Shelter for first timers.....

[MikeVDS]

Also for good deals, try e-bay. It's the season so they won't be a whole lot cheaper, but you'll save a little. I took a quick look and you can find the one I suggested for about $200. The condo is going to be pricey.

Thinking about it, if I were you, I'd try the first tent you posted. It looks like it could be awesome, but it might suck. It looks like it is going to be a pain in the ass to set up though. You'll likely need to buy better stakes for it before you arrive. There is a decent chance it will not work or will fail at burningman, so find someone to borrow a small tent from to take as well. If your big one breaks you can use the small one, but hopefully you won't need to. The key is to make sure you'll have reliable shelter of some sort, then get something fun. Practical and fun together is going to be expensive, so you can just bring one of each.

And anything you get, set it up a few times before you arrive. Things ship with missing parts.

[Ugly Dougly]

The "Sudan" model looks like something that the UN would buy by the gross for refugee camps.

[emotion_sickness]

what im going with is a small dome tent inside of a large dome tent. i've set it up just to see if it would work and im thinking it'll be ok...the small interior dome serves as a good bedroom and stays pretty dark in direct sunlight while the large dome all 4 walls zip down which allows really good airflow...and if it'll fit in the car im gonna try and bring one of those pampasan chair cushions as a bed. im hoping with the weight of that, a large tupperware container with supplies, and ice coolers the whole shebang wont up and blow away down the playa if i just use regular tent stakes, and maybe with an extra tarp over the top mettallic side up it will be pretty shady and comfortable...what do you all think?

[DoctorIknow]

I just wrote about my tent (and shade) that has survived 8 years at BM

viewtopic.php?t=19301&highlight=

[Ugly Dougly]

what im going with is a small dome tent inside of a large dome tent. i've set it up just to see if it would work and im thinking it'll be ok...the small interior dome serves as a good bedroom and stays pretty dark in direct sunlight while the large dome all 4 walls zip down which allows really good airflow...and if it'll fit in the car im gonna try and bring one of those pampasan chair cushions as a bed. im hoping with the weight of that, a large tupperware container with supplies, and ice coolers the whole shebang wont up and blow away down the playa if i just use regular tent stakes, and maybe with an extra tarp over the top mettallic side up it will be pretty shady and comfortable...what do you all think?

Dome tents tend to get pretty hot through most of the day. Mostly for sleeping during the chilly part of the night. And for private events.

[ms dynomite]

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

In case you're still looking, below is some info I shared on another forum about choosing a tent. Hopefully it will help. I've also given pretty detailed info on my own tents in the other thread here: viewtopic.php?t=19301&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

I think shelter and shade are the eternal questions for bm, with everyone trying to improve it each year.

Temperature:
I prefer a tent with several mesh windows and a mesh door, *all of which can be zipped closed with a cover* -- closed is the important part (like a home screen door: you have the outer door/covering that unzips to uncover the mesh windows). During the mornings you'll want some breeze and air circulation, however minimal, in the tent and being able to unzip the mesh windows/doors is important for that. You don't want an all mesh tent because you'll just end up with half the playa blowing over you. Keep in mind that it does rain at times, so all mesh would mean wet and mud inside the tent. Basically you need a tent with 2 options: mesh for hot weather, closure for cold weather and wind/dust. The typical 3 season tents with fly usually cover this. They usually have some mesh at the roof for ventilation (important) with a fly that provides protection. Make sure the fly is generous. The ones that just cover the topmost part tend to catch wind and blow around. (Note: if you have a separate shade structure over your tent, you may want to forgo the fly for a cooler tent.)

Style/Structure:
I think that stability and structure are the most important things to look for. I have noticed that dome tents fair very well in high winds (my basic L.L. Bean tent has survived numerous high wind storms, like 40-70mph). They flex a lot, so while you'll see them bending this way and that, even flattening down against the owner at times, they don't break. It's much better to have a tent bending around and popup intact after the storm, then to have one sit upright through it only to discover half your poles are bent and your joints are broken afterward. Cabin tents tend to block wind instead of flexing with it, which can stress the structure and bend poles. However, a good cabin tent can be fine if supported well. Guy lines are your friends. You can keep an iffy structure grounded if you have adequate guy lines. Check that the tent has rings for guy lines on both the tent *and* the fly. Rebar is your other friend, no shorter than 2ft if you're going to candycane it. You don't have to use rebar for every point. Just the 2-4 corners should be fine for a personal tent depending on the size, using *long* stakes for the others.

Size:
do you want comfort or compact? Keep in mind that the occupancy numbers on tents are double what is actually comfortable for a week of camping at bm: a "4 person tent" actually sleeps 2 comfortably with gear. Some people want the most minimal camp footprint and the smallest size in transit. In that case, being packed in like sardines to match the occupancy number and only using the tent minimally (sleeping) with little to no gear works ok. If you're sharing, the small size can mean you feel hotter during the day and a little cranky at the lack of personal space, but it can also be much warmer at night. The downside to small tents: you can't stand up. This may sound trivial, but when you're trying to dress in the dark, in a cramped space, with no way to stretch out or stand up, and you're tired and dusty it can get really irritating. I prefer larger tents for that reason. I've also found that's it's easier to keep things organized in a larger tent and the height helps keep things a bit cooler (cooler being a relative term).

