Good deals on roo supplies..

Oleander, this the exact canopy we bought for last year. It's pretty easy to set up. I set it up by myself in about 5-10 minutes. The top material is pretty thin, so it was still fairly warm around noon to 3 or 4ish, but its better than being in the direct sun. The screened sides are nice though in the evening and night when you want to get away from the mosquitos and chill. The canopy itself was overall pretty good until Sunday night during Phil Lesh when it came a terrential downpour. I had just made it back and was sitting under the canopy listening to Phil, and it started pouring. The water began to seep through the ceiling, and as the rain got harder, it began to collapse around me. Once the rain slacked up, the sides popped right back up, but the ceiling still leaked alittle. Moral of the story: Wal-Mart's cheaply priced because it's cheaply made.

Yeah...I was planning on waterproofing EVERYTHING! Why do you think it started to fall on you? Was it holding water on the top somewhere, or was it just heavy from being wet from the rain seeping through?

Thanks bradaroo for the story! Some karma for you! (And thanks to you, too, troo!)

It was definitely from all of the rain, because right after the rain eased up the sides that were collapsing popped back up. I think with some waterproof spray and some extra support on the frame somehow, it'd be fine. Our groups growing from 4 to 7 seven this year, so with a bigger campsite, we might upgrade to something bigger and stronger. Thanks for the karma!

I really don't know. Guy wires could help some, but they tend to be a hassle at roo b/c so many people cut through the campsites at night to get to their own, and they trip and break them. I'm not really sure what else you could do. It should be fine for the most part. Just head for the car or tent if it starts raining hard. I might actually get my canopy out this weekend and mess around with it to see if I can figure something out.

Just make sure you stake it down good!

EDIT: I take that back, we used guy wires also last year as well.

a good idea would be to fasten a croner or two of your canopy to your cooler handles and keep them under the shade of the canopy so the ice in them doesnt melt.

Check out campmor.com for great deals on Columbia quick dry shorts. I got some yesterday for $13. (As a former sailor I can't recommend quick dry shorts highly enough. They hold up for several days. If you need you can rinse them out and they'll be completely dry in a 1/2 hour or so and they're great if you need to bucket shower in front of other people.)

^^ Damn... now I wish I wasn't so prepared (so I could go and buy more stuff).

Keep in mind, that just because guy lines are needed, it doesn't mean they have to span way far away from the bottom of your tent. You can secure it with guy lines and plant them near the base to keep everyone safe from tripping. The only reason I can think of to tie them far from the base would be to manipulate the rain fly in some fashion on a tent; it shouldn't be needed for a shade tent. I'm not saying this just to you, oleander124, it's just some info I've been meaning to put out there for awhile after seeing multiple unnecessary injuries.


In this pic, you can see that the fly is secured right at the base = safe.

I guess I get very detailed when I have to prepare for something. I'm seriously pissing off my boyfriend...I even call him at work and ask him what he thinks of certain items/ideas for the trip. I gotta calm down!!!

I was wondering about the guy wires, so I'm glad you posted. I really didn't want anyone to bust their arse out there over my guy lines...that would be bad! Plus, I have a good chance of tripping myself that way, too! ;D

Does anyone know of a good way to use tarps for shade, as opposed to buying a canopy? I dont think a canopy will be in our budget this year.

Using a tarp is tricky. You have to have something elevated to attach it to. You can drive poles in the ground (if it's soft enough), attach it to your vehicle, and/or use trees if you're in BFE. If your neighbors are cool, you can even attach to their canopies. I've even used poles and christmas tree stands, though it's not very sturdy.

Really the only reason to use tarps is if you need bigger than 10x10 or already have tarps. Otherwise a cheap canopy ($30) will run cheaper than a tarp and all the necessary accessories. I saw the same 10x10 canopy I've used for 7 years for $29.99 at Krogers today. It is the one with the plastic down the legs I posted earlier. These have leg poles that lock, a framed roof and the plastic hooks to the legs to really stabilize it. Walmart doesn't sell these but there are many brands available (my brand is Southern Patio)

$30? I feel wary of a $30 canopy. But, if it works for ya, maybe Ill give that a shot. Last year we didnt bring anything for shade and had to use the rainfly off the tent and tie it to the trunk or the car. It was 2 feet high, and only 4x4 feet of shade. Horrible. hehe.

thanks Troo. Karma for you, youre always helping me out. Spookymonster, Ill hook you up with a karma in about an hour. thanks man!

If you scroll up to the pic I posted in this thread, you can see my $30 (or was it $20? I forget, but it was cheap) shade tent. It worked, but we took it down before the rain last year, so I'm not sure it can stand normal Roo weather. I haven't decided if I'm going to invest in a better one for '07 or not yet.

seriously, we've all been bitten by the same bug