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The Best and the Worst Tents

The other day I was walking by a campsite on the river...and stopped dead in my tracks. That has never happened before. I had to stop and admire a large screen house tent that was lording over the river. What a great view they had in that tent! It seemed that a person could live there.

After all, a tent is physical shelter -- a temporary abode. How can something seem livable unless you can stand up in it? No wonder I disliked tent camping when I was young: I would buy those backpacker-style tents that you couldn't even sit up in, or put your pants on, let alone stand up in. The average coffin has more space for its resident.

Somebody else had a screen house, with their pickup truck parked nearby. During the day they painted and lived their lives in the screen house. Imagine trying to paint if you were swatting bugs. Then at night, they slept in the back of the pickup cap, with some protection from bears.

So far, I've seen a couple big name brands, but haven't yet seen the famous Clam brand of screen house that is supposed to pop up in a minute.

At the other end of the 'brilliant' spectrum we have the roof top tent. It seems that every young hipster from the big city has one of these. I can't imagine a stupider tent.

They can't be serious!
Studying these tents has laid out something rather fundamental. Consider what a big deal shopping/consumerism is, in this country. And yet, how often does a new product really impress or please you that much?

Comments

XXXXX said…
Reminds me of the famous story about Thomas Edison.....when asked what kept him going failure after failure....over 100 in all....he looked surprised and answered that every single attempt showed him one more way that the electric light bulb wouldn't work. And then he got it right.

However, I do see your point. We are in a terrible craze of consumerism but, you know, it is what our economy is based on. If everyone stopped buying all this crap, what would happen to the jobs?
Sad, but true. We are in for it.

George
Even IF we are a shopping-crazed culture, it still seems like people would want well-designed and well-made products instead of absurdities that are the Latest Thing for 15 minutes.
Unknown said…
When I lived on Oahu there was an ordnance banning sleeping in your vehicle. I'm sure it was pushed through by the local hotels. I thought having a tent on top of a vehicle might be a fun way to stick it to the man.
Lived in a house so I never tried it but the thought was there.