Side Tent Question

Warren Mary Ellen

Warren Mary Ellen

Ranger
Is there a way to use the side tent if you are on a site that is paved with curbing around the site. This weekend we were in a campground where this could have been a problem. Luckily we got maybe the one site where we did not have to figure this out. We faced a similar problem in Yellowstone. For us camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains means a lot of thunderstorms so the side tent needs to be set up correctly so it does not hold water on the rainfly. Kinda hard to put tent stakes into the asphalt. Just curious what others have done.
 
We always carried a very heavy piece of rubber cut the same size as the side tent floor. http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/rubber-roll/8mm-rubber-roll.html
When on gravel it went under the side tent to prevent rocks from punching through the floor. When on hard surfaces, it went inside the tent to help hold the shape. We also used the pvc frame idea that's somewhere on the forum to give the floor of the side tent some shape and stability. After all that, we put the cooler and other heavy bags (like shower kits) in each corner. Never had a problem.
Mike
 
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I like the heavy matt idea. We also have the pvc frame which worked with stakes or w/o if you don't expect any wind. Recently in TX at Lake Meredith we had to take the side tent down. It did fine until wind topped 70 mph. It stayed up but stakes began to pull up and in fear of damage to the trailers exterior got it down. Standing inside it with the wind shaking everthing was a little nerve racking though...
 
Thanks for the ideas. We are going to try the PVC for sure and I may look into the heavy mat too. We had thought about filling cans with quikcrete and putting a tent stake as it was drying to hook the tent. We both work in public schools so we can get the large cans from our cafeteria. The only drawback is the space and weight that would take up.
 
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