Tents for the disabled

[Blueblaze]

I'm trying to find a tent that is large enough for myself and my girlfriend who is in a wheelchair. The tent itself or atleast the vestibule needs to be large enough to shelter her chair.

I'm looking for a nicer tent (not Walmart) with a full fly if possible. Are there any places south of Plymouth that sell used equipment or anyone looking to unload one they might have? Im trying to avoid the high dollar amount that comes with a tent that big.

 

[sardog1]

Check out the Eureka Freedom Tent. I've seen one and it's a nice, well-made product like many of the Eureka tents.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I bought this Coleman from Costco. It was $100, including shipping, and it arrived in a few days.

Edit - 8/24/09

I wanted to follow-up on my post from 2 months back. I used the Coleman tent I bought from Costco for everyday for 6 weeks in the Central Oregon Cascades. It's big and heavy (12'x14') and once it's in place it's not going anywhere. It survived moderate wind without any problem, and during the occasional shower it kept me and my gear dry. The only glitch was a rear seam which came unglued near the outside (occurred on each side) but was able to repair it using some Gorilla Glue, and it was watertight again.

While the door is large, I would question how satisfactory it would be for wheelchair passage as the bottom of the zipper is still about 6" above the ground. However, it would probably compress rather easily to allow passage.

 

[Stash]

Bean has a few nice ones as well.

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=53082&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&parentCategory=500106&feat=500106-tn&cat4=1096

You can sometimes find these at the outlets for a discounted price.

 

[Jay H]

I presume her chair can be folded? if not, I would imagine it might be kind of awkward even with a large vestibule. If possible, also consider a tent and tarp combination, or even if you have the space, one of those pop-up canopies.

Jay

 

[MichaelJ]

The 4-person King Pine series from LL Bean would probably do nicely. In the current version of the tent (not my older one) those side panels on the vestibule "screen room" can close, thus providing really good shelter for the wheelchair if you put it where the camp chair is in the catalog photo.

Admittedly, $299 isn't cheap, but it's a heckuva great tent and will last you forever.

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/st...&categoryId=53082&productId=660554&qs=3009647

 

[adktyler]

I work for a company that specializes in bringing people with disabilities on camping trips. The Freedom Tent would be one of my first recommendations as well. What we use is the Eureka Assault Dome Tent: http://domsoutdoor.com/product.asp?pn=1-034881&sid=FROOGLE&EID=FR1-034881&bhcd2=1246377793

The vestibule is large enough to store the wheelchair in, and the lower lip of the door is flexible enough to bend down for the person to crawl in or have an assisted entry/carry entry. They might be a little too large, but for a family of three it would be quite worth it! The design is simple and they're well made. Since it's an older model, too, they're not as expensive as some of the more adaptive tents (like the Freedom).

Hope you find what you're looking for, good luck!

 

[Quietman]

I If possible, also consider a tent and tarp combination,Jay

This is what I will be using this weekend, and have used every July 4th weekend for the past 10 years. Cheap & Dry.

 

[Little Rickie]

Check out Campmor:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/SubCategory___40000000226_200368342

Some of those big tents can be real difficult for one person to set up. I'd try to get something that doesn't have too many poles.

Good luck.

 

[Doc McPeak]

Great info on the tents.

Blueblaze, here is a link to one of America's most accessible (and beautiful) camping areas. http://www.johndillonpark.org/

It is near Long Lake, NY, in the heart of the Adirondacks, and designed to be completely accessible to everyone. From every restroom to every lean-to. Every trail, boat landing, fishing dock, are reached by hardened trails and the lean-tos are designed for easy transfer, or have built in ramps and fold down sleeping platforms. Any camper can request a spin around the lake on a pontoon boat.

I'll be taking my Mom (who has limited mobility) camping there this fall and can't wait. I think it would be well worth the trip from NH!

 

[Blueblaze]

Doc...I completely forgot about that place. I grew up in Schroon Lake and i remember camping there with a friends family who had some special needs. I came up with what i think is a great solution for the money. EMS Tundra Dome 4 season for $200. fashioning a tarp for chair with EMS headwall tent($25 because it had no poles or etc just the body and fly.) the vestibule is big enough to fold her chair AND still have a party but use that space for other things. It was a return for mismatched color panels etc. Set it up in store and looks brand new. I got it more dirty from the floor of the store. Now to try it out this weekend.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice and if you see us out there...say hi.

 

[Chip]

Wow, nice shopping ! Those are some bomber tents. I bet you could find an abused Headwall on Ebay cheap for the poles. Will you try to connect the tents end to end, that would be a party. I've always thought some sort of modular/expandable tent design would be nice for group or family camping.