Taking tent recommendations

Sun Chaser · Post by **Sun Chaser** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:44 pm

I haven't done the tent thing since '07 and my stuff was really covered in playa dust due to having a shoddy tent. As such, I was hoping that you veteran tent users would recommend to me the best tent on the market to stand up to the BM whiteouts. Thanks!

skinnay · Post by **skinnay** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:55 pm

ive heard lots of good things about springbars, and just ordered a springbar compact for this year.

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 12:35 am

I've helped put my friends up a couple times, once for three days on the playa. This is a heavy weight canvas tent with solid spring steel rods and poles. It is rated for heavy wind and rain. There are a few models that would work, depending on your needs. It's reported it can do it, and I see no reason to doubt it. If you can deal with the weight and the cost, get it.

Oh yeah, they sell long stakes, 15" and 18" I think. These are the V shape and will hold very well. I don't know how they pull out, though. One of the reasons I like rebar, It drives nicely with a 3 or 4# hammer and pull with vicegrips.

http://www.springbar.com/

lemur · Post by **lemur** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:38 am

if weight/space is no concern: springbar compact

if weight/space is a concern: bibbler ahwahnee

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:05 am

Put up shade that is a full time windbreak with sides and any enclosed tent will do.

Any four or five season tent will work, with braces.

I got by with a lightweight but enclosed cabin tent by covering it with heavy vinyl last year.

Some build box houses if you can carry the parts.

Mesh is not your friend.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 5:20 am

Kodiak Canvas tents. Everything good about Springbar, plus some improvements for $100 to $150 less.

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:08 am

The Springbars are American Made, if that makes any difference.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 12:49 pm

No experience with them, but I think the warranty alone would be worth dealing with springbar.

And cabela's has other playa usable tents, better than the kodiak, I think.
Oddly the alaska outfitter is not one of them.
It has fixed vents and is not fit for alaska, or anywhere more extreme than santa barbara.
Rugged otherwise.

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 1:23 pm

Even a cheap Coleman type family size tent will work...just make sure you set it up behind a suitable windbreak (RV, another big tent), and secure it with 10" long tent nails (4-pack most sporting goods stores).

Stitch blanket segments to the overhead mesh cut to fit to minimize dust filtering inside. Keep it zipped up when you're out and about.

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:34 pm

Yes, I had a Coleman dome tent set up behind my motorhome to store stuff in and except for the dust that blew in through the vents, which I did not block, it was fine. It would have done nicely had I put something up on the mesh.