Lots of opinions on Canopies

Hey Cary,
Thanks for the heads-up on overheating of the hatch with the SUV tent. I went ahead and purchased the Napier 84000 ($279.99) from campersland.com. I have used it 3 times now and love it. I have not experienced overheating but I have 4 options to deal with overheating if it should arise. It has a 10' X 10' footprint with an additional 7' X 10' porch area. The porch is great for storing gear or don't put the porch up at all. There are screened windows on 3 sides and 2 screens on the roof. In cold weather, I throw a small tarp over the roof screens under the rain fly. And as far as asphyxiation goes, I always figure that comes under Natural Selection (open a window). I haven’t tried it in warm weather yet but it seems to have ample screens all the way around. We will know in August when we join "the McNugit" in Virginia. As far as canopies, shelters and tents go, to each his own. Find one that fits your needs and go with it. There is also a great tutorial on youtube to show setting it up. It takes me 5 minutes without rushing.

 

I havnt had a chance to visit my REI, frankly I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a spoon tha deal with "the mall".

I think whatever we find its going to be a bad design....out needs are just too but and too small. Throw in a little of Gods beautiful creation known as nature, and utter distraction is all but inevitable . It's not available Ina size we need, but I saw Kelty is doing inflatable tents....really cool idea.

 

We have the eureka northern breeze but wanted something for those times when we are just staying a day or 2 and are too lazy to put up the northern breeze. So we bought a Coleman instant screen house we really liked the ease of putting it up. But a we wrote before the first night we had it up a dry desert storm ruined it. So we are trying again. We bought a LLBean Woodland screen house. It is 10 x 10. We put it up yesterday and it was very easy - light weight no struggle with the poles, etc. the sides are straight so better shade. We bought the separate rain fly and floor as well. The rain fly goes on like a glove and easy to slip over the top.
The floor has a clip at each of the 4 corners and snaps in quickly. One down side is the rain fly only opens on 2 sides but it is so easy to put on and take off that if not raining would most likely just slip off. The reviews mentioned that you have to step up to enter over the bottom skirt whic is true much like a lot of tents but the bottom althe way around lays inside so when you clip the floor in it should be bug free.

 

I fell in love again with my northern breeze. It was a rainy weekend. I was able to put it over the trailer up to the fantastic fan. I then extended the front flap over the top of the 560 and hooked the rings on the door stoppers on either side. This provided cover over the doors so that I could leave the windows open and not worry about rain getting in. I could get to the galley without getting wet. The galley area stayed completely dry and there was more than enough room. Sorry, no pictures. I forgot my camera batteries at home and didn't have a chance to take one with my iPad. I will the next time. I was also reminded how easy it is to put up and take down by myself. We had very substantial winds in the afternoons and the northern breeze held its ground. I know it is expensive but I think it has been worth the money.

 

I too have mastered putting up and taking down the Northern Breeze by myself. It is a top notch product for Spring and Fall camping.

I also have a Pah Que, which I have also mastered putting up and down myself. Great for warm weather camping. Performed well this past weekend in wind and rain.

 

We recently returned our Alcove to REI due to damage and they took it back with no problems after two years of use. J

 

I have two of the Caravan Commercial (Heavy Duty, steel legs, etc.) units One is 5' x 5' which I can set up by myself. The other is a 10'x 10' which really needs two people to set up easily.

Both have endured rain and wind quite well.

Some festivals and swap meets allocate spaces in 10x10 spaces hense the choice of 10x10.

Ecanopy.com is a good place to start shoppinig for canopies.

 

Hey-Hey-Hey Carl... heheh... :crazy:
More Bigger, More stronger... LOL.. :grin:

Caravan Commercial Canopies Rock...
http://www.caravancanopy.com/

That's what the two big ones are- Black legs in pics above.
Only draw back, takes a tad longer, 16x16 apx 10min for one person, moi, and 12x12 apx 5 min or so.. and bulky. about 4x the square size footprint when folded up of the regular ones and obviously heavier..

Just "One leg at a time"... but sturdy to say the least.. I like'em, but don't take for one-niters or just shade canopies.. I use the easier one Shelter-Logic.. 3 min max..

I did get them from them directly as they will make just about anything, sides, vents etc but they have to be careful on how you found them. eCanopy is a dealer..

 

REI alcove. I can not seem to find a good picture of the REI Alcove using the bungee cords for rafters. I could not figure out how to streatchthem without bending the poles and getting a good fit. Could someone direct me to the link where there is a picture. Yes I have a lot of time searching. Thanks

 

Go to general photos and look at 2NA CAN Set Up is coming along nicely. We have the Alcove in this photo with the ridge pole set parallel to the center line of the camper. 6 24 inch bungees per side. Or you can place the ridge pole perpendicular to the camper. Remember...the Alcove is a "sun shade"... you should take it down in strong, gusty winds or heavy rains! Then you'll have it to use over and over again because you won't have bent or broken poles!

