Customer Reviews:
Add Your Own Review |
|
 You Get Less Than You Pay For..., April 8, 2009
By J. Yeagley (Northern Ohio)
|
|
I bought this Hilo Hut last fall, set it up in the garage for practice and the poles shredded overnight. I contacted Texsport to get some new poles from them and they never responded.
I also had a problem with the zipper, it was missing a tooth or two down low. I put on some duct tape to stop the zipper from going down all the way and getting jammed.
This thing deserves less than 1 star, unfortunately you cannot submit a review without a star rating. How about minus 1?
Bottom line, Amazon has a few other small privacy tents to choose from. You should try your luck with them. The price may look right on this one but be warned you'll get a low quality product, with no customer service from the manufacturer.
47 of 48 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
There are far better choices than this impossible unit, March 17, 2009
By desert.kat (Desert Southwest- United States)
|
|
After spending over 30 minutes trying to set it up, my husband and I gave up and shipped this unit back. We're intelligent people and this design is most difficult to assemble correctly. Also, one rod started to crack from pressure, so it's of very low quality in my opinion. Bought the Outback Porta-privy instead for just about $20 more and couldn't be happier. It pops up in less than 3 minutes, can get it folded up and back in storage bag in about 5 minutes. No poles, no ropes/guides and no problems! Plus its olive green color blends nicely into a campsite. Do yourself a favor and skip this Texsport Hilo Hut.
28 of 29 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Worst Product I've ever bought!, August 16, 2009
By space man (Albuquerque, NM)
|
|
I looked at several similar products and their reviews. This product and a couple of similar ones all, almost uniformly, got pretty bad reviews. This one, however, had a couple that said "if you have experience setting up tents with fiberglass tent poles then this isn't so bad." I have a lot of that type of experience, so I decided to give this a try.
Bad decision. First, the instructions that came with it implied that there were to be 2 set of poles, connected by elastic shock cords (pretty standard in my experience with tents). However, there were 5 sets! No mention of which ones to use and the structure clearly looked like it needed just two sets.
Then it became obvious that the desin of the structure needed the two sets of poles to virtually bend at an incredibly tight, steep angle (you can see that in the picture of the structure which peakes at the top...the two fiberglass poles go from one corner over to the opposite, diagonal corner). The poles are simply not capable of making that type of bend without shattering...which is exactly what mine did...consistent with what most of the unfavorable evaluations said, too.
So I tried some combinations of the other 3 poles that came with it to see if I could at least rig some sort of "make-do" solutions. Nothing that I tried worked...at all. I broke two of the other pole assembly and the 5th one was too short to work at all.
This product is truly, in my opinion given my experience with it, a piece of junk. Do not buy this. That Amazon would offer such a poor quality product is beyond me since normally they deal with high quality, excelent products.
I guess I should have given all those negative reviews much more credence. My bad!
24 of 24 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Hilo hut has more lows than highs, January 29, 2009
By Lynne McDonald (Houston, Texas)
|
|
There was no loop or hook in the roof from which to hang a shower or light, so I had to sew in a loop myself. Also, the door would not unzip all the way open. I had to rip out part of the zipper and re-sew it to make the door work properly. Unless you are handy with a sewing machine and don't mind re-making the tent, I'd avoid this one.
9 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Very Poor, August 31, 2009
By S. M. Williams-Ortery
|
|
First, the package contained different pieces than what were listed in the instructions for putting the tent together. Obviously, putting the tent together then became very challenging. We did make it work, but it wasn't right. The zipper was already pulled apart in a section when we first used it. This was pretty much a piece of junk and waste of money - I could have made a tarp work just as well.
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Don't waste your money!, September 16, 2009
By Joseph Robert Depina (dartmouth, ma)
|
|
Don't waste your money! The one I bought arrived broken. Contacted seller, no reply! Voiced my concern to Amazon, no reply! I figured buying on Amazon was pretty safe, but when I read some of the reviews (after my purchase) I realized that maybe Amazon is not as careful as I thought with the vendors they allow to sell on their site.Texsport Hilo Hut Privacy Shelter
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
 It works, February 22, 2009
By M. R. Henderson (Indianapolis, IN USA)
|
|
The tent works for what it was made. I had an issue with one of the poles cracking and splitting. I used duct tape and the problem was solved.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Don't Bother!!!, June 28, 2009
By GC171 (MA)
|
|
This is very difficult to set up - the poles are flimsy and I returned it after one use.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
It works, February 22, 2009
By Michael (AVON, IN, United States)
|
|
The tent works for what it was made. I had an issue with one of the poles cracking and splitting. I used duct tape and the problem was solved.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
nothing inside to attach solar shower, July 2, 2009
By Marjorie J. Bruno
|
|
Texsport Hilo Hut Privacy ShelterI set the shelter up in my living room a few days b4 I left to go camping and was surprised that there was no ring or attachment to hook my solar shower inside. I thought since I already had my own solar shower all I needed was the shelter part. I ended up having to try to rig up something with PVC pipe connections but not strong enough to hold bag. So it ended up to be an expensive ordeal!
