Clam 1600 owners ?

[Eddie Longest]

Are there velcro attaching points to attach the sixth solid panel cover over the entrance door. I want to use the Clam as a tent for a quick trip and don't want to drag it out if I dont have to to check. I have only used it as a screen room and never used all the panels at once.
Eddie

[papa-t]

Don't own one but I want to. I've heard their nice. Waiting for our old canopy to run its course.

[Casita Greg]

My Clam doesn't have velcro tabs on the panel which has the zippered entry (aka, door panel.) However, it wouldn't take much to buy a chunk of velcro at a fabric store and sew a few patches on wherever you would need them situated in order to mount the sixth cover panel. You may even, (if a little sewing doesn't frighten you,) want to cut the sixth panel in half, fold over and re-hem the cut edges, and mount a half section over each entry door screen section, so that you would still have access to the zipper, but also still have your privacy. Just an option.

[David Tilston]

OK, I gotta ask, what is a Clam 1600? Pictures please.

[Rich G. and Val F.]

David-

You can see an example on today's discussion "SCAMP side storage cabinets..."

Clam makes one shelter that is for ice fishing and several other models that are screen room tents.

[Huck]

Nope, none for entrance.

I added 3M Dual Lock Reclosable Fasteners in addition to the velcro that is on the tent. I found that in strong wind, the panels blew off. The dual lock fasteners are much stronger than velcro.

I put them on with super glue. They do have adhesive on the backside, but I wanted to make sure they stayed attached.

I do have a question. How will you get in the tent when the entrance panel is in place?

This is a clam

[Perryb67]

Three days ago we stopped in the Clam factory and looked at the Clam Quick-Set Escape (formerly known as the 1660 Six Pack Screen Shelter). In a month they will be offering a cooler tan version as well as the green. We're waiting for the tan version to become available.

They said you can put on the sides and turn it into a tent. You can stake the sides as well as the bottom to protect from wind, but it's still quite a tall tent, so I don't want to have it up in 40+ mph winds.

Terry and I set it up in less than 1 minute. Ground stakes would take another minute. The side stakes would probably take five minutes to install.

Here is one of the Quick-Set Escape videos.

[Bobby Kirk]

I was thinking of buying a clam. Any one have experience with one or any alternatives? Heading to Pensacola on Sunday, where can I buy one, and the side curtains? They are not available in Canada as far as I know.

Bobby

[Huck]

Originally Posted by Bobby Kirk

I was thinking of buying a clam. Any one have experience with one or any alternatives? Heading to Pensacola on Sunday, where can I buy one, and the side curtains? They are not available in Canada as far as I know.

Bobby

I really like mine and it withstands wind better than most tents.

That said, the 3 problems I have had are:
1) If you get wind and rain, the curtains sometimes "leak"
2) In strong wind, the curtains can blow off
3) In strong wind, the top may pop down. If you watch the video on how to put the tent up, you see him go inside and pop up the center of the tent. When the wind blows hard enough, it will pop it back down. If it's raining, water will then collect and possible collapse the tent. I'm thinking about getting a telescoping pole to use when necessary.

I bought mine on Amazon.

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by Huck

I really like mine and it withstands wind better than most tents.

That said, the 3 problems I have had are:
1) If you get wind and rain, the curtains sometimes "leak"
2) In strong wind, the curtains can blow off
3) In strong wind, the top may pop down. If you watch the video on how to put the tent up, you see him go inside and pop up the center of the tent. When the wind blows hard enough, it will pop it back down. If it's raining, water will then collect and possible collapse the tent. I'm thinking about getting a telescoping pole to use when necessary.

I literally just got off the phone with the gal at Clam. She felt that if you expect winds over 35 mph take the room down. It's designed to be a screen room with sides to put on the wind side. Her father and others at times put five sides on. The make no side for the door side. You can use one of the other sides, but it really doesn't fit and is awkward.

The tan version will be available sometime in April.

It is NOT a tent, but a screen shelter you can sleep in on nice nights. If you want a tent, buy a tent. Terry and I tour with our trikes and have a small, light, but rugged, four person tent. It's small and we carry it with us in the camper. Today's tents have floors to keep out unwanted guests. In the 70's I owned a tent with no floor and woke up with a mouse running around in my sleeping bag. My next tent had a floor!

Our intention is for this screen room to replace our portable awning and provide a room to go to in the morning to make coffee and read the paper while the other sleeps.

Use the right tool for the job.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Huck]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

I literally just got off the phone with the gal at Clam. She felt that if you expect winds over 35 mph take the room down. It's designed to be a screen room with sides to put on the wind side. Her father and others at times put five sides on. The make no side for the door side. You can use one of the other sides, but it really doesn't fit and is awkward.

