Wall Tents

WaterDog · 08-01-2002, 08:06 AM

Been kicking around getting a wall tent the last couple of years. What do y�all think is the right size for say a family of 3. Seems to me the bigger the better. 12x14 would be about the minimum a guy would want? Once you put your cots, a table, and stove things start getting cramped.

Anyone know the differences in material? Some are made from marine canvas and then there are some that use high tech cloth. Opinons?

sportsman · 08-01-2002, 08:31 AM

Here is a site that explains the differences in material used in making tents.
Tent Info
We have a 18X15 tent which sleeps at least four hunters and plenty of room for a large table for cooking/eating and a wood stove.

Bait O' Eggs · 08-01-2002, 09:04 AM

Rich
Now you hit a topic I know a little about.

I got mine at Salem Tent and Awning as I liked Gary and their work looked good.

They have about 4 materials they use, when most people only offer their tents in 10 oz cotton. If you are horse packing which I know you are not, I would go with what they use to call Evolution, but now they have a knock off of it in a different name. It is the lightest material, and the most expensive. I really like it but it isnt what I went with. My brother has a 14 by 18 in evolution and my dad has a 12 x 14 in evolution. It is a nice material that will hold heat in the winter and is cool in the summer. If it hadnt been a couple hundred dollars more than the polaris I would have gone with it.

I got my tent made in Polaris. It is a mixture of polyester and cotton. I had concerns with my tent burning down when I slept with me in it :grin:

I watched him lay a paper match on the sample of Polaris and the match burned up and left a little black mark and didnt even make a hole in the sample. I then watched him lay a paper match on a piece of 10oz cotton and after a few seconds teh cotton material burned up :shocked: My mind was made up quick.

They also have a material they called something like Dakota, it was a little cheaper and I dont remember why I didnt like it. And they offer tents in 10 ounce Cotton also.

I went with a 14 by 18 tent. It has plenty of room for 3 or 4 people, table, stove etc.... I have put up 6 people in an elk camp for a week but we made a couple bunk bends to do it. The stove eats up a lot of room and nobody wants to sleep to close to it as it gets hot.

I have 5 foot sides and a 9 foot peak. I see a lot of tents now with 10 foot peaks, so you get a steeper pitch so snow slides off the tent better. I usually hang a lantern inside from the peak. It is tough enough to reach 9 feet to attach it, let alone going 10 feet.

A stove pipe hole is a must. I went out the side with a 5 inch hole as I wanted to get the exhaust end as far away from the tent as possible. I have seen some people use 4 inch and 6 inch pipe on their stoves. It doesnt draft as well out the side as you dont get the verticle height in the stove pipe to draw as well. Most tents have them going out the roof. The problem with the roof stove pipe holes is when somebody accidentally bumps the stove, or you throw in another piece of wood, there will be several embers that exit the stove pipe and then they all fall back down on the tent. You hope they burn out before they land on the tent :shocked:

The polaris material mine is made from is really quite heavy. I think my canvas alone is about 95 lbs. I built the frame from 1 inch EMT conduit and with 5 ribs in the frame and an 8 foot porch it is about 160 lbs. Enough to strain yourself when loading it. I wish I would have gone with an aluminum frame.

My hunting partner just got a 14 by 16 in 10 ounce cotton canvas tent and an aluminum frame. The first time up on the frame he hosed it down in the yard to get the shrinkage out of it. He hung a lantern in it that night and didnt notice he cross threaded the propane bottle. The leaking gas ignited and he had quite the fire hanging from his tent roof. He almost lost his tent first time up as he left some big black marks on the roof. The next day he built a fire in the stove to dry out the tent. He left a plastic deck type chair near the stove and the door. The wind was blowing and the flapping door knocked the chair onto the hot stove. The chair burned/melted right there on the stove. It goes to show you it wouldnt take much to catch one of these on fire and that is why I went with the material I did.

I am going to start taking a smoke detector when I put it up as I dont want to wake up dead with a frame around me and no canvas

bllelk · 08-01-2002, 10:08 AM

I've been using Canvas Cabins tents for my elk hunts in Idaho. I've used others but these guys have everything figured out from stitching down the eaves so water will run off and not collect, to bungees at the ridge pole ends to keep it tight. Double loops at the corners to pull out the pegs etc. They've stood up under a foot of heavy snow. I think they are in Estacada now. They also will give you some plans to build the pole set up from irrigation pipe and pvc.
Good luck

brshooter · 08-01-2002, 10:24 AM

You might contact JIm Lawrence in Oregon City. I bought a 12x14 from him about 8 years ago. Nothing fancy by any standards, but they do the job. I have friend who has had his over 10 years, and it is still holding up fine.

I think I paid about $325-350 with a frame. I'm sure inflation has caught up a bit by now.

