and cooking
During a night's sleep, the body emits approx. half a liter of water. This is moisture that is partly absorbed by clothes and sleeping bags, but something also escapes into the tent. The condensation problem increases with high humidity and/or low temperatures. Condensation is deposited on cold surfaces, and in a tent, the outer tent and bottom cloth are most exposed. Condensation forms on both the inside and outside of the fabrics. When the outer tent moves due to wind or rain, the condensation deposited inside the outer tent will fall down, and you will easily be able to make a mistake and think that the fabric is leaky. Condensation also forms easily between the bottom cloth and the sleeping pad. The luggage compartment does not have a bottom cloth, and the evaporation from the ground will therefore be deposited on the inside of the outer tent.
INNERTELT
In addition to the ventilation system itself, which is optimized to reduce condensation, the inner tent also helps to reduce condensation: it reduces the temperature difference on the two sides of the outer tent fabric. The suspension system for the inner tent ensures the correct distance between the inner and outer tent, as well as good airflow.
SKIRT VALVE
Another effective way to limit condensation is with our "Skirt ventilation system" which gives you the opportunity to open up and create even more air below ground. This provides maximum ventilation through the inner and outer tents to minimize condensation.
FOOTPRINT
To achieve minimal condensation on the bottom fabric (and from the awning that does not have an inner tent), it is very effective to use a footprint in the tent. It is possible to buy footprints for almost all our models.
