[at-l] "tent"ative thoughts & questions

[bullard@northnet.org]

>Date: Sat, 29 May 1999 22:27:51 -0400
>To: at
>From: bullard@northnet.org
>Subject: "tent"ative thoughts & questions
>
>I was out today, not for a hike but to visit my daughter who happens to
live near Binghamton, NY and the Eureka Factory store. They were having a
Memorial Day sale. Unfortunately I had no spare cash so it was just a
browse for me. :(
>
>Anyway, as I looked over the tents I pondered about a couple of things. I
currently own a freestanding tent that I bought at the hardware store. The
brand is OUTBOUND (Canadian, I think) and it's similar to one of Bean's
light weight tents (3 hoops, bathtub floor, netting top with a fly) except
that on mine the entire top is netting, not just panels of net. I've used
it a few times, so far always in good weather but I've wondered how I'll
pitch it in even a moderate rain without the inside getting soaked before I
can get the fly on. 
>
>I'm open to suggestions (not including the immediate purchase of a new
tent) and I have a question about ground sheets. I cut one from plastic
sheet by setting the tent (sans fly) on the plastic and cutting it to the
footprint of the tent. Now I'm wondering if I should have made it extend
into the vestibule area which is created by the fly. What do you think?
Pro? Con?
>
>Last is about a tent design I saw at Eureka. It is the Apex XT. It is
freestanding with 2 hoops (poles or whatever) has 2 side entrances. Each
has a vestibule created by the fly. My question is about the side entrance
design. It seems like it would be more convenient than crawling in the end
but most tents I've seen use the end entrance design. Anyone out there use
a tent with a side entrance? Is it easier to cook outside the door while
laying in the tent? Advantages? Disadvantages? 
>
>Sorry about the pun in the subject line. It's the Gaelic ancestry.
>
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