Lots of opinions on Canopies

We saved and use the little blue bag with foam padding to wrap the four-way rafter connector attached to the tent.

We use the stake bag. All the other little blue bags we saved and are using for packing various items in the galley. We just toss the poles loose into the pole bag and haven't had any trouble. We had an old army duffle bag into which the pole bag, the bag of stakes, and the tent fit pretty easily. The supplied tent bag is what we're currently using for dirty clothes.

 

Well, we've now completely destroyed two REI Alcoves. The first one was kind of expected as I had started setting it up in the side yard in order to make the bungees for rafters and then realized I didn't have the right size of hog rings. I ran off to the store to get some and the afternoon Florida rains came while I was away and completely destroyed the tent. REI in Kennesaw, GA (on the drive up to Necedah) replaced it under warranty and we tried again the evening that we picked up our G.E.M. at the Castle Rock Park. We set it up properly, guyed the four corners and installed 5 bungee rafters on each side of the roof pitch. It rained a lot that night (FANtastic Fan kept closing and opening all night), and around 3AM there was a crash and the Alcove came tumbling down. We took it to the REI in Madison, WI where we discovered that the Manager (Jay) was a jerk. He first tried to tell us that it was "only intended for use as a sun shade and not for use in rain", but I refused to believe him as the website and packaging say nothing like that. Then he tried to shift us into a smaller dome-tent-styled unit that wouldn't fit over the trailer. Then he finally warranty-swapped it after admonishing us that "this is the last time, I won't let you swap it again". Like he's gonna follow us all around the country and warn the other REI managers when we walk in the door?

That having been said, we haven't yet used the third one, not wanting to destroy it by its intended use. Valerie spent a lot of time reading the reviews on the REI website and found one particular one that informed us (that's "us readers", not just me and Valerie) how stupid we are if we let our Alcoves break while in use. Then they go on to point out that there are two tie points in the two centers for the fabric but REI doesn't include the extra two guy lines and stakes. They claim that by using 6 guy lines (and no bungees) they have never had a problem with the weight of rain.

This actually makes a lot of sense to me - I had already figured to try that from seeing the loops in the center of the fabric. A bit of a challenge is that one of the lines will have to be attached over the top of the trailer. I figure I can loop it around the base of the Fan structure. Ot maybe just take a pair of guy lines over the top and tie 'em to the trailer tongue.

And as for the relative stupidity of those who break their Alcoves, I think that all of the credit goes to REI for not providing the two additional guy lines and stakes.

 

While we're on the subject of shelters with teardrops, we have been planning to buy a Northern Breeze based on the many accolades shown in this discussion thread. But now that it is time to actually buy one we are having second thoughts and considering other options. Yesterday I set up my Big Agnes Three Fork shelter over the back of the trailer just to see if a dome-style tent (10'x10') would work. It didn't. The shape of the dome comes in too quickly from the base so it just doesn't fit over the trailer. Now we are looking at the Napier Sportz 84000 or 82000 (https://us.napieroutdoors.com/store/catalogue/index/1/2/) SUV tents as a potential candidate. I seem to recall seeing somewhere in this discussion that someone had used one? Anyone have experience with this style of shelter?

 

I found during my last camping trip that most of the water was pooling toward the middle of the Alcove on the side over the galley hatch. I adjusted the bungees and that solved the problem.

I also had the wind walls up and had staked the long side down in the middle. I attached another bungee from the stake to the canopy of the Alcove and that solve the pooling problem on that side so what the reviewer said is correct, properly staked, the Alcove should not have issues with water.

Next time, I plan on staking the free side of the REI alcove if it is going to rain. I will use more bungees on the side over the galley hatch paying attention to where the water is tending to pool. I think that will solve the problem.

I really like the REI Alcove for its ease of use and small size compared to the Northern Breeze. The northern breeze is a better shelter if you know you are going to have a lot of rain.

 

Below is a previous discussion regarding the Sportz tents:

http://www.campinnforum.com/ubbthr...&Main=2881&Words=sportz&Search=true#Post28222

 

Is the Kelty Tailgator the same as the Tailgator Sunshade? I've seen the Tailgator Sunshade in a few pics including a tradeshow with Tadpole trailers. It looked great on there.

 

Looking back on the thread about (Napier) SUV tents, Cary mentions about not being able to cook in them for safety reasons. Are folks using free standing screen houses to eat and relax in if it is rainy or buggy?

Thanks!

