Some tents that are recommend as being great by experts are not so great. I recall using a tent (Cannondale Aroostook I think was the model) highly recommended by Cliff Jacobson that was terrible. He claimed it was perfect for the arctic. It wasn't. In a heavy wind it was hard to set up, flapped horribly all the time, and seemed like it was trying to suffocate us. So far I have had the best luck with a Eureka Expedition. While various top line dome tents were being blown flat the Expedition stays upright and solid. It is simple to set up and ruggedly built. It is not as exotic as the fancy domes being the old wedge style with a center hoop but it works. Mind, if you aren't camping in exposed areas, I suppose most tents will work. Cheers John Winters Redwing Designs Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft http://home.ican.net/~735769/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
Tents for kayaking are one of the dicier decisions one has to make. Ordinarily, any tent will do. But there are situations that are more likely to hit you as a sea kayak camper than a backwoods one in which you wished you had a bombproof tent. I wasn't on a particular trip back about 8 years ago but it proved my point. Several friends were sea kayak camping in an exposed open area when during the night a gale picked up. The people in normally adequate Eurekas and the like were awakened to the sound of snapping tent poles, collapsed or shredding tent walls, pegs popping, etc. A miserable night of hanging on until daybreak. As the day dawned, most of the group was contending with the wreckage, when over in one corner the occupants of a Northface VE-23 or 24 were awakening and opened their tent door to wonder what was all the commotion going on around camp at that moment. Their tent walls had hardly flapped throughout the night, certainly not enough to rouse them. The Northface had stayed put and totally intact. So sometimes top quality (we are talking about $500 tents!) pays. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
> of hanging on until daybreak. As the day dawned, most of the group was > contending with the wreckage, when over in one corner the occupants of a > Northface VE-23 or 24 were awakening and opened their tent door to > wonder what was all the commotion going on around camp at that moment. > Their tent walls had hardly flapped throughout the night, certainly not > enough to rouse them. The Northface had stayed put and totally intact. We have the TNF Oval 24, like it quite a bit, never been concerned about the wind demolishing it; but it does eat up a lot of space. If folks are going alone, or with someone one doesn't want to share a tent with, a tough gore-tex bivy sack might work better. Takes up much less space, and is virtually indestructable. I got the big northface job inorder to get my wife to occassionally come with me! *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
R. Diaz wrote: Several friends were sea kayak camping in an exposed open area when during the night a gale picked up. The people in normally adequate Eurekas and the like were awakened to the sound of snapping tent poles, collapsed or shredding tent walls, pegs popping, etc. A miserable night of hanging on until daybreak. As the day dawned, most of the group was contending with the wreckage, when over in one corner the occupants of a Northface VE-23 or 24 were awakening and opened their tent door to wonder what was all the commotion going on around camp at that moment. Their tent walls had hardly flapped throughout the night, certainly not enough to rouse them. The Northface had stayed put and totally intact. So sometimes top quality (we are talking about $500 tents!) pays. Yes! I have similar memories of a night, when I woke up at 3 am. and saw the roof of the tent coming close my face :-) We (my lady and me) had put the tent about 30 feet from the shore and a full gale wind was blowing hard to us and packing itself and rain against the cliffs and us. Directly. Fortunately, the water did not rise enough to get us wet. Fortunately, the aluminium poles did not brake. Fortunately, the kayak was is a still and safe place -and high enough. I just went back to sleep again and learnt in the morning from the radio, how the wind had changed itīs direction and speed... Personally, I do value double tents with a very low profile. I have bought a Fjallraeven Foxlite (Swedish, I think), which did last this above mentioned test very well. It might be worth of $ 550 ( I bought a piece which was used and the poles were not original). BUT: the shape of the tent is quite suitable, imagine a plate turned upside down with three poles going to identical direction. Good: put the door to the opposite side of wind and it is really stormproof ( about 3 feet high). Bad: it doesnīt stand without cords so rocky islets might bring some difficulties... two cords is enough, but I can imagine it flying when it is really windy (after all, it takes 8 to 10 cords to make it safe). The tent I had before was a canvas one, my grandmaīs and museum stuff: beautiful, from the early seventies - and as useful as a paperbag. Ari Saarto Kannaksenkatu 22 / P.O. 92 15141 Lahti - Finland - Europe GSM +358 - 50 - 526 5892 fax. +358 - 3 - 828 2815 e-mail: asaarto_at_lpt.fi *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
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