BS: Standing up at last

Subject: BS: Standing up at last
From: Emma B
Date: 14 Jun 03 - 07:51 PM

Those of you festival addicts who have ever tried to squirm into 501s or wrap yourself in acres of dance fabric in a 3ft high dome tent - rejoice with me, I have finally managed to find a two-person (assuming you're incredibly close friends) small dome tent which is head height (well providing you're not over 195cms tall!)
Can't wait to try it out - roll on the next festival

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: MMario
Date: 16 Jun 03 - 08:23 PM

That is what floor length cloaks are for - a full circle cloak is a great changing room all in itself!

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: LadyJean
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 12:25 AM

If you're a lady, a long chemise makes a nice place to change in too. If it's loose enough you can undress and redress without anyone noticing. I suppose a crinoline would work too, but I'm not a crinoline type.

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 03:13 AM

Haha! My sister went looking for a new tent; one that one person might put up, easily and stand up in. She found one, got it out to test it at home. Found it has a middle pole, kind of like an umbrella, with a locking mechanism at the top one has to pull down then push up, sort of...anyway, to reach that, she had to stand on a milk crate (she's 5'2" like me), then the darn thing was so stiff she couldn't get it locked into place!

She's on her way to her daughter's now before going off to where she will use the tent, so plans to have several sessions of "limbering up" the mechanism!:-)

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 04:08 AM

Emma I know what you mean....Im 5ft 11 and Micca and I have finally traded in our small dome tent for a BIG dome tent. Its a 5 man tent and I can stand up in it with head room to spare!!! We are going to be trying it out a week on Saturday!!!

It is going to make such a difference!!

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 10:09 AM

There we were at a Festival last week - me (5 ft 7 & one quarter) in my so-called 2-person dome tent & JennyO (inches shorter) standing & walking round in her 4 person tent. But Jenny is a long-term camper who used to spend weeks with her kids on camping holidays.

I was looking at the neighbouring tall tent (owned by a tall woman) when she asked if I would like to use her tent to dress in while she went off to brekkie. Wot luxury! But both Jenny & our neighbour are drivers who can bring anything they can fit in their cars.

As I cadge rides to festivals I can't afford to get a bigger tent cos I wouldn't be able to carry it, but as I need more strong tent pegs & another light, I just might look around ...

sandra (dreaming of larger tents)

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: JennyO
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 10:33 AM

Ha, Sandra - I thought I might find you on this thread! Actually, my tent is laughingly called a 5 person tent - yeah, 5 sardines. But I can stand up in it - in the middle, anyway. I don't think my back would take crouching and crawling around for long, so as far as I am concerned, it is essential.

Really, a larger dome is still not that big when packed up, because of the light material. Mine certainly takes up a lot less room than the canvas one of the same floor area that I used to have!

I'll help you look around, Sandra. I love camping shops - any old excuse.....

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Emma B
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 01:29 PM

I never thought of a Crinoline! I did actually attend a festival wearing one once (a fast drive following a Social Services Fund raising Victorian evening - in a 2CV) It certainly was wonderful to dance a Scottishe in but, in all honesty, wouldn't sleep two - not even very close friends
I tried putting the tent up this afternoon but, being one inch shorter than kat's sister, also had to stand on something to lift it into place. Will be looking for a helpful pair of hands attached to a taller person this weekend. Volunteers apply here

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 03:15 PM

Talk about the thread name game, this thread is called "Standing up at last" [That's why I looked], and the final sentence of the last contribution, is someone looking for a helpful pair of hands. Is it just me?? I dread to think what Spaw would make of it all.....Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 04:29 PM

Why do I have the feeling that were I to wear a crinoline it could accomodate a small batallion!!

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Ely
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 06:03 PM

I never thought of that use for a crinoline. What a good idea (especially considering I don't seem to be needing it as an article of clothing).

My parents have a big--I think it must be at least a 5-man tent--that they put a tarp over (the rainfly gave out years ago). It's a bit cumbersome for short trips but a godsend on longer stays. I'm the lazy-ass that just sleeps in her car (thank the Car Gods for the current fad of tall hatchbacks).

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Emma B
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 06:10 PM

Oh Giok! "Unto the pure all things are pure" er.....what did you say you expected to find?

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Grab
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 06:11 PM

Emma, what tent is this?

We just recently got a Vaude Mark III. Not big enough to stand up in, but certainly big enough to get changed comfortably. It's a 3-person tent too (and designed for 3 normal-size people) so there's plenty of room for 2 people and all their gear. And it's definitely carryable weight.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 06:23 PM

What I want to know it, with these tents, who decides the size of the person and are they all nudists?

