Pennsic planning
Feb. 26th, 2011 06:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dragonlady7Yes, already.
I need to upgrade my tent situation. I'm using a borrowed dome tent from my sister, which is nice as those go, but is totally inadequate for two somewhat-disorganized, fairly tall people to use for two weeks. Nice tents are not necessary for my kinda Pennsic-- I don't need waterproof, don't need a tub bottom, don't need windproof, don't need lightweight-- none of these are necessary where I camp. (I'm on a gentle side-hill, in a forest. I am in the same spot every year, and have reliable weather data for about 5 solid years on that particular spot.)
I need:
1) straight walls, as a dome tent is about 90% unusable space, I swear
2) a bed that's not on the ground (cold, sandy, wet)
3) better ventilation (the dome tent's rainfly is so difficult to remove that I effectively can't, for the duration of the event-- and if I do, the walls are completely transparent mesh, so my tent interior, and possibly-nude self, are on display-- not that I mind, but others probably do)
4) even easier setup/teardown (I can't quite do the dome tent on my own)
The solution to that is:
1) EZ-Up. Nez had one, which she used for several days until we were able to get her enormous canvas period-authentic pavilion set up, whereupon the EZ-Up was simply carried several feet down the hill to become our shower tent. Straight walls, waterproof roof, almost-instant setup for realz.
2) Canvas walls. Yes really. Buying polyester sidewalls for an EZ-Up is about $100. Buying 72" scenery canvas from Dharma Trading, and waterproofing it myself, is about $100.
3) Buy a bed. They make expandable airbeds but I don't like the look of any of 'em, and there's no room underneath to put anything at all. I'm wondering if I can get a cheap simple bed frame, with slats, and throw an air mattress in it. Unfortunately my air mattress is king size. That's too big, really. Full or queen would be better. Need to stake out an area somewhere about 10x10 and plot out the furnishings in my tent.
4) Garment rack. Saw one at Bed Bath & Beyond that had little feet to keep it steady, a little shelf about four inches off the ground, and another shelf above the clothes-hanging bar: perfect for holding most of my clothes and assorted other of my things.
So, linkdump:
Shopping around, I'd rather go with EZ-Up name brand than knockoff. There are cheapo ones, but I have first-hand experience with EZ-Up, and they're not that expensive. (Even a pimped-out one is at most about $600; tents with comparable living area run $300ish; I'm mostly looking at the $200ish ones.)
The models I'm considering are the Pyramid II (~$150), Express II ($200ish), or Enterprise II ($350ish). (I think the Pyramid is lighter weight, and then the Express and Enterprise are pretty similar except the Enterprise has a heavier-duty top. As far as I can tell.) There are two cheaper models that I think are flimsy and the legs slant outward, which I don't like; it just makes it harder to fit the tent into the space I have, and doesn't give you any more usable space.
I'm sort of considering a pavilion-type model EZ-Up from Cabela's, which they have on clearance-- it has a vented roof, which would be kinda neat. I haven't seen it anywhere else. Pagoda II.
Sidewalls: It's hard to get clear reliable data on the EZ-Up dimensions, most importantly the vertical sidewall dimensions. Dharma Trading, my old friends, have 72" wide scenery canvas, which would be long enough by itself for some of the models-- I think. I've noticed that when it rains, dirt is splattered up from the ground and covers the lower foot or so of tent walls, and with canvas tents especially tends to cling; the canvas walls also will wick water upward from the ground, take forever to dry, and get very heavy. So I'm thinking of making the lowest 18" or so of the walls from nylon instead. Dharma sells undyed dyeable-printable nylon; if I dye it a slightly darker coordinating shade than the natural canvas, then stencil or stamp a design on it, it'll look decorative; it'll cut down on weight of the walls, and it'll keep the bottom of the canvas from getting filthy, but it won't really impede the breathability of the tent. Yes it's one more seam to sew but depending on the tent height, I'd probably have to sew it anyway.
I priced out the materials: about $100. They charge about $100 for polyester sidewalls, so... And they don't breathe. (The EZ-up we use for our shower tent, we all hang our towels in it and they sort of don't ever dry.)
I'm really excited at the idea of actually having a nice livable space. And if we improve upon last year's design, and have a little gazebo-tent thing that extends between the doors of my tent, Liesl's, and Nez's, and get a cheap astroturf rug for the floor of that, and then have more astroturf for the area in front of that, and set up a little sitting room in that gazebo area... well, it'd just be really comfy, that's all, and I'd never ever ever get sand tracked into my tent. Last Pennsic was really stressful and I felt like I couldn't ever relax (there were days-- well, most of them-- that I spent more time on my feet than I do in my real life, wherein I work retail and do an intensive sport-- and it really hurt). Having a comfy place to retreat to would help that a lot, I think. And enough with the fucking sand in my bed. I really want no more of that.
I just have to make a decision on which fucking tent to buy. And where to get it.
I need to upgrade my tent situation. I'm using a borrowed dome tent from my sister, which is nice as those go, but is totally inadequate for two somewhat-disorganized, fairly tall people to use for two weeks. Nice tents are not necessary for my kinda Pennsic-- I don't need waterproof, don't need a tub bottom, don't need windproof, don't need lightweight-- none of these are necessary where I camp. (I'm on a gentle side-hill, in a forest. I am in the same spot every year, and have reliable weather data for about 5 solid years on that particular spot.)
