Tents w/ Mesh Panels / Rainflys / Dust

Rendrag · Post by **Rendrag** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 9:29 pm

Been shopping for tents at local sporting good shops and big box stores. Nearly every damn tent I’ve found has mesh panels on the upper portions of at least two exterior ‘walls’ to allow for ventilation and/or along the top to act as a skylight. While most of these tents come with a rain fly, they don’t seem to offer zipper panels that cover the mesh panels. (At least the ones that I’ve seen actually setup in the stores.) My concern with this type of design is that a strong wind will travel under/up the rain fly and through the tent leaving mountains of playa dust inside.

Is this a valid concern or will a rain fly which offers ‘full coverage’ be enough to keep the interior of the tent from becoming a cat box?

Zona_the_stona · Post by **Zona_the_stona** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:07 pm

I recently bought a tent with this same design and that thought had crossed my mind. Maybe you could put a white sheet inbetween the rain fly and the tent. Or you could just cover your bedding with a big sheet everyday to help keep dust out of your bed at very least. My guess is that you will get dust everywhere no matter what.

_tears_ · Post by **_tears_** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:12 pm

From MY personal experiance, last year, even with the rain fly I had a great deal of unneeded dust in my tent.

This year however I was lucky enough to find a tent where the "mesh" areas zipped so they could be covered along with the rain fly, so this year i feel it will be better.

I suggest either finding a way to cover the mesh, or bring a large sheet ( or two ) to put over your things and just shake it out when you are in for the night

PetsUntilEaten · Post by **PetsUntilEaten** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:01 pm

I've used the sheet-over-my-bed&pillows method for five years which is enough. However, I have dreamt of making zippered covers. It always falls the back & undone part of my Burning Man to do list.

Rendrag · Post by **Rendrag** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:03 pm

_tears_ wrote:...This year however I was lucky enough to find a tent where the "mesh" areas zipped...

If you don't mind me asking: where? how much? how big?

Feel free to email with a response if you don't want to post it here.

Thanks!

Sandwichman · Post by **Sandwichman** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:58 pm

I have actually thought of using garbage bags and heavy duty tape to cover the mesh areas. It would be extra work but I think a bit worth it.

Jason

Rendrag · Post by **Rendrag** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:39 am

Sandwichman wrote:I have actually thought of using garbage bags and heavy duty tape to cover the mesh areas.
Jason

Thanks! That's a good idea if I can't find a tent with zip panels that cover mesh areas.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 8:59 am

Pitch the tent downwind of your suburban utility vehicle or a windbreak fence. "Downwind" is NE, generally.

Post by **AntiM** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:10 am

We don't put on the rain fly, the tent is already under a canopy, so we aren't worried about downpours. Then, to cover the mesh areas on top, we use spring clamps to keep a cheap king sized comforter thrown over the top securely in place, or sometimes a thick padded wedding kimono. It is a small tent, no uncovered mesh on the sides, holds up well in tropical torrential rain, so I have faith in the seams and zipper flaps.

This method not only keeps out the dust quite effectively, but also provides insulation from both hot and cold, and looks good too. We're quite careful to only go in the tent to sleep, we clean our feet and the worst of our outer dust off before crashing, and never open the tent during duststorms. Nothing except bedding is stored in the tent, all our small, loose gear goes in the jeep or on the trailer when not in use. We have a shaded cot elsewhere for daytime naps.

We tried a four person tent with our nieces one year, never again. They left it open, went in and out constantly, left drifts of stuff around, and slept in whatever they'd been running around in. And we had no couple time in private whatsoever. Call me anal and picky, but this year the niece (different one) gets her own tent. We're back in our two person snuggle nest.

