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olddoggy2

Pilgrim
Joined
Sep 1, 2012
Messages
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Location
Appalachia mountains NC
I am thinking about investing in a tent, a $700.00 to $800.00 dollar investment. My question is what would YOU do different after the purchase of your tent???
I'm looking at a Tent Smith's 8×8 with 4' side walls and an 8' peack , front and back doors/flaps and a stove insert, Sunfoger and flame retardant.

It's a lot of money and dont womt to be disappointed, the tent will be for summer and fall camping.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, comments, and recommendations.
 
Is a wall tent suitable for the WBS?

I have an 10x10 Panther Primitive wall tent and love it. Fire-proof Sunforger material I believe, with 8” (?) sod flap, plus the separate floor is a must. A fly is a ‘must have’ too, if seeing any rain/snow use.

Had the stove jack on the door bit moved it to the side wall. My friend has their 10x12 model and uses it hard, setup for the MZL season, then Winter hunting/camping season through our nor’east Winters. He tent is still sound, excellent designs and phenomenal materials and construction on these Panther tents - neither of us has EVER had an issue with a seam or anything; they really work and wear well.

He has a no name stove, whereas I run a Wilderness 4 model. If stoked and ‘fed’ well (good wood), it’ll almost burn all through the night - great design and construction! Also an excellent value, see: https://www.walltentshop.com/collections/tent-stove-package/products/wilderness-wood-camping-stove

We both have set our wall tents up by ourselves before, but it is much easier and less apt to break one of the main supports when having a partner help. But it can be done solo.
 
Is a wall tent suitable for the WBS?

I have an 10x10 Panther Primitive wall tent and love it. Fire-proof Sunforger material I believe, with 8” (?) sod flap, plus the separate floor is a must. A fly is a ‘must have’ too, if seeing any rain/snow use.

Had the stove jack on the door bit moved it to the side wall. My friend has their 10x12 model and uses it hard, setup for the MZL season, then Winter hunting/camping season through our nor’east Winters. He tent is still sound, excellent designs and phenomenal materials and construction on these Panther tents - neither of us has EVER had an issue with a seam or anything; they really work and wear well.

He has a no name stove, whereas I run a Wilderness 4 model. If stoked and ‘fed’ well (good wood), it’ll almost burn all through the night - great design and construction! Also an excellent value, see: https://www.walltentshop.com/collections/tent-stove-package/products/wilderness-wood-camping-stove

We both have set our wall tents up by ourselves before, but it is much easier and less apt to break one of the main supports when having a partner help. But it can be done solo.
Thanks for replying, I'll give Panther a look.
 
I am thinking about investing in a tent, a $700.00 to $800.00 dollar investment. My question is what would YOU do different after the purchase of your tent???
I'm looking at a Tent Smith's 8×8 with 4' side walls and an 8' peack , front and back doors/flaps and a stove insert, Sunfoger and flame retardant.

It's a lot of money and dont womt to be disappointed, the tent will be for summer and fall camping.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, comments, and recommendations.
Been there, done that! I purchased a tent only to find that it was sewn together with synthetic thread!!! I sent it back & made my own.
Keith.
 
You didn't ay where you live(?)
It's a big investment.
Yeah,, shop around, RK Lodges is our local trusted source,, I have 3 of their tents, the oldest is 17yrs and still in fine shape. All Sunforger, with sod-cloth.
http://www.rklodges.com/
I really like my 9x12x7.
Are you sure your going to use a wood stove? If you need heat,, why go 4' walls and 8'(?)
"Flame Retardant" canvas is only needed as "required" by state law in I think 2 or 3 states, Cali/AZ and Colo,, I think,,
Other wise it's really not needed, common canvas and 10oz Sunforger can take a beating and isn't any more "flammable" than the clothing you wear everyday. Unless exposed to direct flame,, the stuff isn't going to/doesn't spontaneously ignite.
An added "drip edge" is cool sounding but instead of being an extra thing added to brag about,, it's kind of a by-product of the way a wall tent is made,, they have to sew the side to the top,, it's common.
Ask about re-enforced corners and ridge.
How are you going to rig it? Inside poles? Outside poles? Ridge pole?
I use inside poles with ridge and grommets so I can attach my fly off the front and add a rope if needed to center/back.

