r-Dome Revisited

The keder is two feet shorter than the channel, and the bottom of the dome is only about three inches below the bottom of the pod. So the black rain guard barely touches the ground. Doesn't seem right to me at all.

We use our R Dome almost every time we camp with the R Pod.  I made a small and simple improvement that makes it easier to erect and more stable while in use. 

Here is a picture of the mod:


It is simply a piece of 1/2" electrical conduit  cut approx. 12" long and then bent at a 90 degree angle.  There are 2 identical pieces of bent conduit-one for each end of the arched center hoop pole for the R Dome.  The bottom end of the arched center hoop pole goes into the top of the conduit.There is a hole drilled through the conduit about 1" from the bend.  This hole is large enough for a metal tent peg that serves as an anchor to the ground.   there is another small hole drilled at the end of the horizontal piece that sits on the ground.  I tied a length of 1/4" parachute cord from this piece to another identical bent conduit piece at the other end of the arched pole.  By adjusting the length of the parachute cord, you can tighten or loosen the distance between the bottom ends of the arched hoop poles.  This also keeps those pole ends anchored into the ground once you insert the 2 pegs into the conduit pieces and pound them into the ground.

We find that these little improvements make it easier to put up the Dome and it keeps it tighter and more stable.  I hope this is clear and helps.  Feel free to follow up with questions if you need more information

Vann Evans

I think a floor like that is a great idea for a longer-term setup. I'm wondering, though, if you'd be better off using patio blocks (about 2" deep) instead of those big cinder blocks. The rDome looks a bit too elevated in the front so that rain would drain back toward the rPod instead of off the front of the rDome.

Our Pod is a 2009 173-so I guess they have changed the design of the R Dome since ours was made.  Your strap sounds like the same principal-connect the two poles together and keep them from spreading.  Once I got the parachute cord adjusted to the correct length, I tied it off permanently to stay the right length between the poles.  The stakes help a lot in the wind to anchor the poles.  I initially used a surf fishing rod holder as a test. It is a piece of 2" PVC pipe attached to a metal stake. You drive it into the sand and put your fishing rod i it.  It worked, sort of, but was way too cumbersome. So, the little feet evolved after a couple of different designs.  The feet travel in the bag with all of the rest of the R Dome.

Vann Evans

@Headcold