North Pole Party Shade

[amuk]

We love our North Pole Party Shade. This year will be its third year at BRC and we've taken it out to several other sumer festivals over these years. It's holding up great. All I've had to do is sew up a few tears in the screening and put Tri-Flow on all the zippers in-between burns. I use rebar for the outside stakes and reinforced the center post base by mounting it on a 14"x14" 3/4" piece of plywood with 2 holes for rebar to secure it to the playa.

The only difficulty I've had it with initial setup. I find getting the outside stakes placed properly rather frustrating, especially if there is the least bit of wind. My setup partner tends to get frustrated too as they are in the partially set up tent holding the center pole vertical with the loose walls flapping and hitting them as I try to get the sides evenly tight. What I'd like to come up it a quick template that will help me place the stakes before putting the center pole in. I imagine a center ring that will fit over a stake I put in as where the center pole will be. That center ring will have two ropes connected to it. The opposite ends of those ropes will have a third rope segment that will represent the distance between a parameter stake and the location for an adjacent parameter stake. The three ropes would form a triangle with the apex at the location of the tent's center pole. Has anyone already done anything like this?? Or have some other trick for getting the parameter stakes placed properly?

Today I took the tent out and tried to measure the distance between the stake loops. I tried my best to have the loops out at the angle they would be with the tent raised, but I got varied measurements of the space between each adjacent loop being 170-176". I take it in truth each side is the same length...at least I hope so. Unless anyone gets back to me in the next day or two with their better idea or better measurements, I'm going to make a somewhat adjustable rig and use if when we put up the tent this weekend for Oregon Country Faire, not that we camp in OCF. We camp across the street in Darling's Reunion. Once I get the rig made and adjusted I'll post up more details here to help out all the other North Pole-ers.

As a final aside, for now, North Pole really should begin making these things again. I have several friends that would love one and at every festival we've been to someone has asked where they can get one, especially when I told how easy setup is, how small it packs up, that it only weighs 40 lbs and especially when I told them we got it for $150 w/free shipping.

[tamarakay]

We have found it is easier to just not bother with the center pole until after you have stretched and "loosely" pounded in the stakes. Measure from stake to stake at it's most stretched, lay the tent out (you can go ahead and attach the tent to the pole, just keep it laying flat) pull it out, measure then pound stakes. THEN put up the pole. Ken can almost do it all himself that way. Which I like cause being the one in the middle holding that pole still sucks.

[amuk]

[quote="tamarakay"]We have found it is easier to just not bother with the center pole until after you have stretched and "loosely" pounded in the stakes. Measure from stake to stake at it's most stretched, lay the tent out (you can go ahead and attach the tent to the pole, just keep it laying flat) pull it out, measure then pound stakes. THEN put up the pole. Ken can almost do it all himself that way. Which I like cause being the one in the middle holding that pole still sucks.[/quote]

I did try once getting the perimeter of the tent staked down first, however I found that I made the edges too tight because we could not get the center pole all the way up. I thing once I get my rig/template thingy done and set to the correct lengths I'll be able to get the tent up in less than 5 minutes and not have to readjust any of the stake positions. I'll let y'all know how it goes.

[Elorrum]

I have a rope marked at 15' with enough slack before the zero to tie it around a stake. I use the rope as I go around and pull the edges tight, tight from the last stake, and to the 15 foot mark. I use the nails that came with the tent at this stage. After I've got the pole up, I see how it looks. make any adjustments, then I replace the nails with rebar. This will be year three, and I can put it up by myself.

[FIGJAM]

I have a rope marked at 15' with enough slack before the zero to tie it around a stake. I use the rope as I go around and pull the edges tight, tight from the last stake, and to the 15 foot mark. I use the nails that came with the tent at this stage. After I've got the pole up, I see how it looks. make any adjustments, then I replace the nails with rebar. This will be year three, and I can put it up by myself.

SOLO BADASS!!!

[Elorrum]

To the limit!

[tamarakay]

LOL, she explains things WAY better than i do.

