Last time (our "try out") took us ages to pitch. Tried following the "video" way, and found it incredibly heavy (OH 5'8 and me 4'10, which I don't suppose helps). This time we'll be arriving on site mid evening after a day in work and a fair drive so I don't suppose our patience levels will be too high.
The other week I saw a couple of women start to pitch a Monty 6. Instead of inserting all the poles at once, they did the back one, and pegged, then while moved on to insert the next set of poles, lifted and then started to move onto the next pole...unfortunately, I was desperately trying to clear our pitch and had to be somewhere else, so couldn't stay to help or watch to see how they finished up!
Is the "one pole at a time" system feasible, or would they have come to grief in the end; is it easier, quicker, or better in any way?
We pitched our monty 6 for the first time last week, we too struggled with the weight and the vacuum caused by the tent being closed.
When we got home we opened all the doors a bit, opened the sleeping pod, inserted roof pole and uprights into door end and just roof bars in the other slots. Pulled up and pegged door end, then inserted uprights one at a time. Went up alot easier this time.
We've only pitched twice but 2nd was very quick. We put footprint down first, don't know if you have one but great! Then lay out tent so flat. We then peg the 4 corners out with blue pegs. Open All doors and walk inside it, yes you look stupid inside it but it works! Put all roof bars in, then we put legs on. Tried to lift it without all legs on it doesn't work and I'm frightened it will be too much weight for the tent. We tried lifting at back but too heavy. So will pull the front bar up and ring and pin. Once up pretty sturdy, go back to next one and so on. Then adjust legs for right height. It involves lots of tip toeing on my part, holding bar up but it's easily done. I'm 5,6 so that probably helps.
Hi there we go from the front to the back. Firstly loosely peg the 4 corners down open the front door and get as much air in the tent as possible, this helps reduce the vacuum. We have tried back to front and front to back and personnally find it a lot easier working from the front backwards. Same principle though, roof bar then legs, and peg out the front two guys. Work backwards until the rear poles are in.
We pitched ours for the first time last weekend. Went up a treat. We put all roof bars in first, pegged back end, opened all doors and got the kids to run about inside to get air in. They loved it and felt part of the pitching!! Once air was inside it went up no probs, took about 40 mins in total. Very impressed with the Monty 6, we love it!!
Quote: Originally posted by tallman on 07/6/2007
On 9/072006 Langleys posted an exellent set of instructions on the thread "Montana 6 first pitch". I use this method to pitch a Bear Lake on my own.
This might sound daft, but when you put the poles in make sure the ends are pointing towards the back, when they are all flat, starting from the back, erect upwards this becomes alot easier to lift. Put the two corner guides in, then the rear pegs along the back. Ive tried all sorts of ways. This is what we have found to be the easiest. Now got the Vermont XL (A GOOD ONE) we have applied the same method.
My wife's pregnant, do you think we'll manage putting it up between us? We tried it when we first got it (a couple of months ago), but she wasn't pregnant then!
Yes mate, my wife is very slight, I do all the lifting, she just holds up after Ive lifted and I run round and do the other side. Just having the second pair of hands to hold things up, with no lifting involved is all you need.
We're thinking of having a trial run next weekend, and as I'm self-employed I'm asking myself if I can have the afternoon off on Friday. I've told myself I can. Anyway, that means I can go up to the campsite early on the Friday and setup camp and then come back and collect the wife when she finishes work.
Now, having only set the tent up once when we first got it, would you experienced Montana owners say it was possible to set it up on your own, or not?
If not, who's free this coming Friday in the Suffolk area?!
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