Camp Site Innovations Thread

I dont have any experience using reflective material to keep your tent cool but I really dont think It would be worth it. In my experience the biggest factor is creating a large area of shade with maximum ventilation. Multiple EZUPs together with a white sheet on the east side (sun rises) keeps you cool pretty late into the day. Using white canopies keeps them from absorbing sun light almost as well as mylar would any way. Then you can put your tent under that if you really want a tent but no tent works best. Or a tent with tons of mesh for ventilation.

thinking this is the way to go. some place around here dropped one of those ad-newspapers off yesterday, and as if a sign, had 10x10EZ-ups for $49. um, ill take two.

eh, second thought they are the limpdick slantleg ones.

Oh yeah stay away from those. I brought one my first time and it didnt even survive the weekend. And it wasnt windy.

stay away from any EZUp that requires tie downs or has legs that aren't perpendicular to the ground. Unless you find some ridiculous deal, expect to spend over $100.

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Originally Posted by ELECtROjan

stay away from any EZUp that requires tie downs or has legs that aren't perpendicular to the ground. Unless you find some ridiculous deal, expect to spend over $100.

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I just bought a EZ Up Sierra II on sale for $70.

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Originally Posted by GDSD573

I just bought a EZ Up Sierra II on sale for $70.

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Where?

the academy has a 10x20 canopy that comes with weights so it doesn't blow away...better coverage than the 10x10 or 13x13 ez-ups and it's only $107.
These seem like they'll be better than most or all other options.

The OGDBC Dome will be coming back for weekend 1!

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Originally Posted by ivankay

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7098/6...3f889dcc_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7...d96b01f8_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5446/7...831e81cf_b.jpg

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Originally Posted by ApacheRunner

the academy has a 10x20 canopy that comes with weights so it doesn't blow away...better coverage than the 10x10 or 13x13 ez-ups and it's only $107.
These seem like they'll be better than most or all other options.

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saw this too. wanted to go inspect it because it sounds way too good to be true.

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Originally Posted by GrossMagic

The OGDBC Dome will be coming back for weekend 1!

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Inside

http://youtu.be/1GKOxo7HAfs

for people who have done the Ez-up + mister camp setup, was there any problems with your stuff getting wet? our plan is to have the ex-up with walls of either sheet or the tarp sets they make, and have our air mattress in side it as a big tent. during the day, my plan was to roll up a wall or too and start misting using the DIY setup, but the gf is concerned that bedding, belongings, etc. will be soaked. only using the mister if its hot we2, obviously, so i would think evap would solve this. any actual experiences?

If it is a hot and dry weekend a little mist should evaporate pretty quickly.

thats my argument. looking for testimonials haha.

Just start using it and if items start to feel wet turn it off for a bit. Everything will be dry by bedtime at 2 or 3am.

my prediction as well.

i'd rather her be pissed we lugged this (quite small) rig to indio and not use it because the weather is cool, than me want to kick her in the vagina at sunrise because the campsite is like the surface of venus. hedging my bets. i told i'd cancel the order if i saw anyone having had a problem with their items getting wet.

and i mean, its $40 dollars and we live in austin. it will be used eventually if not at weekend 2

One of the biggest worry about canopies seems to be it not having stakes and being blown away. But I thought why not just put the canopy legs in cinderblocks, do you think that would provide enough stabilization?

Cinderblocks are like a buck each and weigh 20+ lbs. For example:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31YaaMB3%2BfL.jpg
& this
http://images.lowes.com/product/conv...0779803400.jpg

Or do you think the wind could still bend the poles/knock it over?

This option is just a lot cheaper, the canopy is $100 on academy.com, just amazon has a better pic

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Originally Posted by Deforel

One of the biggest worry about canopies seems to be it not having stakes and being blown away. But I thought why not just put the canopy legs in cinderblocks, do you think that would provide enough stabilization?

Cinderblocks are like a buck each and weigh 20+ lbs. For example:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31YaaMB3%2BfL.jpg
& this
http://images.lowes.com/product/conv...0779803400.jpg

Or do you think the wind could still bend the poles/knock it over?

This option is just a lot cheaper, the canopy is $100 on academy.com, just amazon has a better pic

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Ductape rebar to you canopy poles.

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Originally Posted by zemorr

Ductape rebar to you canopy poles.