Call,, each of these dealers,, ask really dumb sounding questions,, to each of them. Ask about sales tax and shipping and warranty,, RK Lodges has a lifetime,, and they honor it.
 
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I can set up this 8' x 10' by myself using out side poles. A bit extra length allows me to get away from the wood stove. This tent is around 25 years old and has served well in hunting camps and rendezvous. The poles carry easy on the top of my CJ jeep.
IMG_0282 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
 
For WTBS only officers slept in wall tents. Civilians like suttlers or camp followers might be in a wall tent.
Should you go to an earlier event a wall might be considered to late for the event. For just fun ‘primitive camping’ it will do you well.
 
Your tent/investment will last much longer if you thoroughly dry it after each use and store it so the mice can't get at it during storage. Some campers wash their tent after they are done using it for the season. Follow manufactures instructions or ask how to wash when purchasing it.
 
I spend about 2 months or more a year in a tent. For rondy's and short hunting and fishing trips a wedge or trail trap. For longer hunts and stay's in the mountain a 8X10 wall. For elk hunting with other's along, up to a month a 12 X 15 wall all have stove jacks. all are old just like me. Take care of them, always put away dry will last a long time.

For a period blue grouse I go on every year 7 to 11 days I stay in a lean to. Made from my trail tarp.
For trekking in the mountain a lean to.

Trekking with grandkids lean to.

You can get a large wedge 8X10 or 10X12

An 8X10 works for me for up to 2 weeks alone or with one other in warmer weather, in cold weather with stove just me.
Hope this helps. 45 yrs ago I was asking the same questions.

Jerry
 
Tents usually are of a personal choice based on how & where they'll be used. Myself, I like the room & height of a marquee. I've got 3 Panther marquees, 9 x 12 with 6' walls, 12 x 12 with 6' walls & a 15 x 21 with 6' walls. The smaller ones go up easy but the big one not so much. However, they all take a lot of poles, ropes & pegs.
 
I would avoid a military wedge tent if possible, even large, as they are really meant as only a sleeping shelter, and (imho) waste a lot of space.
For the money, simplicity of set up, and space, I highly recommend a Medium, Double Belled tent with a slit door. When you change the 3 pole pattern, from two uprights and a ridge pole, to a pair of poles on each end, set from he corners to the peak, thus /\ ..., you greatly expand the floor space, and the tent is easily set up by a lone person, and not very expensive compared to a Marquis. PLUS it's historic enough for juried events (while walled tents having the short support poles on the outside of the walls are often not allowed)..., I have the 10x18x 8'06" size...
https://tentsmiths.com/period-tents-medieval-wedge-tents.html

LD
 
LD, I really do not want to extend the debate re: one pole tents. [well....yes I do. ;) ] I understand the need for documentation but am not the absolutist you are. I just scrolled through the scribd tent article again. Very well researched document, indeed. But, what caught my eye this time is a tent shown in the pic on the very first page. It is way to the rear, far right. There is another similar larger one to the left but not as distinct a view. The one on the right appears to be a one-pole design held open with lines from the outside. I cannot detect indication there are interior poles holding up the walls.
 
It almost looks to me like a pavilion tent from late Middle Ages, Star Of so many fifties low budget knight and joust movies.
My gut tells me people threw up canvas in every possible way.
Just looking at that painting tells us multi shapes and sizes was used by the military.
The wedges set up at the end of each street cross ways to the rest is neat, a company or squad office? NCO quarters?
I’m taken aback by the cross between military regularity and rendezvous randomness.
What might be a pyramid in the back ground might just be angle of the painter to a wedge.
 
Lets not confuse a pre 1840 Rendezvous with a juried event. The rondy standard is pretty much "if made of natural materials & looks old time, its ok, at least for a beginner. (Some people have been "beginners" for many years.) The juried event standards vary by event but are an attempt (not always successful) to keep things to what is known to be used at a specific time and location. There are those that only do rondys because they don't like the "restrictions" of juried events or in some cases, they are more into hoot & hollar than history.
There are also those who will only attend juried events because they see rondys as too much of a ren fair. Then there are those are able to enjoy both, accepting each for what it is, an event full of nice people.
 
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