Opinions on Tent

[Huck]

I'm thinking about getting a tent rather than an awning. I want something big enough to be my living room - chairs, laptop, table, etc. I want to use this at the beach, so I need some way to tie the thing down because it's built like a kite!

I would be interested in your comments on this tent

Clam 1660 Mag 12 x12 Hub Screen Canopy



There is a short video on the Amazon page and a more detailed video on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsMkSHHvJFw

[mary and bob]

We use a Eureka Northern Breeze screen room for what you describe. Stake it down good, not with the included stakes but better longer ones, plus guy ropes at the corners. However we have had a few times that high winds necessitated quickly taking it down.

[Paul O.]

That is a nice and easy setup! Somebody else on this forum once touted the advantages of a screen tent over an awning, and I would second that. My Scamp originally had an awning, but the previous owner lost it to wind and I am not planning to replace it.
1. It would cost maybe four times as much as this screen tent.
2. The screen tent may be more robust than an awning when properly staked, and
3. it can be set up anywhere at your campsite.
4. I think you could leave your screen tent up and go for a day hike, but I would never leave an awning up and leave.
Depending on the season, we pack a screen tent.
To secure the Clam, it seems, you could use the loops in the middle of the panels to tie it down to stakes or anchors.

[stevebaz]

The only issue i would have is it needs to have 2 doors. One by the trailer door and one to get out.

[Francesca Knowles]

Since you intend to use this primarily at the beach, be aware that no stake will hold in sand. Best option is bags that you fill with sand, theory being that the weight will hold the screen room in place.

My opinion, frankly, is that such big rooms tend to gather too much wind to be practical at the beach. We've had better luck with smaller freestanders that will provide shade/protection for two people and can be freely moved around as the wind changes. Here's our quick-setup current favorite, of which we own three- enough for a party of six!
link

[Huck]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Since you intend to use this primarily at the beach, be aware that no stake will hold in sand. Best option is bags that you fill with sand, theory being that the weight will hold the screen room in place.

By at the beach, I meant at the campground at the beach. I only mentioned beach because it will be set up on sand.

[glennco]

We actually have one of these clam screen tents and really like it. There are stake down points at each corner, and guy out points in the upper corners

The good:
- Setup time is incredibly fast
- heavy duty materials
- well built

The bad:
- it is very long when fully collapsed, I'd say close to 5 ft. It takes up nearly the entire floor between then the dinette and bathroom of our Scamp SD. I'll upload some pics tonight.
- wind panels are Velcro on units, not permanently attached, and are sold separately

[mary and bob]

Worst case we had was at Assateague Island MD in the state campground which is all sand except the paved trailer parking. On a windy rainy day our hex shaped Eureka screen room blew over. Don't remember what I was using for stakes, but it wasn't the big long stakes I have now. That campground is all out in the open with no wind protection. We spend the winter on Jekyll Island GA, which is of course all sand, but much more wind protection, mainly from the huge motor homes and trailers all around us and it's a wooded area with lots of trees. There I use 8" stakes and guy ropes on our Northern Breeze screen room and no problems in the 3 months we are there. In it we have picnic table, chairs, TV, fridge, heater, and camp storage table, plus a hanging light. It is our dining room / living room for the winter. Very comfortable.

[Terry R.]

Look at the PahaQue. It has roll down sides that can be awnings. You can put a floor in to use as a tent. Very strong!

[mary and bob]

Our Northern Breeze is the same, roll down sides, comes with 3 poles to make one side an awning. Get more poles and make more side awnings if you like. We use one of those polypropylene camping mats as a floor because they wash and dry good. Have only found a 9X12 mat, and screen room is 12X12. The Northern Breeze sells for $400 or so.

[Mike Magee]

This Clam is the first decent-sized screen room I've seen that actually appealed to me. Others don't appeal to me because they look like too much bother to put up and take down. The Clam is so quick and easy!

My only concern would be, is there any danger of the hub in the center of a panel being pushed inward (collapsed) by a sudden gust of wind? Paul, any danger of this?

