Chouinard pyramid tent data?
Rowena B. Lohman
Anyone know anything about the Chouinard pyramid tents? I'm looking at
one someones selling for 75$ and I've never heard of them. (looking at
means I saw an ad without picture)
Thanks,
Rowena Lohman
Richard C. Kullberg
Rowena B. Lohman <fish...@cco.caltech.edu> wrote in article
<5if09d$9...@gap.cco.caltech.edu>...
> Anyone know anything about the Chouinard pyramid tents? I'm looking at
> one someones selling for 75$ and I've never heard of them. (looking at
> means I saw an ad without picture)
Typically 1-2 kg with stakes depending on the vintage. No floor. Gives you
that edge against the weather above or below the treeline. I love them and
have slept in them for over a decade. Most folks balk at the lack of
floors, windows, bugnets, and other heavy luxuries and never give them a
try at all, let alone a fair try.
david mann
Rowena B. Lohman (fish...@cco.caltech.edu) wrote:
: Anyone know anything about the Chouinard pyramid tents? I'm looking at
: one someones selling for 75$ and I've never heard of them. (looking at
: means I saw an ad without picture)
I recall seeing that add for the pyramid.
If you get a current BlackDiamond (or Campmor) catalog
you will find a picture and blurb about the BlackDiamond
Megamid. The older Pyramid was essentially the same design
only smaller. Either that or the Megamid was a larger
version of the Pyramid. Or....well either way...
The *mids are essentially tarps that pitch easy, dont
flap in the wind and offer better wind protection than
a plain tarp. Compared to tarps, they are great. Compared
to regular tents, they are bi and light. But they have
limitations. Run off can be a problem, especially when
the run-off turns into a small stream. True story. E-mail
me and I can e-mail you the TR. Condensation is
also a problem.
Dave Mann | "It is impossible, or not easy, to do
| noble acts without the proper equipment."
dam...@lynx.neu.edu | Aristotle, <<Politics>>, 1323a-b, trans Jowett
Eugene Miya
In article <5if09d$9...@gap.cco.caltech.edu>,
Rowena B. Lohman <fish...@cco.caltech.edu> wrote:
>Anyone know anything about the Chouinard pyramid tents? I'm looking at
>one someones selling for 75$ and I've never heard of them. (looking at
>means I saw an ad without picture)
You aren't related to Guy Lohman by chance (as in ex-President of the
JPL ski club, etc. etc.)?
Technically CEA no longer exists.
It sold two pyramid versions with the latter becoming the size of the
Black Diamond Megamid. Neither tent has a floor. It's a single pole,
single wall pyramid (Logan design) unlike other pyramid designs
(SD 3-man pyramid or Scott tent). It has no mosquito netting.
The material is waterproof nylon for snow and some rain protection.
It's a pup tent. It became popular because of use in snow where you dig
a floor pit which extends the interior volume more than the simple tent
geometry (i.e. the summer case). It's light.
I think the model sizes were 2-3 person and 4 person. Clyde Soles
probably has the old catalogs with these figures. Trust Clyde on this one.
Make certain the selling party isn't selling you the smaller 2-3 person
one unless you want it. Set it up, easy set up. Borrow a Megamid and
compare sizes.
My Alaskan friends call them "Death Tents" and say only
"Californians use them." When they come down here I put them inside one.
I use my SD 3-man.
Brian Parks
In article <5igcv5$4...@chaos.dac.neu.edu>, dam...@lynx.dac.neu.edu (david
mann) wrote:
> Rowena B. Lohman (fish...@cco.caltech.edu) wrote:
> : Anyone know anything about the Chouinard pyramid tents? I'm looking at
> : one someones selling for 75$ and I've never heard of them. (looking at
> : means I saw an ad without picture)
>
> I recall seeing that add for the pyramid.
>
> If you get a current BlackDiamond (or Campmor) catalog
> you will find a picture and blurb about the BlackDiamond
> Megamid. The older Pyramid was essentially the same design
> only smaller. Either that or the Megamid was a larger
> version of the Pyramid. Or....well either way...
the pyramid was first on the block with the (bigger) megamid coming later.
larger design was initiated, i believe, to accomodate bicycle campers
(gave them a dry place to park their bike). the pyramid has a square base,
and the mega is rectangular i believe.