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
 privacy tent, September 9, 2009
By Staci L. Szczypkowski
|
|
I bought this tent to take to the races to have our own port o potty. I tried to put it up by myself and the poles splintered. bad design and the poles really dont fit well together and the instructions do not help either, they say to connect the 2 poles, well there are 6 poles??? I sent it back and they sent another one. This time 2 people put it together and it was able to go together but the poles still are in danger of splinter and breaking because you have to bend them so much. the plastic spikes to hold the tent into the ground dont work in gravel parking lots, they should be metal. Once up, it served its purpose. I suggest buying a different product though.
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
 Good, June 24, 2009
By Jason A. Valenti
|
|
Product worked fine for the intended use. However, not being a ourdoors/tent buff, i did manage to snap one of the rods while putting it together. make sure you know what you are doing
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
nothing inside to attach solar shower, July 2, 2009
By Marjorie J. Bruno
|
|
Texsport Hilo Hut Privacy ShelterI set the shelter up in my living room a few days b4 I left to go camping and was surprised that there was no ring or attachment to hook my solar shower inside. I thought since I already had my own solar shower all I needed was the shelter part. I ended up having to try to rig up something with PVC pipe connections but not strong enough to hold bag. So it ended up to be an expensive ordeal!
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Save yourself the headache, June 3, 2010
By JackieBeans (Bergen County, NJ)
|
|
Bought this a year ago for camping, and finally used it because we had women come with us camping this time. First, the instructions were horrible. Second, one of the rods at the top of the tent snapped, basically making the entire shelter useless as there was nothing to apply pressure keeping the shelter upright. Don't do it. Save yourself the headache. I have been going camping for years, have several tents, etc, and with a little more care in the manufacturing process, they could have made this a much better product.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Horrible support stick materials., November 23, 2009
By Disappointed (CA)
|
|
As others have experienced, the support sticks would not support their own weight, and split. I wish I would have read the reviews before I purchased. The price is low, but the product is cheap.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
not what it's cracked up tp be, September 26, 2009
By Patricia A. Charles
|
|
this item fell apart with first use.i would not rec amend it to anyone,and i will never deal with this company again.they don't answer email promptly or not at all.Amazon.com has been great handling this,i just wanted to say this about Amazon.com so they wernt confused with company that sold this item.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
 Cheap! Easy to assemble with help., September 9, 2009
By D. Ike Jr. (Michigan)
|
|
One of the cheapest privacy shelters I could find. Went together fairly easy but we had 2 or 3 people helping. I heard reviews of the poles breaking so we were careful with them during assembly. We moved the shelter around a 4 or 5 times while assembled with no parts breaking. Like with everything, treat it right and it will last.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
A Few Things To Make It Perfect, February 20, 2012
By C. Hoffman (Los Angeles, CA United States)
|
|
This is going to be an evolving review. So check back over the next few weeks.
Test Set Up Day:
1. Easy to set up. I love the pre-assembled top area. It seems those were the poles that split easily and the company listened. I tossed this one up in my apartment while cooking my breakfast. When I had checked everything I took it down as fast as I put it up. I could put this one up in the dark and take it down in a rush with no problems.
2. Has one mesh pocket and no D rings. In other words, no options for hanging anything. This may have been thought of as a way to deter anyone from hanging a 5 gallon solar shower from the roof. I would agree there. This type of shelter is not meant to hold that sort of thing. Many collapse under that sort of weight and then get bad reviews for being weak.
3. The picture here is not the shelter you will get. There are no windows. The roof has mesh but if you put the rainfly on you will nearly seal the shelter off. This is not good if you are using it as a portapotty tent. They need to put the windows back in so it doesn't cook the toilet inside while the owners are out hiking. Portapotties need to air out. A star off for that.
4. The bottom bracing seems a bit large but we will see what happens to that when I stake it out in the desert.
I will check back in about 2 weeks and let you know how this handled the changing and challenging conditions of the Southern California desert. Truckhaven has been the graveyard of cheap or weak shelters in the past. We don't expect rain but the wind will have the final say about this shelter.
UPDATE!
