Using The Northern Breeze 12 By 12 Tent As A Screened Canopy, Side Tent, Galley Shade, Etc...

So here's my take as promised after a couple weeks use in two similar hot muggy campsites where the use of NB as "screened canopy" and a pretty good rain diverter shelter

1. RV park #1 (90% big ginormous rigs in a small quiet park close to beach- I told them "its a baby Airstream") has a rule that "no tents allowed" but "screened canopies free standing ok".

Not for me to wonder why- each place evolves for a reason, so I just asked if my big NB is "ok with awnings rolled up" as a standalone screened canopy and CAMP HOST says "ok".

(The park also has a rule "no structures permanently attached, porches etc..so thats my excuse for NOT using the side tent instead...)

We just set it up so it coincidentally free standing also covered the aft 2/3 of the CI was under it, so yeah technically by the rules,

And boy did it come in handy when the biting blood sucking yellow flies came by a couple days later,two months early, driving everyone else into their big rigs...while we enjoyed the sunset view and the breeze...
2. RV Park Numero Dos: we Moved on down the road to second spot when times up at #1, now in a more woody tall pine shaded area with mixed big rigs and tents, set further back from the water, this time on a bay, with swampy forest and same damn yellow flies with more exposure to the "2 by 4's" thunderstorms typical of early hurricane season "arrive at 2 pm, gone by 4".

Including a couple of 20-25 mph sustained winds gusting to 35-40 reported, heavy rain, light and sound show and the NB did surprisingly well- the construction details dont show up on website but gotta say this thing is well made, lots of built in strength, stitching, etc - its still sold and highly rated at REI for years, plus upvotes by CI users is why I bot it and well worth the money vs a cheapo Wally World knock off for less, here is why;

I was very pleasantly surprised to see how well the NB held up, given its relatively tall and old school external frame w/ near vertical walls, and stood up to the winds and heavy rain at times. I had only set it up free standing essentially.

For the first couple storms of the squall line type-

And on third and fourth- expecting more sustained winds tho sheltered a bit by trees 60+ feet tall w/ branches trimmed up to 20-30 ft...I got out the stakes and anchored all four corners, staked out guy lines as designed to poles...stakes held fast in sandy clay soil while we were out of camp two days, and half expected to find it up in a tree a couole hundred yards away like a lost kite from the first of the tropical "disturbances" cooked up this year in the gulf. But safe and sound no probs according to a park neighbor I asked to keep an eye on it.

One key was parking the CI head on into prevailing wind on usual storms, and tying the split screens sides to the CI on the front end- loosely using the door stops, and keeping the outer awning connected in center zip- stretched taut and center strap ends bungeed to the tongue, with ends of those outer awning corners stretched just enuff to be wrapped down and under to attach to the metal hooks that the Alcan bungee cords attach to...

That geometry works out almost as if by design to create a taut hood over front of CI, giving both cabin doors just enuff room to swing out, 90 degrees and again by happy circumstance there is a fabric loop inside the NB at waist height on inside corners just right to hook over open door handle to leave that open all day to air out or to take the night air using CI door zipped screens (a must-buy option).

And gives couple feet of access down to the galley on either side and just enuff room at galley end to sit in the screened room in back enjoying coffee under pouring rain, with a bit of judicious adjustment of poles and staked guys to the awning on that split entry end to divert rain away from screen, avoid puddling by galley.

Again- we enjoyed being out but sheltered and watched a ghost herd of deer drift feeding thru the camp, in the rain, just a few yards away while our neighbors sat entombed in their hard sided rigs...

... kind of a mystical experience...
like we had the whole place to ourselves and the deer.

Zipped up at night the NB deterred the night time ringtailed camp robbers too- no tipped over trash cans, no paw matks in the open galley...

So, yeah- the NB 12x12 is kinda big- but lives out of the way un-needed in TV cargo box, goes up as expected timewise for design plus practice. Only comes out as needed as in crowded RV park for bugs and privacy for discreet dressing etc, effort worth it on multi day stays, and galley protection.

It doubles as "side tent" as needed with side awning down...discretely rolled down after dark, rolled up at first light to comply with "screened room" permission, and to keep the rain out.

Its not perfect- the split screen when stretched to fit over CI front end can NOT reach the ground- so I've measured and will find a sail loft to cut and sew an insert, to allow full droop, and connect to the optional NB floor I also brought but did not fuss with this time- would require too much finesse driving and hand positioning the CI on rhe floor stretched out first- and I'm too lazy for that rn anyway!

So keep in mind bugs can and still do get in some under that gap in front...

And running the AC plus Dometic on the side stand table in freezer mode both generate compressor exhaust heat so ya gotta keep the awnngs up or just about cook yourself like a bug, under the NB esp in hot unshaded spots...

But all in all the NB was just so handy I still havent set up the side tent this CI came with, bot used.

I'll do that side tent for one door next and experiment with the NB slid back further over only the galley next- the advantage of the 12x12 is the open hatch even on SUV offroad model, fits under the roof, no rubs, enuff so that I often left it open over night with the red light on, illuminating the galley as a night light

 

That tent looks nice. How is it to set up? It looks a little cumbersome in the video.

 

Yes its a process, for one, but takes only 20 min, going slow, inc staking four guy lines, and ground corners.

I like the Clam reviews by others but noted it folds up a bit in the wind, or roof sags in heavy rain/snow in Cosmo Weems video.

Since I'm used to the old school design from BSA days and since the poles were sturdier than I expected and held up surprisingly well in the wind,

I've found 12 ten-penny nails work for super hard desert dirt vs the included plastic stakes, that otherwise work fine in loam, sand and clay.


Comes down fast and goes up almost as fast with two and with more practice expect it to be routine.

I also tried flipping it like a turtle for one-man take down, to keep the dirt and dust on outside and that worked, pole by pole, leaving the tent last to be folded.

Btw Dear Wife and I took it down expeditiously as we were packing up to leave one RV park, and beat a squall but just got caught in the gust front sprinkle so we just rolled it wet like a hot dog bun around poles as the weiner and
setup wet with not too much extra effort at next spot a couple hours later.

Worth it to me only for the extra outdoors living space in buggy places but not for others with less need for privacy so I expect it will rest in the cargo box "utility closet" 75% of the time...

Its a "glamping" accessory, like the Roadshower for Dear Wifes sake when boondocking, worth it for the extra luxury, but to be left behind on some trips.

 

Thanks for the info! Do the mesh side roll up?

 

Good question! Only on the split ends, by drawing the screened sides up to fasten...
but now I think on it...I'm not sure!
There are zips all the way top to bottom on corners so it may be possible.

I'll check next time and let you know if no one else chimes in. Its very well made, with thoughtful touches for utility, like the roof vent props with velcro you can adjust for max ventilation open or closed.

 

Great. Thanks!

 

We have a NB and only two of the sides roll up. We don’t use it a lot. Only when we suspect bug issues or for cold weather. I had an insert made which is basically a rear template of the trailer. So we just backup to a setup NB so the rear hatch opens into it. The insert then velcros to the NB covering the open areas. I had a magnetic screen door added too the side of the insert which seals the deal so to speak. We also have the floor insert for the NB. Pretty cozy with our littlebuddy propane heater (which plugs into trailer )for those really cold days.