The tan version will be available sometime in April.

It is NOT a tent, but a screen shelter you can sleep in on nice nights. If you want a tent, buy a tent. Terry and I tour with our trikes and have a small, light, but rugged, four person tent. It's small and we carry it with us in the camper. Today's tents have floors to keep out unwanted guests. In the 70's I owned a tent with no floor and woke up with a mouse running around in my sleeping bag. My next tent had a floor!

Our intention is for this screen room to replace our portable awning and provide a room to go to in the morning to make coffee and read the paper while the other sleeps.

Use the right tool for the job.

Enjoy,

Perry

Mine's a tent. When I camped on the Outer banks, my clam was one of the few tents still standing after a severe storm that came through in the middle of the night. If you stake it down, it will hold up pretty well.

Like I posted, I added additional "velcro" to the panels so they hopefully won't leak and won't blow off. And by adding a center pole, I think I can stop the top from popping down.

I've used it on 3 trips, about 7 days each. I set it up when I get there and take it down when I'm ready to leave. I had several people stop by to see what kind of tent I had because they were going to buy one when when they got back home. Many were using cheap sunroom type tents.

The one thing I usually do as an extra safety measure is to tie one rope from the tent to the picnic table. The 1st time I put the tent up the wind was blowing and the tent got away from me, so I always make sure I have it tied to something that can't blow away. Turn your back for a minute to grab a stake and the wind has the tent 10' away and gaining speed.

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by Huck

Mine's a tent. When I camped on the Outer banks, my clam was one of the few tents still standing after a severe storm that came through in the middle of the night. If you stake it down, it will hold up pretty well.

Agree to disagree.

Your definition of tent and my/Clam's definition of tent are different. Clam makes no tent opening for the entrance of the shelter, just use their side opening as best you can. There is no integrated floor to keep critters out. When all the walls are covered there is no ventilation openings, just have to rely on the walls breathing. In the 60's & 70's these were called tents, but considering today's expectations for a "tent" I and Clam would only call this a shelter.

TETO

Perry

[Eddie Longest]

After readings Creg's post my internet died so I set the Clam up in the barn. Creg was correct there is no velcro on the door side. I did discover the cover panels have clips on each of the four corners in addition to the velcro. The clips attach to the D rings on the tent so the the panel should still be attached if the velcro pulled loose. I found I could use doublesided Velcro cable ties to make the side velcro points to do double duty to hold the sides of the door cover panel. I made a bungee cord with cable velcro ties to span the top of the door this helps support the top of the door panel. Thanks for the help.
I would go with a tan Clam if ordering again. The green gets warm and the screen is so tight it can block some of the breeze.
Thanks again Eddie

[Mike Magee]

I couldn't resist any longer! Amazon has the Clam for about $235 (in green) so I bought one for this summer's camping. IIRC they were about $350 when I looked a year ago, and I couldn't bring myself to spend that much.

No way would I use it for overnights like a tent, though. For that I have a Coleman Instant Cabin.

[papa-t]

I couldn't stand it either. Leaving for Ocracoke N.C. April 16th. Just purchased one also.

[BAMA & Pachyderm Posse]

Got one love it

[Sid]

We just picked up one too! We didn't need one to go over the picnic table so we grabbed the 72x72 inch Traveler Shelter.
There were a couple of nights last year just north of Ely Mn we could've really used it!
Sid



Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Jim Bennett]

Mine came a couple days ago. I think I will give it a try in the yard tomorrow.

[Mike Magee]

I must be all thumbs. My new one didn't go up quite so quickly. A couple of the panels were difficult to pop out... as I pulled on them, the entire unit kept dragging toward me instead. One in particular was really obstinate. Maybe it was made a little tighter than usual or something. In the end it took me more like about 3 minutes to pop all panels including the roof.

Taking it down was even worse, but all my fault. Short term memory loss?? I read the instructions, but an hour later I completely forgot what I was doing! Popped all but one of the side panels in before I realized that I hadn't collapsed/stowed the doorway poles. I had to pop a couple of sides back out, go in and fix that. Then I got the sides popped in again, and DOH! I didn't pop down the top yet!! I swear, it's a good thing no one was videotaping....

[Tom Trostel]

Got mine yesterday. Unpacked this morning and put in front yard to erect. No luck until I realized it was laying upside down. Was much easier when I flipped it over. I collapsed it with ease but was a wrestling match to get it back in the bag. Practice will make perfect. Wife loves it (me too). Went inside and ordered 3 wind panels.