experience with canvas tents -- need advice

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

Having reached middle age and having spent years of my life (literally) sleeping on the ground and freezing my arse off, I've decided it's time to upgrade my hunting camp.  I'm going to get one of those canvas tents that supports a wood stove.  

 

95% of the time, I hunt alone.  Occasionally I'll have one other person with me.  So I'm looking at a smaller one, not one of those gargantuan contractor tents that fit an entire hunting party of 12 people, their horses, and their pickups parked in the corner.  I just need to get a cot (because no more sleeping on the ground!), gear, and wood stove inside.  This will not be used for backpacking or weekend trips with Scouts that I go on routinely.  This will be used for those week-long (and longer) hunting seasons where I'm physically exhausted BEFORE I start the day.  

 

Important priorities for me: 

- Durability.  I want to buy this thing ONCE and have it last the rest of my hunting years, if possible.  At least 20 years, anyway.  

- Size.  Fit the stuff I mentioned and be able to stand up.  I'm also tired of being hunched over all the time when trying to dress / undress.

- One person set-up.  As I said, I hunt by myself the vast majority of the time.  

- Cost is of course always a consideration.

- Weather protection.  Hunting is always during fall and / or winter and can have heavy rain, wind, or snow in Colorado, where I hunt.

- Weight is *NOT* a concern, as I'm NOT going to backpack this thing in.  It's getting to camp by pickup.  My horses are almost ready to help me go hunting, so I can get farther in than footbound hunters and increase my odds of success.  Until the horses are ready, I'll still hunt by foot, but my basecamp will be reachable by pickup.

 

Right now I have three options, I think, pending input from those with experience.  If you know of other options, please chime in.

 

Option 1:  Montana Canvas Range tent, seen here:  https://montanacanvas.com/product/range-tent/  This one is by far the easiest one-person set up.  At 12 X 12, it will give me plenty of room.  I have two concerns:  Will it fall down in heavy winds?  The manufacturer assures me it will not, but they want to sell me an expensive tent.  Second concern is due to they pyramid shape, I will only be able to stand up in the center.

 

Option 2:  Montana Canvas Wedge tent, seen here:  https://montanacanvas.com/product/wedge-tent/  This one has better head room than the previous tent due to the ridge pole, but would be much more difficult to set up with one person.  The manufacturer tells me it can be done, but even their video shows 2.  

 

Option 3:  White Duck Regatta Bell Tent, seen here:  https://whiteduckoutdoors.com/collections/bell-tents/products/regatta-bell-tent-10#&gid=1&pid=4  This one is half the price of the others, and the close-up photos make me think it might not be quite as durable as the Montana Canvas tents above.  Despite being smaller in diameter than the previous two, it would have more headroom due to the sidewalls and shape.  Another concern is this particular size is only available in an 8 ounce canvas, which is 2 ounces lighter than the Montana Canvas tents above.  They use double stitching, where Montana Canvas uses 6 stitches in key places.  I think the price may be reflective of quality -- not a cheap weekend tent like a Coleman, but perhaps not up to the same level of durability as Montana Canvas?

 

PLEASE chime in if you have experience with any of these.  As you can see from the links, this is not a small investment and I want to get it right the first time.  

[Pat Riot]

I knew some guys that had a canvas tent they bought from Cabela’s years ago. They were very happy with it and had used it numerous times. It had a stove. It did take two people to set up though. 
 

Having camped a great deal in tents and tried numerous sleeping setups from mats to pads to cots. I highly recommend that if you go with a cot that you use a foam pad or a thin self inflating mat between the cot and yourself. Otherwise you will have cold getting to you from below and above versus just from above when lying on a ground mat. 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Unfortunately, the only Canvas Tent I am Acquainted with is labeled "Tent - Canvas - 10 Man - GP - Medium" and a bunch of other printed nomenclature.  Can be had Surplus though.  Little tough to put up single handed me thinks.  Same same take down.