Performed very well in the desert.
We were on the backside of a windstorm and we had some stiff winds. The guy lines worked very well. No real shake and no hint of collapse. Easy to put up in the dark too. I left off the bottom poles. They are not needed after the shelter is staked and guyed.
I like the fact that the top is completely mesh. Sitting there, looking at the stars, completely private, contemplating existence, while doing "business." The mesh top also ensures that the shelter stays well ventilated and sweet smelling despite what it houses. I would probably be a bit concerned if I had to put the rainfly on. That fly is tight and it could restrict airflow. I am still going to leave the star off for that reason. Maybe some vents near the foot so you still have privacy? Don't know.
This shelter fits my Travel John foldable commode/chair perfectly. The chair has a pocket for tp so I use the shelter's pocket for hand cleaner. I also hang a container of hand sanitizer outside the tent by the guy loop.
Putting it away was as easy as setting it up. Gently squeezing the pre-assembled bows and they pop right back in the bag. Shove the body, the poles and rainfly in after. I was exhausted, hot (90 degrees at 10 am) and at the end of my rope with tearing down. This gave me no trouble and was the easiest part of my tear down. The shape of the shelter while it is in its carry bag is also good for me. I shove everything under the deck of the Jeep and the privacy shelter slides right in on top of everything else.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Cheap isn't all bad, December 29, 2011
By Thomas Penar
|
|
Yep! This is a cheap unit. BUT, it's not all bad (so far). Don't install the base rods and you'll be ok. You don't need them. Use stakes to stretch the base. You have to use the stakes anyway, it's tall, narrow, and light, and will blow over with a sneeze. To me, how much do you really need to spend on a place to change or potty. If you want a better unit, pay the extra money.
Tomytinker
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Nice shelter, November 28, 2011
By Grace W. Bose
|
|
I use this shelter as a changing area for public events. I guess I didn't read closely enough as I thought it was a pop-up, but it only takes me (by myself) 15-20 minutes to set it up. It is not complicated and so far I have been happy with it.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Texsport Hilo Hut Privacy Shelter, November 18, 2011
By Happy Camper
|
|
Good product, thought by the picture it had windows on the side. Product is water proof, need an attachment point in the roof for hanging a light.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
shower tent, January 21, 2010
By Richard Terrell
|
|
The shower tent worked out real well for my needs
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
worked well, September 1, 2011
By xx22
|
|
we used this as a portable camping bathroom and it worked out great...
the bag it folds back into ripped at the zipper the first use but its still store-able in it...
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Not THAT bad........, July 20, 2011
By Connie
|
|
We bought this tent to use on a lot by the river that we purchased. There is a public access road leading past our lot and I refused to "use the bushes" when a car could go by any second. So we bought this tent and a potty. Overall the tent was easy to set up, although I had to make a small adjustment to the length of the pole along the ground with a small hacksaw so it wouldn't bow when put together. I just wrapped the fiberglass pole with a layer of masking tape so it wouldn't split and sawed away, careful not to cut the elastic cord running through it. Worked perfectly. We set up the tent and have actually left it set up for a few months (against recommendation) and have had no problems until a killer wind and rain storm came through.........one of the tent poles snapped at the top of the tent. But I reasoned even if I spent 30ish $ on this tent and got one year out of it, it would be worth it to us . I couldn't see spending over $100 for a tent that I would have to try to get 3 years out of to equal 1 year with a cheap tent(and maybe more time if I can fix the pole with some super duty tape)! They don't recommend keeping it set up for extended periods of time, but I'm a rebel, which is why a more expensive tent wouldn't have made a difference to me, because the way I use it would eventually lead to destruction anyway! Just have realistic expectations.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
PRIVACY SHELTER, July 11, 2011
By Pete K. Hentges
|
|
THE SHELTER WAS GREAT, THE FEMALES OF MY FAMILY WAS GLAD I BOUGHT IT, WE VACATION IN THE MOUNTAINS IN THE SUMMER, SO THIS WORKED OUT GREAT FOR THE OUT HOUSE
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great little shelter, April 2, 2011
By hmudd13
|
|
I bought this before any real negative reviews came in.
I have to say that I'm totally pleased with this item.
The instructions show 2 poles when in fact there are six. Once that was figured out the tent went up pretty easy.
I can see how people are breaking poles because there is quite a bend.
However, I've not had any problems with this and I used it all last summer (around 11 times).
Twice we had some pretty fierce wind issues and no problems there either.
