When you are setting up a tent, is it better/ easier to rebar the tent and THEN set it up, or to set it up and then rebar it?
Last year I didnt have to set up my tent, the person I went with did, this year, the person i am going with knows about as much as I do about setting up a tent.
I read the info my tent came with and hunted around on the website a little, but I didnt find anything.
Thank you for answering this...silly little questions.
( please no rude comments )
In the dust we trust,
Tears
See you soon!
I have a bit of a silly question ( about tents )
I have a bit of a silly question ( about tents )
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Tears 2003, 2004
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The Ties That Bind Me Hold My Soul
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Tears 2003, 2004
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[size=100][color=darkred]
The Ties That Bind Me Hold My Soul
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Lord knows I'm no expert, but I'd stake the upwind side down first. Then assemble tent, then rebar downwind side. That's worked for me in the past, but I'd strongly recommend that you take that sucker down to the park this weekend and set it up in the nice soft grass when the wind isn't blowing 50 mph. Practice makes perfect, and it gives you a chance to see if all the nuts and bolts are there.
“silly little questions”
No it is not a silly little question if you have not done it before.
I am assuming you are using a small “alpine” like tent, one that sleeps 2 to 6 people and you can not stand up in?
Start by staking down your ground cloth. This is the tarp or fabric that goes between the dirt and the tent.
Then erect the tent and position it on the ground cloth and stake it down.
This is under ideal conditions. Then there is real world.
1 The most important information item is this. Set the tent up at home before you try setting it up for real. You learn thing like “This would go a lot easier if I hade “X”. I set up my car port shade structure/tent this weekend and I lost 2 locking rings for the pins that hold it together. Also I realized that holding the struts in place was a lot easier with some motorcycle tie downs than fighting the #*^%#@%$ tensioning rods while trying to get the (&^$#@! turnbuckles in place. And wire to replace the lost rings and straps were 10 feet away. And it is way easier and less embarrassing to figure out the differents between a G-1 bracket and a G bracket at home.
2 If you have trouble staking down the ground cloth do not even think about trying to set the tent up. Sleep in the car. Way better than watching you tent disappear over the horizon. If conditions are marginal then set a couple of temporary stakes with ropes so you have something to lash to if things get bad.
3 My military training kicking in here but this is something that is not odious. Combat load your stuff into you vehicle. Combat loading just means loading the first thing you need on the playa is the last thing you load so it is on top. For me this means when I open up the truck bed I have my ground cloth, stakes, gloves and hammer right there. After staking down the cloth I have all the poles and container of connecters with rebar and rope next. After you have shelter the rest is what you deem important.
4 Have water readily available.
Enjoy
No it is not a silly little question if you have not done it before.
I am assuming you are using a small “alpine” like tent, one that sleeps 2 to 6 people and you can not stand up in?
Start by staking down your ground cloth. This is the tarp or fabric that goes between the dirt and the tent.
Then erect the tent and position it on the ground cloth and stake it down.
This is under ideal conditions. Then there is real world.
1 The most important information item is this. Set the tent up at home before you try setting it up for real. You learn thing like “This would go a lot easier if I hade “X”. I set up my car port shade structure/tent this weekend and I lost 2 locking rings for the pins that hold it together. Also I realized that holding the struts in place was a lot easier with some motorcycle tie downs than fighting the #*^%#@%$ tensioning rods while trying to get the (&^$#@! turnbuckles in place. And wire to replace the lost rings and straps were 10 feet away. And it is way easier and less embarrassing to figure out the differents between a G-1 bracket and a G bracket at home.
2 If you have trouble staking down the ground cloth do not even think about trying to set the tent up. Sleep in the car. Way better than watching you tent disappear over the horizon. If conditions are marginal then set a couple of temporary stakes with ropes so you have something to lash to if things get bad.
3 My military training kicking in here but this is something that is not odious. Combat load your stuff into you vehicle. Combat loading just means loading the first thing you need on the playa is the last thing you load so it is on top. For me this means when I open up the truck bed I have my ground cloth, stakes, gloves and hammer right there. After staking down the cloth I have all the poles and container of connecters with rebar and rope next. After you have shelter the rest is what you deem important.
4 Have water readily available.
Enjoy
Actually it is a Eurka Dome tent that sleeps 5 and is around 6 foot ft tall ( i am only 5'3 but i wanted a taller tent, all the bending would kill my back )
Thank you for the information everyone! I will indeed becareful when I set this sucker up all by myself!
Much Playa Love to you all,
Tears
Thank you for the information everyone! I will indeed becareful when I set this sucker up all by myself!
