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From: <Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] TENT HUNT - "PLEASE"
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 08:59:51 -0500
Hey, all.  I'm supposed to take my first kayak camping trip 16 days from now, and found out late last night that the tent I was borrowing is "lost".  So.... I'm scrambling to get a tent that I wasn't planning on (budget wise) until about this time next year.  Need to get it in time to practice setting it up and so forth, so if I order one (retailers in my area stink) I'll need to do so in the next day or two and beg them to get it out right away.

I found the following on the web - what do you think about it?  Huge  discount.... but is the tent worth it????

Eureka Nightscape 2 Tent
Reg $199.95   Sale $119.96
Item # 26590 at Campmor under the "WEB BARGAINS" section.

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=226&prrfnbr=6466472

Rick - Poquoson, VA

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From: Wayne Smith <wsmith_at_cts.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] TENT HUNT - "PLEASE"
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 04:52:36 -0800
Just my 2 cents:

One of the things that I carry is a big spike.  Like 9 inches long and 3/8 inch
wide.

When I pitch the tent, I use a rock to pound the spike into the ground opening
up the groumd.  Then I place the light weight aluminum tent stake into the
opening.  This way, I can get good purchace of the tent stakes without damaging
the delicate aluminum stakes - I leave the spike in the most upwind location of
the tent.

BTW: I use a standalone tent and have found that if you stake the bottom of the
tent to the ground before you insert the poles, It will not blow away.

--
Wayne Smith   (ò¿ó)

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From: Doug Lloyd <dougl_at_islandnet.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] TENT HUNT - "PLEASE"
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 23:12:49 -0800
sc wrote:

> Doug,
> I am with you on tents. <snip> Once staked, they are bomb-proof. <snip>

So, what you are saying is you "stake" your life on this, eh?   :-)

> Maybe I am missing the point, but let's not forget one thing; when you are
> out there, the only thing protecting you from the elements is your tent.
> That is one of several items where I do not scimp....(boots and backpack as
> well).<snip>

Scott, I stake my 3-season tent out very well too, then secure the fly to large
immovable objects where necessary. This is still faster with a FS tent - in my
case, anyway. My previous tent, NFS,  was a 4-seasons unit -- but did stand up
well (privacy issues aside) in terms of durability. On one of my off-season
trips down the inside passage where it snowed at night with squalls and reached
minus 5 Celsius, I observed one member of the team suffer terribly with a cheap
tent. It gave me great respect for the aboriginal peoples who plied those waters
for centuries. (PS Guess the original Australians were aboriginals too, not
"convicts" -- from a previous shark post :-)  ).

I guess one could call an expensive tent expenditure part of the techno-weenie
syndrome, and I do know a few folks who survive nicely with just a tarp; but
really, my tent is my shelter -- subject to UV damage, gritty wear and tear,
zipper problems, wet packing for days at times, heavy squall implosions on
exposed coasts, bears poking around at night, and  mice and bugs trying to get
inside. It is a place to read in dry comfort during prolonged storms when
staying under a tarp just doesn't cut it. And it is most definitely the thin
veneer that keeps my sanity on challenging solo sea treks, lending peace and
comfort through the long nights of self-doubt. A good tent is well worth the
outlay. Agreed -- FS, NFS, NSF, whatever. Maybe avoid those gaudy nylon colors,
however.

Dougie
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