Has the Wawona 6 become the default family car-camping tent just because it looks great in a showroom and on YouTube, or does it actually hold up when the weather turns ugly? I keep seeing it recommended reflexively, but I’m struggling to find hard data beyond sunny-day walk-throughs.
What I want to know from long-term owners (2+ seasons), especially those who camp in wet, windy places:
- Waterproofing longevity: The fly spec has been quoted in various places as 1200-1500 mm. After a couple seasons, does the fly chemically “wet out” and start misting under sustained rain? Anyone actually done a hose or hydrostatic test after year 2? Did you have to reproof, and if so, how often and with what?
- Condensation under real rain: With the fly fully battened and vents cracked, does condensation drip onto sleepers or is there enough separation to keep the inner dry? Any cold-rain nights where the mesh touched the fly and wicked water in?
- Wind performance: What’s the real threshold before poles deform or the vestibule turns into a sail-steady 20-25 mph? 30-35 with gusts? Please share actual wind readings if you’ve got them. Also, did the black hub pieces or pole segments show stress cracks?
- Front “garage” vestibule: In blowing rain, when you unzip, does the runoff dump into the living space? Does the vestibule flap or pool water without additional aftermarket guylines? Any clever guyline reroutes or extra tie-out mods that made a difference?
- Setup in rain: It’s inner-first, right? Any proven fly-first workaround using the footprint, or is the practical answer “bring a tarp and pitch a shelter first”?
- Floor durability: Any pinholes along the pole feet or high-traffic areas after a season? Did the bathtub seam tape lift? What patching/sealing has actually stuck to the floor fabric long-term?
- UV and weeklong pitches: If you leave it up for a week at a beach or high-altitude site, how fast does the fly/fabric degrade or get tacky? Anyone had seam tape failure from heat?
- Parts and repairs: Can you actually get replacement poles/hubs from TNF without a weeks-long RMA? Pole diameter and alloy details would be useful (actual measurements, not marketing copy).
Also interested in comparisons from people who’ve owned both:
- Wawona 6 vs MSR Habitude 6 for wind stability (lower profile but smaller vestibule).
- Wawona 6 vs REI Wonderland 6 in storms (the Wonderland gets dinged for wind-does the Wawona meaningfully beat it or just “different weaknesses”?).
- Wawona 6 vs Kodiak/Springbar canvas for shoulder-season squalls (I know, apples to oranges, but reliability over features matters to me).
- Any love for Decathlon’s Air Seconds inflatables in the same footprint when the weather goes sideways?
If you’ve got data, not just vibes-anemometer readings, rain durations/intensity, photos of failure points, repair outcomes-please share. Bonus points for stake/guyline upgrades that actually changed the tent’s behavior (stake types, guy geometry, mid-panel tie-outs). I’m fine hauling a heavier tent if it buys real storm worthiness. I’m just not convinced the Wawona’s “garage + headroom” equals resilience, and I’d like to be proven wrong with evidence, not marketing.