Simple Shelter

[weesinator35]

Hi. I am looking for a simple, easy to put up shelter to protect myself from the heat and wind. I know about Yurts and Monkey Huts, but does anybody know about other simpler, effective ways to get shelter. Do EZ ups work out there?

[SnowBlind]

Hi. I am looking for a simple, easy to put up shelter to protect myself from the heat and wind. I know about Yurts and Monkey Huts, but does anybody know about other simpler, effective ways to get shelter. Do EZ ups work out there?

By themselves EZups are not sturdy enough to survive high winds. I've seen several destroyed on the playa. Some people have made it work by attaching it to something else (RV, Camper, stuff like that), but it's iffy.

Further more, we've had structures that we weren't sure about over the years, and I hate being away from camp when the wind picks up and constantly worrying what's happening to my home. Much nicer to be confident that it's there when you come back.

One popular option is the Costco carport, which is sturdier than other carports and if staked down right will be very reliable out there. It's not as easy to put up as an EZup, but it doesn't take too long either. I've set one up alone, which is annoying but doable. With two or three people it goes up fairly quickly.

(If you want one, get it soon. They usually get them in the spring and they do sell out at some point).

[inthecolumbiagorge]

We recently used our easy ups in some very strange wind gusts that were like small tornadoes and many easy ups were lost to the wind but after one of ours was swept up, even though it was double staked on each corner, we changed tactics. Ballast seems to be the way to deal with wind and easy ups. We ziplocked a 2 1/2 gallon water jug to the top of each corner of our easy ups (water is 8.33 lbs per gallon so it was right at 20 lbs each corner) and we did not have another problem, even when the easy ups around us got scooped up by the wind. We live in a very windy area and I have had one standing now here for a couple of weeks just testing the ballast idea and we had sustained 60 mile winds last week with bigger gusts but with the ballast on each corner it hardly even rustles with the wind:-) I think with the proper ballast easy ups could be functional on the playa.

[Drawingablank]

I've had an EZ up destroyed by a mere 20 MPH wind here in New York so I'm not a huge fan. That being said, our neighbor at the burn used 2 of them and said they were on their 3rd burn. He had guy lines running all over the place though and everyone kept tripping over them.

The carports do well when fastened down properly but are a bit bulky and heavy to transport if weight is an issue.

Personally I prefer a monkey hut. They can be built in about an hour using just basic tools (tape measure and hacksaw). They cost less than both ez ups and carports. We transported ours in a prius and used sectioned poles so none were longer than 5 feet. As an added bonus, pvc pipe is cheap so you can bring spare pieces in case of damage. It took 2 of us about 20 mintes to assemble it on the playa.

[Bob]

[Boijoy]

I use an ezup, but I don't use the cover that comes with it. I use double layers of the 70% aluminent shade cloth so the wind passes thru. I still anchor the structure well. This has worked the past couple years.

[CornMan]

Would it work just as well to have a layer of aluminet over a layer of black mesh shade cloth? That would be more economical. It would be very nice to have covers like that custom sewn and fitted to the pop up canopy. I just looked at the price of the aluminet, and it is brutally expensive. Are they sure it's not actually goldnet that they're selling?

[Boijoy]

Zeke. Try here for your aluminet. inexpensive & has sewn edges & metal gromits. I have about 4 of the large ones.
( don't know why this stuff is cheaper a kennel covers )

http://www.petedge.com/product/Home-Kennel/Outdoor-Products/Outdoor-Gear/ProSelect-Solar-Canopy-for-Dog-Crates/pc/194/c/227/sc/441/45270.uts

yes. any "breathy" material would work. I like the reflective stuff because there is no radiant heat on the underside.

[Bob]

Shade cloth sides would work.

Just look through the Shelter forum and figure out what's attractive to you.

Bit confused because last year the OP was looking for a rideshare. Maybe s/he now plans to have a vehicle.

[Elorrum]

I used one of these for two years. packs small. tie every single point you can, and put a chair up against the windward corner. survived 07 and 08.

[some seeing eye]

Good comments above.

The price of poly tarps has really gone up, including the silver ones you want.

Carports with silver tarps, top and side are a great solution.

Gothic Arch Greenhouse is still the most inexpensive supplier I have found for Aluminet shade cloth. Believe they are the importer of it.

