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I've never sealed my tent but I think I will this weekend. This will be its third Roo and I got it from Target - I think my luck will run out if I don't seal it this time. Anyone have a favorite sealer to recommend?
Post by monkeystuff504 on Mar 8, 2007 9:04:27 GMT -5
spookymonster said:
Just spent the last 2 days setting up my tent, sealing the seams, tying new guy lines... and packing it away in a stuff sack for another 98 days ....
Thats funny i did the same thing last thursday. Sealed the seams waited a day and figured what the hell and used the waterproofing spray too. I definitely don't want to wake up in the middle of the night with water dripping on my face again.
I tie strips of "electric yellow" cloth to the lines coming off of my tent to warn others (the color they make safety vests out of - it's nearly impossible to miss).
If a particular line becomes a frequent problem over the weekend I'll tape a glowstick to it at night to help out.
Post by spookymonster on Mar 8, 2007 9:14:45 GMT -5
thejizzo said:
ticktrix said:
I've never sealed my tent but I think I will this weekend. This will be its third Roo and I got it from Target - I think my luck will run out if I don't seal it this time. Anyone have a favorite sealer to recommend?
Post by spookymonster on Mar 8, 2007 9:22:44 GMT -5
oleander124 said:
ticktrix said:
and "guy out" means to stake the line far out from the bottom of the tent = drunk w00k tripper.
Will the guy wires be there in order for me to stake the sides out so it won't stick, or is that something I will have to buy in addition to the tent?
Do you think the wires would stick out too far on the sides and bother/trip my neighbors?
Some tent kits come with guy lines, some don't. Nylon cord and line-tighteners are cheap (I paid $6 for 100 feet of cord and an 8-pack of line tighteners at Campmor). I'd recommend about 5-6' of cord with a line-tightener per guy line loop. The tightener is an easy way to shorten the line if your campsite is cramped.
Oh, and if you're tent kit didn't come with guy lines, it probably also didn't have spikes for guy lines, so pick some of those up as well (or scavenge them, like I did ):
Some tent kits come with guy lines, some don't. Nylon cord and line-tighteners are cheap (I paid $6 for 100 feet of cord and an 8-pack of line tighteners at Campmor). I'd recommend about 5-6' of cord with a line-tightener per guy line loop. The tightener is an easy way to shorten the line if your campsite is cramped.
Oh, and if you're tent kit didn't come with guy lines, it probably also didn't have spikes for guy lines, so pick some of those up as well (or scavenge them, like I did ):
Post by spookymonster on Mar 8, 2007 9:49:13 GMT -5
Hard to say... some brands might list the full contents of the box, some might not. My Eureka Apex 2, for example, didn't mention any guy lines on the box or give a stake count. However, it did have 2 small guy lines for the vents (you had to get your own guy lines for the other 4 line loops) and 8 spikes (4 metal J hooks for the tent, 2 metal J hooks for the vestibule/wings, and 2 plastic V spikes for the guy lines).
Guy lines aren't always necessary; you really only need them when you're dealing with rough weather (high winds and/or heavy rain). As someone mentioned earlier, sometimes they'll improve ventilation by lifting the rainfly off the tent.
Post by spookymonster on Mar 8, 2007 10:01:35 GMT -5
oleander124 said:
What do you mean by "guy line loop"?
Also, will I need a tightener at each end of the guy wire...one at the tent and the other at the stake?
On my tent, the rainfly (the tarp that goes on top of the tent) has 4 nylon loops sewn to the outside. You'll know 'em when you see 'em. Trust me.
Cut a 5' length of nylon cord. Some people (like me ) take a lighter and melt the ends of the cord to prevent further fraying.
Tie one end to the nylon guy line loop.
Weave the other end of the cord thru the line-tightener. Only 1 tightener is necessary. Knot the end of the cord so it won't slip out of the tightener. If done properly, you should have something resembling a dollar sign ($). The loop closest to the knot is what you're going to put on the end of your stake.
When you're ready to stake your guy lines, stretch the line (gently!) to the ground as far away from your tent as it'll go. Now put a stake into the ground at that spot and hook the guy line to it. You can remove slack from the line by working the tightener back up the cord towards your tent. The fit should be snug, not super-tight. The last thing you want to do is tear your rainfly!
Post by spookymonster on Mar 8, 2007 12:26:44 GMT -5
This'll be my first 'Roo, so I'm afraid I have no first-hand experience to speak from. However, in past years (2005, I believe?) there have been torrential rains and reports of collapsed tents.
Here's what I recommend: - Buy the extra gear for guy lines (it shouldn't cost more than $10-12) and seam sealer/waterproofing spray (maybe another $5). - Practice setting up your tent in your backyard. - With the tent up, spray/brush the seam sealer along the inside seams of your tent and rainfly. Give it a night to dry and cure. - Make some guy lines and attach them to the tent (takes about 10 minutes, tops). - Practice breaking down the tent and packing it.
When you set up the tent at 'Roo, spike the 4 corners at least. If you feel you've got enough room for guy lines, I'd say put 'em up while you can. The last thing you want to do is try staking a line in the mud with a stiff wind threatening to capsize your tent!
Post by spookymonster on Mar 8, 2007 15:01:54 GMT -5
It wouldn't hurt to do both, but the inside seams are usually good enough. Tents with factory taped seams (like the Coleman you're looking at) might not even need any extra seam sealer at all. I'd still do the inside seams tho, just in case.
I'll have to wait until I get home to watch the video. We're treated like 5th graders where I work, so I can't view it . . . it's amazing I'm allowed to view these boards, actually.
Got the tent yesterday, I haven't had time to set it up yet and check it out. I will probably do that this weekend. On another note, the box it came in was beat to hell and had some holes in it, so I am curious to see if any of the damage carried over to the tent itself...
Post by bojangles22 on Mar 10, 2007 10:59:07 GMT -5
I'll be sleepin jus by myself this year ( maybe ) the 8x10 tent is good space & price wise, but i'm wondering, how good are thoes one person mini-tents? don't really know what they are called (casket camper?heh) but i saw'em last year and wondered if they worked well or if they just cook you up like a sausage in the sun come 10am.
Post by spookymonster on Mar 10, 2007 14:43:12 GMT -5
They're called bivvys, and they're mainly sought after by backpackers looking for a light shelter. Never been in one - they look a little too claustrophobic for me. You gotta travel reeeal light with one of those - not much room for storing gear, and no vestibule (for muddy shoes, etc.) to speak of. Pricewise, they tend to fall right around the same as a decent 2-3 man tent. As far as ease of setup, it doesn't look too complicated, but it definitely requires staking.
Does anyone know about the Kelty Yellowstone 6 Tent? Any info would be greatly appreciated. I just posted this in another thread but with my klutzyness I forgot the thread name. Anyways I dont like the idea of dropping nearly 200 bucks on something that isnt worth it.
When in doubt, click on the "profile" link at the top of the page - it will show you the last few posts you've made.
No experience with the Kelty. Looks solid - taped seams, bathtub floor - but condensation might be a problem; the mesh panels at the top seem kinda small to me.
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