Buying A New Shelter For Fairs/festivals

[wildrose]

I have an EZ Up tent (the genuine one, not a knock off) that has lasted me over 10 years. It is becoming a pain to put up, as the legs have bent slightly over time; it's heavy in the carry bag, and the bag itself is ripped up horribly.

I'm set to sell at a local market every Saturday all summer. This means: toss the bag in the car every Sat. a.m. (along with my tables and stock); set it up, take it down, toss it back in, and put it in the garage 'til the next weekend. I'm not looking forward to this!

I need something easier to lug around and pref. under 200.00. Our local sporting goods store (Dick's) has a Quest shelter on sale, for under 100.00 inc. the bag, but upon checking the web, I found it got horrible reviews. I do enough outdoor events that I need something that won't break after one use.

Suggestions?

[whinewine]

I have an EZ Up tent (the genuine one, not a knock off) that has lasted me over 10 years. It is becoming a pain to put up, as the legs have bent slightly over time; it's heavy in the carry bag, and the bag itself is ripped up horribly.

I'm set to sell at a local market every Saturday all summer. This means: toss the bag in the car every Sat. a.m. (along with my tables and stock); set it up, take it down, toss it back in, and put it in the garage 'til the next weekend. I'm not looking forward to this!

I need something easier to lug around and pref. under 200.00. Our local sporting goods store (Dick's) has a Quest shelter on sale, for under 100.00 inc. the bag, but upon checking the web, I found it got horrible reviews. I do enough outdoor events that I need something that won't break after one use.

Suggestions?

Holly:

I too have an ezup, & i've never been able to set it up alone. It's cumbersome, it's heavy, but, for durability, I think it's the only game in town & I've not found anything else in that price range that'll hold up like EZ Up. Mine is the Encore II from Sam's Club. We've only had ours for about 4 years & had to replace a sidewall because of a broken zipper (covered under warranty) & had to replace an outer strut (out of warranty). Other than that, no major problems. If we get another, I'll pirate the old one for spare parts (assuming everything's the same). But, I, too, would like to find a durable, easier-to-lug-around-easier-to-set-up-lighter-weight one in the same $$ price range. If you do find one, please let me know. Thanks.

russ

[wildrose]

I was really into the Quest model from Dick's 'til I read those reviews! I definitely need something that'll hold up in wind/rain. When you're set up at an outdoors event, you have to be ready for weather.

The only part of our EZ Up I've had to replace is the top. We had the white one originally, but replaced it with a blue "industrial strength" one a year or so after we first got it. That top has held up ever since.

I guess it's all about paying for better quality!

[Fredo]

I'd like to add that the reason I own an EZ-UP is because of the quality. It is a pain in the butt to set up alone and it can be a chore to lug around. However like you guys I have not found a better unit out there. I am considering making a lean-to type set up that will work off one side of my pick up truck. Sail quality canvas and a cpl of collapsible poles ought to do it.

I just need to add it to the long long list of stuff I want to get done.

[wareagle]

We have a one up? from walmart we have had it for 4 years now and holds up better in wind than easy up and one person can set it up. only thing we need to replace is one of the leg catches but still in great shape.

[wildrose]

I ended up replacing the carry bag - found one at a good price on eBay - and that has sufficed for now. Had some heavy rain one weekend recently and gave my neighbor vendor an unexpected "bath" when I pushed up the "lid" of the tent and the water sheeted off it....oops!

[Suze]

http://www.creativeshelters.com/

we haven't ordered from them yet - but our SCA group is looking into buying something like this

http://www.creativeshelters.com/Design-Tools/Cut-List-Slant.aspx

but then we have several people to help with the set up and tear down.....

[wareagle]

I ended up replacing the carry bag - found one at a good price on eBay - and that has sufficed for now. Had some heavy rain one weekend recently and gave my neighbor vendor an unexpected "bath" when I pushed up the "lid" of the tent and the water sheeted off it....oops!

use a foam noodle like for swimming arched in the corners stops the pooling of water on the ez ups.

[JLSleather]

We have a $35.00 thingy from the Dollar Store. We bought it at the last show. We didn't use one, just a table nicely done ... but it rained on the other side of the lake all day, and we didn't want to "hope" it wasn't moviing over. Lady told us where the store was, and we got the ONLY one they had. Worked well, and the stripes looked nice over the leather

We're not investing in alot of "in between" stuff .. just going to get the enclosed trailer with a side that opens. Maybe we'll add burritos?

[Nighthawk]

Well, myself and a friend of mine are spending our offseason making one of these. It's a 16th century Shetland tent. So if you're feeling ambitious and want something that will last 30 years, you can get the canvas from http://www.pantherprimitives.com/ Or you can get one of their small flies. Our blacksmith uses one, and it seems to work out well.

Look! A dancing banana in a kilt! I bet he sleeps in a Shetland tent...

We're not investing in alot of "in between" stuff .. just going to get the enclosed trailer with a side that opens. Maybe we'll add burritos?

We actually have a Baker's tent that we use. We're retiring it because it's not period appropriate. It's Fur Trapper era, and we're late Renaissance. We serve haggis and lamb stew as sides...

Edited August 20, 2010 by Nighthawk

[wildrose]

Nighthawk, had I stayed exclusively w/Ren.Faires I'dve bought from Panther. Great selection and site. You've certainly done well by it!

[Nighthawk]

Nighthawk, had I stayed exclusively w/Ren.Faires I'dve bought from Panther. Great selection and site. You've certainly done well by it!

