Don’t know much about the technical aspect of tents tbh but I’m going to question your logic here. You’re talking about rain vaporising & seeping in through the flysheet that way. Is that really a “thing”? Do you not want the flysheet to be permeable to vapour so that condensation from the inside can pass through/evaporate? Surely the permeability couldn’t be one-way?

Sure it’s not condensation from the inside? In my limited experience it’s tents being set up badly that causes condensation on the inside, especially when it’s humid (like in a rainstorm!) as it’s more difficult for the condensation to evaporate.

I have a Vango F10 Xenon with a HH of 3000mm, been out in heavy rain & winds and it’s kept dry as a bone inside. IME keeping the flysheet taut & separated from the inner is most of the battle, getting good airflow is important but that’s unlikely to be a problem in high winds!

I’ve seen it mentioned a few times that the HH figure is “just a number” used to sell tents and that there are more important factors like materials used, construction (quality of seems etc) and as mentioned pitching technique, etc when it comes to waterproof-ness.

Anyway my recommendation would be whatever fits the bill in the F10 range as I’ve got 2, they’re the only “proper” tents I’ve ever owned/used and they’ve both been great 😃

Thirded – good airflow is probably your answer

Correct me if I’m wrong but I’ve never really understood hydsrostatic head top trumps. A head of 3000mm means that a column of water (in a pipe obviously) 3 meters tall can be stood on the fabric and it won’t leak.
I don’t think I could even set a tent up so wrong that is would ever achieve that. Maybe about 300mm if it got a proper sag in the middle.

I’ve been using a Beta 450xl for a year or so. I’ve just come back from 4 nights in Eskdale where we experienced storms with some incredibly heavy rain, which did not leak through the tent. I have also spent a weekend in it when it rained heavily and constantly for the whole time.

It is more than waterproof enough, however it does suffer from poor air-flow so condensation does form, but then that happens in pretty much all tents IME.

I have an alpkit viso 2. Same hydrostatic head, but it is fine. Vents quite well from both ends. I would imagine the viso 3 will suit your requirements.

Correct me if I’m wrong but I’ve never really understood hydsrostatic head top trumps. A head of 3000mm means that a column of water (in a pipe obviously) 3 meters tall can be stood on the fabric and it won’t leak.

Yes, but hydrostatic head will deteriorate with use and wear. Technically a tent fabric has to be above 1000mm HH to be legally waterproof. But you’d need some pretty savage rain to penetrate a 3000mm proof fly-sheet fabric, I think around three times the pressure of a domestic pressure washer, at which point waterproofing is probably the least of your worries as the tent will have exploded, maybe 🙂

I have the 350xl.

Had it 5 years, only gets used a few days a year, but never had any issues, and fabric is in good condition and not showing any wear

I’m pretty sure I’ve got the 350 model. It’s been excellent and put up with some hideous weather and kept me and my gf bone dry.

Decathlon sorted me out. Had one of these Arpenaz vis a vis style tunnel for 8 years or more now. Car-camping perfection IME with just room for table, chairs and cooking. The door is also a sun canopy. Decent ventilation, plenty of hanging storage pockets. It won me over, as I don’t generally facour favour tunnel tents but it was a snap joint-purchase in the sale. I’d pay full price again for it if/when it finally fails,but it shows no signs yet!

Never let water in even tho *only* 2000mm it’s done the worst of Welsh rain and Cornish weather. It has been (bonfire-sparks) burned and patch-taped’ inner tent has been squirrel-eaten and patched, also loaned it to friends and was returned with a smashed fibreglass pole, I easily replaced it using the provided spare. It keeps on going despite all the weather and abuse! I have more hardcore tents, ie heavy canvas trailer tent, and a 2-berth self-supporting geodesic storm tent, but for easy, reliable and spacious car-camping the Decathlon one has been a true gem.

current tent is about 13yrs old

It’s not a hydrostatic head thing then it’s an old tent thing!