Date:         Wed, 1 Oct 2014 10:05:50 -0400
Reply-To:     Bryan Feddish <uprightbassghost@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bryan Feddish <uprightbassghost@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      A camping season with the Bus Depot Add-A-Room
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I just wanted to a moment to write up my experience with the Bus Depot “Add-a-Room” shelter.  It’s been a few years since I got mine but this was really the first season I used it exclusively.  Let’s get the biggest issue out of the way first, the storage size. The complete setup with all the poles, tent, floor, extra room, etc. is massive.   Really massive.  If I used all that it would probably be the only thing I could bring on my camping trip.  I think the tent sat in my garage for a few years while I continued to use an EZ –UP instead.  Last year, on a cold camping trip, I brought it with me for shelter.  Before taking it down, I put aside all the “extra” poles used to make the unzipped sides stand up, the floor and any other ancillary item.  So now I am down to the tent and ONLY the poles needed to hold up the main structure.  These 2 bags will now fit nicely in the top luggage rack.  OK, the size problem is mostly solved, though I’ve lost the luggage rack space for my little table and small items I’ve gained back the interior space of the EZ-UP.  On to the next issue, setup.   I think the first time I set this up I was done by the time it was time to leave.  After doing it a few times I can do it in my sleep now.  It’s still a good half hour from start to finish but that includes staking it down, etc.
    This spring we took one of our first family trips to Cape May, NJ.  The weather forecast looked chilly and rainy with cold evenings for the extended weekend.  I decided to take my now reduced packaged BD side tent.  After assembling it my wife says “this is pretty nice, and well made too.”  After it started to get cold and drizzly I dropped the sides down, leaving the front door area open.  I then turned on the Little Buddy heater.  The wife then says “This is REALLY nice, when did you get this?”  Let me say, if it’s got the wife’s seal of approval then it’s a fine product.  Over the course of that weekend it went from cold to hot to cold.  The tent has so many configurations it handled all if it well.  On to Assateague Island, MD.  I don’t know if you are familiar with this place but it mostly 100% blaring sun with either 0 or 50 MPH winds.  Once again the amount of configurations the tent does was perfect for this.  I even brought the sleeping quarters to try out and it worked well. The fine mesh kept the mosquitoes away and it adds very little bulk to the package.   I then used it on other campgrounds but the next biggest test came for the VW campout at Mauch Chunk a few weeks ago.  That was pretty much a rain fest.  Once again the tent was perfect.  While others were soaked under their awnings I had a nice dry area to hang out in during the rain.  I’m glad I brought extra chairs because lots of people liked to stop by and stay cozy for a few minutes.  Having the Mr. Buddy heater also takes the edge off the damp chill. A friend of mine just purchased one of these after seeing it there.  I got allot of questions about the tent over that weekend.  For now on, I’ve put the EZ-UP in the attic and I’m just going to use this.  Yeah, if it’s just going to be a clear dry weekend I’ll leave it at home and use the Shady Boy but otherwise it’s coming with me.  
    I was going to save this review for after the “Blue Rocks” VW event in late October, one that my wife will attend, to get a nice fall perspective but I see allot of people are going to BBTD so if you are on the fence on this one, check it out while you are there and save the shipping.

Bryan