Overland Tent

[Team Ball's Out]

I have the largest of the overland tents. I really enjoy using it but is had a pain in the *** draw back. That cheesy bungee cord that holds the tent cover in place and all those clips that the cord needs to be placed into to keep the PVC cover on! My brother has the eezi tent and it has a much better system, once the cover is on you use a ratchet strap that is build into the cover. You pull the slack out of the corners and ratchet away, that is a much better system! How about it Over Land?

 

[Mitch502]

I don't have an expensive tent, I built my own. But as I have been building it I have been making sure that everything is "single stage" setup for the reason you listed...it's a hassle and cheesy to have to do a bunch of extra stuff.

 

[Lemsteraak]

I think I had a similar tent years ago, an Air-Camping tent from Italy and it too had the funky bungie system. Where this system excelled is in cold weather when everything is all stiff and hard. I had a lot of bedding inside and didn't want to take it out so in the morning I would shake the snow off, fold and tuck, throw the cover on. It wouldn't fold very well and one side would be sticking up a lot. My hands would be really cold so I'd just attach the bungie system to a couple hooks and drive off. Later when thing would warm up, the tent would compress and I could attach the bungie around more hook and if I was going to hit an actual road I would pull over and hook up most all the hooks.

There are differences in tents due to climate. I've always viewed South African tents as built more for warm weather. For example, I couldn't understand was why they didn't insulate the poles. Moisture condenses and drip all night long.

I've always thought that there is no perfect tent, you just get the one that fits your needs the best and then improve it.

 

[Team Ball's Out]

What I ended up doing was removing the bungie cord, Purchased a ratchet strap. Removed the metal hooks at the ratchet to where I have 2 eyelets one on each end. I took some good grade poly rope and fed it thru the loops on the tent cover. I than ran it thru the strap eyelets and made a loop and ran the tag end down the center of the poly rope, about 1' this way it works as Chinese finger hand cuffs. and I did the same on the other end as well. Once everything is in place I just snug the corners to take the slack out and a quick snug on the strap and a ratchet or two and it's nice and snug. I hooked the trailer to the jeep and took it on the freeway and problem solved! No more cheesy bungie strap and those pain in the *** hooks. Stayed in place very nicely!.