Jim Lawrence
19380 S Meyers Rd
Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 656-2510

WaterDog · 08-01-2002, 12:21 PM

Looks as thought there is a difference in opinion in material between the link provided by sportsmen and BOE. :whazzup: Looks like Roy is out of his league even when it comes to wall tents.

(that is a joke

)

How stable are these tents when it comes to wind? There are places I camp when it is not that usual for the wind to gust 30-50mph in the evening.

What about a floor? I�m thinking no floor is good but I bet the wife is thinking no floor equals more bugs.

Bill, you havent priced tents in a while huh? $600 - $1200 depending on size. :shocked:

brshooter · 08-01-2002, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Bill, you havent priced tents in a while huh? $600 - $1200 depending on size.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">No kidding. Now I know why I take good care of mine. It has a lot of years left in it. Just never pack them away damp. I have been known to have mine dangling from the rafters in my garage for a week or two just to dry it out before I pack it away for next year.

Kerry · 08-01-2002, 01:16 PM

Here is another place to check out. He often has no shipping charges. Very well made tents http://www.davistent.com/

Bait O' Eggs · 08-01-2002, 01:26 PM

manufactures of tents are like makes of boats, who has the best??

I looked at seam design (and yes they all do a different seam design), thread in seams (some will tell you a cotton thread will swell and not leak, the next guy will tell you cotton will rot), and material, and came to a conclusion of what I liked best.

I bought my tent 6 years ago and paid $1000 for the canvas only. It was quite a bit more money for the material I got over cotton. Every seam is glued and sewn. I got about $150 in my frame and I built it. It would have cost me about $450 for a steel frame and over $600 for an aluminum frame as I remember.

I would guess 90 some percent of the tents are 10 ounce cotton canvas as it is the most common for tents.

Very few Wall tents have floors in them. A bail of straw works great. A blue tarp is noisy when you walk on it. A canvas tarp is quieter. And a blue tarp will melt under your wood stove unless you put a barrier under your stove like a piece of plywood.

These tents have a nice big profile and do want to blow away. I rarely stake mine down as it is heavy. Last year elk hunting we got a wind storm that blew a 4 foot pine down within 100 yards of the tent :shocked: I went and drove every stake in the tent, and staked down the tie down ropes. At one point in the night I think the tent was 2 feet in the air and close to 80 mph winds were ripping. In the morning most of the stakes were pulled up and the tent had moved a few feet. But it was still standing :smile:

The biggest mistake I made in my tent was letting the wife tell me we needed the bug screen in the end of the tent. It was a $150 adder. When the tent came it was obvious that the holes in the peak where you have the option of using a log for a tent frame were still open. We never used the bug screen and it finally tore and I cut it out.

If I had to do it again, I would get 2 stove jacks, one on each side. You never know which way the predonimant wind is blowing in your camp. It would be nice to put the stove pipe down wind when you get set up. It isnt always as easy as turning the tent around as some sites dont allow for the tent to face the other way very well (unless you want to face away from the center of camp

). I dont like the idea of smoke and sparks blowing back towards the tent.

OneLastCast · 08-01-2002, 02:04 PM

Waterdog,
I have a 15x18 that is a great size. Room for the stove, the cook stove, table bunks and chairs for everyone to sit around hobnobbing. I don't think I would buy a smaller one.

If you are around Nehalem let me know, mine is currently set up in the yard to air out and I need to recut the poles. You are welcome to drop by and see it.

Like BRshooter I hung it from the rafters for two weeks to dry it out last November. Packed it up and when I just set it up found that rats had eaten a couple of big holes in it. I am going to have to find some patching material.

And BOE, stop worrying about those 4 foot trees blowing over. You probably tripped over it trying to find the can in the dark.

OneLastCast

WaterDog · 08-01-2002, 02:05 PM

The wind thing is one of my main concerns. Last year when we camped at Farewell Bend the wind howled at night. Gusts to 45mph. There were folks in motor homes that were leaving in the middle of the night.

In the morning there was camping gear, chairs, food, scattered everywhere. :blush: I currently have a Cabela�s Alaskan Guide Model dome tent (8 person). This tent is great in the wind and is a great 3 season tent. At 12 years old its showing its age. I also cannot set this tent up by myself. It takes two to set it up. :depressed:

$1000 seems like a lot to spend on something I only use 2 or 3 times a year but they do last.

Roy, the two stove jacks makes sense to me. Don�t know if I�d even need those though as most of my camping is in fair weather.

Backlash2 · 08-02-2002, 01:36 AM

I have a 12x14 footer that is made from the 10 oz. canvas. This size tent hunts three really well, and four are a little cramped, but not overly so.

Frames are a must IMHO. No messing around getting poles cut right. If you aren't planning on loading the frame on horses, the galvanized steel frame is fine. Otherwise, show your horse that you care, and get the aluminum one.

