REI Hobitat 4 or 6 man tents

jofezasa · Post by **jofezasa** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:39 pm

Has anyone used these on the playa? If so, how did they fare?

4 man: http://www.rei.com/product/745758

6 man: http://www.rei.com/product/745759

Reviews are very mixed.

Coastburner · Post by **Coastburner** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:54 pm

I've never used this tent before but I've been looking for one that doesn't have the open mesh at the top. This looks like it has it but you can zip up the inside if you need to. Last year, I tried to tape my tent on both sides but ran out of tape after one side and my tent was full of dust immediately. As you know, the weather was wicked last year and it definately made a difference not to have any protection on one side. It goes to show you, make sure you prepare. For those that think this is all fun and games, well, it is as long as you're prepared. If not, it could be a long week for you.

Can't wait to come home.........Coastburner

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:06 pm

1) Overpriced

2) Mesh is no good on the playa

Orchid · Post by **Orchid** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:09 am

I have no opinion on the tents, since I can't get the page to load (wooooo DIALUP INTERNET!) but "Hobitat" sounds like it was designed for travelling hobbits.

jofezasa · Post by **jofezasa** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:24 am

Last year I opted for a Target special which did not fare well, partially due to human error partially due to cheap construction.

This year I have shade covered with a shelter systems dome and my camp mate has been looking at tents we (or at least she) can stand up in.

StevenGoodman · Post by **StevenGoodman** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:38 am

Unless you are going to use it for backpacking or something, I wouldn't use an REI tent on the playa.

Spend $400 instead of $300, and get a Springbar:
http://www.springbar.com/explore/vagabo ... bond4.html

Tough as nails, zip up tight. And HEAVY...

Or a Kodiak (Springbar knock-offs):
http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/products/6055.htm

And I have been on the playa in a $50 tent from Sears, and it worked OK. But it was a lower profile.

Martini Steve

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:03 pm

Louise and I looked at the 6-person Hobitat which was set up on the floor of an REI store, but there's no hope with all that mesh - very nice on a summer day with lots of grass, but you're not going to be able to tell the difference between the floor of your tent and the playa if we have dust storms like last year:

This is the inside of our North Face Trailhead 6. The relatively clean space on the floor to the left is where we had stuff that we pulled out of the tent. The tent was useless after that storm. We slept in our van Monday night (we helped in Exodus and could stay till Tuesday).

StevenGoodman · Post by **StevenGoodman** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 1:59 pm

My Springbar Traveler 5 handles all the dust storms fine. Yes, after 10 days of tracking in playa dust it was dusty inside. But no dust dunes!

But I don't worry much about the dust I track in; I just make sure to zip it up tight unless I am sitting right there to zip it up (if the wind picks up).

By the time I packed up (Tuesday morning), you couldn't see the carpet in front of my tent, since there was so much dust piled on top of it! Next year I am going to try and make some kind of low barrier around the front sitting area of my tent; so the dust dunes pile up on the outside of the area, and not all over my sitting area!

Martini Steve

MikeVDS · Post by **MikeVDS** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:05 pm

I like REI. If you don't like it, take it back. It is overpriced but I'm paying for the warranty they offer, which is basically good for life. I don't take things back for normal wear and tear but I know people do. I have saved $100's in broken items that I broke while I was using in what I considered a reasonable manner. I just replaced 2 cots that I broke at last burningman.

Anyway, that leads to my point that you should try it out and give us a review. If they suck... well, you're tough enough to stick needles through yourself so you'll live to tell the tale if they suck. Then you can always take them back. If you join their rewards (marketing) club, you don't even need to keep your receipt and you get 10% back to spend on their other "overpriced" goods.

MrMullen · Post by **MrMullen** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:07 pm

Walmart tent! By the time I have lost enough parts on it so that it is no longer usable, it is trashed and ready for the trash anyways. I am out $40 and ready to pick a new one. This takes about 4 years for me.

jofezasa · Post by **jofezasa** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:19 pm

Thanks for all of the feedback!

Post by **AntiM** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:01 am

Big 5 Sports, if you have one in your area. Cheap, and not Wal-Mart.

DragginLady · Post by **DragginLady** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:44 am

hmmm the Springbars and the Geodesic yurts are in the same price range... which one would be better?

I like the way the Yurt looks, but being able to stand up in more area of the Springbar looks tempting, too...

I am suffering from the inevitable Piscean inability to make decisions...
Help me out here!!!

jofezasa · Post by **jofezasa** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:18 am

Regarding the yurt versus Springbar, I am trying out a yurt for common space, 18' diameter, 9' high at the center, playa proven, but twice as spendy as the Springbar though more space for the same weight.