[Utah Bob #35998]

When I was in to CW reenacting my unit used a small wall tent for HQ. It 2as similar to the WhitDuck tent. Over the years I have looked at a number of different canvas tents but I have never found one that was easily set up by a single person. Dome tents made of nylon, sure. 
If you have your heart set on canvas I think you may need a companion for every trip.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

31 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

When I was in to CW reenacting my unit used a small wall tent for HQ. It 2as similar to the WhitDuck tent. Over the years I have looked at a number of different canvas tents but I have never found one that was easily set up by a single person. Dome tents made of nylon, sure. 
If you have your heart set on canvas I think you may need a companion for every trip.

 

Bob, check this out.  This is my option #1 above:  

 

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

Here are a pair of guys using option #1:  

 

[Hashknife Cowboy]

Highly recommend.

 

https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/10-x-10-ft-flex-bow-canvas-tent-deluxe-estimated-restock-date-jul-15th-2021/

 

 

[Utah Bob #35998]

24 minutes ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

Here are a pair of guys using option #1:  

 

Looks reasonable. But 2 guys set it up. I think one would be a bit of a struggle.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

CC

I have done my share of setting up and sleeping in canvas tents, although they did not have floors and no stoves in the tents.  Based on your requirements and what you plan to use it for I think that number one is your best option for setting it up by yourself and then also accomodating a second person occasionally.  The others would be very difficult to set up by yourself.  Option one also appears to have enough room to stand up in the middle as your cot and stove would be on the sides anyway.

Scout

[Finagler 6853 Life]

The outfitter we used had a wall tent for 2 people.  Would hold all of our stuff and had a stove in it.  The "cots" were made on sight of small diameter log poles.  A bit lumpy but we were too tired to care.  I have no idea the maker but it was a wall tent.  This was more than a one person set up.

 

The tent I use anymore I put up in the middle of the hotel room.  I don't sleep on the ground.  I find it much more enjoyable hunting in my backyard,  from the deck of my cabin in the woods or in the grocery store.  I gave up the self abuse hunting method years ago.  

 

My brother's idea of roughing it is to stay at the Comfort Inn.  

[DeaconKC]

Your brother is a smart man.

[Choctaw Jack]

Sportsmanship Guide has had what you're  looking for. They usually have several sizes of their wall tents,with provision for stoves and with or without sewn in floors.

Haven't  been in one personally ,but might be worth a look.

Choctaw 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

Because of the slope of the walls, Opt 1 will require at minimum size of 10X10 to accommodate a cot. I would go with at least a 12X12.

 

Those folded sheet metal stakes will fail if you hit a rock or tree root. Because weight it not a factor buy 12 to 16 inch long spike nails. I prefer 16" length but they are hard to come by.

 

Resist the urge to buy or make spikes out of rebar. While they hold like the dickens, they are very hard for you to pull up when you are done camping.

 

Make yourself a tool for removing the spikes. Mine is in storage, but basically it is a 2 or 3 foot piece of pipe with a short piece of chain and grab hook attached to one end. Modify the grab hook with a grinder so that the opening is just wide enough to slip around the spike. Use a piece of firewood or a 6" piece of 4X4 as a fulcrum. 

 

The head of the spike is going to be too small to reliably hold tent loops or a guy rope so you will need something to make it bigger. If you can find heavy duty fender washers they work well. The problem is that any more, washers are lacking on the thickness side so you'll have to hunt for washers with enough thickness. 

 

[Texas Joker]

A standard canvas wall tent of 10x12 can be had at many reenactor sutlers. 

[Utah Bob #35998]

1 hour ago, Texas Joker said:

A standard canvas wall tent of 10x12 can be had at many reenactor sutlers. 

Sure, but not one you can put up yourself. It took 4 of us to put up our company 10x12 tent.

[Texas Joker]

So something like this

 

I had a 12x12 diamond fly I sewed front flaps on. But this one would handle a cot and small stove.

 

 

[Texas Joker]

This is more my style if I'm going canvas

 

 

 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Your option No. 3 - the "Yurt style" tent - seems to be similar to No. 1; it will undoubtedly take a bit more time, but otherwise appears to be pretty straightforward.  Personally, I would consider a White Duck product, but probable upgrade to the 13' model - "Luxury Premium Canvas Bell Tent"

 

Whichever size, the 2 1/2' vertical wall really adds to useable floorspace. 

 

In either case, the 8.5 oz canvas is obviously not as sturdy as the 10 oz that No. 1 uses... but it will be easier to work with.

