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Caravan Tent

Posted by Teri Biehl on March 27, 2010 at 2:54pm

I'm ready to buy a tent for shows and it's down to a Caravan to save some money, or a Trimline.  I haven't read to many bad things about the Caravan.  Is the Caravan's frame sturdy enough to be able to use it for displaying and hanging lights?   Since the Caravan doesn't have a skylight is it dark inside without light?

 

Teri

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Replies

  • STAN WEITMAN September 30, 2017 at 11:26am

    Looking for a solid, quality used 10 x 10 white tent for shows with zipper sides.  I live in Apex, N.C.

  • Geoff Coe March 29, 2010 at 2:03pm
    I vote for Flourish Trimline as well. It's a bit more work to put it up, but wind, won't take it down, and it provides nice natural light through the domed top (unless you're under a tree, LOL). Well made, fireproof, and has never leaked on me...not once. The canvas sides are durable, too.

    You can set it up yourself if you get the fifth (rear door) vertical pole. Otherwise, you'd have to have a helper hold up the top of the tent while you attach the vertical poles. (Don't worry; Flourish explains all this to you before they sell you the tent, and they do a great job of it.)

    Buy it with the Sta-bars (horizontal bars that connect the side and back vertical poles to give you stability) and you'll be set for a long, long time.
  • Louis Williams March 29, 2010 at 9:49am
    All of this discussion leads to the question: what is the best tent? Suggestions?
  • Dave Hinde March 29, 2010 at 9:42am
    I never take the canopy off the frame. It folds up nicely with the frame. I almost always put it up and down by myself. With one person putting it up, you just need to move one leg at a time, shaking it a little as you move it outward. Two tips - never extend the legs to their full height before putting the walls on - easier to reach. I've also heard not to lock that last leg in the fully upright position before starting the zipper on that last corner. Putting on the sidewalls it will always seem like that last one is one inch short of the zippers meeting!

    Sheila Evans said:
    It's very easy to put up alone. Just put the canopy on before extending the legs. I've even seen people fold up the frame with the canopy still on it to speed the process even more.

    Teri Biehl said:
    Can the Caravan be put up by one person? I tried to youtube it and only found one, and it shows the Caravan needing 2 people to stretch it.

    Teri
  • Sheila Evans March 28, 2010 at 4:04pm
    It's very easy to put up alone. Just put the canopy on before extending the legs. I've even seen people fold up the frame with the canopy still on it to speed the process even more.

    Teri Biehl said:
    Can the Caravan be put up by one person? I tried to youtube it and only found one, and it shows the Caravan needing 2 people to stretch it.

    Teri
  • Teri Biehl March 28, 2010 at 1:39pm
    Can the Caravan be put up by one person? I tried to youtube it and only found one, and it shows the Caravan needing 2 people to stretch it.

    Teri
  • Dave Hinde March 27, 2010 at 4:47pm
    I've been using a Caravan for 3 years now, with no issues except a sidewall zipper. It has survived wind that killed several EZ-ups at two different events. The best thing you can do to make it stiffer is buy a set of Sta-Bars from Flourish.com. I had the same leak that Sheila did my first year, but it hasn't leaked since then - and I didn't do anything to fix it!
  • Sheila Evans March 27, 2010 at 3:44pm
    I had one for a few years before upgrading to a Light Dome. It is pretty light inside, and very sturdy. I did hang all sorts of stuff from the frame---both lights and display walls full of art. The downside for the Caravan is that it is water resistant, but not water proof. The first time I used it in rain I had water coming in at the roof seams. After that I coated it in waterproofing spray and sealed the seams every spring. The combination of that and using the rings at the outside corners of the canopy to attach to weights (keeping the canopy taut) kept the water out. In retrospect, with all the time and money I spent waterproofing it and trying to come up with a workable awning, and the money I spent upgrading to the zippered sides, I would have done better to just get the Light Dome in the first place. But, when I bought the Caravan, I didn't have very much money or know for sure if I would keep doing shows. Hindsight.
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