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best side tent (modern)?
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dcurran
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:54 pm    Post subject: best side tent (modern)? Reply with quote

Hey all;

Quick question - any thoughts on who makes/sells the best modern side tent that would fit a Baywindow Bus? Busdepot used to sell a ton of different varieties, now they only seem to sell the one canvas "Spacemaker".

I'm not interested in authenticity, I just want a functional space-increasing tent to use on rainy/buggy days (and as a doghouse!) when family camping.

None of the tents I've seen look particularly easy to pack up (or lightweight/small to transport...). I do like the asthetics of the BusDepot Spacemaker tent though - it looks like it's designed for the bus.

Thanks for your thoughts,
Dan
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woodyvw9
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just got one of the spacemaker tents and it is pretty nice. There are two good size bags, but I stack them nicely in the luggage rack. It is good sized so it holds lots of crap. Here are a couple shots of it in action.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

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davis911s
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW I have a factory tent that I use and I like the "spacemaker" better. I also don't care about authenticity. But since I have the original i am not going to run out and buy a new one.

I know one thing having the side tent is a SAVIOUR when camping.

Shawn
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john the engineer
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think this is the same as the Just Kampers Spacemaker, and while this is a well made awning, it comes in two huge bags. I ordered one, and sent it back before trying to put it up. I've also had a tunnel awning which was useless and tended to blow down in the wind.

I got a Khyam Motordome Classic instead, and I'd strongly recommend them.

http://www.khyam.co.uk/product_tent.asp?category=Khyam%20QE&type=Caravan/Motorcaravan

I don't know who imports them into the US, and they aren't cheap, but they do go up and down very quickly, and are very robust. The pole and clamp version fits well onto a bay and the tunnel between the tent and the van covers the sliding door. It packs down into a single bag, about the size of a large holdall.

Cheers
John
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1FUNBUG
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 6:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I checked out that link. The Khyam Motordome Classic looks pretty nifty. I get the impression from other posts that Ron at Bus Depot has done some homework on side tents. Hopefully, we'll get his input on the Khyam.
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Busdepot
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 7:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been a big fan of side tents for many years, and have owned a number of original German ones of various vintages. Our original side tent (many years ago) was essentially a copy of the original 1980's German side tent that I used at the time. There have been four generations since then, each improving on the previous one, so what we offer now (the SpaceMaker) is far better than the original Westfalia tent that inspired it. Even compared to the previous generation it's far superior:

1) Packs down smaller without any compromise in size or build quality, due to improvements in materials/technology over the years

2) Has a domed roof to prevent rain sag

3) Faster/easier assembly due to coded and connected poles

4) Better build quality and value for the dollar. If you compare it to anything else anywhere near its price, the quality difference is obvious. Part of this is due to economies of scale (we sell a LOT of side tents; far more, I'm sure, than anyone else in the U.S.). Part of it is because I paid for them when the U.S. dollar was stronger. If I had to buy them now, they'd be $100 more.

As for the amount of space a side tent takes, yes, it will easily fill your roof luggage rack (or an equivalent amount inside the Bus). No avoiding that unless you buy a nylon tent (which is much thinner, but therefore more fragile). And it will take 20 minutes or so to set up (longer the first time, but the learning curve is fast). I find using a side tent to be invaluable for weekend or longer trips. My Westy is plenty roomy for my small family ... but not if we're sharing that space with coolers, sacks of clothing, etc. The biggest advantage of the tent is that we can offload those items and actually use all of our camper's interior space as living space. Plus, when it rains we're not cooped up inside the camper, and when it's sunny out we can raise the side walls of the tent and have a huge awning. That said, I personally find a side tent too bulky and time consuming to set up to be worth the effort for a short overnight stay. For that, I use our Ezy-Awning, which sets up in five minutes.

As far as comparisons to the Kyham tent, I don't have any direct experience with it (as it is not sold in the U.S.), but it appears to be a nylon dome tent. This sort of tent will definitely pack down quite a bit smaller than a canvas-on-frame tent, but on the flip side, this is because the poles and material aren't nearly as heavy duty. We have sold similar tents in the past, but opted to combine elements of this design (such as the dome) into a canvas-on-frame tent for a best-of-both-worlds solution (viewing the larger packed-down size as an acceptable compromise given the advantages). It's worth noting that the Kyham tent apparently has no floor - common among European tents, but not well suited to U.S. tastes. To be honest I'm a bit surprised at the Kyham's price. In U.S. dollars it would be around $650 for a floorless dome tent, and even at that price the sleeping cabin is optional. So, what, maybe $800 with the sleeping cabin? That's double the price of the SpaceMaker. It's probably a very nice tent, but for $800 without a floor it should be!