My inexpensive solution is 4 corner 2x3 or 2x4 8' lumber posts suspending corner grommeted Aluminet, with side Aluminet and plenty of stakes and tensioning ropes.

Sometimes you can find used black shadecloth in the agricultural listings of Craiglist. But often it is overpriced.

Still a monkey hut is very reasonably priced even with silver poly tarps. Maybe the cheapest, especially if you reuse the tarp and pipe.

[adamrice]

If you're using a mesh cover (as opposed to a waterproof one) you can get away with a flat roof, and you've got more options for how to put it together. You can buy all the parts you need (corners, poles, tarp, bungie balls) a la carte and build what you want. Places like http://www.creativeshelters.com/ (not recommending them in particular) will sell you the parts.

Aluminet is spendy, but it's very effective.

[Sail Man]

Ive also successfully used an ez up shelter out there a couple years. 1/4" rebar through the foot pads, 1/2" x 4' rebar alongside and taped to the support legs and a couple old 1/2" halyards for guy lines, including a pair or 3 over the top.

Sucka never budged.

[mamasharon]

Mine worked fine with just the four corners rebarred and duct taped. Used sheer curtains which let air through but kept sand out. I like the milk jug idea though. May add that this year just in case the weather doesn't cooperate this year like last year. I would recommend that you spring for the more sturdy commercial model. I definitely do not recommend the Wal-Mart version. Thin top tears. Hard to snap in place. Two failed in one year. Good luck! Mama

[TomServo]

EZ-UP after one good dust storm.



Saw one at TOTITD, that was unrecognizable as an EZ up. Good thing it was secured, or we would have had nothing left to laugh at. Car Ports are sturdy Beasts, that handle the playa well! Just anchor the shit out of them! They do sell 10x10 car ports, just harder to find. and...for some strange reason, more expensive.

[Bob]

EZ-UPs -- too many moving parts.

[lemur]

the blue thing was an ez up... they needed to borrow tools from dif folks to disassemble it ..stuff like vice grips and socket wrenches ... mangled heap..

[Ugly Dougly]

There's a reason the Monkey hut is so popular. See the title of this thread.

[delle]

Whenever reading these types of threads I always wish there was more emphasis on the damage that an unsound structure can do to the neighbours' camps. I can see some people thinking "ahhh pffffffffft. If something happens, it's not the end of the world. I wouldn't have paid much for it anyway, and wasn't expecting it to last longer than the one event".

Peeps need to be reminded of the importance of not harshing others' burns....... Minimizing physical damage -- bodily or other, should be ingrained when thinking about anything structural.

[moonrise]

My carport hates me. I set it up in the driveway and used 7 gallon blue water jugs for ballasts.
First mistake I made was to secure the ballasts from the roofline apex pole, I should've placed each ballast in the corners (cannot stake and ratchet strap it on blacktop).
I go away for ONE day and a June snow storm "walked' the entire carport partially into the street, and slightly bent a few of the leg poles (they bent back just enough to use for 2012, phew).

Lesson learned, If ya can't tie it down, the ballasts go in the corners! Otherwise you too might find out your carport got all bent out of shape and tried to leave ya!

For future burns, I'm going to build an R Max yurt...I like to party late, laaaate nights and sleeping in, inside an R Max hexi yurt is quite frankly quieter (if memory serves correct). Also, R Max keeps in the cool and blocks out the heat..simple, relatively cheap, easy to haul sandwhiched between two sheets of plywood and ratchet strapped to car roof.

A Monkey hut of aluminet, over a tent would be my second choice, but I'm not claustraphobic sooo, an R Max hexi yurt seems to suit my style (dark, cool and quiet).

I still love my carport, but I do think this will be it's third and last burn. To be fair, it was all my fault and all the damage done happened "off playa". Again, it's my fault, it's my fault...infinitum!! It's My fault! Fuuuuck!

[Bob]

This is what you do when you have logs and a cargo parachute.

[some seeing eye]

Bob write the book on shelters. The only thing I would add, is that a broken pop-up often does not pack well outgoing. It certainly won't fit back in the bag!

[FIGJAM]

Dog needed shade.

Made shade.

Happy dog.