The balance I am hoping to strike is some savings (I appreciate Anti M's Big 5 suggestion) versus surviving the playa particularly after last year. I know the downfall of the Target special I got was partially human error and once that was rectified it was OK for the most part. It would also be nice to get something not 'Made in <insert distant country with poor labor laws>' if possible for a myriad of reasons

StevenGoodman · Post by **StevenGoodman** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:47 am

How easy is it to put up a yurt? A Springbar goes up in 10 minutes with one person, and most of the ten minutes is pounding rebar for the four corners.

But yurts are definitely a lot more fun!

Martini Steve

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:41 am

jofezasa, you should consider how to get those pins in a BM logo formation. :->

As an aside, there are many considerations on gear, and all those considerations are different for each person. Louise and I camp more often than Burning Man, so we buy a tent for quality and long-term use. Our last tent was an Armadillo, which lasted us camping at Burning Man, Death Valley on Thanksgivings, and more for about ten years. We've now got an MSR base camp tent, which we've used at Saline Valley (a hot springs near Death Valley) this past Turkeyday.

Another poster has said he uses a cheap tent for several years, then just buys a new one. I'd say that's a reasonable approach, too, if you're not going to use the tent more often than Burning Man. We do the same thing with some of our gear - it's just not worth buying good stuff that's going to be wrecked on the playa from the dust and sun, even if you have other uses from it.

Camp stoves are my biggest aggravation. The hoses rot from a combination of dust and sun, and I can't find small camping stoves where I can get replacement parts like hoses, gaskets, and fittings. Most companies just buy the entire thing from China now, and there are no spare parts anymore. However, I have two cheap stoves based on the assumption that one will fail on Tuesday. If you're going to buy cheap gear, back ups are a very good thing, in my humble opinion. (Even though we have a good, expensive tent, we have a back up.)

However you decide, have fun.

jofezasa · Post by **jofezasa** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:31 pm

Heh, phil, that's why I picked that shot!

Yeah, that's the thing. I have a small camping tent bought with quality in mind and the dome will be new this year (which claims about 30 minute setup) and my gf would like some place to sleep in which she can also stand. The question is how often it will get used and maybe the cheaper option is the way to go as long as it survives BRC.

Intubater69 · Post by **Intubater69** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:11 am

phil wrote:Louise and I looked at the 6-person Hobitat which was set up on the floor of an REI store, but there's no hope with all that mesh - very nice on a summer day with lots of grass, but you're not going to be able to tell the difference between the floor of your tent and the playa if we have dust storms like last year:

This is the inside of our North Face Trailhead 6. The relatively clean space on the floor to the left is where we had stuff that we pulled out of the tent. The tent was useless after that storm. We slept in our van Monday night (we helped in Exodus and could stay till Tuesday).

Hey Phil, as I am seriously considering the Trailhead 6, not just for the Playa, but reg. car camping as well, I am def. curious by your comment that the tent was useless after the storm. In what way? Dust? Damage? Inquiring minds want to know before I spend my Stimulating Check-a-rino.

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:32 am

> In what way? Dust?

Look at the picture in your quote of my post. See the dust on top of the box of Kleenex? See the dust on top of the bottle of water? See the dust on the stuff behind the tissues? The wrinkly thing on the right is a navy blue flannel shirt. Maybe the photo isn't big enough. The sides of the tissue box are what the top should look like. The water bottle above its holder should be clear plastic; the mouthpiece should be all white plastic.

All our gear was so coated in playa powder we couldn't tell where the playa ended and the bottom of the tent began. Take a look at this larger photo:

You may need to click to view full size; if so, I recommend it. The fan is made of clear plastic, and normally you can see the batteries and wiring in the base. The box it's on should be white, as on the sides. And see those earplugs? Eyeeew.

Now, the good thing is, the tent held up under the wind fine. No problems with the wind at all. It just has so many vents that it doesn't keep the dust out any more than our shade structure did. We had the fly down on the ground at all times, and the fly and tent were staked with rebar.

We've kept the tent as we think it will be a good summer tent in grassy campgrounds, but we'll never take it to a Burn again. We bought a replacement when we got back from BM.

I keep firmly in mind, though, that everyone's needs and judgments are different. The tent may work out fine for many others.

DragginLady · Post by **DragginLady** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:15 pm

ok i bit the bullet and ordered the Springbar tent... it will work as part of a U-shape for camp better than the yurt....
but, Phil... hope you did not jinx me in the camp stove dept... now I feel i should take a back up!!!!

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:29 pm

I always liked this one.
Only drawback I see is weight.
And they will never take wind like a dome can.

http://www.springbar.com/explore/expand ... _tent.html

DragginLady · Post by **DragginLady** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:17 pm

That one looks good; I got the Vagabond 4, which looks like a good enough size... I think its kinda funny to be going back to canvas tents after all these years...
I like the domes, but really, we have had no problems with the shade structures or tents that we have used the last two years.
Nothing came even close to blowing over....
Geez... I am soooo looking forward to Burning Man; it is gonna be awesome again!!

