Wall Tents

[ndcowboy]

I don't believe wall tents have been discussed. I did a search and couldn't find anything.

That being said, do any of you have experience with canvas wall tents. I'm thinking of buying one before this fall's hunting season as I want to make a couple longer trips to the North Dakota badlands hunting. Thinking 3-4 days at a pop, some in really cold weather so I would be using a wood stove. Probably 2 to 3 guys in the tent, possibly more in the future as my kids get older.

Any advice?

 

[Busterswoodshop]

They come in different thickness of canvas. The thicker the better.
You can also get a flame retardant canvas.
They also come with and without sewn in floors. I would suggest a sewn in floor.
Getting them to your camp is also something to think about. I had one once that was 12 X 16. The tent and the poles pretty much filled up a pickup bed.
Putting them up can be a chore also , especially if you are doing it alone.
They can be quite expensive also.
When you find one make sure everything comes with it , tent poles , lines and stakes.
Some companies sell all this stuff separately.
Look at EBAY to get an idea , there are plenty of them for sale there.

 

[gunzo]

You might try searching for outfitters tents or canvas tents. There used to be several makers. The brands I'm familiar with are pretty old, don't know if they are still out there.
Not totally sure of the names as we bought ours 25 or 6 years ago, but here goes. I have one from Denver Tent & Canvas & a friend has a Bluestar? from Montana. I ordered options that I would order again if I needed another:
- stove pipe ring
- zippered door
- water repellent/flame retardant coating
- sod cloth (a 10 or 12" skirt sewn along the bottom)

We both made our own poles as we both had the tools & materials to do so. Saved a good bit of money right there. Can't remember what weight canvas we got but I'm sure it was neither the cheapest or most expensive. My 14x16 with a 4' side wall needs a minimum of 3 people for set up, or I think it does. I suppose though, that with some well thought out rigging or a few tricks, 1 person could do it. The thicker the canvas the harder to haul & set up. Modern materials don't necessarily need to be thick to be good.

While not used every year, & not used at all for a few years, both tents are still serviceable. Glad we got good materials & used proper storage.

 

[Don Lovel]

Check out this seller on Ebay.
http://stores.ebay.com/chicago-canvas?_rdc=1

I figured out I could not afford a wall tent for elk hunting, like the ones Cabelas and other retailers sell.
But Chicago Canvas makes all kinds of sizes. So to try out their quality, I bought two OD Green 10 x 10 16oz tarps. I used stubby bolts, washers and wing nuts to fasten grommets together for our Elk camp overshelter. Worked good. So now as I have money I will order two more of the 10x10 and eventually a 10x16. With 5 tarp pieces I can build several different shelter styles and figured out I could make a stove pipe pass through out of a roof water heater vent that has a 3' square flat sheet metal and an 8" pipe.
When I was getting the link for you, I see they have great big tarps for use as Ice Rink liners, I bet you could build a really nice shelter out of one of them for a pretty reasonable price.
when I bought my 10x10 pieces, he had them shipped to me in like 4 days, I thought that was pretty good service since it takes like two days to drive to Chicago from here.

 

[GunnyGene]

I lived in one for a little over a year. You probably aren't looking for one quite this big tho. :wink: :mrgreen:

 

[powder smoke]

They come in different thickness of canvas. The thicker the better.
You can also get a flame retardant canvas.
They also come with and without sewn in floors. I would suggest a sewn in floor.
Getting them to your camp is also something to think about. I had one once that was 12 X 16. The tent and the poles pretty much filled up a pickup bed.
Putting them up can be a chore also , especially if you are doing it alone.
They can be quite expensive also.
When you find one make sure everything comes with it , tent poles , lines and stakes.
Some companies sell all this stuff separately.
Look at EBAY to get an idea , there are plenty of them for sale there.

In addition to sewed in floor a few bails of hay spread out under the floor before set
up make things a lot more comfortable drier and warmer. ps

 

[bogus bill]

My dad had one in the 40`s and 50`s. He used it for deer hunting and mom used to run a fruit stand with it. We had them 4 guys to a tent when I worked in Yosemite in 1960.

 

[4kdave]

Our Elk camp had 6-8 guys and we used an Army Squad Tent. We had a sleeping area and an eating area. They are set up for a wood burning stove and have roof vents and sides roll up. We used it for yard sales etc.