> The *mids are essentially tarps that pitch easy, dont
> flap in the wind and offer better wind protection than
> a plain tarp. Compared to tarps, they are great. Compared
> to regular tents, they are bi and light. But they have
> limitations. Run off can be a problem, especially when
> the run-off turns into a small stream. True story. E-mail
> me and I can e-mail you the TR. Condensation is
> also a problem.
very accurate, although i have never had a problem with condensation. i
own a first generation pyramid. i prefer the smaller size over the
megamid, but i dont believe you will find the older pyramids anywhere
anymore unless used or buried back in some store's stockpile. last summer
we used the pyramid as a storage area for our packs in the wind river
range. didnt have to worry about them getting wet and we kept a space free
so we could ditch in case a rain came, since we slept under the stars. my
only complaints are 1) there is no snap closure at the bottom of the
zipper (it is right at a stress point, so it is hard to keep closed -
however, this is easily corrected with a little home fix), and 2) there
are a lot of stakes (8) to deal with so that usually a few dont get good
purchase. as an aside, it would have been nicer had they made the things
of a lighter colored cloth, say tan and yellow, so that it isnt so damn
depressing under the canopy. amazing the psychological effects of color
and intensity.
bmp
Joan E. Smith
On 9 Apr 1997 02:52:29 GMT, fish...@cco.caltech.edu (Rowena B.
Lohman) wrote:
>Anyone know anything about the Chouinard pyramid tents? I'm looking at
>one someones selling for 75$ and I've never heard of them. (looking at
>means I saw an ad without picture)
>
>Thanks,
>Rowena Lohman
>
I believe they are floorless, and if you camp in CA be aware of tick
danger.
I just brought home one from No. Calif. -- had to sleep on a ground
cloth as I forgot!! my tent.
Now I have to wait for Lyme symptoms to appear. Jolly.
Joan
kai.l...@internetmci.com
dam...@lynx.dac.neu.edu (david mann) wrote:
>Rowena B. Lohman (fish...@cco.caltech.edu) wrote:
>: Anyone know anything about the Chouinard pyramid tents? I'm looking at
>: one someones selling for 75$ and I've never heard of them. (looking at
>: means I saw an ad without picture)
>
>I recall seeing that add for the pyramid.
>
>If you get a current BlackDiamond (or Campmor) catalog
>you will find a picture and blurb about the BlackDiamond
>Megamid. The older Pyramid was essentially the same design
>only smaller. Either that or the Megamid was a larger
>version of the Pyramid. Or....well either way...
>
>The *mids are essentially tarps that pitch easy, dont
>flap in the wind and offer better wind protection than
>a plain tarp. Compared to tarps, they are great. Compared
>to regular tents, they are bi and light. But they have
>limitations. Run off can be a problem, especially when
>the run-off turns into a small stream. True story. E-mail
>me and I can e-mail you the TR. Condensation is
>also a problem.
>
>Dave Mann | "It is impossible, or not easy, to do
> | noble acts without the proper equipment."
>dam...@lynx.neu.edu | Aristotle, <<Politics>>, 1323a-b, trans Jowett
>
>
I've got a first generation pyramid I bought back in the mid 1980s.
I've used it heavily and it is patched and worn, but still works well.
For places like Utah and Colorado, it is the perfect tent. It will
protect you from afternoon thunderstorms and you can stay dry through
extended rain, provided that you pitch it on high ground. I would not
reccomend it for areas where it rains constantly, however, because the
lack of a floor means that finding a dry place to pitch it is
important, and in places like a rain forest, you may not find a dry
spot. (some folks just carry a ground cloth, but I figured that if I
was going to carry a ground cloth, I might as well just carry a tent
with a floor.)
The tent doesn't do well in the bug department, and mosquitos and
other critters seem to find their way inside no matter how close to
the ground you pitch it. Again, there are parts of the country where
this is of more concern than others. Using the tent In the mountains
and the SouthWest , this has never been much of a problem for me. I
wouldn't want to use it in the bogs around the Adirondiacks in the
Summer, however.
It is my tent of choice for winter camping. It weighs very little,
and when dug into the snow will withstand truly atrocious high winds
and bad weather. The lack of a floor is, in my opinion a big plus for
winter camping, as you don't need to worry about getting snow inside
your tent. Just sleep on your thermarest or whatever, and you don't
really need a tent floor.
Overall, I would highly reccomend it for snow camping and places like
Utah and Colorado. For places where constant rain is an issue, or
where bugs are extremely numerous, I would opt for a lightweight tent
with a floor and bug netting.
Kai Larson