First time set up of PaHaQue tent

vito

Didn't  try it at home but waited until we arrived at the campground to set it up. Found the pole without the connecting string but with some extra effort got it up. It was more work than I expected, but the finished product is nice. More than doubles thespace in the T@b. One issue is that you can't use the slide out step so it is a big step up to get in the trailer. My wife thinks it was well worth the cost so I guess it was a good purchase. I also will need tent stakes of higher quality than the ones that came with the tent. 

jcfaber1

Vito, I have abandoned tent stakes.  I use fender washers and Timber lock screws 10' in length.  I screw them in with the cordless drill.  Most importantly they come out without throwing out your back!  You can get them at Nicholson Hardware in Rockford. 

John

mash2

Timber lock screws are great.

kybob

We set ours up for the first time yesterday. In the back left corner, there is a 12 inch gap between where the tent stake goes and the ground. I notified Dylan, he will notify Paha Que. Very disappointed.

kybob

Here's the picture.

judymac

I just wish our back corners would seal.  There is no way anyone could safely camp in our tent because many of our campgrounds are in poisonous snake territory.  Wish I could get them sealed.

judymac

Can you post pic of how you are using timber lock screws?  Thanks

jcfaber1

judymac, I would take photos but the screws are in the t@b out at the hangar and I will not get out there until next week.  So for now, I will try to describe.  I put a large fender washer on to the screw.  The washer creates a circular flange on the screw.  The flange prevents the nylon loop from popping off of the top of the screw while it is screwed in the ground.  I purchased a bit that is appropriately sized for the screw (it is also in the t@b) and put it in the chuck of the cordless drill.  I can give you the visual next week.  The Timber Lock screws are hardened and really strong so I have found them to work quite well. There are other brands as well.  Someone on the Yahoo forum had the idea(maybe the famous Richard Lewis), not my original thought. 

John

Tweedrvr

I set up our tent for the first time this week.  Overall, I really like it.  We had enough room for a cot, small table, and two chairs.  On the negative side, I was disappointed with all the velcro.  Especially where it attaches over the wheel.  For those that travel and set up frequently, I would think one would be replacing it often.  Once it's dirty, etc it doesn't work all that well.  I was wondering how zippers might be used in place of velcro, like in the back corners?  Some things seemed like afterthoughts, like the little flaps at the handle.  But in the plus column, takedown is a breeze.  Ours was damp, so when I got home, I set it up again.  This time by myself and it went up quickly.  As I said, I like it very much.
Martha in VT w/Mahit@bel, '15 T@B CSS-Max & '15 Subaru Forester

vito

Am I missing something with this tent or is there a way to use it with the T@b step in use? It seems that the skirt requires the step to be folded in, making it a big step to get into the camper. Plus, I learned that when setting it up its important to make sure the floor of the tent that is along the edge of the T@b be laid right up to the edge of the T@b before staking the tent corners down. Otherwise when stepping on that part of the floor you keep "ripping" the velcro holders loose. Not sure if I explained this clearly enough to make sense, but I think future uses for me will be easier now that I figured this out. And I wish Little Guys would have made built in little external hooks over the wheels that the skirt would attach to, rather than having to stick velcro taps onto the wheel fender. But overall it made quite a difference in enjoying our camping experience by more than doubling the usable "interior" space for us. 

Tweedrvr

Vito, I watched the You Tube video on setting up the tent as I set it up. And sadly the steps can't be used. I bought a folding stepstool to use. You would think that for the money they could figure some of these things out. 

vito

I agree with you. I guess I will buy a small stepstool as well. I'm getting too old to be stepping up directly in and out of the T@b all the time (fortunately there is the outside grab handle which does help). 

Nomad

Isn't the reason the steps aren't available is to keep it sealed so bugs won't get in?

Verna

PXLated said:

Isn't the reason the steps aren't available is to keep it sealed so bugs won't get in?

That would be my reasoning, but I haven't asked Paha Que.  Also to keep other animals out other than your own. If you think sbout it, with the different elevations the step could be at any number of campsites, it's actually good forethought to not have a slit for the step because it would be totally open if they allowed for all elevations, and then here comes the raccoons for dinner!