Coleman Geosport Shade Structure - your advice?

[JulzQ1]

I recently scored a great deal on two Coleman Geosport Shade structures from Craigslist. This is what it looks like- http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-15-GeoSport-Shade/dp/B0009PUTIO

They were both unused. I got them for $75, for both! It was a screamin' deal considering they're $150 each from Amazon.

My question is, has anyone used these structures out there? Reviewers on Amazon commented on it being windstrong, as well as the packaging (of course nothing compared to BM winds). The top has roof vents to allow airflow so the top doesn't rip or fly off.

I want other people's advice on what they think of it, or if anyone has used it. I put it up this weekend and it was a breeze. The poles are light though. I guess I'm so used to having really heavy duty shade structures out there, that when I look at this thing I really do wonder just HOW windstrong it is.

The advantage is how easy it is to put up. More simple than a tent even. I got it up in 5 minutes. Obviously reinforcing it with stakes is a good idea.

Any thoughts on this lovely thing?

[Ugly Dougly]

Looks like a hang-glider without a seat.

[JulzQ1]

lol

that's something I was afraid of.

[Token]

I have seen similar on the playa but never as standalone structures. They were always attached to carports or similar on oposite sides.

Though it is possible to make them playa worthy, the cost and effort would exceed just buying a carport and knowing it will work OK.

Now the entertaiment value of watching it fly through Bartertown... Priceless.

[SilverOrange]

Are you able to sleeve the legs with conduit, (Hard to tell from the picture.) replace the lines with something beefier, and use good stakes. It may survive then, or it might shred to pieces. Looking at the other pictures, it doesn't look like it produces a very big shade footprint though.

[bdeywoo]

Its a great shade structure for the beach....not really the Playa. We had one like it last year that a friend brought. After the first big wind came, it was taken down. You'll just have to tighten it daily and take care of it. Yes you can make it work, but at some point other options just become much more feasible.

[JulzQ1]

bdeywoo- Was the one brought out a Coleman one similar to this one? And what part of it got taken down? Did the top loosen and fly off, did the poles collapse, or did the lines loosen? Maybe all of the above? I assume you tightened it daily after it collapsed. What parts did you tighten?

My friend had a similar shade structure from Coleman set up in his back yard but it had square poles, not rounded, like mine, and a big wind storm totally demolished it.

He looked at mine and said it was more sturdy than his. I think his was more for backyard use and not meant to withstand anything. From looking at mine, I'm worried about seams ripping, not so much the thing collapsing but I really don't know because I've never taken a shade structure like this out there.

The shade footprint is pretty decent- 15x15. And for the $37 I paid for it, I wouldn't be devastated if it broke. I just don't want MOOP flying around if it goes. I'm fine with tightening it daily and keeping a close eye on it.

We have another shade structure that's larger. It's not a walled carport but just as sturdy. I figured I'd give the Coeman a try to partially or fully put our tent under so we can use our other structure for everything else.

Silver- I don't know if I exactly understand what you mean by sleeving the legs with conduit but I'll tell you what I know. The legs aren't connected to the structure like a tent's poles are connected to the tent. However, there is a sturdy velcro fastener on the top of each leg (where the leg meets the top) that fixes the mesh sides to the pole. Unfortunately the whole leg doesn't slip into the side panel. I wish it did.

[Token]

Julz, it is really hard for anyone to give you an exact solution just from looking at the picture.

We just cant see the pipe diameter, pipe wall thickness, how the pipes connect under the canopy etc.

If you somehow attach these two to your other shade structure, chances of survival will improve.

Also think about the story of the old man and his three sons. When he asked his sons to break a single stick they did so with ease. When he asked them to hold two sticks together and break them it took much more effort. When he asked them to do the same with three sticks they could not break them.

You could get $10 worth of 3/4" electrical conduit and duct-tape them to the main legs and improve their strength.

You could drive 4' rebar or round concrete form stakes at the correct angles and tape the legs to that.

There are many ways to skin this cat but none will be able to guarantee a high success rate without hands on trial and error.

[JulzQ1]

Token, thanks for the advice. I know it's hard to give solutions just by the picture. I suppose my questions should be geared towards anyone who's had one of these structures out there in the past.

I really do think it needs to be reinforced, thanks for the tips.

[unjonharley]

Damn Token, you sure know how to kill an ant with a sledge hammer.

I gave up the rebar in 02. been useing plastic tent stake sence.

My camp mate uses 1 ft rebar bent in a U to hold two 12x12w/sidewalls EZups. That's 6 inches.

He built car port for a year or so. There just work. Used plastic stakes.

My EZ up broke down in the joints after 5 years.

[Token]

I'm just putting some simple options on the table that don't break the bank and don't rely on 60 years of know-how.

