re: [at-l] Nomad issues

["David F Hicks" <daveh@usit.net>]

26 Oct 1999 17:35:50 -0400, "W F Thorneloe, MD (Domain will change soon to
attglobal.net)" <thornel@ibm.net>

SNIP

>There is the problem of how to line up the tent for wind, especially when
>the wind patterns are changing

SNIP
>
This tent does
>best when taunt, and the vestibule should either be in fully extended or
>retracted position during wind events. I probably should have rotated the
>tent 90 degrees during the night, even if that led to cold and wet
>initially. I suspect that I would have been more comfortable with a fourth
>tent peg, but there really was no tumbling event (just my fear of that).

>I did have one Leki collapse briefly in the wind, but there was no problem
>in straightening it and tightening the tent.


OrangeBug

I just got back on-line.  So, I missed most of this exchange.  Sorry if this
is redundant.

I have one of the original Normad mark 1's.  It has some 20+ nights on it --
some mid-Atlantic (Va.-W.Va.) winter camping in heavy winds.

My first real test was the weekend of 2/20.  Overall, it worked quite well
under very adverse conditions -- 18*, winds to 30+ mph, plus a light snow
overnight.  In earlier post about that trip, I advised on using three (or
four) pegs in bad weather.

It stayed up under these harsh conditions.  As the temperature dropped and
the wind rose, it did a lot of flapping, but stayed put.  It is never going
to be as rigid as a dome, or one of the other tightly stretched multi-pole
free-standing tents.  Need that; carry more weight.  The bottom line was
that I had shelter and I stayed dry.  [BTW: that night a lesson learned for
me was "adjust the length of the hiking poles at the wider-diameter (upper
as you walk; lower as you pitch the tent) telescoping adjustment point."  I
had trouble getting enough grip on the small pole segment to lock them
tight.  Earlier pitching, under still conditions, they had worked OK -- they
just needed to hold up a very light tent.  On that weekend however, the
strength of the wind forced the lee-side pole to collapse -- ever so slowly.
At first I thought I had not pitched it right.  I may be a little slow; but
in my defense, it was doing its thing in the dark, as I slept.  When I
realized what was happening, I took the poles out of the socket one at a
time (holding the tent up with my head), I got a good grip, I really locked
the small friction clamp, l reinserted them, I readjusted them at the big
friction clamp, and I went back to sleep (w/o further problem).

In the Mark 1, I peg/stretch the vestibule down (e.g., w/o the pole),
reducing the sail effect, providing additional heat retention, and providing
a place for wet/damp clothing boots to freeze dry.  (don't forget to prop
the boots open with sticks.)

Chainsaw  mailto:daveh@usit.net

PS -- Note the new EMail address.  ATT doesn't have a local dial up here.


* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List |  http://www.backcountry.net  *

==============================================================================