Post-War Update (Round 1)

[swordmage]

After having slept for almost 12 hours (mostly non-stop), I am a happy Willa.

Car is unpacked and most stuff is in the storage unit. Now, to get everything washed...

War itself was lovely. Had a good time - saw friends, hung out, and had fun. What more can one ask for? Also, "Spiffy" is the word of the week for me.

The pop-up also shall be no more. With luck, we shall have a new pavilion by Southern. The choices however, is completely eep! We shall have fun looking at them, methinks. Currently, the carousel round is tempting - domnall kind of fell in love with one in the camp next to us. Anyone have comments/input on various styles? Likes/dislikes/etc?

Of course, that'll mean we need at least one silk banner. Hrmmm...

Also, I'll likely be doing the LibraryThing-Thing soon. I created a profile, and while there's nothing there yet - at all - it'll be a matter of time. The library is small, but anyone want a history of whaling, Lives of the Indian Princes, or the Complete Gilbert and Sullivan? I've got it. The DVDs can go a spreadsheet for the time being, we can cope. I'd like to be able to lend our books out. We've got some stuff that I, at the least, consider to be good. Or that people may be interested in.

In short, I am a happy and content Willa. We've some nice steaks defrosting in the sink, and my dad's over for dinner. We shall upload photos in the next day or so, and if anyone's interested, I'll upload and briefly mention the things I bought from Gaukler.

Comments

[reynier.livejournal.com]

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/carlcleist

[dverning.livejournal.com]

The double bell wedges like Carl's are excellent for space because they don't require any stays, especially if you have a ridge pole. Downside is that the vertical space tapers quite rapidly. Beds and the like will need to be low profile to maximize on standing space. It does have the side benefit of heating up easier. The best thing of all is that it is simple enough that one person can set it up by themselves without too much trouble. It's also the smallest and lightest version as you're only talking a few big pieces of canvas and 2-3 poles... maybe double that if you're using an awning too. Very efficient design for size, weight and portability. I'd reccommend this style if you're not quite ready to strap a large pavilion to the roof of your car and/or constantly make travel arrangements for it.

Rounds are nice for shedding wind and rain from all directions. As they get taller, this effect is more pronounced and there's the extra benefit of a tighter stay footprint. However, the higher the top is means the harder it will be to heat... a good material and/or lining for the roof is a good thing. I also recommend a spoked hub center (where the center has a spoked wooden "ribcage" at the bottom of the peak) rather than just a line belay (where the ropes form the tautness of the circle); better structural solidity, allows for a smaller footprint, and gives a nice place to hang lanterns and/or clothes. Downside of a circle is that the center pole and curvature are space ineffecient for large square items such as a bed or chest. Additionally, covering the same area as a squad will require a slightly larger footprint. Example: 10'x10 square will have 100 square feet, but a 10' diameter only covers 78.5 square feet. One person who knows what they're doing can set one up by themselves with a bit of work, but it is much easier with 2 or 3. Side poles are only a benefit but not neccesary, this can be a good tent choice for someone who has a modest amount of crap to put in their tent and/or doesn't want to haul a bunch of poles.

Squares... are the most work for the most return. At minimum you're looking at a center pole and 4 corners plus a whole lotta canvas. For a larger 14' or so, you're talking another dozen poles... more if you have any awnings, crossbeams, or support poles. This means more weight and size to transport; a truck or trailer is recommended for the larger ones. There will also be more setup required; 2 people minimum and 4+ is best. High winds and large facings also mean special setup to make sure the sides don't start flapping and cause sailcloth tears. I can explain if you're curious and/or get a square pavilion. Bigger space also means bigger heating requirements. On the upside, it also means a slower loss of heat and more space. If you shop around, you can usually find this type with seperate side walls, meaning you can open up any and all sides to make a really big shade pavilion... kinda nice sometimes.

Anyways, check out http://www.pantherprimitives.com , http://www.midwesttent.com/catalog/ , http://www.highlandtents.com/ , or http://www.tentsmiths.com/ for some good options.

[squeeky-v.livejournal.com]

library-thing?

[swordmage.livejournal.com]

LibraryThing (http://www.librarything.com/)