I can never seem to see where the luggage goes....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Emma B
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 06:34 PM

Hi Grab, the tent is from the Aztec range and is the Merida model, weighing in at 9.25kilos. It is actually promoted as a 'bikers tent' as it has two side entrances big enough to drive a large motorbike through (as they say - whatever turns you on) but for my purposes has just enough room for a table, two folding chairs and a drinks cabinet not to mention the aforementioned wardrobe which to answer your question about luggage Liz, lives in the sleeping area when I'm awake and in the living area when I'm dead to the world although I suspect they're all designed by men not necessarily nudists

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 06:46 AM

If you read the Tin Drum by Gunter Grass, I think you will find that Oskar was conceived when his Mother hid a soldier under her skirts to save him from capture.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 07:39 AM

There's just no answer to that Giok!

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 07:46 AM

Makes you wonder about the Scots Guards....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: JennyO
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 08:24 AM

I have read The Tin Drum. Most of it I have forgotten, but I DID remember that bit.

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 09:05 AM

Emma's find sounds a bit heavy at nearly 10 kilos. Anyone got a suggestion for a small (one or two person) light tent that's a reasonable height? That Vaude Mark III sounds pretty good - but at over £200 it's a lot of beer money.

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Emma B
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 09:12 AM

The tent is still going strong btw and has seen a lot of festivals and a gale or two as well!
I agree it's too heavy for backpacking McGrath but it's ok to carry across a field (or two) where cars are not allowed and the 10kilos includes the pegs too!

Thanks for resurrecting this thread (my first) Giok composed when I was still ingenuous enough to write such titles! Of course I've met you since then :D

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Mr Happy
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 11:17 AM

Whenever I know I'll need to lug heavy weights around at fests, I always take along the buggy.

Its a folding child's pushchair & the load capacity is incredible!

Have carried 3 guitars, a banjo, an African drum, a melodeon,daybag o'booze, & folding chair all in one go, & its possible to push a big pile on the flat with just one finger!!

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Rapparee
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 11:32 AM

We've bought a Hobitat 6 from REI. 22 pounds, sleeps a nominal 6 people (yeah, right!), and is 82 inches high. In metric, that 9.98 Kg., 6 people, and 2.08 meters.

We're going to use a queen-sized inflatable bed in it. Both of us have done the sleeping on the ground/air mattress/ridge rest thing; now we'll try something new!

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Amos
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 01:26 PM

What is the international scientific unit for people, Rapaire? Surely you know that.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 04:37 PM

I've moved up a bit from the first (recent) 2-person pup tent, to a 4.5 ft dome, to a 6 ft dome (my first comfortable tent). When I acquired my current camping accomplice, under extreme duress we went to a 12' popup trailer, and when the canvas rotted and the refrigerator died, to our current 30' trailer.

The trailer(s) aren't all that more comfortable than the 6' dome, with the exception of they don't leak, have potty and shower, refrigerator, stove (with oven and microwave in the last one), good furnace and marginally adequate air conditioning.

Okay - we don't camp: we safari.

I have been looking for a small tent or other shelter, however, for Lin's new accessory, her "mobility scooter," and find virtually nothing I'd consider "usable" even as a people tent in the "open retail market" here.

The main problem with what's available can be summarized as "feature glut." A simple dome is an incredibly easy tent for one person to set up, and of proper size allows standup room. It's incredibly resistant to wind (a problem here) and rain, and fairly large ones can be carried in one hand easily.

Once a couple of "wings," or "rooms" or "patios" are added, erections become impossible (for the solo camper), the multiplicity of parts and pieces "disappear" or get bent/broken/frayed/rusted/eaten by stray critters ... ... etc.

My sympathies to anyone who needs a good basic tent. They're very hard to find (and IMO the few good ones are much more expensive than they should be).

Whatever happened to "simple?" (Asks the one who now needs to do the full cleanup of the refrigerator and microwave, check the battery charge and water, put the baggie on the air conditioner, make sure the wheel chocks are in place, finish removing freezable foodstocks from the camper, and do the tow vehicle repairs and maintenance needed after the overloading attendant to dragging our "tent" to our last couple of outings, and ...)

John

Subject: RE: BS: Standing up at last
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 05:34 PM

last year I finally bought a bigger dome tent so I could stand up in it. Nominally (I do like that word!) it's a 5 sardine tent, obviously teh sardines use their cars for luggage, but for 1 person it is great. I have an inflable single bed, a large comfortable folding chair, a folding stool impersonating a bedside table, & assorted bags and still have space to spare, so life is great!

EXCEPT for my new lantern which looks like a gas light, but is battery operated. When I hung it from the centre loop I knocked into it, so ended up kneeling as I did in my previous tent. I've been trying to figure out a tallish folding stand for it that won't take up much room as I have to cadge rides to festivals.

Last festival I decided to leave the lantern at home & just potter around in the near dark using my small hand torch, which is about the size of a cigarette packet. Lo & behold, I was near the showground lights & was in permanent light! Hooray & as I always take my sleeping mask, I had no trouble sleeping.

sandra