[Lynn Musgrave]

That makes me think of the Coleman Instant Screen Room Amazon.com : Coleman 15 x 13 Instant Screened Shelter : Screen Houses : Sports & Outdoors

I have seen these in campgrounds and have wanted one for a couple of years now.Problem is the screen room we have is in very good shape.

I sure like the Clam,but it might be out of my budget for week long or week-end camping. IF we full timed I would have to have it.Then the cost would be worth it.

Happy Camping

[FRED SMAILES]

I have posted this pic before in another thread about this topic.
As for hold downs, 2 of he legs are tied to the trailer frame and a
third is tied to the picnic table. It was set up like this for 3 months.
I took the top off once when a big wind was forecast but one time there
was a storm, heavy rain, wind gusts to 30 mph in the middle of the night
and it was still in one piece inthe morn!!
It is only 10x10 but would be big enough for your intended use.
I used to have an awning on the trailer,,,,too small and too much hassle
in set up.
One concern is rain coming off the tent and down the trailer side but we
aren't usually using the tent during rain anyway. The tent has a bug screen and we bought 2 privicay panels so it is a real room extender.
I would totally recommend this set up for my size trailer.
Fred

[Mike Magee]

Hmm, I guess the Coleman is pretty darn easy, too! And the 10x10 is under $70 right now at Amazon. I ordered one just now. Can't beat the price. We're headed to Michigan to help care for my MIL, who just had heart surgery, and from what I hear the mosquitos are terrible up there this spring. Now we can spend some time sitting outdoors without getting eaten alive.

BTW, I did spot the Clam for $229 at LandMSupply.com . It appeals to me quite a bit, but not enough to spring for 3 times the price of the Coleman. Oh well.

[glennco]

It was setup time that pushed me into spending the money on the clam. When you have a 1 yr old who doesn't want to stay in the truck anymore after being in it for hours, and a campsite full of mosquitoes. That 1 min setup time makes all the difference.

As to the structural stability of the top. I'm sure an engineer could set me straight, but I'm fairly sure the pressure differential actually pushes the top of the tent out in a good wind, not in. Those upper supports are beefy, and under a fair bit of tension.

As to the size, attached you'll find the collapsed unit in the bottom of our scamp, it is 6ft long collapsed. The length us essentially the radius of the top, as those spars do not collapse beyond the center pivot. Huge downside, but the setup time got me

[Mike Magee]

Paul, thanks. It was the sides, not the top, that I was mostly wondering about in wind. But I suppose the wind wouldn't have much to push on, unless the optional panels were attached.

6 feet, wow. I did notice that the Coleman is a bit less than 4.5' long when folded, and only 17 lbs shipping weight... vs 34 lbs listed weight for the Clam. There were some videos showing setup for the Coleman and it went up in about a minute and a half. They did not show the takedown, though. I do think the Clam's shape will be better if a picnic table is situated inside. Overall I think I would be happy with either one, but money is an object for us.

[Huck]

Clam 1 Huck 0

I got the clam yesterday and decided to set it up today. Took it out of the bag, laid it out, found the top, and started popping the sides. After about 6 sides, I realized the tent was inside out. An hour and a half later, I still haven't been able to undo the sides and get it right side out.

It's like a Rubik's cube.

The problem is it collapses on itself and you lose track of where you are. Time to see if I can find a neighbor to help.

[Francesca Knowles]

But.....

Originally Posted by glennco

It was setup time that pushed me into spending the money on the clam. ...snip... That 1 min setup time makes all the difference.

Sorry- couldn't help myself!

Have you seen this video? It's setup demofor the 1660 you mentioned in the threadstarter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cwweAT57Uo

[Huck]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

But.....
Sorry- couldn't help myself!

Have you seen this video? It's setup demofor the 1660 you mentioned in the threadstarter.

They neglected to say the lettering should be up. I did exactly what they said to do but the lettering was down.

[pwdohio]

We have the Pah Ha Que and love it! Goes up fairly quick if you know what you are doing, so practice at hone before you leave. It held up to very high winds, when we had to close our awning.we generally put our awning our and then position the Pah Ha Que close enough to sort of iverlap awnings.