Nice thing about the Panther stuff is that you can get just a fly and a couple of poles. That will give you essentially the same as the EZ Up tent that you had, except that it won't get crushed when it get hit by a microburst, like the St. Andrew's Society tent... On the other hand, our blacksmith's tent took that microburst and just smiled at it. That's actually why I suggested them. The simple flys are so universal, and so incredibly durable! The Shetland... That's not so universal! It's deffinately in the realm of reenactor, which is why we're making it! So what kind of fairs do you go to, if I may ask? And what kind of work do you do?

And as to us having done well by Panther... You have no idea, until you actually see our camp! We have 1 pavilion, 2 of their biggest marquees, the blacksmith's fly, and my baker's tent, which we're retiring this year. We have done VERY well with our Panthers, which is why I always suggest them. They take a lickin' and keep tickin'!!

Edited August 21, 2010 by Nighthawk

[wildrose]

I'm jealous of your set up! The biggest events I've done are, in order:

#1. Steppin'Out, a 2 day street fair in Blacksburg, VA.

#2. PA Renn.Faire in the Lancaster area (2 weekends out of their run)

#3. NJ Renn.Kingdom, a 5 weekend event in North/Central Jersey. (did the whole run a few years)

Here in Radford, I sell at the Farmers' Market every Sat. morning from Apr-Oct. Other than that, I usually do small, in door events. The nearest major Renn. faire is in northern VA, and isn't feasible for me at this time. Hopefully some time in the future, I'll get back into the faire circuit; I really miss it!

Most all of my work is Celtic themed. I make everything from keepsake boxes to Bible covers and notepad holders to wallets and the like. Pretty diverse really.

[Nighthawk]

I'm jealous of your set up! The biggest events I've done are, in order:

#1. Steppin'Out, a 2 day street fair in Blacksburg, VA.

#2. PA Renn.Faire in the Lancaster area (2 weekends out of their run)

#3. NJ Renn.Kingdom, a 5 weekend event in North/Central Jersey. (did the whole run a few years)

Here in Radford, I sell at the Farmers' Market every Sat. morning from Apr-Oct. Other than that, I usually do small, in door events. The nearest major Renn. faire is in northern VA, and isn't feasible for me at this time. Hopefully some time in the future, I'll get back into the faire circuit; I really miss it!

Most all of my work is Celtic themed. I make everything from keepsake boxes to Bible covers and notepad holders to wallets and the like. Pretty diverse really.

Nice! I've been thinking about doing things like that this off season. I do mostly reproductions of historical pieces- pen holders with ink horn and the like, basic leather armor, sporrans, things along those lines. I'm actually making one of these:

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O133556/pen-case-and/

It's on it's second incarnation. We'll see how Take 2 turns out!

So what's it like doing ren faires? Is it lucrative? I've never done any. I just work in the historical reenactment community, which in a lot of ways is a lot like the old barter economy- I make the blacksmith a belt, and he makes me 2 belt buckles (or in reality, teaches my son to make the belt buckles!) I actually had the thought that I should set up a booth a mile up the road from the Colorado Renaissance Festival because buying into it is so expensive, and they don't just let you do one or two weekends. It's all or nothing, and it's just me by my lonesome making product, so there's no way I could make it lucrative, which is why I ask how you make out.

Oh, and one more thought- since you have sold at ren fests, you may have an insight. I've been thinking about making leather whiskey bottle coozies that are made more or less the same way as bracers. Think that would sell?

[Suze]

don't know about the whiskey bottle cozies

but around her they are getting good money for cozies sized for water and soda bottles.

sort of like a bracer with a bottom and a belt loop attachment - with a snap so you can get it off your belt if you want to.

[wildrose]

I do think drink holders would sell. One thing I've not done, but have seen, is leather mugs. That is something that can take special materials to do right though, and isn't really my "cup of tea".

What I've found about Ren.Faires is that other vendors still do the barter thing - and I love bartering, so that's fine with me. Also, customers seem to come especially to spend. I have made more in one weekend at such events than elsewhere. It's not like a church/school fair, which are a dime a dozen around the holiday season. It's a special event, catering to a special crowd. And that crowd seems to be the big spenders. At least, that's my experience!

[Suze]

yeah finding the "whatever you put in a leather mug to make it waterproof" is not easy

although I had another friend make a leather mug sized to fit a soda/beer can

no bottom - just a thick ring of leather to keep the can from falling out. (and so you can push the empty out of the mug)

it mostly hides the can

[Nighthawk]

don't know about the whiskey bottle cozies

but around her they are getting good money for cozies sized for water and soda bottles.

sort of like a bracer with a bottom and a belt loop attachment - with a snap so you can get it off your belt if you want to.

Yeah, Amerikilt sells those with loops sized to fit a 3 inch wide kilt belt. Been considering getting one, but I recently aquired 2 horns, so I think I'll make myself a drinking horn instead.

[UKRay]

I just invested in a new EZ-Up style tent from Gala Tent here in the UK and was delighted with the way it coped with the Welsh rain. Really strong construction and it didn't leak a drop in virtual monsoon conditions!

The picture was taken after a long day trading so there wasn't much inventory left!

Ray

[Bard Skye]

Nighthawk, had I stayed exclusively w/Ren.Faires I'dve bought from Panther. Great selection and site. You've certainly done well by it!

I don't know if a re-enactor can beat a Panther.

I've had a 18 x 24 ft classic pitch marquis with 7 ft walls for over 10 years now. Not the brilliant white it used to be, but otherwise in perfect condition after a *lot* of hard use and storms. I love it! I just wish it didn't require 2 people to set the main poles....

With the weather like it is here in Western Washington, the main Bardic Circle has been held inside it on more than one occasion.... <g>

Skye