The sample we sent is the first verion which is made by the material we have now. it's crude and may be not the best choice for what we think before. We will keep optimizing the material and design from both your feedback and our own testing. As our designer did some changes on your original idea, it looks a little bit different. Anyway looking forward to your review!
Likes:
BigT and Dean Cattell
I will let you know asap when I receive it and it will be my first priority to get you some feedback
Likes:
BigT and Andy Z.
Got the shipment today, will get some dirt time on it this week, I did get a chance to set it up and check it out real quick and I must say I do like the changes that were made to the design already (they make sense). Quick question, are the seems water proof? Only reason asking we are in our rainy season right now and temps are still falling pretty low at night and don't want to get into a dangerous situation. Planning on taking this on a multiple day bush trip this week.
Ok thanks for answering, and yeah I will have a plan b, no worries, just didn't know prototypes capabilities
Likes:
BigT and Andy Z.
That's a neat set up thanks for sharing that Dean might have to copy next trip out
Likes:
Dean Cattell and Andy Z.
So I spent a few nights testing this tent out and during this I couldn't of had better testing weather, rain,snow temps ranging from 30 degrees to 70 degrees. So I got the full spectrum to test in. I did find some issue's and some needed improvements. The over all design though I really liked.
- materials- I provided a photo below, there where many tiny little pin holes through out the tent. Don't know if this was caused due to manufacturing and the coating process or what but this did hinder the water proof capabilities of the tent. In the picture I took it at night with a light inside the tent and I was standing outside, made it very easy to see the holes. Also I did try the heated set up but I couldn't get it to work I think due to the coating not being reflective enough.I liked the weight of this material and the weight over all of the tent itself, was very light.
- zipper for bug net changed around- In fig 1 photo below I think the zipper for the bug net needs to be moved to the bottom instead of around the top and the addition of a way to roll up and secure it up needs to be added. I found myself constantly tripping or stepping on the bug net when unzipped. If we could roll it up and secure it up I think this would be a great improvement.
- condensation issue's- I did have issue's on those colder nights with condensation building up inside I think due to no way to have air flow while all zipped up. In fig 2 photo below maybe the addition of vents on both sides that could be open or closed if needed may help with this issue.
- sleeping floor print could be wider- I did spend some time inside this tent due to bad weather and I found myself having to hunch over if sitting in the middle facing out through the bug net. The floor print could be a little wider to make for a little more spacious sitting also showed in fig 2 photo below.No show much more room in the front just toward the rear may change the angle of the back wall.
- Additional tie point (outside)- If using this in heavy snow months I think an additional loop maybe needed on the top in the middle for added strength. It would be easy to run or hook a line from tree to tree, and the awning cover could still just fold over.
- gear loops inside- Minor thing, but maybe the addition of a loop in the top corners inside would allow the ability to hang flash lights,lanterns inside and out of the way. If one in each corner you could use a piece of cordage and tie from both and dangle something in the middle out of the way.
- Zippers on front awning- The size of the zippers on the front cover could be bigger. When zipping from inside I found it kinda hard and I think because they are really small, a larger zipper may fix this issue also the addition of a button snap for more re enforcement may take some strain of the zippers helping them to last longer (at the bottom below the zipper)
- pole loops on awning- An additional feature may makes this more versatile would be corner pockets on bottom inside of the awning front flap. This would enable some to slide a poll or branch and secure the awning up with out the use of tree's if needed.
Attachments
NP. I will forward this problem to our designer;
For now it only has the mosquito net. This layer can't make heat retention. This could be one reason for that. For the U.V wall you mentioned before, we are unable to realize now. I will discuss with our designer to see is there any material to replace.
OKAY!
Good point. the weathe we here is very hot now so we didn't find this problem. and yes, it's necessary to fix it in the way you suggested or redesign ourselves.
Did I draw the loop in the right place? this place seems not be able to fold the cover back.
okay
like this?
For now it only has the mosquito net. This layer can't make heat retention. This could be one reason for that. For the U.V wall you mentioned before, we are unable to realize now. I will discuss with our designer to see is there any material to replace.
OKAY!
Good point. the weathe we here is very hot now so we didn't find this problem. and yes, it's necessary to fix it in the way you suggested or redesign ourselves.
Did I draw the loop in the right place? this place seems not be able to fold the cover back.
okay
like this?
