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Eaton Canopy Weights vs Happy Feet Weight System?

Posted by CM Fox on April 18, 2011 at 3:39pm

Last year we were literally blown outta Des Moines with 45lbs of tractor weights on each corner, lateral supports, and cross ties, on a tied down tight Lite Dome. Some days ya can't win.

So I am re-looking at our system to hopefully make it even better!

Eaton Canopy weights ( http://www.canopyweights.com/) (30 lbs for 2 weights per leg) look nice & tidy, are priced lower then Happy Feet, and look like there is less to trip on.

Happy Feet ( http://happifeet.com/ ) weigh about the same (32 lbs), bolt into the tent, and have a lot of surface area on the ground....which might prevent the tent from walking, or help it walk more. They are more expensive.

I go in and out from behind my cases along the side walls all the time as a jeweler. Tripping, toe stubbing is an issue.

Any of you have experience, real-life observations of one over the other?

Thanks.

Carla

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Replies

Diane Wright June 29, 2011 at 4:12pm

I have Happifeet . They do not get in the way of zipping up and I have never tripped over them and I can trip over nothing but air. I think they both will probably do the job but I love my happifeet.
CM Fox April 19, 2011 at 1:34pm

Phil said:

Since shows are now comparing booth shot to actual display, how long can it be until they require that booth shots display the weighting system?

They better not. But that's another topic.

Back on topic:

I think you are right...we were in the right place, wrong time. I'm moving to another spot if DMAF will let me.

Tough decision, more $ to spend, at the start of the season, when $ is in short supply.

Sigh,

Carla
- Amy Furgiuele > CM Fox June 29, 2011 at 1:24pm
  
  So, Carla... what did you decide? I just heard about Happifeet at my last show and saw the Eaton weights at another. I, too, am looking to do something different with my weight systems and was intrigued. Right now, I have a re-fillable PVC columns that can be filled with water and emptied at the end of the show. They're about 60/leg, but cumbersome, especially when filled. Looked at both sites above and as you pointed out, pros and cons with each. Would love to hear what you decided!! Thanks!
Connie Mettler April 19, 2011 at 1:22pm

Phil makes a good point. It was well illustrated by the recent tsunami in Japan. The buildings were built to be earthquake proof and they did amazingly well, in comparison the with earthquakes we've seen in Mexico and Indonesia in recent years. So they took their information and used it in building, but when in addition the tsunami hits, they were really in trouble. I watched the winds on the video in Fort Worth last weekend, booths did go down, I mean, realistically no weights are going to stop these heavy winds, just be prepared and do your best.
Connie Mettler April 19, 2011 at 11:43am

Jim Eaton, an artist/sculptor/inventor, designed these weights from his own experience participating at art fairs. He and his wife Kathleen, travel in one van with two bodies of work, so the weights not only have to do their job of keeping the tent secure, they also have to be compact and easy to store. My vote: Eaton weights!! Tested and designed by one of us!
Carol Boucher April 19, 2011 at 9:14am

Hi all, We love the Eaton weights. We do the same thing as Bo, attaching our ProPanels to the canopy frame, but we use 60 pounds per leg(four Eaton weights per leg). No problem to zip up the tent; we have a Craft Hut, and when necessary we lock with wire ties, no worries. Last year at Bethesda, when entire booths were shimmying, blowing over...our tent didn't budge. We purchased a set at a time as we could afford, augmenting them with those notorious tube weights(which we made ourselves, and always disliked). To avoid shipping charges, it's helpful to coordinate with the Eatons about which shows they do, maybe you will be at the same one. At the end of the show, you just take home their weights! No shipping costs. I can easily handle these weights on my own, they stack well and I store them in a special "cage" I built in our van right by the sliding door. They go right from the "cage" to the dolly, etc. I cannot tell you how much happier we are for having them. Happifeet weren't on the market at the time we got our Eaton weights, so I have no experience, other than to say that people who have those seem to be happy with them, as Phil said so well.
CM Fox April 18, 2011 at 9:23pm

Shish. Trying again. Happy Feet are also canopy weights. Just a different system.
Jacki Bilsborrow April 18, 2011 at 6:31pm

I like the look of the canopy weights. They look neat and clean. I would want to go with the heaviest weights I could.

Wind can be so strong. Where ever we went I always tried to hook the tent down with doggie stakes, too, if I could. I know that isn't always possible though. Inventory costs too much to not do what ever you can to keep a tent from blowing. I would go with the canopy weights but I think I would feel better with at least 3 on each leg. Four weights would probably be best. Just imagine a person trying to hold down each leg through a storm. A person would most likely weigh over 100 pounds. Good luck.

Jacki B