What's not to love about a tent

[SoulRaven]

I have an EZ-Up that I use for working under at motorcycle rallys.

We got the zip-on side walls for it, and now use it regularly for camping.

It gives us a full 10' x 10' cabin, with 7' of headroom...and sets up completely in about 10 minutes.

here we are set up in Glacier NP...



heck...we have a carpet that we put down in it, with a table and chairs, and we sleep on cots! Talk about comfy & cozy!!

Like you, I prefer the ez-up style, I have mine fixed up with 3 layer walls that roll up with the pull of a cord. The innermost layer is No-See-Um netting, the middle layer is clear plastic, and the outer layer is reversible black/silver tarp. Black facing out in cooler weather, silver out in warmer weather.

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Let me tell you my experience at one RTR. We had 3 EZ Ups, this how they fared:

1) One was well staked down, it was destroyed.
2) Another it's owner saw how bad it was and pulled it down, it was only partially destroyed.
3) A third wasn't staked down it literally blew away 2 miles. I found it a week later when I was out walking in the wash. It was also destroyed.

The desert can be hard on tents.
Bob

Oh yeah, I've seen a lot of that too. Luckily mine has the vented top, like a windproof umbrella. That works amazingly well. If it's at all windy, I tend to place my van to block the wind, and anchor the one side to my van as well.

 

[caseyc]

Let me break it down for Offroad. I think what he's trying to say is that you will have a hard life and a hard time living in a tent at Quartzsite. Rough paraphrase.

 

[Patrick46]

When we were camped at Sturgis this year, I brought my EZ-Up set-up with me on the bike.

We had a huge windstorm blow through camp the second night. People all around us were losing stuff all over camp because of it.

What I do is to lower all the legs down so that there's only 4 feet of headroom inside the tent. (I do stake the 4 corners down too.) This takes the sail-effect outta the tent walls. We never lost a thing.

but I'm not so sure I'd set this thing up in a windy desert setting anyways.

 

[Vonbrown]

My first time out, I used a Eureka 3 season tent at the 2012 RTR and we had wind. It flapped and bounced and shook all night long. Sleeping was not easy. The following day I inspected the damage. One corner had torn it's hold down and the zipper for the door had ripped. It was a uneasy experience and a short time later, I set my sights on a van.

 

[offroad]

Vonbrown - great example. Even well designed three season tents can be blown to shreds in a desert wind storm. Sand blasting works to blast off paint. No problem blasting apart the tent.

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Would like to see what happens to a four season blizzard designed tent. Maybe bring empty sand bags and create a wind break wall to block the prevalent wind.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Kodiak Flex Bow forever !! It's pricey but it's the last tent you'll ever buy.
http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/10-x-14-ft-flex-bow-vx-tent/
KinA

 

[akrvbob]

Vonbrown, now I know who you are!! Are you going to make it out here this year?

Ken In Anaheim, Kodiaks are great tents!! While they may stand up to the desert winds, you can still figure on days and days of no sleep and bitter cold. I doubt if you could keep a stove going inside one.

I'm not opposed to tents, I consider them a great asset to the life. But you really need a vehicle you can spend the storms in and pull down the tent. Afterwards you set the tent up. Best of both worlds.
Bob

 

[Vonbrown]

Yes! I can't wait to get going! I will be at the RTR. Good to hear from you Bob.

 

[akrvbob]

Vonbrown, is that disguise in your picture? Are you a wanted man on the run? OOOOOOH, intrigue!

On the serious side, are you now an RV tech?

To keep this on topic, whenever anyone asks me about a tent in the desert, you are one of the examples I use to answer (anonymously of course).

I know lots of people who came to the desert to live in tents. I don't know anyone who did it two years in a row.
Bob

 

[offroad]

Was watching a video for burning man. Wow that's some serious dust storm and wind.

 

[simply lesa]

The Playa Dome System designed for the crazy dust storm winds and sun of Burning Man is the only tent option that I would consider for an RTR.

 

[akrvbob]

Lesa, thank you so much for that link! I've never heard of them before but I am tremendously impressed! Anything that can stand up to Burning Man is an awesome product.

And those are the best prices I've seen on a large, high quality tent. Most canvas or tepee tents are double that or more.

I want one!
Bob

 

[simply lesa]

BTW I had a Napier Sports SUV Tent. My van was 81" from the ground. It should have fit...it kinda did although bugs could have gotten in. Great tent for average use. Wonderful space. Zipper doors are a pain if you have a bad back or are sick. .. I donated mine to a church that helps the Homeless in an area with lots of BLM land. They helped me when I was sick. Good karma and all.

I think that some people would be annoyed with set up. Although it is a good design. Better for minivans or intended SUVs

 

[MrNoodly]

The Napier is intended for times when you camp at a spot and don't want to drive anywhere until you're ready to break camp. The tent attaches and gets staked down after you're parked. If you detach it and go somewhere, it's almost impossible to back into the exact same spot so you can properly reattach it to the vehicle. So you pretty much need to un-stake it, move it around, reattach it to the back of the vehicle, then stake it down again. It can be done, but it's inconvenient.

 

[simply lesa]

@Bob aaaaand they are light weight. BV (before van) I was thinking about a small gas getter car, backpack and that set up....the Big U (universe) had other plans

 

[akrvbob]

Lesa, I can see that tent making a small car a viable option for boondocking. My first thought was I could sell the trailer and live in that and the van.

My one concern would be security--it has none. Every time I left for town or went for a walk (twice a day every day) everything valuable would have to be moved into the van/car.

I think that's a deal-breaker for me.
Bob

 

[simply lesa]

I agree about the security. It could be viable for some people if their valuables were either small and lightweight or if they choose to live simply enough to basically have a sleeping cot and a tub of kitchen stuff. I do think it would be useful as someone was beginning homesteading or was travelling to visit co-communities even around the world.
I bet like me - you still like it even if it's not for us right now.

 

[Vonbrown]

Vonbrown, is that disguise in your picture? Are you a wanted man on the run? OOOOOOH, intrigue!

On the serious side, are you now an RV tech?

To keep this on topic, whenever anyone asks me about a tent in the desert, you are one of the examples I use to answer (anonymously of course).

I know lots of people who came to the desert to live in tents. I don't know anyone who did it two years in a row.
Bob

Bob, no, I am not a wanted man. (I am having great difficulty finding a date!) lol and that is my picture. I learned you need a hat out west and what better hat than a cowboy hat! I have also learned to LOVE the southwest, it doesn't get any better than the four corners. (so far)
Here is a pic of me as I type this very post.

I wouldn't consider myself a professional RV Tech, but 30+ years as a professional auto mechanic and 10 years as a wastewater plant mechanic may help

 

[RustNever]

This is my short term goal,http://www.mansfieldoutdoors.com/tents/tent-camping/safir-9-cp/
and the truck and camper shell to carry it in

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Lesa, I can see that tent making a small car a viable option for boondocking. My first thought was I could sell the trailer and live in that and the van.

My one concern would be security--it has none. Every time I left for town or went for a walk (twice a day every day) everything valuable would have to be moved into the van/car.

I think that's a deal-breaker for me.
Bob

Thats a deal breaker for sure. Unless your in the High Lonely, and very few go there.

 

[sephson]

It's a nice tent, but $2621.00 for a tent is a lot more than I'd be willing to spend, even if I had the money.