As for the question of whether our SpaceMaker is the same as the Just Kampers one, actually they're the opposite - literally. Both come from the same factory but theirs is mirror image, for right hand drive Buses. While most European made side tents are universal for LHD and RHD, this involves some compromise in layout; a limitation not required by our LHD SpaceMaker tent.

Links:
http://busdepot.com/details/spacemaker.jsp
http://busdepot.com/details/awning.jsp
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john the engineer
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Busdepot wrote:
As far as comparisons to the Kyham tent, I don't have any direct experience with it (as it is not sold in the U.S.), but it appears to be a nylon dome tent. This sort of tent will definitely pack down quite a bit smaller than a canvas-on-frame tent, but on the flip side, this is because the poles and material aren't nearly as heavy duty. We have sold similar tents in the past, but opted to combine elements of this design (such as the dome) into a canvas-on-frame tent for a best-of-both-worlds solution (viewing the larger packed-down size as an acceptable compromise given the advantages). It's worth noting that the Kyham tent apparently has no floor - common among European tents, but not well suited to U.S. tastes. To be honest I'm a bit surprised at the Kyham's price. In U.S. dollars it would be around $650 for a floorless dome tent, and even at that price the sleeping cabin is optional. So, what, maybe $800 with the sleeping cabin? That's double the price of the SpaceMaker. It's probably a very nice tent, but for $800 without a floor it should be!


And it is! As I said it wasn't cheap, I got it earlier this year with an inner tent for about £350, ($700 roughly). I already had a breathable groundsheet, and every awning I've seen has no floor. Khyams are quite common in the UK usually with people who bought a cheap awning, and while they liked the space, they had also discovered the drawbacks...

However it is certainly strong enough. The poles are aluminium, and while the nylon is lighter than the Spacemaker, it is up to the job. We were camping on the Dorset coast this summer and it coped with the 50mph gusts without any damage...

As I said the only reason we returned the Spacemaker was that the bags would take up too much space. I have a tintop Devon conversion, that has limited storage and I don't have a roofrack. Also packing light is an alien concept to my wife, so space is at a premium Smile . I looked at one at the Volksworld show and it was a good bit of kit for a good price, and if I had the room, I'd be singing the praises of that....

Cheers
John
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Busdepot
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I already had a breathable groundsheet, and every awning I've seen has no floor

Yes, even the SpaceMaker's floor is technically a groundsheet, as it stakes in separately rather than being integrated into the tent. (This appeases campgrounds that do not permit tents; if the floor it not used it is basically an awning, especially if you roll up the walls.) However, this too is improved over the previous generations. The groundsheet extends further up the side walls (and is specifically sized to the tent) so it keeps things dry inside - effectively functioning as a removable floor rather than just a tarp under your tent. The included sleeping cabin, however, has a sewn-in floor.
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Last edited by Busdepot on Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:16 am; edited 2 times in total
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sharpmore
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i have the canvas tent from bus depot, it is a stong tent that does very well in all weathers, we use it every year at burningman and it holds up to 70+ mph winds without blowing over or having the dust come thru the tent, only thing it has no floor
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DEadsfo
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 6:29 pm    Post subject: harrison awning Reply with quote

I have used a the same HARRISSON (DRIVE AWAY)AWNING for the last 20yrs. Ihave used it on plain vans ,on an VW LT 35 HI TOP ,ON A lANDROVER 110 Defender and for straight camping it has conventional steel poles and is of the frame tent gendre ,I had a sleeping compartment added onto the side from a very clever tent repairer in Bolton UK it has the disadvantage of being heavy (being made from proper canvas ) and the poles are heavy and bulky,but it is bullet proof having withstood the worst the whole of europe has thrown at it,which to be honest has never amounted to much, but I do now hanker for a lighter less bulky quicker setup type tent, but this one is still after all this time honestly like new so unless it gets swept away in a north atlantic storm I gues i will be sticking with it
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dcurran
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:50 am    Post subject: tents Reply with quote

Both awnings look really nice, the spackemaker and the Khyam.

