dome tents

Ideas, advice, tips, and tricks regarding shelter, shade, tents, and camping. Yes, this includes RV's too.
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cullen
Posts: 215
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2008 3:19 pm
Location: Kennesaw Ga

Post by cullen » Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:28 pm

just buy a bus!

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gyre
Posts: 15457
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 6:01 pm
Location: ΦάÏ

Post by gyre » Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:47 pm

It's a buzzword for serious tents.

Most tents are such crap, they don't qualify as one season tents.

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dr.placebo
Posts: 980
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2004 3:03 pm
Burning Since: 1999
Camp Name: Cleu Camp
Location: Volcano, HI
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Post by dr.placebo » Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:38 pm

I used the 18' version of the Shelter Systems dome last year for BM 2008. It held up reasonably well in the wind, although I had to add some guy wires to one side for one of the storms to keep it from collapsing. I was in one of the 30' or 32' versions during a big storm

This dome does keep out most of the dust, but not all of it. The biggest drawback is how it heats up during the day, being a kind of greenhouse. It was reasonably easy for one person (me) to put up and take down, although it took closer to an hour than the 30 minutes their web site claims.

One big advantage it has is the weight. It can be wrapped up into two bundles, each of which one person can carry without difficulty, and the bundles can be transported on top of a baby SUV (Rav4, in my case). The bundles are bulky, though.

I've also used it once during a rainstorm (not at BM) and it worked quite well. Surprising leak free, although the wind was not strong at the time.

The cost is fairly high, but not extreme given the advantages. It's complete overkill for one person, but we had a group of 8 comfortably seated during some of the big storms in 2008, and probably had room for more. The PVC parts are easily replaced, although I've not had to do so yet.

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