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icannotfindagoodname
6
Sep 15, 2018
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Love the design. The only thing that puzzles me is why the the zippers couldn't go all the way up. A small gap in the velcro would have been sufficient, and also eliminate the need for a zipper garage.
What were your considerations for the current vent design?
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Sep 15, 2018
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icannotfindagoodnameHi ICFAGN,
Here is a closer image of the top of the zipper area:
I don't think you'll find that the main doors are hard to use because they are still quite large and tall. For comparison, the X-Mid fly zippers opens to be 42" tall while the MSR Carbon Reflex 1 (below) opens to about 33" tall - much smaller. That's an extreme example, but numerous tents have the vent positioned at the top of the fly door (TarpTent, SD High Route....many others) and almost all of the solo tents like are are shorter than the X-Mid, so I think you'll find entering the X-Mid to be substantially easier than average.
Or perhaps you are suggesting that I simply don't stop the main panel but rather continue to it underneath the vent. This is what MSR has done with the Carbon Reflex 1 (see below) because they don't actually have a vent here. Rather what looks like a vent is just a flap to stop rain from falling in the door because they don't have a zipper (just clips). But as you can see, this panel would just end up blocking the vent when the door is closed. I'm surprised that MSR didn't make this a functional vent because they are so close already.
Here is a closer image of the top of the zipper area:
I don't think you'll find that the main doors are hard to use because they are still quite large and tall. For comparison, the X-Mid fly zippers opens to be 42" tall while the MSR Carbon Reflex 1 (below) opens to about 33" tall - much smaller. That's an extreme example, but numerous tents have the vent positioned at the top of the fly door (TarpTent, SD High Route....many others) and almost all of the solo tents like are are shorter than the X-Mid, so I think you'll find entering the X-Mid to be substantially easier than average.
Or perhaps you are suggesting that I simply don't stop the main panel but rather continue to it underneath the vent. This is what MSR has done with the Carbon Reflex 1 (see below) because they don't actually have a vent here. Rather what looks like a vent is just a flap to stop rain from falling in the door because they don't have a zipper (just clips). But as you can see, this panel would just end up blocking the vent when the door is closed. I'm surprised that MSR didn't make this a functional vent because they are so close already.
icannotfindagoodname
6
Sep 15, 2018
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dandurstonThanks for your extensive reply. What I actually had in mind was to extend the zip and small door up to the peak (indeed blocking the vent a bit, but it doesn't seem much from the picture) and having the larger door as it is now, but with a length of zip running to the peak (where the grosgrain is). That would allow the door to open fully.
Nevertheless, I'm sure that your design is sufficiently large and has less chance of zipper snags.
Looking forward to having the tent in my hands in May to take on a trip.
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Sep 15, 2018
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icannotfindagoodnameI believe you are suggesting something like this:
I certainly appreciate the suggestion and you taking the time to think about this. I think this would create issues with the strut though. If the door was unzipped, there wouldn't be taut fabric to support the bottom of the strut so the vent would be floppy when the door is open - perhaps that is okay because if the door is open you don't really need the vent anyways, but it might look unprofessional. A bigger issue is if the zipper went to the top and you rolled up the door, the bottom of the strut would interfere/get caught in that roll. In the picture below, imagine if there was a zip right to the top and how it would interfere with the bottom of the strut in terms of making it limp and interfering with rolling up.
So I think the doors are working nicely as is, but if a longer zipper was desired the best approach may be to move the vent to the end wall. It is in it's current position because it's easier to use from inside the tent and because if I make a single/hybrid wall version some day it works with that too. With a single wall, a vent on the end wall would lead directly inside the sleeping area, so mesh would be needed in the vent (which hugely kills airflow) whereas on the door wall there would still be a mesh wall here so the vent would be outside of the sleeping area.
I certainly appreciate the suggestion and you taking the time to think about this. I think this would create issues with the strut though. If the door was unzipped, there wouldn't be taut fabric to support the bottom of the strut so the vent would be floppy when the door is open - perhaps that is okay because if the door is open you don't really need the vent anyways, but it might look unprofessional. A bigger issue is if the zipper went to the top and you rolled up the door, the bottom of the strut would interfere/get caught in that roll. In the picture below, imagine if there was a zip right to the top and how it would interfere with the bottom of the strut in terms of making it limp and interfering with rolling up.
So I think the doors are working nicely as is, but if a longer zipper was desired the best approach may be to move the vent to the end wall. It is in it's current position because it's easier to use from inside the tent and because if I make a single/hybrid wall version some day it works with that too. With a single wall, a vent on the end wall would lead directly inside the sleeping area, so mesh would be needed in the vent (which hugely kills airflow) whereas on the door wall there would still be a mesh wall here so the vent would be outside of the sleeping area.
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