Canvas

[David Jones]

Hey everyone I'm just getting into the mountain man rendezvous so I'm looking at my first tent. the one I want is called the 15x15 pyramid from red hawk trading, and it is army duck and double fill so I know the canvas is good quality, they even say they can carry water in it. but I want to make sure! do I need to spend the extra to get the sunforger or will I be ok with the untreated?

 

[necchi]

I'd go the extra if you can swing it and get the sunforger canvis.
Properly cared for, a tent can last 20-25 years. Also Sunforger is sought after by many so
re-sale/trade value is higher.
Of the 4 tents I've had (still have 2)I went with Sunforger. The two I sold, I got what I paid because in the years since I bought'm till the day I sold the cost of new went higher.

FWIW, RK Lodges has the same tent (called a Single pole, I have a 12X) in Sunforger, with a lifetime Guarentee for about 100 less.
They are in MN, and so am I, I personally know many folks with their tents, and some are 30+yrs old. http://www.rklodges.com/Lodges/Tents/onepole.html

 

[David Jones]

thanks for referring me to that site! they seem like they make great tents and I like there repair warranty! I will definitely be ordering from them! real quick though, is there a big difference between the flame sunforger and the marine shrunk sunforger?

 

[necchi]

The flame retardent stuff is "required" in some states, California come to mind.
Other wise little differance.

A friend of mine took his RK wall tent with the grandkids hunting one fall, he got a little carried away stoking his wood stove and had buring debris coming out the chimney. Smoldering debris landed on the canvis and he quickly brushed the chunks off, but not without leaving several burnt pin holes in the canvis roof section.
RK repaired the holes for nothing more than the cost of shipping.
If your going with the Single pole/pyramind style I'd highly recomend getting the tipi type door.
They roll up instead of opening to the side and it's much nicer access.
I wish I'd have done that, :idunno:

 

[beaver foot]

Many feathers, I too was in the same boat as you 5 years ago when I got started to rondy as a mountainman. I had a hard time choosing the right tent. But after talking to many people,I chose a RK lodges 9x7 wedge over my original idea of a single pole,and I'm glad I did,because a few of my rondy's do not accept a single pole as pc. RK lodges did me very well. Also,just a hint, a painters canvas tarp sold for around twenty dollars makes a very good pc awning,or ground cloth.

 

[William O.]

It's not the water repellancy that makes Sunforager canvas better but the resistance to mildew that makes it superior.

 

[David Jones]

I did go with the RK lodges and I am very happy! so thanks for the advice and thanks for the tip about the tarp!! I'm be looking into that.