The Camping Forum

[CrazyCamper]

Trying to get my head round the physics of this problem, espcially after seeing the posted example photos showing the design. I hadn't realised that my Coleman's porch was of a similar type - assuming that Coleman had a unique feature

What puzzles me is the possible differences though - as my photo may indicate:


The pole sleeve on mine is shorter, the pole is thin and sometimes a bit too flexible as it flops down if hit by high winds directly - or if raining as that collects in the pocket above the door Other than the above - I have never noticed any tension issue with the door zips at all - so not entirely sure whether that is by (better) design or not? Pitching the tent I've always had the floor sections spaced correctly apart, giving the tent walls a reasonably tight feel if you get what I mean? The door always remains zipped closed when pitching (good practice I hope as it ensures the entire structure isn't getting warped as you pitch).

So what has gone wrong with the design for Outwell? I can't quite figure it out yet from reading the posts

[Former Scout]

The Vangos, as I recall, put little stress on the zips and seams as the angled poles are pretty-much at the correct angle, ie you don't have to squeeze them in very much to fit into position. The new Outwell design, although angled, still need to be squeezed and, therefore, create trension. The Vangos also have a thinner porch pole so less tension anyway. It means that the Outwells have a nice taught appearance cf the Vangos (as you can see on the two photos supplied by Camp Moose) but so what?

nutgone: yes, buying a thinner pole would help but it's crazy that you have to resort to such things and there would be a little more work involved than first appearances may suggest: you'd have to cut it to the correct size and find some way of protecting the ends so that they don't fray (the Outwell porch pole have black rubber/plastic "socks" on the ends).

Also, if people are splaying the guy ropes on either side of the door then they shouldn't really and not just to protect the door's zip and seams. Altering the position of the guys starts to change the lines of forces that act on the tent in the wind. Best to keep it as it was designed.

Crazy Camper: I must admit I don't pay as much attention to Coleman tents when I go round tent displays but it strikes me that thee are two reasons why you don't have the same problem. The first, as you've already pointed out, is that the pole is thinner and so less tension and stress. The second is how it attaches to the tent: the ends slot into eyelets through the main hoop pole sleeves. As such most of the stress is taken by the poles themselves; even if these are fibreglass they are more robust than the zip and seams of the door. The original Outwell Nevada design, like my Minnesota, had the ends of the eyebrow porch pole slotting into black ferules/brackets that were attached to the tent material via webbed strapping. Although the webbed strapping also attached to the upright/hoop poles the lengths of the strapping was such that all the tension was being put on the door's zip and seams and not the poles. Plus, as already noted, it's a thick, strong piece of pole. As I said in an earlier post I can correct the problem with my Minny by using SPAMMER IGNORE THIS LINK!!!! to fix the ferules to the main upright poles but such are the forces it's rather hard work and requires some strength.

[nutgone]

CrazyCamper, I just had to say;
What a lovely clean, neat & tidy camp you keep!

I notice that there's a place for everything, & everything's in its' place.

You've got your kitchen nicely laid out & everything else very tidy.

& I'm glad to see you keep your aeroplane parked BEHIND your tent, so as not to ruin the view.


(P.S. I love Coleman tents, I very nearly bought one for my trip to France, last year.
I've seen many set up in shops before & they always looked to be of good quality, good design & very reasonably priced.
It's almost a shame I've gone nuts for canvas, or I'd probably have one by now)

[CrazyCamper]

Apologies for the stray off-topic, but nutgone - thanks for the compliment - but that was my first time with my Coleman so it was rather minimal, hence lack of clutter.... I have since acquired even more kit to take advantage of the huge internal space but still keep everything in it's place so not untidy...
Oh and actually my aircraft is directly outside the side door so out of shot I was at the Museum where it's kept and trying the tent out whilst doing a few days maintenance on the aircraft actually.

[loobylou]

wow - this is great to have so much support - i'll be emailing outwell back
ps the image above is of a later model - however if you look closely you can still see the slight pull looking at the left side towards the top

[Rob-merlin1973]

Please bear in mind that outwell may not do anything . You need t explore all avenues with the seller first.

[Camp Moose]

I was wondering , how many nights have you slept in it?

I've just had a quick look on a cottage rental site for the dates we're off to the Netherlands this summer.
Cheapest I can find is about £1200 for two weeks.
Our tent cost about 300 quid & site fees will be about 400 quid for 2 weeks.
Total £700.
If my door zip does bust I'll just pin it together & use the other side.
I'll still have had my 2 week holiday even if I end up with a knackered tent zip.

[loobylou]

We've slept in it for about 10 nights, we only use it for Glastonbury festival to be honest then we had a our second baby last June and she was a monster for sleeping so we didn’t dare take her away camping for the fear of hatred she'd create from other campers

re fault : We sent our 2008 model back because of the same issue – it seems the more its used the fabric gets more taught. After we got a refund we hunted the market down for another tent but always came back to the Nevada because it was the biggest, lightest family tent around. Because the trek from the car to the camp at Glastonbury is such a pilgrimage weight is so important. So we got a new one assuming they’d have fixed the fault. This time we brought the side extension too great for storing muddy wellys and the buggy. We used the side extension on the other door so never used the main door with the rain hood until this year ( there was no space to put the extension up this year)

This august we planned on taking the kids on a little history adventure, Stone Henge, Salisbury stone circle , Glastonbury tour, Wookey Hole and then down to north Devon for some surf - my 4 year old is sooo excited . as much as I’d like to say we could pin it up , it won’t work - the tension is so bad the Velcro won’t even join up, I'd fear it would rip the rest of the tent - also one other reason for buying the tent was the fitted ground sheet - My Paranoid husband thinks its extra protection so the kidz can’t escape while he's in his ‘camp induced coma’

[Camp Moose]

I'd sew the zip up & use the other door, especially if you've got a side canopy to go over it.
Cos I doubt if it'll be resolved before your holiday in August.
Not alot of help, sorry but it's what I'd do.