A tent question...

I registered for my first festival and need to purchase a tent. I don't want to spend a lot of money until I know how often I will actually need it. There are so many options out there. I have heard that you want to avoid colors because of the effect on the skin and photos, but I also wondered...how important is it to have walls? I know they would block wind and keep the tent a little warmer in cool weather, but for those of you who have walls with your tent, how often do you use them? That would be a way to save money, but I don't do well in cool weather and I thought it would extend my season a bit to have that protection. Are there any brands I should avoid? I found a really nice one on Amazon, but once I talked to the seller, it wasn't a pop up and would take more than one person to assemble so I am back to square one.

you need walls if it will be a multi-day event... you have to close up your stuff overnight and it will keep the wind from getting under it and carrying it away. If you are not going to be leaving the tent overnight, you don't need walls. I only use mine at multi-day events.

That being said, a decent tent will come with walls. Just make a trip to Costco and pick up a Caravan tent for $200 and it comes with walls and a wheeled carry bag. It's big (even when closed it's still taller than me) and it's tricky to put up on your own, but not impossible.. I do it weekly while dressed in clown. The next step down is a piece of crap from Walmart, but it'll still cost you $140-ish so why bother wasting so close an amount on crap that you'll just have to replace?

I didn't use my walls all last year... but this year I probably will because I have week long events. The walls I bought are terrible....vinyl... I'm going to buy different ones.

My tent is a commercial one and has three tiers on top that allow for air circulation.

I need walls BAD, on hot hot days if you're not surrounded by other tents on three sides you'll be in the direct sunlight at some point if it's not high noon. Last year I purchased a white commercial grade tent for $160 and it didn't come with walls and I learned that lesson pretty much immediately when my paint was turning to mush in 90 degree weather and DIRECT sunlight. I also got really sick of packing up my tent every night. I did that most nights for 6 weeks straight and the dang tent weighs a TON.

Does anyone have a recommendation for walls? I was thinking of getting these ones: http://www.hutshop.com/uncagrwa4pa.html
-But now that you said the ones you got were terrible, Miss Ronnie, I want to make sure I don't buy duds.

Get a white tent, because some shows will only allow white. Walls are good for block sun as well as closing up at night and for those horrible shows where it decides to snow on Easter weekend in Texas (yes, I had that happen). Weights are very important. We had the sandbags that the tent came with and additional weights we made from concrete. And for shows that were on the grass we had the puny little stakes the tent came with and 4 of those twist in stakes they use for attaching dog leashes to. Those $200 tents are very light weight and will blow away. Had one show where mine wanted to blow away despite the extra weights I had and having my heavy metal walls tied to the tent as well.

Stacia wrote:I need walls BAD, on hot hot days if you're not surrounded by other tents on three sides you'll be in the direct sunlight at some point if it's not high noon. Last year I purchased a white commercial grade tent for $160 and it didn't come with walls and I learned that lesson pretty much immediately when my paint was turning to mush in 90 degree weather and DIRECT sunlight. I also got really sick of packing up my tent every night. I did that most nights for 6 weeks straight and the dang tent weighs a TON.

Does anyone have a recommendation for walls? I was thinking of getting these ones: http://www.hutshop.com/uncagrwa4pa.html
-But now that you said the ones you got were terrible, Miss Ronnie, I want to make sure I don't buy duds.

I believe those are the same kind I have... tarp-like plastic material...Yuck! Do they even make canvas type walls... preferably with optional screen windows?

I found this for a weather protector...

http://images.hayneedle.com/mgen/master:EU026.jpg?is=200,200,0xffffff
http://www.canopycenter.com/accessories/side-wall-kits/353+368+4294021134.cfm#N%3D353+368+4294021134%26Ns%3DPreferred%26view%3D24%26Nao%3D25%26display%3Dgrid_view

I have a the "crap" one from Walmart because it was a hand-me-down from my parents, it's blue and has no walls. LOL. I agree it's not the best. For one thing, the legs are not vertical, so while the legs are 10' apart, the actual canopy is really only 9x9. The lack of walls didn't bother me so much and I used it in both wind and in a light rain. It has worked well for me for the couple of events I have needed it. Once I start making a little more money, I'll go commercial grade with walls though.

My dream tent would have my logos and info all over it: http://www.akioe.com/event/10x10-canopy-tent.html#etcPrice

http://www.flourish.com/trimline_intro.html

This seems to be the popular high end tent for the festivals.

I just received my new tent from a site called ecanopy. They were a pleasure to do business with, and their site has a great description of what's what in a tent. Very informative.

I have a E-Z Up. It's 3 years old & has withstood being tumbled down a city street in 60+ downburst of wind. It came w/ walls & I use them occasionally (usually on the side facing the sun. I don't use all of the walls unless it's cold & windy because the walls will block a breeze. I also say, if you live in an area w/ the potential for quick storms, or windy days, get a the weights(note my comment above about a tumbling tent). My biggest fear is that my tent will get caught by a storm/wind & hurt someone as it flies by.

Canopies are not cheap if you are doing a local farmers market or such on occasion Walmart sells King Canopies for a good price - less than $200. If you plan to put one to real use - go commercial grade, may cost you $400.

I have a commercial grade Caravan. It is 10 yrs old this June, it has withstood, wind, rain snow and 120 degree days on the asphalt at street fairs. I usually rinse the top each May. This week I washed the top and sides, used magical erasers to clean up ground in spots. It looks so good. No way to know it's age.

I note a few areas of wear and may give it a waterproofing in case we get big rains at our May festival in Yosemite, but even then I know it is holding its original coating just fine. I use the original side walls and have had and now do have new custom side walls, doubled for warmth with drop down features for hot days and it even has clear walls.

Watch www.elitedeals.com for coupons

Flourish is good for those you do not want a pop-up but want to build and configure their own from conduit. I like that option but give me easy - with gear and sometimes a camp to set up I like an ez pop up and after a week of working 11 hr days - I want to break down and get outta dodge city. I do use the parts from their sister company Craft Hut for my side walls.

I have the costco one as well. Cost me about $250 CND with taxes, came with lightweight walls as well. It's very sturdy compared to others I have seen, and it's not horrible to put up, but it is BIG, even when folded.

I'm doing SEVEN (!?!?! I think I'm crazy) multi day festivals over the next 12 weeks so it'll get lots of use!

Trina

yeah, in the rolling bag that it comes with, it's taller than me :S

Costco does not always stock the canopies - but this time of year many do. The current one offered on line is $290 an I imagine a pretty penny to ship. This canopy however while noted as professional grade is a aluminum frame. I advise for serious festival work invest in a steel frame.

And while those vinyl canopy wall are indeed not attractive they are fire retardant. And there are varied levels of fire retardants. I have been at events and had the fire marshall walking through asking us questions, going over our booths and asking vendors to produce the fire extinguisher. When I purchased clear walls for warm but light and a view I paid extra for the fireproof ones. Same with our second outer walls - we can double up in rain and snow. Usually it is very hot but when it does snow that one time a year we are now warm!

Be careful of swapping out your walls. Again farmers market, small events but big event will require more. And where are you vending? Most the music festivals we do are in areas considered high fire danger - I love to have my painted canvas walls up, and while covered in sprayed on fire retardant it's not the same.

Even my industrial fatigue mats meet the code. ......but I do tend to use my wooden director's chair as it is smaller than the metal frame and easier for me, so I guess whoever is in it is going up in smoke!

Take a look and dream about the events you want - remember than many vendors are grandfathered into events - but if you could have XYZ events what do they require. Then buy accordingly.