Campfire Awning / Shelter ideas

[JeepTreeHouse]

I looking for ideas for a wind / weather sheter that can support and improve time around a fire.

The problem is staying out of the weather yet near a campfire. This is for cold windy nights as well as those nights that include rain or snow.

I have foud that the wind blocks I have made draw in smoke from the fire; thus making it un-enjoyable. I have not yet had to deal with this on a rainy night.

This has brought me to the idea of using an awning + wall combination ( such as the campinglabs awning) to get a warm area, out of the weather and close to a fire, but not have smoke, wind, or rain coming in.

I have though of using a campfire tent but I already use a rooftop tent.

Any sugestions or proven methods of using tarps, awnings, changing rooms, or anything else?

 

[aruss]

Tipi?

 

[STREGA]

Tipi?

That was my first thought. Maybe instead of changing awning/windblock change the heat source, I use a propane portable campfire, works good and no smoke.

 

[xpdishn]

We purchased one of these: http://www.rei.com/product/761882 about a year ago. Our first use was in Death Valley with 40+ mph winds. With everything staked, we went to bed expecting the worse in the morning. We woke and found the shelter standing just as we left it. This is a great wind shelter.
We used it on a trip into the Arizona Strip with wind and rain. After setting it up, we moved it just to the edge of our fire. There was some smoke backwash (for a better term) but not bad. We had about 6-8 people packed in out of the rain and it worked.
The sides, one piece, is easy to move when the wind changes direction or when the sun gets too intense.
It's inexpensive but high quality. REI will take it back with full refund even if there is nothing wrong with it.

Gary

 

[thehighdesertrat]

Kinda old fashioned but works great for keeping in the heat from a campfire. They also make one in nylon but that seems to defeat the point.
http://beckelcanvas.com/products_view.php?products_id=58

 

[lgrt]

I us the Kelty shelter. It can attach to the rig and work as an awning. it can also free stand as a three sided shelter. I've had it up free standing in very strong winds (blew over my buddy's frame tent) and not a single problem.

Kelty Shelter info

 

[lowenbrau]

A campfire is pretty much a necessity for enjoying the outdoors in colder climates. The environmental impact can be kept reasonably low and burning dead wood has a smaller carbon impact than fossil fuels.

Sometimes, (nearly all the time in the mountains) you have to control how the wind gets to your fire. If you need to spend a lot of time in front of the fire because it is cold or wet, it is really nice to have a windblock at your back that will reflect heat back to you as well. I like to use a long narrow tarp like the kind used to cover woodpiles ( 4'X20') to run around the trees behind the camp-chairs. You can pick plastic ones up for as little as $5 though I think canvas is worth the investment and is much quieter.

A teepee is not a bad idea but they take a lot of poles and a while to set up. The milsurp alternative is a large freight parachute. You tie out the short cords (the military usually cuts them short so people don't do something stupid with them) to logs/rocks around your fire ring (before you light it obviously) and hold it up with a single ridge pole. Once the fire is lit the chute will billow out and the smoke can only go one way, up, and out the vent in the top. It is amazing how well the heat reflects from it and you can keep a couple dozen people really warm in very cold and wet conditions. They dry easily and pack up small.

 

[ScottReb]

Any chance you have a picture of the parachute?? It sound very interesting, just cant picture it...

 

[Dave Bennett]

I really like the Kelty stuff. Multi-purpose, multi-configuration is good.

I wouldnt want a nice nylon setup like that near a fire though, embers could ruin it in one gust...

 

[lowenbrau]

Any chance you have a picture of the parachute?? It sound very interesting, just cant picture it...

I don't have a photo but this is the idea. If you leave the chute up off the ground enough that people can duck under you don't need a door and the heat of the fire will billow it out to look more like a chute than a tent.

 

[Dave Bennett]

I don't have a photo but this is the idea. If you leave the chute up off the ground enough that people can duck under you don't need a door and the heat of the fire will billow it out to look more like a chute than a tent.

Reminds me of SERE...

Works great, just need trees.

 

[dragogt]

A teepee is not a bad idea but they take a lot of poles and a while to set up. The milsurp alternative is a large freight parachute. You tie out the short cords (the military usually cuts them short so people don't do something stupid with them) to logs/rocks around your fire ring (before you light it obviously) and hold it up with a single ridge pole. Once the fire is lit the chute will billow out and the smoke can only go one way, up, and out the vent in the top. It is amazing how well the heat reflects from it and you can keep a couple dozen people really warm in very cold and wet conditions. They dry easily and pack up small.

Where do you get those from?

 

[lowenbrau]

Where do you get those from?

I used to see them at Army and Navy but they don't have much surplus stuff anymore. If I were in the US I'd probably look at cheaper than dirt

 

[dragogt]

At 60 bucks that ant to bad..

 

[Hafwit]

I suppose that would work well for a very controlled fire, but if the fire emits any flying embers, you will have one hell of a potential disaster.