Blocking Out Sand with a Mesh Inner Tent?

Posted by: Ben2World

Blocking Out Sand with a Mesh Inner Tent? - 08/26/08 04:25 PM

My BA Seedhouse 2 SL inner tent is all noseeum mesh -- except for the nylon bathtub floor of course. It's great for most all 3-season camping -- except for beach and desert when the winds are blowing... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

What do y'all do to keep out wind-driven sands? Adding a "skirt" to the fly all around? Or replacing the mesh with "solid" breathable fabric -- for the lower half of the tent? Something else?
Posted by: pennys

Re: Blocking Out Sand with a Mesh Inner Tent? - 08/26/08 06:11 PM

the solution which you aren't going to like is to camp with a solid not mesh tent.

When we floated the Tatsheshini up in the great white north several years ago, many people were having this problem but glacial silt. It was easy to see the correlation between how much mesh you did or didn't have, and how much silt got in your tent.

Even if you only vents on top, the wind would lift it up under the fly to sift through the top vents. Ew.
Posted by: Ben2World

Re: Blocking Out Sand with a Mesh Inner Tent? - 08/26/08 07:41 PM

Penny:

Thanks for your insight -- esp. about the part where sand can get through even the top vents!

If I were to rip out all the mesh and replace with solid fabric -- and punch out a few zippable mesh-backed windows/vents -- can you tell me what's the thinnest/lightest fabric I can use that's still reasonably durable? The material need not be superstrong since the fly will block wind and rain -- but I suppose it shouldn't be tissue-paper fragile either. Your thoughts?