 

Hi, Frank...

"Caravan Commercial Canopies Rock..."
Yeah, they sure do!

I have a 10x10 and a 5x5. I only put the 10x10 up for multiple day stays. 10x10 space is frequently allocated as booth space at swap meets, Peddler Faires, etc. If it wasn't for the 10x10 requirement, I'd have purchased a larger canoopy. The 5x5 goes up wnen if we're cooking. I have full sides for both canopies...great for wind, privacy, rain.

I'm not familiar with Shelter-Logic ecanopy.com links to Shelter-Logic and visa versa. Looks like they share a lot of stuff but I don't know what their corporate relationship is. eCanopy does a lot of corporate graphics.

eCanopy offers "package" deals from time to time. That's the way I bought mine.

BTW our local COSTCO had some Caravan Canopies for sale. They were light duty...Aluminium legs (instead of steel), legs are angled instead of being verticle...thin roof cover, etc. Certainly wouldn't last in the desert. Probably wouldn't last more than one season for "home use"

 

Other folks have mentioned taking it back to REI for replacement, but you can also get parts (at least the hubs) at TentPole Technologies. You won't find anything on the web site, so you'll have to call. I just had a hub replaced for $8.50 + $8.50 shipping.

 

Eureka Camp Trails Hex Screen House

My Coleman Screen Tent is starting to show some wear and tear so I am on the hunt for a potential replacement. I also have the Alcove Sun Shade but would prefer to get down to having one tent that is a multi-purpose sun/rain shade with walls for everything from bug, wind, sun, to rain protection.

I briefly had a Northern Breeze, but sent it packing (so to speak) after failing miserably at the art and choreography that is seemingly required for one person to set these tents up. The quality of tent construction was self evident, but the pole dance wasn't something I was willing to continue doing in the future. I know others have highly recommended the Northern Breeze, but the central hub assembly used on the tent frame of the Northern Breeze isn't for me.

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the Eureka Camp Trails Hex Screen House. It comes in a couple of sizes, has interior detachable wind/rain curtains, with two ends that can be rolled up for air flow. It looks like the central assembly hub for the tent frame is similar to what I have on my current Coleman screen house (but the Hex's is made out of stronger material). If anyone has the Hex screen house, what are your thoughts on the product?

 

We have a Northern Breeze screenroom plus a PaHa Que canopy. We have been on the road three months now and we have not had the canopy out once. We have found that the Northern Breeze goes up and down so easy that we have not used the other canopy at all. We can put the sides down and have complete privacy so we don't even put up our side tent. When it is cold we have put the sides down and put our ceramic heater in the tent and we are cozy warm. Now honestly we have not been in hot, hot weather here in Alaska so I don't know how it does when it is really hot.

I made an insert as you can see below so when the mosquitos are bad I can put that in and we are completely bug free--the negative is that you then have to use the back of the tent to get in and out. We have only used that a couple of times. Have found that the bugs have not been as bad as we had expected.

The other thing that I did that really makes the Northern Breeze go up quickly and easily is that I made four straps out of belting that are 12 feet long with grommets in the ends. That keeps the tent exactly 12 x 12 and helps hold the poles in place while you are putting it up.

We love our Northern Breeze. I find it gives us privacy when cooking here in the campgrounds. The one time we didn't put it up I ruined a great piece of fish because the neighbor was chatting to me and I wasn't paying attention. Haha.

 

Mike & Carol,

I love your inserts for the Northern Breeze. I really like the Northern Breeze for rainy weather. I can set it up by myself. I position so that the front legs are just beyond the fantastic fan. When it is raining, I take the front fly and cover the top of the raindrop as far as it will go and bungee it to the tongue. I hook the side loops on the door stops and this provides a nice cover for the doors so that I have a dry passage to the back of the camper and it allows me to keep the windows open while it rains. Because of the way it is positioned, I can open the fantastic fan vent and run the fan. The galley area stays nice and dry. I also do not put up the side tent since the Northern Breeze provides privacy with the sides down. It is a great tent.

 

So, the Northern Breeze can also keep away neighbors...

 

Re: Eureka Camp Trails Hex Screen House

Thanks Ken for pointing out the reviews that you came across. I hadn't seen those reviews. There seems to be some variation as to whether or not the detachable windscreens are included with the tent. The low door height (if it is still only 5'4") will be an issue for most people. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to quite fit my idea of a multi-purpose screenhouse/shelter for varying environmental conditions.

 

Ah, so that is the trick you use getting the Northern Breeze frame to behave itself and stand up. By any chance will there be a You Tube demonstration forthcoming?

 

Ref Northern Breeze. I can not find it anywhere. REI and Cabella's don't even show it as avaailable and on Amazon one dealer lists it but mentions that they have no idea as to when or if it will be available.

Possibly it is being discontined or Eureka is going out of business.

Dave