So your tent has mesh vents...

[Lord Of Ruin]

Ok...in the past I've used my Eureka 10 X 10 Copper Canyon tent under a carport. I used the rain fly with it as well. It kept thing generally dust free, but again that was under a Costco canopy with walls....i.e. fully enclosed.

But this year I'll be in generally the same setup, but not sure about how it'll be laid out so I may get some more wind, etc. So I'll still use my rain fly, but I want to cover the roof vents.

after reading all the suggestions, here's what I think I'm going to go with. I'm going to get black pond liner...available by the foot at Home Despot and Lowes in the garden department. Thick, resilient, etc.

I will cut a square that is a bit bigger than the mesh opening...allowing for 8-12" of the pond liner to hang below the screen of the vent (Picture a square tent wearing a yarmulke of pond liner!). I don't want to glue or damage my tent, so from the inside, I will use large safety pins....not the kind for diapers, but the larger steel ones I think you use for laundry use? I'll go through the openings in the lowest part of the mesh through pond liner and back inside.

The extra flap/hem of the pond liner will hang down below the edge of the vent, while the safety pins will prevent it coming off in a very stiff wind. I'll then put the rain fly on over it all.

Keep in mind, for those of you that are buying tents with roof vents, teh manufacturer doesn't intend for you to use the rain fly ONLY in rain...it's generally integral to the ...well...integrity..of the whole thing! So keep that in mind!

I'll also probably bring some strong spring loaded clamps in case I need better wind anchoring. I think not since it's really going to be layer 4 of protection!

LoR

[littleflower]

my tent has a lot of mesh. i was thinking of using layers of old cotton sheets and blankets to try to keep the dust out... will this work?

the reason i was thinking cotton is for air ... wouldn't a pond liner cut it off?

thanks for reminding me that the rain fly is important to the structure ...

[mojo]

the reason i was thinking cotton is for air ... wouldn't a pond liner cut it off?

Air in your tent = dust in your tent unless you have some kind of filter vent system. My favorite thing over mesh is a wool blanket held by clamps, then the rain fly.