Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 14:21:12 -0400
Reply-To: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject: Re: Bus Depot $199 Side Tent in action / Kampers near Knoebels
In-Reply-To: <200208031330.LLW00023@vmms5.verisignmail.com>
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> Just spent the last 2 weeks camping in Gros Morne National Park (Nfld)
> and elsewhere with my new side tent. Check this album for some pictures:
> http://home.tomrowsell.com/aug2002/
>
> The design of the tent is really nice...lots of room for all four of us.
> We had it filled with folding chairs, a 2' x 4' picnic table with benches,
> a portable toilet, a thermos grill2go bbq, and a honkin' 4 foot long
rubbermaid
> action packer. I did not use the included sleeping cabin so I can't
comment on it.
> Overall, it completely eliminated the usual cramped feeling associated
with a
> family of 4 in a westy. Depending on the wind, you can erect 2 poles and
> convert either the right side or the front into a canopy.
>
> My only complaint about the tent is that the stitching is really weak and
poor.
> There's not enough "stitches per inch" in most areas. We had to take a
needle
> and thread to it a couple of times. Also, as soon as the wind stretched
any of
> the seams, the rain leaked in, but seam sealer fixed that problem.
Considering
> the price of other side tents, I consider it to be a good value. Just buy
some seam
> sealer, and take a sewing kit with you. Also, we were set up in a windy
area that
> gave the tent quite a buffeting.
Thanks for your report, Tom, and for your link to pictures of the tent in
use. I fully concur with your assessment (including the comment that it
could have used more stitches per inch on the seams; I, too, could see the
need to have to manually add a few more stitches here and there, if not
right away possibly over time). With regard to your use of a seam sealer,
the manufacturer does indeed recommend that the seams be treated with a tent
seam sealer to make it waterproof (as is recommended with many tents). Seam
sealers can be found just about anywhere where tents are sold (even
Wal-Mart). More info on this tent is at http://www.busdepot.com/tent.jpg
.
I will be at Kampers Near Knoebels in two weeks, in Pa., along with my
family (wife Evon and 4 year old Haley) and a couple of friends with their
3-year old daughter. Ben Stiles, the organizer of KnK, suggested that I
bring one of the tents along, as several people who are going had mentioned
that they'd like to see one "in person." If anyone wants to buy one at KnK
(and even use it there), shoot me an email and I'll bring an extra one.
By the way, KnK promises to be a lot of fun, particularly for those families
with children. Knoebels, the nearby amusement park, is a great park for kids
and adults alike - it has a lot of history and the cost is very reasonable
(you can pay by the ride or by the day; the prices are low, and even the
food/drink stands are not overpriced). If you're anywhere near central PA.,
I'd highly recommend this as perhaps the most family/kid oriented of the
summer VW campouts. Details are at
http://www.geocities.com/bens_bus/knk.htm .
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
(215) 234-VWVW
www.busdepot.com
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Toll-Free for Orders by Part # 1-866-BUS-DEPOT
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