Why don't tents have windows?

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Why don't tents have windows?

Postby wildwanderer » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 8:04 am

Serious question! :P

Having a see through roof or a window on the side would make for some great views when stuck inside during a rain storm or on a moonlit night.

Car camping tents have them why not bushwalking tents?
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby wayno » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 8:13 am

condensation....
from the land of the long white clouds...
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby Lamont » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 8:24 am

Big Sky did. The windowed ones were discounted on their site.
Why not?-Cracks/perishing before the fly.
Last edited by Lamont on Thu 04 Mar, 2021 8:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby JohnnoMcJohnno » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 8:30 am

The Oztrail Hiker does. Not sure how useful it is given you have to go outside to open the window. Plus opening it will let the rain in anyway. Looks like you would have more joy opening the front door and looking out.
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby Franco » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 9:15 am

Several brands at some point had a tent or two with clear/waterproof windows (vinyl/PVC) but they all get discontinued because they crack and or damage the stitching with the repeated folding/unfolding as well as other problems like extra bulk ,weight, yellowing.
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby Warin » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 9:51 am

Why look through a narrow porthole when you can see the whole thing by getting out of the tent?

Need to shelter from the weather? Then look through the tent door.
Need to avoid insects? Then look through the mesh.

All above options add no weight/cost nor reduce the life of the tent...
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby FatCanyoner » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 10:13 am

One of the many benefits of a fly over a tent. You can sleep poking out of one end / beside the fly, with a 360 degree view of the night sky, then easily shuffle under cover if there's rain or a heavy dew. Or stay under the fly and just look out. I've enjoyed some spectacularly sunrises from high camps without getting out of my cosy sleeping bag as a result of being under a fly.
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby wildwanderer » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 12:53 pm

Lamont wrote:Big Sky did. The windowed ones were discounted on their site.
Why not?-Cracks/perishing before the fly.


Fair enough. I wonder if DCF will ever offer a see through version... Some of the .55 stuff is already quite transparent
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby ChrisJHC » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 2:04 pm

Hammocks do!

:)
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby Lamont » Thu 04 Mar, 2021 3:47 pm

wildwanderer wrote:
Lamont wrote:Big Sky did. The windowed ones were discounted on their site.
Why not?-Cracks/perishing before the fly.


Fair enough. I wonder if DCF will ever offer a see through version... Some of the .55 stuff is already quite transparent

Look at those DCF Big Agnes ones-it'd be carnival time in there with a cloudless sky and full moon. :lol:
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby wildwanderer » Fri 05 Mar, 2021 8:17 am

Lamont wrote:Look at those DCF Big Agnes ones-it'd be carnival time in there with a cloudless sky and full moon. :lol:


Throw some fairy lights in the pack, add a couple of bottles of rum n packets of pineapple powder.. mix em with some crushed bush berries and you could have your own tiki bar on the mountain top. :lol:
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby metastable » Sat 06 Mar, 2021 7:36 am

I've got a Mountain Hardwear PCT2 one that does https://www.rei.com/product/693787/moun ... pct-2-tent. The tent is pretty old and as others have mentioned it gets somewhat cloudy, but whatever they made it out of (UVX-film apparently), it's still supple and not cracking.

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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby neilmny » Sat 06 Mar, 2021 9:27 am

Weight. The Oztrail mentioned above weighs 3.5kg! My back hurts thinking about it.
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Re: Why don't tents have windows?

Postby Franco » Sat 06 Mar, 2021 10:40 am

MH also had the LightWedge,Trango and Nightview (maybe others) with that non yellowing windows but were all discontinued with those windows disappearing in the new versions.
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