 

I really like my Sportbrellas. They are just a large umbrella that has some flaps in two places. You lay it down on the ground and stake it. It provides shade or shelter for two people to sit. I added on to the flaps on one of them to use over my galley. Without the added flaps my galley flooded in a rainstorm. The additional flap on the right side also helps to shade the fridge. I put the center pole in a piece of PVC to raise it up enough to go over the galley as the pole isn't quite long enough. It stakes down very well and has withstood some pretty good winds.
It seems like my table legs are never long enough. Every time I camp I end up with a dip where my galley is. I got two pieces of PVC and capped them. When I set up my tables if the leg is too short I just put sand or rocks inside the PVC to whatever height I need. This last time they were barely long enough so I am going to replace them with 8 inch pieces.

 

I slip the metal center post into a piece of PVC. I think it is 1 inch dia. This protects from scratching the bumper. I wrap a bungee around the PVC and attach each end to the bumper to stabelize the bottom. Make the PVC long enough to bring the umbrella up so it is just above the hatch. Mine is a little too short. It stakes out very well and I got some extra cord so I can tie the two back loops to the tongue.
I got those pieces for the table leg at Mossy Rock and they didn't fit over mine because the rubbers were too new. I don't remember who I gave them too but she told me she gave you one. Evidently she didn't tell you what they were for. After I got home from one of my trips where I didn't have anything to extend the table leg I got some more and just filed the rubber off a little so they will fit.

 

We have the Quick Shade Summit 170 that we purchased just before buying the trailer from Mike and Carol and then they gave us a Northern Breeze when we bought the trailer.

While we don't have experience with either yet while camping, I think they each have their pros/cons.

Summit 170
Pro - Quick and easy to set up
Pro - large shade area 10x10 with extensions that can extend out for extra shade or drop down to act as a wall.
Pro - Vented so more stable in wind. Also lets out smoke from cooking
Pro - Open and provides great visibility to campsite and beyond.

Con - Heavy and best if you have 2 people for set up.
Con - Big and takes up a lot of storage space
Con - Open so no privacy
Con - Not great shelter in poor weather

Northern Breeze
Pro - Light weight
Pro - Fairly easy to set up, not as easy as Summit 170 though
Pro - Walls that can be set up to extend shade or used to enclose tent during weather
Pro - More privacy
Pro - Screened in so helps keep bugs out

Con - Less open, less visbility
Con - More expensive
Con - Not vented

I think we will end up using the Summit when we are summer camping and want more open visibility. We have a Lightspeed Screen Tent that we can use for dinning away from bugs. We will then use the NB for fall and early spring camping when the weather is cooler.

 

We decided to go with the Alcove for the Galley and the In-Camp 100 as our "living room". We'll get a set of wind walls to go with the Alcove. As an aside, the quality of the In-Camp is quite excellent so we have great expectations for the Alcove.

 

key secrets to using an Alcove: the recommended bungie cord-rafters approach is an incomplete and somewhat ineffective solution to the rain puddling problem. I can show you pictures of the results of an August rain at Castle Rock and it isn't pretty. And that one had ten bungies for rafters.

The proper solution to this problem is to notice that REI in its infinite wisdumb, has provided a tie-down loop in the center on each side, but in their pursuit of cost reduction does not provide 2 additional guy lines and 2 additional stakes for these tie-down points. The few $ they saved by this has probably cost them $$$$ in warranty returns.

I wish it was easier to post pictures here. I put double lines on each loop, and the rear ones get staked to the ground while the front ones get tied over the roof to the door-stop posts. When these lines are installed and tensioned the pooling parts of the roof suddenly become drum-tight. Well, OK, maybe not that much, but you know what I mean. We still use one rafter bungee in each corner for insurance, but we've been through some mighty weather with no issues and the galley lid up and dry inside the whole time.

 

I was talking with Cary earlier today about some of the design work that is going on at The Gem Design Studios in South Florida. And I sent him a long email with pictures. He suggested that I post some of the pictures here to see what you all think. So I'm trying to paste that chunk from my earlier email. But it won't paste the pictures. How do I do that?

 

OK, I give up. The interface for pictures in this Forum is such that I get the message, "no pictures really wanted here." So instead I posted a couple pictures on the Camp-Inn page on Facebook.



This is regarding a tent-wall for the Northern Breeze that lets the galley in while keeping the bugs out.

 

Love it now where can I get one.

 

I'm working on getting a canvas company to produce them for me. Do you think people will want it as an add-on kit for existing tents or as a package with a Northern Breeze?

 

I would say an add on

 

We vote for add on too!

 

There was a post back in 2013 regarding an insert for the NB.

http://www.campinnforum.com/ubbthr...in=1089&Words=NB+Insert&Search=true#Post23066

It was a custom insert made for the northern breeze done by
FLmikeandcarol I am not sure if they are still on the forum but may be a resource for you. I too would be interested in an insert such as this and may just have our own made. Have a neighbor who is a great seamstress...R

 

Mike and Carol's screen insert was part of my motivation to do this. Instead of screen I used ripstop for the panel with screen only used at the door, similar to how the side tent uses screen.