Tents

[Moonpie]

Anybody have a recommendation for a good Burning Man tent? I know I want white and preferably a canvas/lite fabric blend. I want it roomy at least 8X12...but most important is wind proof as I have seen many tents destroyed by the wind there (ouch!)

I usually RV camp and we get a lot of tents wanting to camp near us for wind shedding. I want to be able to be a free standing tent without worries of blowing over....

Thanks!!!

[Toolmaker]

For large incursions into the wild I have a preference to domes and large military spec tents of canvas. A "command" tent of heavy canvas can weigh up to 100lbs. but will last you many many years. If you opt for a dome try to use stainless hardware so the alkali won't rust it up. Also eyebolts in a few spots will will allow you to have a hammock inside and have places to hang shit.

Use the search feature here and you will find a ton of helpful links and information all over the place.

[StevenGoodman]

I use a Springbar Model 5001. 10'x10'. Very tough.

www.springbar.com

They are just heavy and expensive, but will last longer than most people. A bunch of the Utah burners have Springbar tents.

[gyre]

You don't want white unless it's material that blocks all light.
You want to keep the heat out.
If you have shade over it, the color won't matter.
Shade is a good idea.
You need a tent that closes up.
Many new tents don't.

[MrMullen]

Goto Walmart and get the tent that is the size you are looking for. Goto to your local hardware store and get 3/8 inch rebar, make sure to candy cane it so your camp mates don't end up with Rebar Foot.

The whole debate of tents being strong enough is all a crock of shit. I have a big family tent I got from Walmart for $50 and it has served me well for 2 Burningmans, 6 regional events and a dozen camping trips. It's easy to set up, handles the wind well and takes down easy. The only trick is to fold it properly so it goes back in to the carry pack as it should.

Just make sure that if you tent has 12 places to rebar down, that you rebar down all of the places. Don't use 4 rebars and say that is enough. Use too many if possible.

I even lost the rain fly at my last Burningman (Technically, it is packed in someone else's gear) and called up the company that makes them for WalMart and got a new one for $18. I was very happy!

[Dork]

My $40 piece-o-crap held together just fine last year. The only reason I replaced the previous $30 piece-o-crap is I wanted something tall enough to stand up in. I'd rather spend my money on good shade big enough to go over several tents. Run your camp's cars in a line as a wind break. The worst thing any of my campmates have run into in 6 years has been broken zippers. They can usually be repaired onsite if you know how.

I did use a canvas cabin tent one year and it was great other than the zipped had been thoroughly trashed by the previous owner. I would have still wanted shade over it, though.

[Moonpie]

Thanks all...it just seems that I've seen broken poles and tents sailing over the playa. It seems the last 4 years I've gone to BM the conditions have been pretty mild. I just want the tent I buy to withstand Katrina type winds that none of us have seen yet at BM. (Okay, I am crazy obsessive) I've got a costumed, gorgeous high end female with us and she wouldn't like knocking on others doors looking for a place to sleep (tho most all would like to see that!)

A "normal" cheap tent, I think, would get hot in the daytime and I just don't want to be beholding to another camp's shade structure or wind break...by the way, Singularity looks less populated than BM so I believe I need to be more self sufficent anyway...

[gyre]

My walmart tent lasted ten minutes and the wind ripped the tiny zippers so badly they could not be repaired.
And the tent had big mesh areas to collect dust that did not close anyway.
There are a few cheap four season tents out there, but rare.

My Jansport tent was polyester and nylon and very expensive,
a freestanding dome good for 100 mph.
I used it many years until it was stolen.
Worth the money.

I saw a dome built of flimsy pvc and duct tape bungee cords.
It looked ridiculous and bent and flopped in the wind.
And it worked.
The flexibility made it survive.

If I haven't found a decent tent by next year, I am thinking of building a square hut with double walls for heat shielding.
Useless in rain, but they seem to work in sun.

And I am still looking for 100% aluminet.
Reflective and blocks sun.
And not imported by Aluminet usa.
Anybody else want some?

[BAS]

And I am still looking for 100% aluminet.
Reflective and blocks sun.
And not imported by Aluminet usa.
Anybody else want some?

Depends upon my financial situation. If I have a decent income when you find it, yes, otherwise I will just have to make do with whatever I can afford at the time.

Keep us informed! I think there probably are quite a few people who will be interested!



B.

[Moonpie]

What is Aluminet? Is it rainproof/ sun resistant?

[skygod]

Whatever tent you use, you will still need some shade over it.

Bring something to unclog the dust from the zippers!

[CapSmashy]

What is Aluminet? Is it rainproof/ sun resistant?

http://www.ae-zone.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=aluminetfaq

[phil]

Whatever tent you use, you will still need some shade over it.

Bring something to unclog the dust from the zippers!