The best flooring around for a wall tent is astroturf outdoor carpet. It's cheap, light, and waterproof. I have set our tent up on top of 2 feet of snow without clearing it, and the floor of the tent was still dry 4 days later when we tore it down.

I have seen the newer material that they are building tents out of now, and it's pretty cool stuff. However, I wouldn't let fire danger be a huge concern for not buying canvas. I treat my tent every 3 or 4 years with a water sealer, and it is still in almost perfect condition. The key is to use enough stove pipe to get above the peak of the roof, and use a spark arrestor at the top of the pipe. The pipe and spark arrestor are both fairly cheap, and you can burn your stove as hot as you want without worrying about 'burnin' the house down'.

That's all I got ta say 'bout that.... :grin:

OneLastCast · 08-02-2002, 07:01 AM

Backlash2 or BOE, what is the best thing to use to treat the canvas? Thompsons?
Since every thing is set up I might as well treat it as well.

Thanks
OneLastCast

WaterDog · 08-02-2002, 07:21 AM

OneLastCast, thanks for the offer but I dont think I'll be in the neighborhood anytime soon. :depressed: I do need to look at one that size cuz it sounds huge. :grin:

Lots of good info here guys, Thanks!

Bait O' Eggs · 08-02-2002, 07:33 AM

Mark
I have no idea what to treat them with. The material my tent is made from is so dense I dont think it would ever leak. I was told I didnt need to treat it.

I would like to set my tent up one of these days and pressure wash it, as it has gone from a beautiful white to what I call advantage realtree mossy dirt

Rats eating part of your tent suxs.

6 point · 08-02-2002, 08:52 AM

I been around amany tents,,,,,I use Canvas Cabins fer packin an do my own poles when i do. other wise they have a great pole system. Jim no longer owns the bussiness in Estacada,,they are out in Hillsbough now. I usea 15 by 18...Jim use to say never had one tent come back to make smaller, but they always want to add on!......it weights 76 lbs er half panner ona mule*...Beckel canvas,,er salem tent make great tents too.. Salems tents can be very heavy.....just make sure they use a lock stich in any tent!

SHLEPROCK · 08-02-2002, 05:40 PM

I have a 12 x 14 I had them put the stove pipe hole in the front door and had them put in a back door also so I could access the second tent. First thing I think about when I look for a site is wind shelter. I have made camp on the view points and about got blown off the mountain

Stay out of reach of falling trees :shocked: Had a close call one night. Second is good drainage

Nothing like having to move camp in the rain. Third is sunshine

Morning sun is a good thing. Stake the tent down with big stakes and secure your stove pipe [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] Canvas BURNS

SR1 5 · 08-04-2002, 08:41 AM

I have an Enna from Beckel Canvas that is 20 years old and is as good as new. Its 12x14 and works good for 3 hunters. Five foot walls are a must in my opinion. My stove pipe hole is in the end and sometimes wish it was in the roof so you dont have to mess with elbows on the stove pipe.If stored properly--completely dry-- a high quality tent should last a lifetime. I found some galvinized scaffold poles at a surplus store that twist together and work great for a frame if your not packing in too far.

skein · 08-19-2002, 11:23 PM

I went a different route. I fish and camp in Canada each summer, and stay upwards of six weeks at a stretch, so I needed something I could *live* in, not just camp in.

We bought a rig they use in fire-fighting camps, made in Eugene by Western Shelter Systems. Ours is 16 feet in diameter and is based on a yurt-type design. It has 6 ft walls, four windows with screens, and a free-standing aluminum frame that folds out somewhat like an umbrella. That means no guy-wires to trip over, and real windows (like boat-tops) to see through. Everything is pinned and velcroed (very heavy-duty) and easy to set up. My wife and I can do it in 20 minutes, start to finish.

We've used different things for floors, and like the grass-like indoor-outdoor carpeting the best for a quick three or four day hunting camp. When we go to Canada we take a wood floor I've constructed, so setup time takes a little longer.

We've had it almost 8 years, and it looks new. It's got an outlet for a stove pipe in the center of the roof, although we've never used it. We use a Mr Heater most of the time, and have camped in some 16 degree weather. I admit a wood stove would have been a lot cozier. We've also had it in some gales with 50+ mph winds hitting directly on it and never had a problem. I make sure there are logs or rocks holding down the sod cloth so the wind won't get underneath it, but never did stake it down.

I can send you a pic if you would like to see it, or you can contact Western Shelter Systems and they will send you a video. They don't usually deal with individuals, but I found them to be very helpful and nice. And their workmanship is flawless.

Price? Ours was $1700, but we've more than gotten our money's worth out of it.

Skein

kampy · 08-20-2002, 01:16 AM

Bigger is better yet harder to keep warm in cold conditions. Plan your spot to put up well. Increase your family size with lots of strong boys. enjoy.