Shelter for first timers.....

[Shyshdy]

Hello, myself & 2 friends are going for the first time this year, and proper shelter is our first concern. I've found thishttp://www.nizamcanvas.com/tentmarket/sudan.htm tent online, but an experienced burner told me she would not pay that price for it, and that she didn't know if it would be adequate. Can anyone give me an opinion as to whether or not this would suffice for us, and if not, where I can find something sufficient (and kinda neat, because we wanna decorate it) for around the same price? Or am I looking in the complete wrong direction for shelter? Thanks so much!!!!!

[Dork]

That actually looks like a decent tent and price. The devil is in the details, of course. A lot depends on how strong the poles and ropes are. I don't think I've seen anyone using that specific tent.

A canvas tent like that won't get as hot in the sun as a cheap nylon tent, but it will still get uncomfortable pretty eary in the morning. You may want to look into an aluminet cover or some sort of shade structure over it.

[sputnik]

That seems like a really good price for a tent of that size. One of the guys in our camp last year had a tall canvas tent, and it held up just fine. But, as Dork says, the devil is in the details.

[Shyshdy]

Thank you both so much!

[Rocket75377]

Oh, shit... I'm going to seriously look into these.

[Teo del Fuego]

wonder how much that puppy weighs and how small it packs down to. I have space issues in my subaru

[TristanX]

did you purchase one ? how big is it ? etc.. I am also in the market for a tent for BM this year (last year I rented an RV)

[Toolmaker]

Looks like it doesn't have a floor.. details would be important before I would purchase it. The lines could always be "upgraded" along with other things. I wound up getting an 8x8 for 60 bucks from sportsmansguide. Its white with a center pole on the inside and guy lined corners. The color should help with the sun/heat and it has windows on all 4 sides. Since I have access to an RV this year I don't really need too much of a tent. Just a personal place to escape to to get myself sorted if the need arises. I'm not very shy so showering and sex can be done in public

One final note.. you get what you pay for. I'm not always one for name brands but sometimes it hold true. Tents are one of those times.

[dragonfly Jafe]

in addition to a tent (which is where you sleep and keep your stuff) you will want a shade area (which is where you hang during the heat of the day). Ideally you get a 10x20 carport, and set your tent up under it (or something similar). That way when you are up until 5am, you can sleep when the sun comes up and your tent would otherwise be 200 degrees. When you finally do get up, a cool shady spot to nurse a hangover is better than a hot tent. And a rug or carpet (on top of a tarp ideally to reduce MOOP/cleanup) so you are not wallowing in alkali dirt.

[Ugly Dougly]

It depends on how sturdy the internal structure of the tent is...

[Zhust]

For what it's worth, I showed up my 2nd year in 2005 with a Eureka 2-man tent. It's the basic kind with 4 rings at the corners and 2 shock-corded fiberglass supports. I staked it down with rebar on the corners right to the Playa (i.e. no carpet underneath.)

I slept on a 2-inch-thick pad I made from fabric and the guts of a discarded futon mattress (inside a sleeping bag, duh). I had no shade structure but set up the car on east of the tent which provided a little shade until about 8 a.m. I installed the rain fly and left it on the whole time which kept the tent tolerable until about 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

In all, I found this to be an adequate solution.

Last year, similarly, I had an army-green nylon 2-pole tent. I got it out of the garbage and it was clean and about 6-feet by 8-feet inside and 5 feet tall in the middle. Again, no shade structure but my neighbor had a large van parked to the east of me so I used that for shade. The temperature inside became pretty un-tolerable around 10 a.m.

This year I'd like to add a shade structure to cover a seating area and my tent. I'll probably rig something that attaches to the roof of the car and slopes upward to poles. I might even invest in some of that Aluminet stuff that's supposed to be really nice.

[Bob]

...found thishttp://www.nizamcanvas.com/tentmarket/sudan.htm tent...

Their "Command" tent style looks better for the desert, having a lower profile and a flatter top over which you could stretch camo netting or shade cloth for additional shade. Might consider at least 8-oz or 10-oz canvas or heavier, and make sure the corners and points where the poles meet the canvas are reinforced well.

[MrMullen]

That actually looks like a decent tent and price. The devil is in the details, of course. A lot depends on how strong the poles and ropes are. I don't think I've seen anyone using that specific tent.

I have to agree too!

Looks like a good tent but the major questions are:

1) How much does it weight?
2) How easy is it to set up?
3) Will it survive the wind?
4) How upgradeable are those tie lines?

Some of the other details are easily fixable depending on your situation. You can get some cheap carpet or rugs for a floor. You can also buy sleeping cots to keep you off the floor. However, from what I can see, looks like a good deal.

Make sure to buy enough rebar for all those tie lines too!

[Rocket75377]

I wrote the company an e-mail asking a couple of those questions and a couple others. The response I got was "Yes, those are the options. How many tents do you want?" And that took four days. Not a supreme confidence booster.

[diane o'thirst]

A thirteen-foot diameter circular tent? Damn, that's sexy. It's almost as large as my yurt and not nearly as heavy or difficult to put up.

*Sigh* me like the Costco carport but me like roundhouses better. Think I'll go for it anyway.