View attachment 953
This all looks to be right even the pockets, I don't think the tab would be an issue I expect only using it in heavy snow situations so your not really going to have the flap over and if you did it would lay on a guy line
This all looks to be right even the pockets, I don't think the tab would be an issue I expect only using it in heavy snow situations so your not really going to have the flap over and if you did it would lay on a guy line
Likes:
Andy Z. and BigT
I was looking at the concept and it's seem great! Here's my idea about improving it.... Sorry to be late for the party, Never noticed this post before! hahaha
About heating reflection: To lighten the setup (and the price) and since you dont always need a heat reflection system (it's become really hot during summer!) you could only put "clips" on the corners (and maybe one ine the middle edge) to add a "survival mylar sheet" IF needed only.
Venting: if you need better ventilation (and don't want to feel claustrophobic), you could make the "front flap" longer to allow fixing it with tent stakes between 6" and 12" further and allow venting (to prevent condensation). Really love the idea to use branches or walking stick to keep it open (and use the top flap for heating reflection or rain protection) or roll it up to enjoy a nice warm day (with elastic loop band) and also being able to "close the front" completely (with velcro or snaps) if the weather is really bad!
For the side vents, i would use a velcro closure cover (maybe with a rolling elastic loop if you want to keep it open), it will be lighter and will make less noise under high wind.
Personnaly, i would prefer a "ground level entrance" than a "higher edge" (or at least not that high... maybe 1" or 2" max edge) because if you want to sleep perpendicular (or two people) to the tent or just want to relax and enjoy some time outside or even sit in the tent with legs outside (to practice your bushcraft skills on a rainy day and you dont want to hava a lot of woods chips in the tent), it's would be uncomfortable and you could rip/tear this edge. And if you need to exit in the middle of the night, (to go pee or add a log in the campfire) i'm pretty sure you'll trip on this edge and hurt yourself (don't fall in the hot embers, it's hot...)
Like mentionned earlier, don't forget to put a loop for lantern or lightstick and since it will probably come with a nice ripstop storage bag (like the hammock), i would add a loop to clip that bag and transform it into a nice pocket to store little things like a flashlight, a phone and other little things. If i correctly understood, the mosquito net is zipped and the flap close with snaps?
Another idea would have been to make a "fixed mosquito net " (no opening) with an over flap that you could attach wide open (with walking stick of cords) , half closed with cords and tent stakes) or totatly closed (with snap or velcro closure) and make the entrance on one side. Actually it would be more like a typical "A" scout tent with opening flap system.
Nice concept! Keep up the good work! Can't wait to see the final product!
About heating reflection: To lighten the setup (and the price) and since you dont always need a heat reflection system (it's become really hot during summer!) you could only put "clips" on the corners (and maybe one ine the middle edge) to add a "survival mylar sheet" IF needed only.
Venting: if you need better ventilation (and don't want to feel claustrophobic), you could make the "front flap" longer to allow fixing it with tent stakes between 6" and 12" further and allow venting (to prevent condensation). Really love the idea to use branches or walking stick to keep it open (and use the top flap for heating reflection or rain protection) or roll it up to enjoy a nice warm day (with elastic loop band) and also being able to "close the front" completely (with velcro or snaps) if the weather is really bad!
For the side vents, i would use a velcro closure cover (maybe with a rolling elastic loop if you want to keep it open), it will be lighter and will make less noise under high wind.
Personnaly, i would prefer a "ground level entrance" than a "higher edge" (or at least not that high... maybe 1" or 2" max edge) because if you want to sleep perpendicular (or two people) to the tent or just want to relax and enjoy some time outside or even sit in the tent with legs outside (to practice your bushcraft skills on a rainy day and you dont want to hava a lot of woods chips in the tent), it's would be uncomfortable and you could rip/tear this edge. And if you need to exit in the middle of the night, (to go pee or add a log in the campfire) i'm pretty sure you'll trip on this edge and hurt yourself (don't fall in the hot embers, it's hot...)
Like mentionned earlier, don't forget to put a loop for lantern or lightstick and since it will probably come with a nice ripstop storage bag (like the hammock), i would add a loop to clip that bag and transform it into a nice pocket to store little things like a flashlight, a phone and other little things. If i correctly understood, the mosquito net is zipped and the flap close with snaps?
Another idea would have been to make a "fixed mosquito net " (no opening) with an over flap that you could attach wide open (with walking stick of cords) , half closed with cords and tent stakes) or totatly closed (with snap or velcro closure) and make the entrance on one side. Actually it would be more like a typical "A" scout tent with opening flap system.
Nice concept! Keep up the good work! Can't wait to see the final product!