Much Playa Love to you all,
Tears
[size=84][color=red]
Tears 2003, 2004
[/color][/size]
[size=100][color=darkred]
The Ties That Bind Me Hold My Soul
[/color][/size]
Tears 2003, 2004
[/color][/size]
[size=100][color=darkred]
The Ties That Bind Me Hold My Soul
[/color][/size]
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thedrunkenmonkey
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 8:23 pm
I have that one.
Is it green and yellow and says "Equidome" on it?
Yeah, that's mine.
One thing I will be doing is: well, it's got a mesh top. And it's gonna be HOT come morning. I jiffypop out of it when I'm at SCA events, so I have a backup plan.
The shade structure. I am planning on:
1. rebarring the tarps I am setting up on.
2. Rebarring my shade structure, and adding guy wires (that glow in the dark! Whoo!)
3. Setting up the tent.
4. Rebarring the four corners of the tent on TOP of the tarps.
You will want someone to help you setting it up. I am 6'5" and I still have a bitch of a time setting mine up.
But...I have been told this tent will more than likely become either a wind tunnel or a parasail.
Hence the rebarring and the Kegs of BEER that will be in it to hold it down.
Is it green and yellow and says "Equidome" on it?
Yeah, that's mine.
One thing I will be doing is: well, it's got a mesh top. And it's gonna be HOT come morning. I jiffypop out of it when I'm at SCA events, so I have a backup plan.
The shade structure. I am planning on:
1. rebarring the tarps I am setting up on.
2. Rebarring my shade structure, and adding guy wires (that glow in the dark! Whoo!)
3. Setting up the tent.
4. Rebarring the four corners of the tent on TOP of the tarps.
You will want someone to help you setting it up. I am 6'5" and I still have a bitch of a time setting mine up.
But...I have been told this tent will more than likely become either a wind tunnel or a parasail.
Hence the rebarring and the Kegs of BEER that will be in it to hold it down.
BANANAPHONE!
With all this talk about rebar, dont forget to protect the ends of the rebar with 2 liter soda bottles taped to the bar. Your shins and the shins of fellow citizens will thank you for it.
As for setting up a tent, I've found that the cute little plastic tent stakes that come with most tents dont do shit on the playa, but are OK for guy lines or as temporary stakes. Use those to hold the tent down while you are driving in the rebar or military tent stakes.
Also get a good hammer or better yet a single-jack. (small sledgehammer) they work great for the hard surface.
As for setting up a tent, I've found that the cute little plastic tent stakes that come with most tents dont do shit on the playa, but are OK for guy lines or as temporary stakes. Use those to hold the tent down while you are driving in the rebar or military tent stakes.
Also get a good hammer or better yet a single-jack. (small sledgehammer) they work great for the hard surface.
"Be at one with the dust of the earth. This is primal union." - Lao Tsu
I am posting this on hammering anything into the Playa because Tears has expressed to me she might not have the strength to set her rebar stakes. And as I thought there might be others with similar concerns I will post here rather than PM Tears.
You do not need to be a circus strong man to set any kind of stake. Just pick the right tool. For Tears (5’3” female as posted here) I would suggest a 1 pound shorty sledge hammer. They also come in 2 and 4 pound sizes. Theses are nothing more than a sledge hammer head (a double blunt cylinder) on a normal hammer handle. The advantage over a regular claw hammer is it weighs more and has a way bigger face so if you are off a bit it still works.
And you do not need the testosterone pump to use them. Tap tap tap work just as well as WHAM WHAM WHAM. It just takes a bit longer. I am going to be using my 2 and 4 pound shorties to drive my 3 and 4 foot rebar’s in because it has been a couple of years since I use a full size sledge hammer. I know that there is a good chance I will break the full size with a bad swing.
Last piece of advice. Use full leather gloves when using shorty sledges especially when pounding in rebar. If you miss with the hammer there is a good chance the back of a hand will run right down the rebar. If you have the gloves with a cloth back it can really tear your hand up. And keep your feet out of the way too.
Do not stress. Practice. Get the tool and make sure it works for you. Do this at home so if it does not work you can solve it at home. Hammer those stakes in a dozen times or two. This will also let you practice stake extraction techniques.
You do not need to be a circus strong man to set any kind of stake. Just pick the right tool. For Tears (5’3” female as posted here) I would suggest a 1 pound shorty sledge hammer. They also come in 2 and 4 pound sizes. Theses are nothing more than a sledge hammer head (a double blunt cylinder) on a normal hammer handle. The advantage over a regular claw hammer is it weighs more and has a way bigger face so if you are off a bit it still works.
And you do not need the testosterone pump to use them. Tap tap tap work just as well as WHAM WHAM WHAM. It just takes a bit longer. I am going to be using my 2 and 4 pound shorties to drive my 3 and 4 foot rebar’s in because it has been a couple of years since I use a full size sledge hammer. I know that there is a good chance I will break the full size with a bad swing.