[gyre]

That price is actually extremely cheap.
You really want to see a tent up close before buying.
I would ask them for a right to return without penalty for a week or whatever.
Look at some very good tents, look at the stitching and the cut, the fabric quality.
Where are these made?
How are they so cheap?
Not on the website that I could find.
Do you want canvas?
The best canvas tents I know of are over $1000.
Dacron tents can last thirty or forty years.

Springbar makes a canvas tent that is highly regarded.
Good warranty and the spring design seems good for wind.
Canvas is heavy and trouble in a high humidity environment.
Best tents are wool or silk, but then you're spending money.
I found some true triple wall desert tents, but shipping is a killer on them.

I'm still looking for a used four season tent if anyone has one.

Silvicool might be a good shade cloth as no one sells aluminet solid in the us, it seems.

[baffiebabe]

I have fallen in love with my vaporizer.

... why?

[ev]

I keep seeing mention of carpets for use with shade structures. It seems to be on everyones wish list. How do I keep it dry in the event of rain? I get putting a tarp underneath.... but what about rain and wind?

e. v.

[MikeVDS]

When it's dry, we embrace the dust; we do not vacuum. When it's wet, we embrace the mud; we do not seek refuge from it.

In all seriousness, playa carpet is probably not good for much after the event. If you've had any fun with it, you've spilled, puked, mangled, ground in more dirt than there was carpet, and made a few other stains that you don't want to know about. It's probably not good for much except similar conditions. If you add a little mud to the mix it's certainly not going to hurt your playa carpet.

[mdmf007]

a light rain will evaporate rather quickly in that heat, anda heay rain is bringing the event to a standstill.

we have a few sections of carpet. We get the cheapest stuff you can get for obvious reasons. If you have to spend more than 50 bucks for lime green out of date designer carpet you spent too much.

I wouldnt worry about it personnaly, as you are oging to toss it in the trash events end anyways.

of course someone else will tell you different so who knows. The above is just my experience.

later

[MikeVDS]

We get all ours for free. Talk to some carpeting folk and you can get some used stuff in decent condition or some new stuff that's left over that they won't use. Which is usually the cool colors anyway. I just got 8 large rolls piled up in my garage and a few in my bro's back yard left over that did not get destroyed. We may get a little more before we head up.

[diane o'thirst]

Forget the carpet. Canvas groundtarps are better. Pricier and not as cushy but easy to sweep, wash off at home with a hose. Use year after year.

[ev]

Thanks all! I keep thinking about beautiful Persian carpets and obviously that won't work. I guess it is just the Martha Stewart in me coming out....

[diane o'thirst]

Oriental rugs work and would make a great statement.

Get the cheapie printed ones, though. Try Dr. Leonard's (they often have three-packs for about $50) and Bed, Bath & Beyond has olefin ones (one for about $50).

[MikeVDS]

I keep thinking about beautiful Persian carpets and obviously that won't work

Those are great, but you have to know how to use your things. Nice rugs are fine, but you'll want them in enclosed shelters that are not going to get a lot of traffic, and maybe even no shoes allowed. For outside, they'll be "ruined". You can get cheapies or just use carpet for houses.

[AntiM]

I've taken small kilims, and they've been alright, but they were in a "no food or beverage" area. What I do have is a runner made from canvas groundcloth painted like a burner persian carpet. Just grommet the edges and corners so it stays flat and doesn't get kicked up.

Sadly, I don't have a picture of the completed rug, but it has diamonds and the man and handprints and mushroom and peace sign stamps. It does get dirty if you let mooks spill bacon grease and crushed potato chips and ciggie ashes on it. Damn yahoo unattended in my camp MOOKS! Still, it can be swept and cleans up with a hose. Canvas, a coat of white acrylic, painted with acrylics, then a polyurethane flex coat or several.

[gyre]

That looks great.
What kind of polyurethane?
In clear?
You have to get a picture of the rest of it.

[Shyshdy]

Thank you all again for your help! The biggest problem currently is that I have NO idea what I'm looking for, as I've never owned a tent or been to burningman, but I want something kinda kick ass for 3-6 people to live in comfortably, and money is tight if we plan to have the right amounts of food water, and gas for the trip. If someone can suggest something adequate for us for the same price or less that is just as kick ass, we'd gfreatly appreciate any further advice. Oh, and I found out the tents are so cheap because they have a deal with a canvas manufacturing company, so it costs them very little to make these.

[gyre]

Did you find out any technical details?
Do you know where they are made?

One alternative is to build a hut of 2 by 4s and cardboard designed for the heat.
I saw this last year and they were burned at the end.

[MikeVDS]

Ok. I'll give you a suggestion. I'd recommend this tent:

http://www.eurekatent.com/tetragon1610.asp

I have the older version of this one. The only difference is the color and the material the floor is made of. This one has a thicker, more durable floor material than the one I have. Other people here have vouched for Eureka tents and I have another one I've had for over 10 years and it's still holding up. It's not the easiest to set up for new campers, but it's not too hard. It's going to be an oven during the day and I'm not an expert on keeping tents cool. You can try methods other people suggest. I think that tent will run you about $250 retail. It says it sleeps 9, which will be a tight fit, but 6 is no problem. If you plan on spending a lot of time in it you might consider something a little bigger for 6 people, though this would work.

This one might be worth trying out if you're looking for a more luxury tent:

http://www.eurekatent.com/thecondo.asp