So, for me it's been a great shelter.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Privacy shelter., March 31, 2011
By Skyeyer
|
|
I purchased this as a family/friends potty tent. It works well and has ample room. It cannot handle much wind, and I've already replaced the tent flexible poles because they break easily, probably because they make a dramatic turn at the top where they attach to each other. It is not strong enough to support a water bag for showering, and there is no floor.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Fabulous, October 11, 2010
By Bugsy2219
|
|
This privacy shelter is just great ! Used it over & over & it was perfect . Would recommend it highly !!
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Privacy shelter, August 22, 2010
By flowergirl
|
|
This is a great product. It works great as a "porta-potty" as my grandkids called it. It's easy to put up and take down. Packs right back into it's bag until next time.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
shower tent, January 21, 2010
By Richard Terrell
|
|
The shower tent worked out real well for my needs
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great product! Great price!, September 3, 2009
By Diana (Oakland, MD)
|
|
We are very pleased with this item. Assembly is quick and easy and the quality is good. The price was a lot less than other sites that we checked out and the shipping was free! Amazon.com is a great place to shop!
0 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Two Tents with Same Name, May 16, 2012
By Music Guy (Los Angeles, USA)
|
|
Be careful what you buy. There are two items called Texsport Hilo Hut Privacy Shelters!
Model A (my label) has no side windows and support poles do not cross over the top - they connect around the top - think crown. There is no center support. The four curved pieces that fit around the top are joined with cheap plastic that WILL break - just give it time. It is very hard to assemble. I would rate this model a 1 and will never buy another one.
Model B has side windows on the left and right with support poles that cross over the top and provide support for a latern or shower. The nylon fabric will rip when exposed to constant sun and wind (I must have a privacy tent up all year long since a fire burned all our structures to the ground, but our septic system still works!) and I replace the tent every six months or so. Heavier fabric would really help. It is easier to assemble, but it is a two man job. I would rate this model a 3, and that is why my overall rating is a 2.
So look carefully at which tent you are ordering, and make sure the correct one comes.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Now I'm Able To Fish Longer With No Bathroom Complaints, April 6, 2012
By Keitht7
|
|
My kids love to fish with me,but we always seem to be leaving a bit premature due to bathroom issues.
I recently purchased the Texsport Hilo Hut Privacy Shelter
at amazon.com and plan to use it along with my bucket and toilet seat as a portable toilet for my
family when we go on fishing trips.I was very impressed with the etremely fast delivery and Quality of product. It took hardly
any effort to set up the privacy shelter and the material was of superb quality.It wasn't too small inside or huge almost perfect very satisfied with space and size.Tent plus a great portable toilet will only cost appx.$100.00 (and your states applicable sales tax).Now I'm able to stay longer with no bathroom complaints.
Tote-able Toilet Seat and Lid
Century 6205 2.6-Gallon Portable Toilet
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
item not as pictured, March 28, 2012
By jb
|
|
I ordered this from a vendor on ebay, and it was shipped from amazon.com. neither the listing on ebay or amazon accurately describes this unit. The item I received does not have windows as listed, and I checked to make sure it is the correct item as in the listing. Buyer beware, this is best purchased in person from an outdoor equipment supplier. You may not get what you expect when buying online.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Good product, October 30, 2011
By Nikki Richardson
|
|
I am a photographer and was needing something for my clients to change in on location. This did the trick. Exactly what I needed!
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Two versions of this product, October 26, 2011
By jerry001
|
|
There are two different versions of this product. One has two poles that cross over the top and must be bent extremely tight during setup. The other version has four pre-installed top poles that are thinner and already bent inside the fabric. This version is easier to setup, because they terminate in a fitting that connects directly to the leg posts. I received this version on my recent order. See picture.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Texsport Hilo Hut Privacy Shelter, October 9, 2011
By Patricia A. De Young (Oregon, USA)
|
|
I purchased this at the end of our camping season so have only set it up for inspection. I purchased it for use by our grandchildren when they are tenting and we bring the porta potty. It looks like it will work well. I think we will need to be careful not to place a light inside as shadows would eliminate the privacy. It will provide a place for them to change clothes after swimming also. It is compact, easy to store and fairly easy to assemble.Texsport Hilo Hut Privacy Shelter
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great Item !!, September 10, 2011
By Pauly G
|
|
I put this up in 5 minutes with no problems. It was perfect for the camp shower that I purchased. I suggest you put it near a tree with a hanging branch that will support 4.0 Liters of water with shade so sunlight does not go through. I put it away in 5 minutes and fit right in the bag that was supplied and I look forward to using it again.
Texsport Hilo Hut Privacy Shelter
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Home
View Cart
Bookmark This Page
Contact Us
