Thanks for the tips. I'll take your word. My first year I brought nothing, also had a smaller tent so hoping this year will be better. My 2nd year had a great structure that an ex and I built, however I no longer have that. Looks like I'll wing it without and hope for the best.Dr. Pyro wrote:I would go to Home Despot and buy four large orange stakes. Use them as you would rebar and anchor the hell out of your structure. Also duct tape every corner and where anything can tear apart. You cannot make it too strong. Frankly I think you will be very disappointed and the first large wind will tear the hell out of it. But hopefully I'm wrong. But having been out there for the last 17 years, I doubt that I'm wrong. And there's not a chance it would have stood up to last year's weather. If a wind storm can tear apart Xara (Google it) you don't stand a chance. And that's me being optimistic.
Thank you for confirming. Much appreciated.Captain Goddammit wrote:Yeah that thing is awful wimpy for desert winds. If you don't think it'll stand up on the roof of your car on the freeway, it's not strong enough.
Haha, thank you so much for the advice. Our camp isn't that big, so not banking on much wind blocking. Great idea with tossing rope over the structure to secure it.dustyfux wrote:If you can build this configuration between two panel trucks deep inside a neighborhood that's got good windblock - you may just got it made, babe. Get 5 or 6 long stakes and pound them in. Tie or duct tape all the legs to a stake. Toss a rope over and secure in 3 places. Cross your fingers and say a prayer.
Or we get there and its 85, no clouds, no wind, no dust. I dunno, weather forecasting isn't my bag.
Craig!! You are camping with my old camp, Big Puffy Yellow!! Nice! Have fun. I'll probably see you at the 420 party. Thank you for your optimism!Leap wrote:Tara when you get to camp look for me, Craig. I may be new but I'm setting rather low expectations about weather. We'll figure out how to make the best of it. I'll have gorilla tape, tie straps, and an appetite for risk.
Thank you so much. I appreciate you taking the time to chime in.trilobyte wrote:I'm giving this a nudge over to the building camps & villages board, since that's a better fit for discussions about shade structures.
Others have said it well, even in a good weather year you could face several hours at a time of strong winds, or in a real kickup it's not uncommon for gusts and sustained winds of 50mph or more. As for shading and cooling, it may depend on what that roof material is made of (if it's a solid UV blocker it may be great), how far the roof of your tent is from that structure's roof (you need a foot to a foot and a half in order for the heat that radiates downward from the canopy to dissipate), and of course how long you can keep it shaded. On a small structure without side walls, you'll have a square section of shade that will move across the desert throughout the day.
All that said, anything is better than nothing - camping in a tent without some kind of shade over it will get really uncomfortable really quickly during the day.
Good luck!
I had to review my posts to find my way back home. I hear that. Pretty much how my first year went. At least we have a nice shade structure at camp to hang out in and of coarse the many other places on the playa.Elorrum wrote:I nap in the shade, and stay out of my unshaded tent during the day. It can be done.
