Question about your shade structure and hauling it.

shroom · Post by **shroom** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:12 am

I've been searching and searching about your tent/shade structures. I don't see many people telling what you haul your stuff in.

I have a Nissan Frontier. (smaller truck if you don't know what it is) I plan on using a small trailer of some sort since I am coming from Georgia, I trying to keep my load small as possible for the long haul.

I like the teardrop trailers and really want one. If I get one and bring it to burning man, I will probably not sleep in it. I like the little kitchen's they have, and it'd be more room for gear. Like this one: http://info.detnews.com/pix/joyrides/20 ... railer.jpg

I like the idea of the carports for shade, but would it fit on my truck? I suppose that is my main question.

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:18 am

> I like the idea of the carports for shade, but would it fit on my truck?

The easy answer is, what are the lengths of the support poles? If the support poles can be carried on your truck, the shade will fit. The longest poles on my shade are 10 feet long.

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:52 am

I LOVE LOVE teardrop trailers. My friend has one. It's hard to change your clothes in them though.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:01 am

For the carport I got last year, the uprights were in two pieces so they were 4-5 feet long. A big heavy box contained everything and I had no problem fitting it into my Toyota Tacoma.

shroom · Post by **shroom** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:12 am

Ugly Dougly wrote:For the carport I got last year, the uprights were in two pieces so they were 4-5 feet long. A big heavy box contained everything and I had no problem fitting it into my Toyota Tacoma.

Thanks! I'll have to start checking them out. I was really worried that it wouldn't fit at all.

shroom · Post by **shroom** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:14 am

Boijoy wrote:I LOVE LOVE teardrop trailers. My friend has one. It's hard to change your clothes in them though.

I fell in love with them a few years back when I saw a show about them. The hubby and I are trying to decide between building one from scratch or buying a used one and fixing it up.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:43 am

You can break poles into shorter pieces.
All depends.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:44 am

Then you can superglue the pieces together once you get to the playa. Simple.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:55 am

Or you could use a connector like everyone else.

http://shelsys.com/catalog/accessories.html

Lord Of Ruin · Post by **Lord Of Ruin** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:44 pm

Keep in mind also....

My Costco carport's poles were over 6 feet...for the smallest ones.

Also surprising to me...it's very bulky and weighs over 150 lbs with all the poles and the cover!

Keep it in mind. If you aren't going to use it, why bring the teardrop? One of the littlest UHauls would work perfectly, and I don't believe they charge mileage on them. You'd be able to pull easily (just slightly larger than the teardrop) and put all your gear neatly inside. You can then position it as a windbreak for camp too.

LoR

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:57 pm

Teardrops can be built very light.

Lord Of Ruin · Post by **Lord Of Ruin** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:08 pm

gyre wrote:Teardrops can be built very light.

Right...but the poster was saying they were gonna bring a teardrop to use essentially as a gear repository.

So I was saying you could get one of the little UHaul trailers that are just a little bigger than that that would server that purpose, not get all playa-ified, and would likely be able to hold the carport poles better than the teardrop.

LoR

shroom · Post by **shroom** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:43 pm

I figure if I'm going to pull a trailer, I might as well buy the one I want instead of getting a u-haul.

Thanks for all the carport info.

Has anyone here every slept in a teardrop at burning man? I did a search and didn't see that either.

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:23 pm

> Has anyone here every slept in a teardrop at burning man? I did
> a search and didn't see that either.

http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/2009/08/ ... ler-house/
http://www.ehow.com/video_2359381_survi ... g-man.html
http://earth.burningman.com/brc/2009/playa_event/730/

viajera80 · Post by **viajera80** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:21 pm

I am the writer of the ehow post above and yes, I have brought my teardrop to five Burns. I sleep wonderfully in it. It does get a little hot during the day, but it works well to keep one door/window (facing the sun) covered up with aluminum foil and then keep the other door open for fresh air. I sometimes sleep in it with my head inside and my legs hanging out the door.

Cooking out of the back is great too since you are not stuck inside a trailer to do your cooking. I do have an REI Alcove for shade and the teardrop hatch opens up right underneath it.

Here are some pics of my tear.

http://tinyhouseblog.com/travel-trailer ... p-trailer/

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:37 pm

I can't understand about those little teardrops... they REALLY SUCK at being trailers, but people like them because they're cute. The interiors are ultra cramped and the kitchens don't really have anything. If you're into retro coolness, have you considered a vintage "real" trailer? They're still crude compared to more modern ones (but can be updated) but have infinitely greater usefulness. You can actually stand in them, a LOT more stuff fits, and the small ones are still plenty light to be towed by a small truck.
You have somewhere to hang your fabulous Playa outfits, and with a polish job on the aluminum or just fresh paint (it's gotta be two-tone!) and some steel wheels with whitewalls and baby moons, you're looking sharp too.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:49 am

Some of these can be pulled by 2CVs.

An airstream is a tank by comparison.

Bluemandrew · Post by **Bluemandrew** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:39 am

Captain Goddammit wrote:I can't understand about those little teardrops... they REALLY SUCK at being trailers, but people like them because they're cute. The interiors are ultra cramped and the kitchens don't really have anything. If you're into retro coolness, have you considered a vintage "real" trailer? They're still crude compared to more modern ones (but can be updated) but have infinitely greater usefulness. You can actually stand in them, a LOT more stuff fits, and the small ones are still plenty light to be towed by a small truck.
You have somewhere to hang your fabulous Playa outfits, and with a polish job on the aluminum or just fresh paint (it's gotta be two-tone!) and some steel wheels with whitewalls and baby moons, you're looking sharp too.

I've been looking into teardrops recently for a few reasons. One, my tow vehicle is a 4 cylinder neon, so super light is the way to go. Two, I don't want a trailer with real gadgets etc, I'm just too lazy to pack all of my camping gear in my car and set it all up every time I want to get into the woods for a weekend. With a teardrop, I can go away on a friday night after work, pull into camp, and build a fire. Otherwise I'm stuck unpacking rubbermaid totes in the dark.

That being said I think it would be a waste if your making something just for the Burn. A hexayurt fits nicely on a small trailer with a ton more gear than a teardrop can hold

Jackass · Post by **Jackass** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 5:45 am

You should look in to getting yourself a pop-up tent trailer. They're a bit heavier than a teardrop but they don't offer to much wind resistance since they're relatively low profile. You can stand up inside, move around, plenty of space/seating, small range and sink and you can still haul quite a bit inside or lashed to the roof. I too have a frontier and this was the best idea I could come up with. I bought one back in feb. for $500 and been making in playa proof and customizing it for my specific needs, it's turning out to be really sweet!! Next weekend will be my maiden voyage to the high country, see how the 4-cylinder can handle the load! Best of luck to you on your cross-country voyage... man burns in 85 days!!!! :shock:

archeolojust · Post by **archeolojust** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 8:42 pm

Looking to bring a shade structure (and rest of stuff) from GA. I drive a Celica and cannot rent a car as I'm only 23. I'm looking to find a flatbed or some such to trail behind me, but I'm not sure where to get one for cheapish, or alternate options.

The shade we bought supplies for is the Monkey Love Hut. If you cut the PVC, does it compromise he structure? Any ideas how to haul them out in one piece?