Currently in Robin Hoods Bay for the first time in an Outwell Colorado 5 (the orange one with the sig not the 2009 blue version), but I don't think it's pitched properly.
The wind was up on Tuesday when we arrived and we pitched as best we could - my other half had surgery a little over a month ago, so she did what she could and we both battled on against the wind.
We tried to use the footprint but couldn't get the tent to the right length at the front because the sig was billowing up inside and going taught where the second pole had been pegged down. To make matters worse, the pitch is on a nice slope! I gave up on the footprint and took it out.
Anyway, the rear panel and the first side panels on both sides are ok, but there is a lot of movement in the middle and front panels on both sides when subjected to wind. All guys are on delta's and there doesnt seem to be much movement in any of the guys.
The wind on Tuesday was coming SW over the moors and out to sea, but it changed direction Wednesday night to come from the North and is hitting the entire left side of the tent square on.
When I checked this morning, one of the fibreglass poles across the middle had moved away from the plastic support of the steel pole but had not worked completely free. This was worked back in to place against the rain and wind and all guys were checked, tightened if needed and repositioned if absolutely necessary.
Despite all this, the front and middle panels of the left side are bearing the brunt of the wind and are still moving a lot in the wind.
The middle section has developed a creak in short gusts and higher prolonged gusts, but I don't know whether the creak is coming from the fibreglass pole or from the fabric/seam, as it only seemed to start after a prolonged period of rain had passed over and things had started to dry out...
Any idea what we've done wrong?
What can we do to stop the front and middle panels flapping like a wizards sleeve and stop the very disconcerting creaking?
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always keep in mind that its a tent made of flexible materials that do move - its not a building!.
tents do move and flap in the wind - they cant not move and the material shouldnt be so taught/tight that it will tear / rip because its been made too tight in an effort to reduce flapping.
its a fine line between an acceptable amount of movement in the fabrics and the poles and no movement but instead tearing and ripping / spilt / bent poles because they have been over-tensioned.
the tent needs to have "give" in it or the fabric will rip in weak areas and poles can bend/split.
like above, i hope the weather improves and you have a nice remainder of your trip.
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Topic: Colorado 5 not pitched properly?