Louise and I are on the day shift. We never go in our tent during the day, and it remains unshaded, as thor intended.

On the zippers, though, skygod is right on. I bring bicycle chain lube in a squeeze bottle. That playa powder will cause your zipper to freeze somwhere along the line. A little squeeze in the recalcitrant spot frees it right up.

[MikeVDS]

Shade is not needed if you don't hang out there during the day (which I would not recommend, even if it was cool.

Zippers are fine if you get a tent with good zippers. A mid to high end eureka tent will have high quality zippers. (I haven't looked into their cheapies so I can't speak for them). The reason I started buying eureka tents was because of the zipper quality compared to the many other brands I've used. There are probably other good ones out there too.

[gyre]

Aluminet solid is sold all over the world except here.
There was a dome of it in 2005 and probably back 2006.
It is an HDPE uv resistant material that is aluminized like aluminized mylar.
It looks like silver lame and is very tough and as reflective as a flexible material can be.
They stopped importing it.
We have to find stock in the us or ask for enough to persuade them to import it.
Or we can import it ourselves.
70% and 80% is sold in the usa but it is a mesh.
DS and RDS is the solid, I think.

http://www.tenax-net.de/2/landwirtschaf ... schaft.htm

Those who don't need some sleep in the morning may find it nice to preserve food and ice with shade.
It makes a huge difference to the cooler.
I usually don't need ice for at least a week.

[gyre]

Another Tenax webhouse.
I'm not sure if there are any differences.

http://www.tenax.net/agriculture/products/aluminet.htm

[Dork]

Shade is not needed if you don't hang out there during the day (which I would not recommend, even if it was cool.

I don't like sleeping at night and can't sleep in the heat or in the open when people are milling about, so that extra few hours of cool provided by good shade are like gold to me. To each his own.

[MikeVDS]

I like to wake up and look around occasionally when people are milling. Daytime naps are usually on carpet under a carport.

[Moonpie]

WOW...great thread and thoughts! We are night people and usually sleep until 1:00 or so in the air conditioned RV. I was most intrigued with the Utah Burners Springbar tents as they seem big and roomy (and white). Maybe I need a tent and shade structure over the tent....don't know yet...is that going to keep the tent cool during the day so we can sleep?? How do you secure a shade structure over one tent and secure it?

[StevenGoodman]

I cover my Springbar tent with two of the white snow camo tarps. It keeps the daytime temperature within reason. It isn't "cool", nothing is cool on the playa (when it is 95+F outside), unless you have some kind of AC. But it isn't hot and stuffy, like my old dark nylon tent was.

[Moonpie]

How are you securing the tarps above the tents? I definitely saw tarps blown down by the wind...

Is your tarp for your tent only or are you sharing a tarp with other tents (as I often saw)?

[MikeVDS]

Some tarps have holes in the corners that you can put stakes through. You can tuck under your tent if you have heavy stuff in it, or you can make a frame for it, like a mini carport or EZ up. I saw people use duct tape and it seemed to work, but IMO not the best way.

[MrMullen]

Zippers are fine if you get a tent with good zippers. A mid to high end eureka tent will have high quality zippers. (I haven't looked into their cheapies so I can't speak for them). The reason I started buying eureka tents was because of the zipper quality compared to the many other brands I've used. There are probably other good ones out there too.

That is the only down side to my cheapo Walmart tent. The zippers will break if you let someone who does not handle it properly. My got busted by a couple of dumb asses that could not handle the concept of "Becareful with the zipper!" It took me about 30 minutes to fix it but it was a major hassle. Other than that, it's a great cheap tent.

[StevenGoodman]

The tent on the right is my Springbar at Singularity. I was using regular camo netting instead of snow camo, it was handy. (I put snow camo over my car.) The snow camo has string ties on the edges, I just tie it to whatever is handy, the rebar in the corners, etc.



Unfortunately I don't take pictures of my tent!

[MrMullen]

What I need is some cammo netting but the problem is that it is fairly expensive. I just need to know where to get it without spending a ton of money.

Anyone know where I can get enough to shade a 18 x 9 tent and not spend more than $40 or so?

[misfit]

[url]http://www.vtarmynavy.com/desert-camo-netting.htm[/url]

[StevenGoodman]

This is cheaper? Same stuff?

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=180356

[Moonpie]

Does camo really reflect and cool that much? Camo seems pretty "holey" and a lot of gaps to provide much heat protection?

[MrMullen]

Does camo really reflect and cool that much? Camo seems pretty "holey" and a lot of gaps to provide much heat protection?

Tents on the Playa turn into ovens as soon as the sun rises. No joke.
You will not be able to sleep after 10:00a in a tent. Shade helps a lot.

[MikeVDS]

The more shade the better. Camo netting I've seen is probably about 80-90% shade. 100% is better but avoiding 90% of that radiated energy is nice.