A final word: shade.
IMO if you want to get any sleep you need both a tent and a shade structure to cover the tent. The sun is relentless during the days and the tent gets like an oven instantly, making it impossible to sleep more than a few hours with a tent alone. You need something to protect the tent, offering shade to cool it down somewhat. You can use a regular mesh canopy/cabin tent larger than your regular tent or you can build something. The key is to have a good amount of space (1-2ft) between the top of your main tent and the shade tent. This is to allow airflow between the two. You also want a shade tent larger than your regular tent so you're still in shadow as the sun moves. If you're camping with a theme camp that will have a central shade structure, you may be able to nap in that and avoid the need for shading your tent.

Purchasing:
sporting goods stores are fine. you can even hit something like Target, Costco or Big 5. unless you're a hardcore camper, an average consumer model will be fine. If you're looking to buy online, Sierra Trading Post often has good deals: www.sierratradingpost.com/ there's also www.rei.com

that's everything I can think of about tents on the playa. hope it helps.

[mrburningman]

I couldn't agree more with the posting above. Very good info here. With regards to shading, we have used Aluminet for the past few years. We won't go back. It's like a mirror on the playa reducing heat significantly. It's also nice as it's super tough, flexible and doesn't "catch" the wind when it picks up.

A very "burner friendly" site is www.under-coversolutions.com
They've always been great for us and ourfriends we've referred. Plus, they seem to have the cheapest prices out there, key for us as we're always on a budget!

You can make your own structure or go out and see whose producing these things for you. I saw one guy making a yurt if any of you know what that is! I sure as hell didn't! Kinda interesting though.

[gyre]

I couldn't find prices on their site.

[Gordman]

I am really glad for you!!

[FabFascist]

I think my biggest question is whether or not the price includes poles. Looking at the web site and looking at shipping costs, it is a valid question. Those aren't cheap - they are dirt cheap...

[Sync]

This year I bought a 12x14 ft dome style tent so I could stand up eaisily. For the sun and heat problen I have taken two 10x20 ft blue tarps and covered them with 2mil silver mylar, making them reflective mirrors. These wrap over and around the tent giving it a "Space Dome" kind of apperance. Mister, batteries and a fan finish it off.

On the test set up the reflective tarps worked so well there was a noticable difference in temprature just standing near the tent from the sunlight and heat comming off it. Couldn't feel any radiant heat or light comming through to the inside at all.

After being told by all kinds of sources there was no way to stick pvc tarp and mylar together, duct tape turnned out to work perfectly. Ahh, duct tape, is there anything it can't do....

[gyre]

Did you use mylar window film?
I thought about that, but never tried it.
How bad is the crinkling?

[RINGMASTER]

hrmmm.. the silvicool tarps look like a great idea. do any of you have any comparison stories between aluminet and silvicool?

[Sync]

I got mylar from a hydroponics store, then duct taped it in sections to the tarp while it was flat. It moves with the tarp pretty well, and the tarp seems to lend enough strength so it dosen't tear. How it will do in the wind we shall see, but tiedown lines criss-crossing over the tend and tarps should keep it from moving all that much.

Silicool tarps loked good, except finding them was difficult, and that were very expensive.

[gyre]

I found a fairly large one for $95.
That seems like a fair price if the quality is what it is supposed to be.

I still suspect they may be the same thing as the solid aluminet.

I priced some of the higher grade materials from shelsys.com and they get to a staggering price quickly.
If silvicool is as uv resistant as promised, and as reflective, it should be worth it.
When I can, I plan on getting some.
I have only found it in canada so far.

Does the mylar crinkle badly?
Do you remember the best price you found for mylar?

[Ebenezer Squeezer]

I still suspect they may be the same thing as the solid aluminet.

If silvicool is as uv resistant as promised, and as reflective, it should be worth it.
When I can, I plan on getting some.
I have only found it in canada so far.

Does the mylar crinkle badly?
Do you remember the best price you found for mylar?

The beauty of aluminet, as mrburningman said, is that it doesn't catch the wind. It's a somewhat loose weave, so the wind goes right through it. I don't think there is a "solid" version. So far as I can tell, silvicool is solid and if so, would work great as a sail. Same with mylar, except it can rip easily.

[gyre]

There are two solid types of aluminet.
I have seen one on the playa.
It is no longer imported into the us by the original distributor, but is available worldwide.

[Sync]

The mylar was surprisingly easy to work with, doesn't crinkle much at all if you just roll it out. Once on the tarp it appears like a pretty tolerant material.I have walked across it with no problem and it folds up well. The thinner stuff is used to make balloons, so I'm guessing that if the edges are secured and not torn, it will be pretty strong.