Your Tent is Your Castle — The Playa Labs

May 17

May 17 Your Tent is Your Castle

To survive in a tent, you don’t need fancy ultralight backpacking gear. Sturdiness, coolness, simplicity, and durability are your new friends. Get a size larger than you think. The playa is tough on fabrics so prepare your tent to be forever-dusty. And guess what 2024, it rains in the desert!.

If you build our simple shade structure, your tent will be way cooler! Add a swamp cooler and you’ll need a blanket.

Essential Pick

For the Coleman or Cole-woman

Coleman 4-Person Instant Cabin Buy on Amazon

Count the amazing features:

1. Poles are sewn in so you can’t lose them.
2. Windows zip all the way up to keep dust out.
3. External “skeleton” allows you to clip on a shade cover (tarp, camo-netting, or whatever).

Lab update--personal experience dictates you WILL need to use the included guylines for wind stability in this tent. So get a few extra rebars or lagbolts.

This tent is very handy, but has only 1 door, so maybe not the best for cranky tent-mates. Get the extra rainfly--it can rain in the desert! The tent comes in two sizes.

Coleman Camping Tent with Screen Room | 4 Person Carlsbad Dark Room Dome Tent with Screened Porch , Green/Black/Teal Buy on Amazon

The New Dark-Room version comes with blackout fabric and an optional screen-room. That extra space is great for boots, waterjugs, and your drunk boyfriend. That extra loop of tent pole is great for clipping on an additional shade-cloth.

Order online (#ads ↓)

Insta-Tent 4p

4p Rainfly

Insta-Tent 6p

6p Rainfly

10p 'Dark Tent'

Dark Tent w/ Patio

Luxury Larry

Delicious deluxe, at a price to match

Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow 4-Person Canvas Tent, Deluxe Buy on Amazon

The champion of burner tents. Expensive yes, but tested and durable. Room to stand up and resists dust and elements. These tents are not compact or lightweight, but they are pretty luxurious.

Comes in 4-man, 6-man, or 8-man sizes, depending on popularity of your orgy.

Alternative Hacks

Start a tent fight

Springbar

Buy on Amazon

A tough competitor to Kodiak, Springbar will suit you right too. Culty followers argue their differences. Psst, don’t tell them... they’re almost exactly the same! Both are fantastic tents. Comes in 6-man or 8-man sizes

These have been hard to find online but keep checking!

Budget Bob

Don’t do it!

After 2023’s dust bowl and 2024’s hurricane, we can no longer recommend a cheap-but-serviceable dome tent. The Wenzel was the last one that hit the boxes but it’s discontinued. You need something rainproof, sturdy, and mesh windows that zip ALL THE WAY CLOSED. If you see one, send a message and we’ll do some field testing.

Stakes

Don't eat the candy canes

NHZ 16” Ground Rebar Stakes (8pcs) Heavy Duty J Hook Ground Anchors, Curved Steel Plant Support Garden Stake with Chisel Point end, Hammer Through Hard Soil for Camping Tent - Black Powder Coated Buy on Amazon

Just buy a pack and call it done, would you? Are you really going to cut and bend metal at home? Who are you, Superman?

The pre-made rebar stakes are perfect for tents and small shade structures. For anything load-bearing, you need longer stakes or lags, read our other post.