 

[graygun]

I lived in one for a little over a year. You probably aren't looking for one quite this big tho. :wink: :mrgreen:

Was that in '65 ?

In basic there were some with coal stoves inside as warm-up tents.

 

[GunnyGene]

I lived in one for a little over a year. You probably aren't looking for one quite this big tho. :wink: :mrgreen:

Was that in '65 ?

In basic there were some with coal stoves inside as warm-up tents.

Good guess. :mrgreen: And '66. Do you recognize it? VMCJ1

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

You got a lot of good information, a good tent manufacturer can answer a lot of those questions. We used to sell Montana Canvas tents. When it comes to putting tents up and the weight issue they make some pretty good poles that help out. DO NOT go by the number the manufacture says the tents hold (that applies to any brand). A blue tarp is handy to have over the top for the snow.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Way back in the 1970's we had a wall tent from Sears (got it at the Sears "overstock/returned goods" store in Downtown LA) I Don't remember the exact size (10x12 ??) but it came with a screen door with an aluminum frame you assembled. My Ex may still have it stowed in the garage, I'll have to check one of these days.

 

[pete44ru]

I don't believe wall tents have been discussed. I did a search and couldn't find anything.

That being said, do any of you have experience with canvas wall tents.

Any advice ?

Anyone who'd like to stay dry, inside any new canvas tent, would be well advised to set it up outside in dry weather before it's first use, and soak it thoroughly with a garden hose. 8)

Only after letting it dry naturally (to swell the fabric threads), should the application of any water repellent solution (or wax) be done.

BT, DT - NTS. :roll:


.

 

[osprey]

Montana canvas makes a hybrid teepee/wall tent called the range tent. Sets up in about 15 minutes. Fits 2 with the stove and all our gear comfortably. The advice about soaking it first is spot on.

 

[huntsman22]

I guess I think about wall tents different than the others that posted. But then again, I'd bet that I've spent more time living outta a wall tent than anyone else here. First to me, would be doors at both ends. Forget windows. Second would be an end or wall jack for the stove, never thru the roof. It is easier to tarp the tent, work on the stovepipe, reach the spark screen AND you'll never get burn holes in the roof. Next would be a sod-cloth WITHOUT a floor. Last thing I want to do is have to take off muddy boots before entering, mainly because I don't want to take the time to keep floors clean. I came to hunt, not be a housekeeper. A simple carpet scrap next to the cot to stand on while dressing is enough. Besides, a muddy tent site will dry right out after a day or two of the stove going. Internal frames are nice if you can use them. Zippered doors are nice and handy, but two-way zippers make it easy to zip down a foot or two to make a vent, or poke your head out for a look-see without unzipping all the way up from the bottom. Zip door tents should also have door ties as backups, in case the zipper fails.

 

[exavid]

The most popular wall tents in Alaska used to be Rainier Tents.
http://www.rainier.com/wall-tents/

 

[graygun]

I lived in one for a little over a year. You probably aren't looking for one quite this big tho. :wink: :mrgreen:

Was that in '65 ?

In basic there were some with coal stoves inside as warm-up tents.

Good guess. :mrgreen: And '66. Do you recognize it? VMCJ1

No,I don't recognize it. I recall a lot of Marines going there in '65 due to the escalation.

 

[Sagebrush Burns]

I purchased a 12' x 17' wall tent from Cabela's about 1990 and have hunted from it for many years. After a few years I got a steel post internal frame for it and it was a very good decision. Also after a few years I switched entirely to propane for lighting, cooking and heating - another good decision. We've slept and lived comfortably in that tent at temps as low as 20 below. The tent and poles probably weigh a total of about 75 pounds and would be a bit bulky for horseback camping, but no problem out of a pick-up. With the steel frame set-up is not a problem: two people can have the tent up in under 15 minutes. If you're alone set-up is a hassle but doable. It's a bit of an investment - at the time the tent and frame came to about $1000 - but entirely worth it. Just as an aside, I no longer hunt and would sell the tent and frame for $500 complete.