 

My old Scout buddy, Doc Pierce, recommends a Civil War re-enactor's "Sergeant's Tent"  or "Officer's Tent."  He swears he can put one up by himself... he's a lot tougher than I am.  Also, these would require having a stove jack added - but they're surprisingly not overly expensive.  

 

At Scout Camp we use both heavy and lighter canvas tents.  Neither lasts forever, but the damage we've seen is generally from misuse and abuse, rather than age.  But do be prepared to do some occasional stitching.  

 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

At my current stage recreational activity, I would suggest the 12 X 20 walled option offered by a Hampton Garden Inn.  Or, a "Tru by Hilton".  Roomy enough for two and two dogs, well equipped with HVAC.  And a Shower.  And a Beer Fridge.  And Breakfast.  Tough circumstances I know, but one must Endeavor to Persevere.  Especially when enroute to Mouse Safari.  

[Utah Bob #35998]

4 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

Your option No. 3 - the "Yurt style" tent - seems to be similar to No. 1; it will undoubtedly take a bit more time, but otherwise appears to be pretty straightforward.  Personally, I would consider a White Duck product, but probable upgrade to the 13' model - "Luxury Premium Canvas Bell Tent"

 

Whichever size, the 2 1/2' vertical wall really adds to useable floorspace. 

 

In either case, the 8.5 oz canvas is obviously not as sturdy as the 10 oz that No. 1 uses... but it will be easier to work with.

 

My old Scout buddy, Doc Pierce, recommends a Civil War re-enactor's "Sergeant's Tent"  or "Officer's Tent."  He swears he can put one up by himself... he's a lot tougher than I am.  Also, these would require having a stove jack added - but they're surprisingly not overly expensive.  

 

At Scout Camp we use both heavy and lighter canvas tents.  Neither lasts forever, but the damage we've seen is generally from misuse and abuse, rather than age.  But do be prepared to do some occasional stitching.  

 

Doc Pierce is either a tremendous man or delusional. I have put those CW tents up myself......with a squad of men. 

[Yul Lose]

Sheridan Tent and Awning in Sheridan, Wyoming makes tents like you’re wanting, at least they did about 45 years ago when I lived there. My ex father in law had one and he’d set it up all by himself. Had a small stove in it and one person fit quite nicely, 2 people were a crowd.

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

I have camped with canvas and a variety of other....

Anyway a pull behind slide out pop up trailer is just 

so much better. Bring a screen house to pitch over a picnic table.

Or get an old cheap van and take out any unneeded seats etc.

Old Ford van with a floor pad and sleeping bag....Stormproof too.

Im warm and dry while tents go down in heavy rain.

And I never sold anything so easy as a cheep van.

I actually made money on several Ford vans.

Tents do photograph better tho.

Best

CR

 

[J-BAR #18287]

I urge you as a friend to reconsider your plans.

 

I spent a summer with a two other college-aged fellows living in canvas tents in the Sangre De Cristos near Westcliffe.  We were a US Forest Service trail repair crew.  I learned about tents:

 

It will be raining or snowing when you want to set it up.

It will be raining or snowing when you want to pack it out.

It will leak.

Passers by (if you can drive a truck to the camping spot so can others) will find your tent most interesting to rummage through.

 

Put a camper shell on your truck and camp in that.  You will increase your hunting success by hunting, not messing with wet canvas.

[Grizzly Adams 3674]

21 hours ago, Hashknife Cowboy said:

Highly recommend.

 

https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/10-x-10-ft-flex-bow-canvas-tent-deluxe-estimated-restock-date-jul-15th-2021/

 

 

+1 On the Kodiak!  Best tent I ever used, and a snap to set up by yourself. 

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

My Pa Blue Boy sass46773 had a tent like the Kodiac when I was a kid. Not only was it heavy to move around( I understand vehicle carried, but that also makes it heavy to set up.) The one we had had internal posts and bows. It was really awkward to put the poles up inside. It appears the kodiac has external bows so probably not a big deal. The inside was easy to stand in and convenient to use, lots of space. If I was in the market today I would find a Kodiac to examine closely.  Good luck

 

Imis