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nice thatd work too, just gotta sneak them in this year though

Thank you for bumping this!

I think this thread deserves to be stickied.

Keep coming back here hoping for something new so I guess I'll share a few.

Get a 4'x2'x2' cooler and then go to home depot and get 2 sheets of the thickest styrofoam insulation they have. Cut and fit the styrofoam into a box around the cooler and duct tape all the seams. Then before you leave for coachella fill it with ice bags and put dry ice blocks wrapped in tin foil over that. Your ice wont melt all weekend. Its also a great place to keep liquor and frozen meat (above the dry ice). Just open it as rarely as possible.


Get a cheap power inverter and a used car battery or two for campsite power (fans!, charging, lights, music, blender for margaritas!, etc). Hook up jumper cables to your car when the battery dies and let it charge for a little bit.
Or better yet get this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/solar-p...att-68751.html


Now that you have power and a fan or two set up a mister system and run a sprayer in front of the fan! Or get a piece of swamp cooler pad and attach it to the fan with a couple sprayers wetting it.


Speaking of mister systems. The modified sprayer pumps work but if you dont want to worry about pumping at all just pick up a "Potable water pump"/"Automatic Water System Pump"/"Pressure Booster Pump" Here's one ready to go on Amazon for $58 shipped and its 12v so you can run it off your cigarette lighter (if you can cut an adapter and splice two wires)
http://www.amazon.com/Flojet-Triplex...pr_product_top
Just hook up your lines plug it in and run the "in" line to a water supply.

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Originally Posted by Jankypirate

Get a cheap power inverter and a used car battery or two for campsite power (fans!, charging, lights, music, blender for margaritas!, etc). Hook up jumper cables to your car when the battery dies and let it charge for a little bit.
Or better yet get this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/solar-p...att-68751.html

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how would i use the system you linked?
it needs a battery and inverter correct?

i was looking at this one it just seems a little weak
http://www.goalzero.com/switch/#whatitpowers

but if i need batteries and an inverter im looking at 300 minimum with that solar panel kit right there

Hey guys, do any of you know where I can get more unusual PVC joints in LA? The Home Depots and Whatnots don't always have the more interesting, non-plumbing joints for PVC construction.

Ace hardware?

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Originally Posted by the walrus

how would i use the system you linked?
it needs a battery and inverter correct?

i was looking at this one it just seems a little weak
http://www.goalzero.com/switch/#whatitpowers

but if i need batteries and an inverter im looking at 300 minimum with that solar panel kit right there

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Yeah you just connect that kit and an inverter to a battery and you're good to go. More of an investment but much more power and good if you go to multiple festivals.

Id just get some used batteries from one of those mexican (no offense) auto shops for like $10 each. More batteries, more reserve power. Just remember to wire in parallel NOT series. Connect all the positive terminals together and all the negative terminals together.

And you can get cheap inverters all over the place:
http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-400-Watt...power+inverter

http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-CPI-880-...power+inverter

If you're going to get batteries make sure the are Marine DEEP Cycle! You will kill the cheap ones so quick... I am bringing two of these to run my fan. Total of 65+ Hours of usable power. Don't run them lower than 30%. It will damage them. Hook them up to your car and run for 30 minutes or, get a solar panel kit.

http://www.sears.com/diehard-marine-...3&blockType=G3

Yeah the deep cycles are better and designed for this kind of use but regular ones will last you through the 3 days no problem. Especially if you dont run em all the way down like you said.

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Originally Posted by Jankypirate

Yeah the deep cycles are better and designed for this kind of use but regular ones will last you through the 3 days no problem. Especially if you dont run em all the way down like you said.

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Just depends how many watts you're trying to pull. I could run my evap cooler almost all weekend on one Battery. The second is more of a backup... Still haven't decided if I am bringing the 265 Solar Panel to charge everything.

That is with some car charging throughout the time though..

Theeng72 and Janks,

I'm going to get some battery power for my campsite and was just going to go with a car battery or 2 since it will be much cheaper. I'm bad with this whole watts/voltage thing but it'll be used for mostly speakers and phone charging.

Got logitech s751i, says the power rating is AC 5W per channel RMS, so probably ~30hrs of this during the weekend and phones take a pretty minimal charge.

I'll test it myself too once it gets closer to the date but think a regular car battery will do? I can charge it back up with my car throughout the weekend to I guess...