The comforter is Starry Night, $24 at Ross Dress for Less. It will go one the neice's tent, we'll use the wedding kimono again. Spring clamps: most automotive places or harbor freight, invaluable for quick, secure hold stuff in place moments.

pixiecup · Post by **pixiecup** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 3:48 pm

I was wondering this as well. Would it be a good idea to buy a large silver tarp (I found one at Home Depot a Menards that is a boat-covering tarp) and fasten it to the rebar of the tent?

Or is this a really bad idea?

_tears_ · Post by **_tears_** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 8:58 pm

Rendrag wrote:
_tears_ wrote:...This year however I was lucky enough to find a tent where the "mesh" areas zipped...
If you don't mind me asking: where? how much? how big?

Feel free to email with a response if you don't want to post it here.

Thanks!

I found it at a random outlet store in Sacramento. It was the LAST one in the store. It was an "out-dated" model. It was a 2002 "model"

Just keep your eyes open -- it was just luck that I found it.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 5:50 am

pixiecup wrote:I was wondering this as well. Would it be a good idea to buy a large silver tarp (I found one at Home Depot a Menards that is a boat-covering tarp) and fasten it to the rebar of the tent?

Or is this a really bad idea?

...Beware the Giant Tarp. Giant tarp equals very efficient sail, for your camp.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 8:11 am

Sandwichman wrote:I have actually thought of using garbage bags and heavy duty tape to cover the mesh areas. It would be extra work but I think a bit worth it.

I say don't do it. There may be times when you want a breeze moving through the tent.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:58 pm

First few years I had a dome tent with mesh top. I put the rain cover on and then just draped an old sheet over that and made sure it was secure. I was under a larger tarp so no worries about rain. The covering sheet secured at the bottom sides of the tent, was enough to keep out most dust. It still gets in no matter what you do, but you can minimize it a bit.
Now using a bigger tent with window flaps that don't tie down and I use the same set-up/ technique. Works good for me.

TheJudge · Post by **TheJudge** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:59 pm

I dont know, I've grown accustomed to a thin layer of dust on all my stuff when I climb back into my tent. I just accept it.

I've gone through several tents (as III can attest) Almost all of them come with those nifty vents which are great if you are camping in the mountains near a lake with green grass and chirping birds.

Not many tent makers build tents that are truly playa worthy.

Bunnymonkey · Post by **Bunnymonkey** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:01 am

In 2003, we used a huge 11x11 Eureka "Sunrise" with the rain fly on, 8 guy lines on the rain fly. The tent was rock solid in the wind.

To the point... it has two upper mesh panels that aren't shuttable, grrr. They're their to let out the moisture of sleeping bodies; so not a problem on the playa. During whatever day it was that there was a long whiteout dust storm, the inside of the tent was powdered like a wig <cough>. *Given 2004 reports on the playa's surface condition (little winter rain = a thin crust with plenty of powder underneath), we're expecting a dusty BM 2004.

We're sewing solid panels over the outside of the mesh panels. Most fabric stores have ripstop nylon. Failing that, I'd at least 1) safety pin barriers over the outside of the mesh panels in question, 2) tape them down to seal the edges.

Bunnymonkey · Post by **Bunnymonkey** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:06 am

In 2003, we used a huge 11x11 Eureka "Sunrise" with the rain fly on, 8 guy lines on the rain fly. The tent was rock solid in the wind.

To the point... it has two upper mesh panels that aren't shuttable, grrr. They're there to let out the moisture of sleeping bodies; so not a problem on the playa. During whatever day it was that there was a long whiteout dust storm, the inside of the tent was powdered like a wig <cough>. *Given 2004 reports on the playa's surface condition (little winter rain = a thin crust with plenty of powder underneath), we're expecting a dusty BM 2004. *We're sewing solid panels over the outside of the mesh panels. Most fabric stores have ripstop nylon. Failing that, I'd at least 1) safety pin barriers over the outside of the mesh panels in question, 2) tape them down to seal the edges.

Tents w/ Mesh Panels / Rainflys / Dust

Tents w/ Mesh Panels / Rainflys / Dust

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