 

[Tenbore]

My wall tent is 15x18 ft. made by an outfit called Canvas Cabins, though I don't know if they still exist. It was semi-custom in that I could have it made with the different features I wanted. The most important part of canvas tents is to make sure they are completely dry before storage or you will have a mildewed mess.

 

[ndcowboy]

Thanks for all the great info guys. Gave me lots to think about.

 

[powder smoke]

Canvas tents brings back great memories Boy Scouts 1965 or so.
Beaver Chief a camping area area owned by the BSA we went there
every other weekend or so sometimes as many as a 100 of us. A trailor
load with all the gear 25 or 30 12 year olds pushing that monstrosity up
a hill and thru the woods. I remember setting up the cabin tents and
Chief Gagne cooking donuts, fried in lard, coming out of cast iron pots.
Quick shake in a bag of sugar, that was as close to heaven as I have ever been. ps

 

[pete44ru]

Canvas tents brings back great memories Boy Scouts 1965 or so.

Wow, that brings back memories - like the time I got a front tooth chipped by another scout swinging a small pop bottle inside a dark tent ca. 1952............. :roll:

:mrgreen:


.

 

[SAJohn]

Canvas tents are expensive and heavy but will last a lifetime. I bought a Sears 9' X 11' one in 1968. It is still going strong.

 

[AJGUNNER]

This is something you should only need to purchase once, so take your time and figure out how you want it set up and what add on's before you have one made. 4 of us went in on one and here are a few things that might help you out.

Lay out a couple of different sizes in the back yard (use a tape measure and garden hose), then get your cots out and see how they fit along with your plans for where the stove will go and how much space between things. We once had 6 guys in here for 1 night before a second tent showed up to camp. Yes it was loud (snoring) and yes it was smelly (BO & Gas), but it was warm and dry.

What sort of door and windows do you want.

Location of stove pipe. Every stove pipe we ever looked at in others tents that went out the side wall had issues (creosote dripping or support problem). Straight up and make sure the top of the pipe is equal to, or higher than your peak. This helps with draft and helps to keep embers from burning holes in the roof. Some use a screen, but since it is always either raining or snowing we just let the embers have a free flow straight up and out.

Frame type. Aluminum is light weight but it also can and will bend under a heavy snow load. We have come back to camp and found 6 inches on the roof with no problems---steel frame. Most places will sell you the angled pieces and you can source and cut the pipe yourself to save a few bucks. We also marked all our pieces with different corresponding colored electrical tape. You should set it up in the yard before before trying to do it the first time in a blizzard. A laminated color coded diagram also will be a big help the first couple of times you set it up.

We went with a 14' X 20'----perfect for 4 guys with space between each cot and space off the walls. We did a window at each end with screen and a zipper closed flap. We had the door made special with wide flaps that overlap the opening on both sides and also zippers down both sides. Never go with just flap doors that have little ties between them----any wind will blow right through. We have an internal frame with extra frame pieces that come off the front which we cover with a tarp to make an extra 12' area, which is open on the end but covered for fire wood storage and cooking stove area. For a wood-stove we use the regular type you might have in your house. Yes this stove is heavy but we welded handles on each end of it and only move it into the trailer when loading up to go, and from the trailer into the tent. It will hold a fire all night and can be somewhat regulated. We have eaten dinner inside when it was -10 and we could wear t-shirts while wet clothes are hung up to dry. With windows open at both ends to let a breeze flow, it can also be kept somewhat comfortable for napping with temps in the 70's or 80's outside. For cold weather elk hunting we bust a bale or 2 of straw and cover the ground, then roll out cheap carpet over the top----much nicer than a crinkly plastic tarp that someone is always tripping on. Always leave raw dirt under and surrounding your stove. We also always have a fire extinguisher on hand. We run a small honda generator for lights, battery charges, boot dryers, etc. When you plan to be out in the elements for a week or more there is nothing like a comfortable camp to take the tension off.

Just thought of one more very important tip----No matter what material you go with, and despite what anyone tells you----always---always---always, make sure it is bone dry before storage. If one guy says he will take care of it, and will hang it in his barn-----don't believe him until you go over and help to make certain it has been done. Things in life can get hectic and even a slightly wet tent will grow mildew in 1-2 days. Also if possible hang it high enough off the ground to keep barn cats and other critters from doing any possible damage.

3 of views from the front.