[Absolut Jeenyus]

Ive used similar ones that have worked just fine even in high winds. My only advice would be to just make sure and use the guy-lines and stake it in good. Hope it works out.

[Kacey]

It will work. We had a Coleman 12'x15' last year in the whiteouts and it stood all week just fine. Get 6' 3/8" Rebar for each pole, bend the rebar to match the angle of the poles, zip tie at several points along each pole.

Use 12" zinc coated construction nails (sold in the same section as the rebar in bix box HW stores) as stakes for the tie downs...they pound flat into the playa (no safety issue) and pull out easily with the claw of a standard hammer. We use these for tent stakes and our Costco Carport tie down as well and they work great...never a stubbed toe.

[DoriumLux]

Or just resale on Craigslist and make yourself a monkey hut...


http://www.chromatest.net/Lovemonkey/

[SilverOrange]

Sorry JulzQ1. By sleeving I meant buy some electrical conduit that is big enough to slide up over the legs. Cut to match the length of the legs. Should at least double the strength of the legs and allow you to tightly fasten down to the playa with your new beefy guy lines. Good luck.

[Igneouss]

my 2c:

Just about any structure can be made secure if you spend some time figuring out how wind will effect the structure.

Set it up. Look at it. Obviously the legs need to be attached to the ground. The BM standard is rebar - that works.

Next, if you get up-lift will the joints separte? Simple ways to deal with this: run a line down the center of the tubes. Fix/attach at each end. Another option is to run lines over the structure and attach to the rebar stakes thus holding the structure down.

Next, if it all hangs together will a strong wind from the side bend the legs and knock it flat? The solution is guy lines to stakes on the up-wind side (or all sides if you can't predict wind direction).

All this has the affect of increasing the load on the legs (lines pulling down plus wind pushing down). If you have spindly aluminum legs consider getting some metal conduit. Cut to the same length as the legs and zip tie or duct tape it directly to the leg. Like a splint. This will make the legs much stronger.

I've done stuff like this quite successfully in other venues. You can too.

Cheers

[JulzQ1]

Wow, thank you all for the advice. It may just come down to trial and error but I'm glad people have brought similar structures out there and made it work.

It will work. We had a Coleman 12'x15' last year in the whiteouts and it stood all week just fine. Get 6' 3/8" Rebar for each pole, bend the rebar to match the angle of the poles, zip tie at several points along each pole.

Use 12" zinc coated construction nails (sold in the same section as the rebar in bix box HW stores) as stakes for the tie downs...they pound flat into the playa (no safety issue) and pull out easily with the claw of a standard hammer. We use these for tent stakes and our Costco Carport tie down as well and they work great...never a stubbed toe.

This sounds solid, thanks! I'm excited to try it and report back.

[theseus]

I am considering adapting my Coleman Geosport for the playa this year as well. I am concerned about reports about the plastic connectors fracturing in high wind: http://bm.tribe.net/thread/41fe41e4-f78 ... 18af3393ba

On the other hand other posters state their Geosports survived the winds in 2005 okay.

It looks like the Geosport is an option if you (1) rebar reinforce all the legs and (2) add more guy lines to the default one guy line per leg. Adding more guy lines should reduce the stress on the individual connectors.

After putting down guy lines, we are probably draping shade cloth over the whole thing, adding to its size and available shaded space underneath.

[Aze]

I used a Coleman GeoSport 15' diameter shade structure on the playa twice. I was pretty good about using all the included tie down lines, and staking well, but it still ended up getting mangled in a big dust storm; the plastic connector pieces deformed, so one then two legs became hingey instead of supported.

The next year I connected it up to another shade structure so there wouldn't be any rotational force on the legs, and it was good.

I paid $30 to Coleman for replacement plastic connectors, and the new connectors do seem beefier than the old ones. But I decided I want to sell it instead of using it. I have decided to replace my GeoSport with a normal 10x10 square heavier shade structure.

If anyone wants to buy my GeoSport (SF bay area) let me know.

[Bling]

Our next-door Playa neighbors and friends used this exact Coleman GeoSport--and have for years, and it worked GREAT, even in high winds. They put a lean-to sort of small tent on each side to store stuff, and made some extra nylon flaps to keep the sun out. After seeing how well it worked (with no extra conduit or anything else), I'm planning on getting the same one.

[Trishntek]

Actually, we have one and used it this year with Tposts duct taped to each leg. It will be back next year! No problems. Coleman says it is windproof,,, and in our experience that is true, but don't rely on OEM tie-downs.

Shit, I just realized this thread is an old fucker,,,,,WTF?

[jeffreybenner]

Unfortunately Coleman discontinued the Geosport, so get really good at patching up your old one.

We've developed a structure anchored to a Geosport, and love it. It's been very stable and reliable at least in the conditions that prevailed 2009-10.