I need:
1) straight walls, as a dome tent is about 90% unusable space, I swear
2) a bed that's not on the ground (cold, sandy, wet)
3) better ventilation (the dome tent's rainfly is so difficult to remove that I effectively can't, for the duration of the event-- and if I do, the walls are completely transparent mesh, so my tent interior, and possibly-nude self, are on display-- not that I mind, but others probably do)
4) even easier setup/teardown (I can't quite do the dome tent on my own)
The solution to that is:
1) EZ-Up. Nez had one, which she used for several days until we were able to get her enormous canvas period-authentic pavilion set up, whereupon the EZ-Up was simply carried several feet down the hill to become our shower tent. Straight walls, waterproof roof, almost-instant setup for realz.
2) Canvas walls. Yes really. Buying polyester sidewalls for an EZ-Up is about $100. Buying 72" scenery canvas from Dharma Trading, and waterproofing it myself, is about $100.
3) Buy a bed. They make expandable airbeds but I don't like the look of any of 'em, and there's no room underneath to put anything at all. I'm wondering if I can get a cheap simple bed frame, with slats, and throw an air mattress in it. Unfortunately my air mattress is king size. That's too big, really. Full or queen would be better. Need to stake out an area somewhere about 10x10 and plot out the furnishings in my tent.
4) Garment rack. Saw one at Bed Bath & Beyond that had little feet to keep it steady, a little shelf about four inches off the ground, and another shelf above the clothes-hanging bar: perfect for holding most of my clothes and assorted other of my things.
So, linkdump:
Shopping around, I'd rather go with EZ-Up name brand than knockoff. There are cheapo ones, but I have first-hand experience with EZ-Up, and they're not that expensive. (Even a pimped-out one is at most about $600; tents with comparable living area run $300ish; I'm mostly looking at the $200ish ones.)
The models I'm considering are the Pyramid II (~$150), Express II ($200ish), or Enterprise II ($350ish). (I think the Pyramid is lighter weight, and then the Express and Enterprise are pretty similar except the Enterprise has a heavier-duty top. As far as I can tell.) There are two cheaper models that I think are flimsy and the legs slant outward, which I don't like; it just makes it harder to fit the tent into the space I have, and doesn't give you any more usable space.
I'm sort of considering a pavilion-type model EZ-Up from Cabela's, which they have on clearance-- it has a vented roof, which would be kinda neat. I haven't seen it anywhere else. Pagoda II.
Sidewalls: It's hard to get clear reliable data on the EZ-Up dimensions, most importantly the vertical sidewall dimensions. Dharma Trading, my old friends, have 72" wide scenery canvas, which would be long enough by itself for some of the models-- I think. I've noticed that when it rains, dirt is splattered up from the ground and covers the lower foot or so of tent walls, and with canvas tents especially tends to cling; the canvas walls also will wick water upward from the ground, take forever to dry, and get very heavy. So I'm thinking of making the lowest 18" or so of the walls from nylon instead. Dharma sells undyed dyeable-printable nylon; if I dye it a slightly darker coordinating shade than the natural canvas, then stencil or stamp a design on it, it'll look decorative; it'll cut down on weight of the walls, and it'll keep the bottom of the canvas from getting filthy, but it won't really impede the breathability of the tent. Yes it's one more seam to sew but depending on the tent height, I'd probably have to sew it anyway.
I priced out the materials: about $100. They charge about $100 for polyester sidewalls, so... And they don't breathe. (The EZ-up we use for our shower tent, we all hang our towels in it and they sort of don't ever dry.)
I'm really excited at the idea of actually having a nice livable space. And if we improve upon last year's design, and have a little gazebo-tent thing that extends between the doors of my tent, Liesl's, and Nez's, and get a cheap astroturf rug for the floor of that, and then have more astroturf for the area in front of that, and set up a little sitting room in that gazebo area... well, it'd just be really comfy, that's all, and I'd never ever ever get sand tracked into my tent. Last Pennsic was really stressful and I felt like I couldn't ever relax (there were days-- well, most of them-- that I spent more time on my feet than I do in my real life, wherein I work retail and do an intensive sport-- and it really hurt). Having a comfy place to retreat to would help that a lot, I think. And enough with the fucking sand in my bed. I really want no more of that.
I just have to make a decision on which fucking tent to buy. And where to get it.
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-26 11:27 pm (UTC)By which I mean...this awesome-as-shit bed (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Queen-Airbed/8571996).
My old one is like six years old now, and is still going strong. I donated to my old roommate to use at Falcon Ridge Folk Fest.
Actually, that's a lie. I accidentally left it in Brooklyn when I moved, but was happy to bequeath it to Seth and Hilary who deserve comfy sleeps as much as anyone.
Seriously, it's awesome, it's off the ground, and if you use those fitted sheet clips, the bottom sheet doesn't slide at all. (Josh was the clever boots on that data point.)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-26 11:59 pm (UTC)But I want to get something that has room underneath it. Regan across the street at St Jones Mission has a pseudo-period rope-tension-style bed, very high off the ground, and stores all kinds of shit underneath. I like that idea a lot. But I don't want to bother with rope tension. So Ikea slats and a minimal bed frame might do it to give me just four legs, and lots more room.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-27 03:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-28 08:19 pm (UTC)I loved the double mattress so much i bought a twin-size for weekend events. Eventually i would like ot have a slat bed with a futon mattress; but then i'd have to get a trailer hitch and learn to drive with a trailer. :P
no subject
Date: 2011-03-05 07:31 am (UTC)Maybe when Emma's all done with her chemo.