Question about the spacemaker - for those who store in on the luggage rack, isn't there a problem with it getting constantly wet/exposed to the elements? The idea of setting up a wet moldy canvas tent after it's been sitting on the rack for four days doesn't appeal...

Thanks,
dc
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dcurran
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:01 pm    Post subject: thanks Reply with quote

thanks all, both the spacemaker and khyam look nice. In the end, price and BusDepot convenience won out, and I went for the Spacemaker. I'll be trying it out on a 2 wk trip through New England next week, so I'm looking forward to that!

best,
dc
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Busdepot
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Question about the spacemaker - for those who store in on the luggage rack, isn't there a problem with it getting constantly wet/exposed to the elements?

I can't say the bags it comes in are particularly designed to withstand the elements plus constant 60 mph wind whipping at them while driving (higher if you're driving against the wind). They're more than robust enough for normal storage, though. If you want to put it up top, you may want to pick up a luggage carrier storage bag, which can be found at discount auto parts stores (or probably WalMart) for use on SUV roof racks. Those are designed specifically for use on your roof.

Or just transport it inside the Bus. Personally, I just stick mine behind my rear seat, rather than bothering to hoist it onto the roof. (After all, once I get to the campsite it's not taking up any interior space anymore, because it's assembled, so I only need enough interior space to put it in while driving.)
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vwmaniaman
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Buy a small 4' X 4' trailer base and mount a fiberglass roof top carrier on it and hook it up behind your camper. You won't know it is back there, your stuff is easily accessible, It holds your campsite while your out exploring and it is perfect for the wife that brings the house when you go on vacation.
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davis911s
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I bought this little trailer cheap. It is made for a motorcycle but works well for all my camping equipment. I need the space inside the Westy for my wife, three kids and two big dogs Laughing

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dogcoves
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PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2008 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone use one of these tents? its a little cheaper in price than the busdepot one. It has no floor, I'm not sure if the busdepot spacemaker has a floor. http://secure.mycart.net/catalogs/catalog.asp?prodid=4842732&showprevnext=1
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Busdepot
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PostPosted: Sat May 03, 2008 6:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll give you a scoop that hasn't officially been announced on our website yet. The manufacturer couldn't supply our new shipment of Spacemakers in time for the summer '08 season. So they agreed to give us their new Spacemaker Dome Tent version - usually $100 more - for nearly the same price. As a result we will be able to offer that $500 tent for the $399 price of the original Spacemaker, or very close to it. (Anyone who has an existing order for the old Spacemaker will definitely get the upgrade for the same $399 price.)

The new Spacemaker has an actual sewn-in floor, rather than a pegged in ground sheet like the original one. It has a heavy duty rip-resistant and waterproof nylon consruction, quite a bit heavier duty than previous nylon tents. This makes it smaller and lighter weight than the original Spacemaker when stored, but larger when assembled. There's a large awning built into the front of it, and everything is domed so water rolls off.

You can see some pics of the Spacemaker dome tent on Just Kampers' (UK) website:

http://shop.justkampers.com/product_info.php/products_id/13867

These will arrive in mid-June. They are not on the website quite yet, but will be in about a week. Meanwhile, if you want to pre-order at the $399 price, order the current Spacemaker on our website and write "send me the new version" in the "comments" section on checkout. This will guarantee you the new $500 tent at the old $399 price. (Of course you will not be charged until it ships.)
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Busdepot
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PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 8:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Update - the new tent is now on our site.
http://busdepot.com/details/spacemaker.jsp
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NOVA Bus
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PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like the spacemaker as well, just it's so huge....

I also like this one:
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Here's a few other vendors:
http://secure.mycart.net/catalogs/index.asp?category=294705

UK - Has some nice installed images of various tent/awnings.
http://www.campershop.co.uk/awnings.htm
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PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just bought the awning from Bus Depot (great product, Ron), and am in the process of making walls to attach to it. It won't free stand when we go somewhere in the bus, but it will fold down easily, covering anything we don't want seen or rained on.
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