TAILGATING 201 - Basic Equipment

2.1 Intro
Unless you just plan to stand around in a parking lot and swill beer, you'll need stuff for your tailgate. Without a bunch of cool stuff, you're not tailgating…you're loitering. When purchasing or accumulating your tailgate gear, it's important to consider three main questions:

• How easy is this item to transport?
• How easy is this item to set-up or tear-down?
• How durable is this item?

These questions should be self-evident to you, but in case they're not….To address #1 & 2….Unless your buddies drive a fleet of 20 Nissan Armadas, you're working with limited space. You need items that are easy to pack up, that don't “eat space”, and that are easy to move around. If your tailgate gets big enough, you'll basically be moving a truckload (or more) of crap around every weekend. Make it as easy as possible to avoid burnout. To address #3…broken shit sucks.

2.2 Shelter
Part of the joy of tailgating is being out in the sun, in the good old outdoors. But if there's one thing people love more than being out in the sun, it's being in the shade. Especially if you plan to spend 8 hours out in 100° temps in Texas.

Unless you're very lucky with your tailgate location, you'll need to manufacture your own shade. There isn't much shade in a parking lot. Shade is best provided by a CANOPY. You need at least one of these if you want to throw a true tailgate party, and if you want to be more than a bunch of rookies standing in a parking lot.

The canopy is the foundation and the centerpiece of your tailgate party. The canopy marks your territory, it's your Saturday living room. It tells your fellow fans: “I'M HERE TODAY, AND I PLAN TO TAILGATE QUITE SERIOUSLY!”

DON'T GO CHEAP when you buy your canopy. You will find yourself filled with much anger and resentment when your cheapo canopy develops a huge hole on the first day of use. Even worse, cheap canopies are a PAIN IN THE ASS to assemble and disassemble. You may think you're a genius when you walk out of Wal-Mart saving 50 bucks. You'll soon realize that you're an idiot when everyone watches you and three friends struggle for 45 minutes to raise your canopies.

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