Inside view from the back. You can see the carpeted area and the area left with just straw for muddy boot entries.

Inside view from the door.

We prefer a nice big fire outside at night.

View of some local scenery. Any locals know which unit this is???

 

[SAJohn]

AJ, That was a great and informative post.

John

 

[BROKENBEAR]

I guess I think about wall tents different than the others that posted. But then again, I'd bet that I've spent more time living outta a wall tent than anyone else here. First to me, would be doors at both ends. Forget windows. Second would be an end or wall jack for the stove, never thru the roof. It is easier to tarp the tent, work on the stovepipe, reach the spark screen AND you'll never get burn holes in the roof. Next would be a sod-cloth WITHOUT a floor. Last thing I want to do is have to take off muddy boots before entering, mainly because I don't want to take the time to keep floors clean. I came to hunt, not be a housekeeper. A simple carpet scrap next to the cot to stand on while dressing is enough. Besides, a muddy tent site will dry right out after a day or two of the stove going. Internal frames are nice if you can use them. Zippered doors are nice and handy, but two-way zippers make it easy to zip down a foot or two to make a vent, or poke your head out for a look-see without unzipping all the way up from the bottom. Zip door tents should also have door ties as backups, in case the zipper fails.

What he said EXCEPT if in rattle snake country a sewn floor is a must in my book ..floorless for sure if no snakes ....I have stepped over more than one rattler in the Dakotas by the way while fly fishing!

Just saying!!!!

Bear

 

[Taterman]

AJ, That was a great and informative post.

John

It sure was. That tent looks like a really comfy place to stay. I like the carpet/hay combo too.

 

[whichwatch]

Take a look at Cabela's. There is also the Arctic Oven tents, do a Google search for them.

 

[AJGUNNER]

I guess I think about wall tents different than the others that posted. But then again, I'd bet that I've spent more time living outta a wall tent than anyone else here. First to me, would be doors at both ends. Forget windows. Second would be an end or wall jack for the stove, never thru the roof. It is easier to tarp the tent, work on the stovepipe, reach the spark screen AND you'll never get burn holes in the roof. Next would be a sod-cloth WITHOUT a floor. Last thing I want to do is have to take off muddy boots before entering, mainly because I don't want to take the time to keep floors clean. I came to hunt, not be a housekeeper. A simple carpet scrap next to the cot to stand on while dressing is enough. Besides, a muddy tent site will dry right out after a day or two of the stove going. Internal frames are nice if you can use them. Zippered doors are nice and handy, but two-way zippers make it easy to zip down a foot or two to make a vent, or poke your head out for a look-see without unzipping all the way up from the bottom. Zip door tents should also have door ties as backups, in case the zipper fails.

What he said EXCEPT if in rattle snake country a sewn floor is a must in my book ..floorless for sure if no snakes ....I have stepped over more than one rattler in the Dakotas by the way while fly fishing!

Just saying!!!!

Bear

Our zippered door does have extra wide flaps on the edges of the door flap and ties along the sides and top. When going in and out we usually leave one side unzipped and the wide flap covers the gap as you pass in and out. At night or when out of camp, is when it gets fully zipped closed. We did consider a 2nd full door on the other end---pretty much thinking as an emergency exit. Considering the added expense at the time, we decided we had plenty of knives around in case of emergency to just cut our way out. Being older, wiser, and having more expendable funds, if we were to order another tent today, we would probably spring for the extra door.

We didn't think about extra sod cloth when we ordered, so just have a standard 10 inches. If we were to do it again
we would probably double that.

As far as the full floor and snakes---at the temperatures and elevations we hunt at, we will probably not see any snakes. After 4 to 10 days when we pack everything up, we have had mice building nice cozy nests under the carpet.

Another thing we learned: If you don't haul the bales of straw with you, but buy local near where you camp---be sure to pick your bales from the middle of the stack or above ground level. Can't tell you how many times we have watched as dogs walk past a stack of bales and lift their legs. If you use straw, you also want to bust the bales and toss it around the approximate area before you have the canvas over the sides. Spreading dry straw in an enclosed area will get extremely dusty.

If available we also try to buy alfalfa or grass hay instead of plain old straw. The thinking behind this is to provide a nutritious winter meal to the critters after we leave.