StevenGoodman · Post by **StevenGoodman** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:43 pm

The Springbar expandable series is very nice, but unless you are actually buy extra modules it is extra money.

Currently I recommend the Vagabond series, now that they have an optional (detachable) canopy. Especially for Burning Man the extra windows of the "Deluxe" series aren't useful.

I have a Traveler 5, but if I was getting a new one I would get a Vagabond 7.

You will want 4 heavy duty stakes or bent rebar for the four corners. And two good stakes (for the middle of the front and back). That is all you really need, even on the playa.

Martini Steve

DrPeffer · Post by **DrPeffer** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:56 pm

I've used the REI base camp 6 two years running now, and it has performed brilliantly, even through the two 'big' dust storms last year. Properly-staked, it's excellent.

jofezasa · Post by **jofezasa** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:30 am

[quote="DrPeffer"]I've used the REI base camp 6 two years running now, and it has performed brilliantly, even through the two 'big' dust storms last year. Properly-staked, it's excellent.[/quote]

In the end, that's what she is getting as it seems a good middle ground between the Hobitat and the Springbar. And SHE can stand in it even if I can't quite.

Intubater69 · Post by **Intubater69** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:09 am

Hi Phil, considering ur dusty eared avatar, I thought it was probably the dust but the pic ur posting isnt showing up on my end, although I can see other pics in other posts.
Most of my camping is done in and around michigan so dust isnt much of a problem and I'm interested in a bigger tent that I can standup in and can standup to abuse.
Ive read AntiM's posts about covering the vents etc so once i get the tent I will take stock of what I need to do to mitigate the problem.

AlmostJaded · Post by **AlmostJaded** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:35 am

The springbar tent is worth every penny you spend on it the minute the first dust storm hits. It's tough as nails, keeps the dust out, you can stand up in it and it's like having a small studio apartment out on the playa. The only drawback is that it's HEAVY.

phil · Post by **phil** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:11 am

> Most of my camping is done in and around michigan so dust isnt
> much of a problem and I'm interested in a bigger tent that I can
> standup in and can standup to abuse.

Then the tent will fill your bill. Sorry you can't see the photos; I'm not sure why. Here's a plain URL:

http://civex.smugmug.com/gallery/432849 ... 0292_fesej
That's the first of three photos of our dust-filled tent; thumbnails on the left; hover over the photo to get a menu to choose larger sizes (I'd suggest XLarge).

As I said, we're keeping the tent because we think it'll be useful on other camping trips, so if your primary use is around Michigan, I think you'll be happy. Definitely standing head room, it's a _huge_ tent. I really would have liked it to work for us on the playa, and I hope it'll work for you. It stood up fine to the wind, as I may have mentioned, with rebar stakes and no external guys.

I never remember to take photos of our tents at Burning Man, so I'll try to remember to take photos of our MSR tent this year. Here it is at Saline Valley:

http://civex.smugmug.com/gallery/432853 ... 2925_y2TQi
More thumbnails on the left. Viewing large isn't especially helpful in these photos.

Good luck and have fun.

Intubater69 · Post by **Intubater69** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:18 pm

Holy Sahara Desert Phil

I see what you mean about the dust. I've looked at the Springbars and the kodiaks and while they look bombproof I do like the design of the Trailhead 6 better, not to mention lighter weight. I've been looking at a variety of tents online and this one earns more stars in my book. It seems to have a smaller vented section in the roof then many other tents but thats from only looking at pics on websites. I did stop by my local REI but they had only 2 sm backpacking tents set up. I've read what AntiM posted about how she covered her mesh sections and will do the same, and also cover my bed etc with a spare sheet.

And coming from someone who has always felt that they were born 20 minutes into the future it will be nice to finally make it home

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:34 pm

StevenGoodman wrote:Or a Kodiak (Springbar knock-offs):
http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/products/6055.htm

Martini Steve

We just ordered a Kodiak 10x10 from Cabelas. We are having to shift gears on our travel plans thanks to gas prices so the truck and camper are out and its back to a tent.

I set up my big nylon cabin tent to air it out and check to make sure it was all nice and tight and looked at all that beautiful air flow/star gazing mesh that lives across the top of it and said to myself, "Self, this ain't gonna work."

They had some nice chaise loungers on sale too so the front porch will be comfy.

I'll bring the smurf fucker fixins.

REI Hobitat 4 or 6 man tents

REI Hobitat 4 or 6 man tents

Great find! Thanks!

tents

springbar

Springbar!