Last piece of advice. Use full leather gloves when using shorty sledges especially when pounding in rebar. If you miss with the hammer there is a good chance the back of a hand will run right down the rebar. If you have the gloves with a cloth back it can really tear your hand up. And keep your feet out of the way too.
Do not stress. Practice. Get the tool and make sure it works for you. Do this at home so if it does not work you can solve it at home. Hammer those stakes in a dozen times or two. This will also let you practice stake extraction techniques.
I am posting this on hammering anything into the Playa because Tears has expressed to me she might not have the strength to set her rebar stakes. And as I thought there might be others with similar concerns I will post here rather than PM Tears.
You do not need to be a circus strong man to set any kind of stake. Just pick the right tool. For Tears (5’3” female as posted here) I would suggest a 1 pound shorty sledge hammer. They also come in 2 and 4 pound sizes. Theses are nothing more than a sledge hammer head (a double blunt cylinder) on a normal hammer handle. The advantage over a regular claw hammer is it weighs more and has a way bigger face so if you are off a bit it still works.
And you do not need the testosterone pump to use them. Tap tap tap work just as well as WHAM WHAM WHAM. It just takes a bit longer. I am going to be using my 2 and 4 pound shorties to drive my 3 and 4 foot rebar’s in because it has been a couple of years since I use a full size sledge hammer. I know that there is a good chance I will break the full size with a bad swing.
Last piece of advice. Use full leather gloves when using shorty sledges especially when pounding in rebar. If you miss with the hammer there is a good chance the back of a hand will run right down the rebar. If you have the gloves with a cloth back it can really tear your hand up. And keep your feet out of the way too.
Do not stress. Practice. Get the tool and make sure it works for you. Do this at home so if it does not work you can solve it at home. Hammer those stakes in a dozen times or two. This will also let you practice stake extraction techniques.
You do not need to be a circus strong man to set any kind of stake. Just pick the right tool. For Tears (5’3” female as posted here) I would suggest a 1 pound shorty sledge hammer. They also come in 2 and 4 pound sizes. Theses are nothing more than a sledge hammer head (a double blunt cylinder) on a normal hammer handle. The advantage over a regular claw hammer is it weighs more and has a way bigger face so if you are off a bit it still works.
And you do not need the testosterone pump to use them. Tap tap tap work just as well as WHAM WHAM WHAM. It just takes a bit longer. I am going to be using my 2 and 4 pound shorties to drive my 3 and 4 foot rebar’s in because it has been a couple of years since I use a full size sledge hammer. I know that there is a good chance I will break the full size with a bad swing.
Last piece of advice. Use full leather gloves when using shorty sledges especially when pounding in rebar. If you miss with the hammer there is a good chance the back of a hand will run right down the rebar. If you have the gloves with a cloth back it can really tear your hand up. And keep your feet out of the way too.
Do not stress. Practice. Get the tool and make sure it works for you. Do this at home so if it does not work you can solve it at home. Hammer those stakes in a dozen times or two. This will also let you practice stake extraction techniques.
Sensei wrote:Lord knows I'm no expert, but I'd stake the upwind side down first. Then assemble tent, then rebar downwind side. That's worked for me in the past, but I'd strongly recommend that you take that sucker down to the park this weekend and set it up in the nice soft grass when the wind isn't blowing 50 mph. Practice makes perfect, and it gives you a chance to see if all the nuts and bolts are there.
OK...which is the upwind and downwind sides. I can't remember.....
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RingO'Fire
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 3:00 am
- Location: Chattanooga
"Upwind" is the direction from which the wind is coming, also known as the "windward" side in sailing. "Downwind" is the direction the wind is going, also known as the "lee" or "leeward" side in sailing.
What calsur was saying is that if you stake down the upwind side or your tent and/or groundcloth first, then it will be secure and wont go anywhere. This way, the downwind side can flap in the breeze until you get around to staking it down and it wont be a problem for you.
However, if you stake down the downwind side first, then the wind is likely to get under the upwind side and then lift up your tent and/or groundcloth and flip it upside down into the dirt. Then your tent/groundcloth will be flapping upside down in the wind until you go grab it and pull it back toward the upwind side to stake it down. It's just a whole lot easier to stake down the upwind side first.
What calsur was saying is that if you stake down the upwind side or your tent and/or groundcloth first, then it will be secure and wont go anywhere. This way, the downwind side can flap in the breeze until you get around to staking it down and it wont be a problem for you.
However, if you stake down the downwind side first, then the wind is likely to get under the upwind side and then lift up your tent and/or groundcloth and flip it upside down into the dirt. Then your tent/groundcloth will be flapping upside down in the wind until you go grab it and pull it back toward the upwind side to stake it down. It's just a whole lot easier to stake down the upwind side first.
...but it seemed like such a good idea at the time...