Portable warm room

[jambouk]

Saw these advertised in facebook for "soccer mums", but they look ideal as a portable warm room when sat with a laptop outside in the cold. They don't offer light protection, but would reduce the wind chill...

http://under-the-weather.com

CoI: I stand to make no gains, financial or in kind (other than keeping warm by buying one) from this post or the retail of these items.

James

[Vox45]

Funny, just today I was thinking about trying to look for something exactly like this ! You made my search much easier

[Helen]

The putting up and taking down looks much easier than a toilet tent for star parties  

Helen

[RobertI]

What a brilliant idea! I do wonder whether it will be like the Sinclair C5 though, everyone loves the idea but no one wants to be seen in one (except astronomers - no one sees us at night anyway!)

[laser_jock99]

A bivy umbrella would be cheaper and possibly easier to put up?

http://www.nwac.co.uk/keenets-bivvy-shelter-umbrella.html?gclid=CNnA_pqbxcgCFQgcwwodsDoK5w

[Rockrae78]

Word of warning... I purchased something that looks incredibly similar for camping... The popaloo: http://www.popaloo.co.uk/shop/private-convenience-pack/

These look scarily similar to the soccer mom shelters. I say scarily because it was absolutely useless. Firstly, it is easy to put up (not surprisingly)... it just pops up on its own. Only one guy rope was provided for it, so it nearly took off the first night with some medium strength winds... Both list themselves as being 'water resistant'... Something I found out the hard way... it leaked like a very leaky thing... and then the seams started to come apart. And it took 3 people to get it folded back in its pack so that I could return it to them. I really wasn't impressed for the price I paid. 

The only real different between the two seems to be the cover that the soccer mom shelter has over the roof. Maybe this will be an improvement on the popaloo.

Now, if you are just using it for keeping the wind off when observing, it might be perfectly fine... but I would want to ensure that it is wind proof, and that it has some adequate means of holding it in place in case of a strong breeze. The popaloo certainly didn't!  

[beamer3.6m]

Seems a bit naff to me. It does not look like it will keep you warm at all.

As for keeping dry surely rain is the end of the session anyway and if not a large cover over the scope could do the same job until it stops.

I think we just need to get used to sitting outside.

[Tim99]

that's a pretty nice little gimmick

[SteveNickolls]

What a great way to bridge the demand for new housing.

Cheers,

Steve

[andrew65]

Looks like the top half of a mobility scooter but if it keeps you warm and dry why not

[Scott]

These things and toilet tents are not a gimmick (been around for a while). nor are they tents designed for living in, however, if it's a nice protected area to keep dew/frost etc off your laptop and assorted electrical appliances then they are ideal. this is why the fields at star parties are littered with them. they work.

If you expect a relatively cheap tent to keep your gear dry in a torrent, well you gets what ya pay for

[DemosL]

My warm room is my walk-out basement, which is a few feet from where I do my observing.

[nameunknown]

These things probably explain how the "evolution" of the Daleks started....make them more durable, portable, add some observing equipment, a wish to conquer the universe and a hatred of light pollution (i.e everything but other "Daleks"). I think something like a portable police box might be more comfortable and roomy - although some "idiot" would probably mistake it for a Portaloo while you are out trying to split the double in the constellation of Kasterborous....

P

[Chris Hopson]

Brilliant, I was thinking of getting a toilet, but this looks very interesting.

Thank you.

Chris

[Chris Hopson]

Just read all the comments above. In seconds thoughts, I might skip this one.  Shame.

[L8-Nite]

I suppose one of these would be alright if you are under 4 feet 11 inches tall ?

I'm very happy with our Aqua Dome ( toilet / changing room tent ) as it has a much larger footprint and I can stand up inside it, with the scope protected inside if necessary. 

[AndyKeogh]

Well they  seem expensive!  I can buy 2 Hitec utility tents for that price.  Down side is that they do not have clear windows but I can live with that.

Lots of other negatives have already been mentioned  best left for the soccer mums I think.

Andy

[gooseholla]

Portable warm room?! Nah, this is a portable warm room...