Calling Big Woody & Russell and Mary

Submitted: Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 01:43

ThreadID: 35650 Views:3418 Replies:1 FollowUps:1

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Member - Pedro the One (QLD)

Hi to All....................

RUSSELL and MARY ... I see that a March 06 thread says that you had purchased a RED DESERT Tent Top for your trailer ............

as you have hopefully been thrashing the bejabbers out of it over the last few months .............
and as I am considering one for my 'camping trailer [7 x 5] project, I would appreciate any comments/criticisms you may care to make as to quality/suitability/ease of assembly/stability/etc...........of how you find it.

Does it have just the standard 'insect mesh' screens or the more appropriate
'No-See-um' mesh ?
Looking at the various illustrations of this unit when stowed for travelling, the Vinyl Cover looks as though it it 'loose-packed' rather than a firm pack .... is this so ??
If so, how is it for dust ingress ?? or water ??

And for BIG WOODY ...........
similarly, your posts show you were seriously considering this unit .............. did you get one and what would your comments be ??

I am in a remote area and not able to view these myself ........ any other Members/lurkers comments would be much appreciated, of course.

I am current updating/modifying a 7 x 5 camper trailer and am considering two alternatives

1 ......... as above, a bolt-on trailer tent assy. and relevant mods. for cooking/water/fuel/lights/etc ......

2 ......... a trailer to simply carry all my existing camping gear, made,collected and bought over many years (and $$$$'s) of camping............ as well as some mods. as above.
Which will require me to make a sealed top, to reduce the ubiquitous red dust which, like smoke and water, will find any little access point .....

All of this to be achieved with a minimum $$$$ outlay, of course !!!

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Reply By: Russel & Mary - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 02:23

Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 02:23

Well Pedro, how the hell are you? Our Chinese made Primus tent top is still relatively in one piece. No doubt it is inferior to Aussie made canvas stuff but it is cheap. Some things that have gone amiss....on the corners of the annexe part there are big rings (2" circles of 1/4"rod) for REALLY pegging it down, but the stitching on the webbing strap that holds it to the tent is not good and has let goon three of the corners.(I'll need to hand stitch it back on at some stage). The plywood bed base is not good quality ply and has largish air gaps inside it. These are not noticeable until you happen to put your knee through it. This happenned when I had the mattress off and was drilling holes to fit it to our camper. The mesh is that no-see-um stuff. It's ok. The vinyl cover for transport is just.. after a few years in the sun and it will go brittle and crack, it's not very thick stuff, but it does have bungy cord sewed around the edge to hold in place. All in all, it gave us a cheap way of venturing into the camper trailer game at $1600 compaired to a mate who got his done locally for $4500. It's light, waterproof,basically quite sound and we're still happy with it. Rus.

AnswerID: 182508

Follow Up By: Member - Pedro the One (QLD) - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 03:12

Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 03:12

Many thanks, Rus .............
exactly what I was looking for !
Sounds like the problems could be surmountable, ylclept maybe the ply bed base one. Perchance, would it be easy to replace the base yourself, within reason ? Or too finicky ??

Restitching the ring should be simple, particularly with a medical background ??
And the vinyl cover ........... possibly replacing in a few years, as you say, an inexpensive entry into the CamperTrailer world.

My normal camping has lately been been a MozzieDome for one or two nights ..... or a larger OzTent 4EV for longer stays [4 days +], with a silver Tarp as a fly if required, mainly for shade.

No reason to not to utilise the same Tarp as a fly over the CamperTent, iffen I get one.

Again, thanks for your response.

FollowupID: 438904