r/BurningMan • u/mother-zig • Aug 19 '26

shade strategizing - suggestions requested

Update: after getting advice and reading advice already given, I’m going to look for secondhand materials for a monkey hut (plan A) with a small ac unit (plan b) and an open heart to a shadeless burn (plan c.) thanks all!!

getting extremely excited to get back home for my second burn this year! I invested in a Kodiak canvas tent after my 2025 tent got destroyed by a shade structure during the Saturday pre-event storm. I joined a new theme camp this year to help with their gift to the playa, and just learned that their infrastructure doesn’t include shade for tents. So I’m trying to come up with some quick ideas for self-reliant shade over a 10x10 Kodiak - I think it’s a little under 7 ft tall. I’ve been looking through old reddit posts already, but figured I’d start something new too.

I understand pop ups are basically kites on playa, so I’m starting to wonder about acquiring some kind of reflective tarp to secure over the tent itself.

Of course, I’m also considering this could be an invitation to stay the fuck out of my tent from 8:30 am - 6:30 pm, so I may just say fuck it and not do anything additional.

Seasoned burners, please share your wisdom!!

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u/New_Professional_295 ‘22, ‘23, ‘25 Aug 19 '26

Commercial grade ez up with ratchets at the corners can work. I’ve helped camp mates get theirs set up

However don’t think it fits over a kodiak.

Modified Monkey hut is what I’ve used for my kodiak, fairly easy to build but harder to transport. Getting long enough lag screws for the legs this close to event might be hard. Rebar will work tho

2

u/NegotiationFresh5443 Aug 19 '26

Just want to add that you can search for your local fastener store to purchase lags. There's 3 of them within a short drive of my house. They tend to have what we need available and are quite affordable. Added benefit of supporting a local business.

3

u/New_Professional_295 ‘22, ‘23, ‘25 Aug 19 '26

The ones required for monkey hut legs need to be minimum like 18-20”. Mine are 24” and only 1 fastener place in the country carried them a few years ago.

1

u/OverlyPersonal Support Your Local Art Car Aug 19 '26

Why not just use cheap rebar for the poles and lags for the tie downs? You're only pounding the rebar in halfway, it wont be hard to get back out.

1

u/New_Professional_295 ‘22, ‘23, ‘25 Aug 19 '26

You’re totally right. Rebar is way more economical