[Elorrum]

btw, tamarakay, I'm happy you were able to fix your NPPSS. I had a fear that we all believed too much in our beloved shade shelters, and you had found the achiles heel. Seeing that plastic support piece shattered was frightening.

[copilot602]

Yea seriously! Pictures of new part please! Has anyone ripped the very top? I had mine set up in the backyard getting ready for regional and apparently some strong winds ripped open the very crown . I just got it back from the tent company , $60.

[tamarakay]

ours has come through the top too, but I just sewed it back together with heavy duty thread on my singer. Seems to be holding well.
Will get some pictures of the metal fabricated piece in a bit.

E - yes it was pretty scary. Those pieces were scattered over about 1/2 an acre.

[Elorrum]

I think it's back... or 2 versions very similar. I don't have any interest in the seller, just posting the link since the Northpole was getting impossible to find.
http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ ... ?a=1165471

[danibel]

Great! The '30 is very close to the original North Pole. I think.

I sold mine before the last burn to a burner. My burn setup has changed and it was just languishing in my garage. I felt it was time for it to be used again. I believe I bought mine at the height of availability for about $120 shipped. I sold it for $50. It was dusty as hell and one zipper needed attention. The woman that bought it didn't question the price or condition. I think she was stoked.

[amuk]

I agree it looks like it's back. I wonder if they made any improvements or...

Anyway, at last year's burn I stayed until the Friday after The Man burnt. Thursday night there was a crazy-wild storm that took down my NorthPole by shattering that darned plastic piece. It had survived 4 burns and several other festivals. I've got ideas on how to build a replacement, but I'd much rather to see what others have come up with some feedback on how well the replacement worked.

Thanks so much,
Amuk

[tattoogoddess]

Overstock has them for $139. Thinking this might make al good kitchen?

[MyDearFriend]

Overstock has them for $139. Thinking this might make al good kitchen?

Nope. Those droopy side walls would be too close to your stove. Please don't set your camp on fire TTG!!!

[Elorrum]

With 15feet of headroom in the center, there's good clearance from all sides.

[tattoogoddess]

Overstock has them for $139. Thinking this might make al good kitchen?

Nope. Those droopy side walls would be too close to your stove. Please don't set your camp on fire TTG!!!

But whyyyyyynits burning man after all.

Burning tent burning tent burning tent!

[mudpuppy000]

The NPPT's are nice because they're light/cheap/sturdy/easy to setup, but they waste a lot of space. 30' footprint for maybe a 15' useable space inside, unless you're laying on the ground. The costco carports feel a lot larger inside to me, although they are heavy as hell and take more effort to set up.

[copilot602]

The NPPT's are nice because they're light/cheap/sturdy/easy to setup, but they waste a lot of space. 30' footprint for maybe a 15' useable space inside, unless you're laying on the ground. The costco carports feel a lot larger inside to me, although they are heavy as hell and take more effort to set up.

Check out an earlier post I did. If you customize with a circle of tent poles, you beat the droopy wall problem. Also, if you build my fun playa couches (light, foldable and comfy) you sit in the tent at ground level and it is super homey.

Couch is in bottom left in tent. Sorry no better pics but if there is interest, I will make instructions!

[mudpuppy000]

The NPPT's are nice because they're light/cheap/sturdy/easy to setup, but they waste a lot of space. 30' footprint for maybe a 15' useable space inside, unless you're laying on the ground. The costco carports feel a lot larger inside to me, although they are heavy as hell and take more effort to set up.

Check out an earlier post I did. If you customize with a circle of tent poles, you beat the droopy wall problem. Also, if you build my fun playa couches (light, foldable and comfy) you sit in the tent at ground level and it is super homey.

Couch is in bottom left in tent. Sorry no better pics but if there is interest, I will make instructions!

I started out with a NPPT my second year going, but as our camp started to grow and get denser I switched to a carport. I've found the carports are a lot easier to integrate with other structures, with the flat walls. The NPPT's are great options though if that's your only structure, or you have tons of space.

[Elorrum]

[MyDearFriend]

Oh, Elorrum, that is COOL. And it all comes out of the back of your little car!!! Which I swear could park right in there without getting in the way.

Awesomeawesomeawesome.