Tent question.
08-22-2007, 03:55 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NW WY USA
Posts: 206
RE: Tent question.
First thing to think about is carbon monxide. Propane heaters are not reccomended for tents of any kind.
Second any kind of propane in a tent (nylon or canvas)will make it sweat, even a single burner fish cooker.
A wood stove is the best for canvas tents. It's a dry heat and it's warmer.
Second any kind of propane in a tent (nylon or canvas)will make it sweat, even a single burner fish cooker.
A wood stove is the best for canvas tents. It's a dry heat and it's warmer.
08-22-2007, 08:05 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Elizabeth Colo. USA
Posts: 4,413
RE: Tent question.
I wonder just how big of a wall tent one man can put up by himself?
We've used propane for years, BUT we have a 16' x 32' army tent. We only run the heaters in the mornings and evenings. NO heat at night! Get's down right frosty, but nothing a good sleeping bag can't handle.
We've used propane for years, BUT we have a 16' x 32' army tent. We only run the heaters in the mornings and evenings. NO heat at night! Get's down right frosty, but nothing a good sleeping bag can't handle.
08-23-2007, 10:56 AM
#13
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 211
RE: Tent question.
Last year there were 4 guys camping across the road from me. They had the complete set-up, 2 wall tents. One for sleeping and one for cooking. They ran a propane heater all night long in there sleeping tent. They all made it out alive. They also had table set-up like a bar, whiskey, vodka, gin... you name it, they had it. Nice guys, I think they feld sorry for me slepping in the back of my truck. I drank a couple of their beers, they had cases of the stuff. Me I was there to hunt, I hadn't brought any alcohol. I'm just a beer now and then guy and I figured with the cold beer would just freeze.
I think one guy can set up an internal framed wall tent or at least that's what one of the web sites say.
I think one guy can set up an internal framed wall tent or at least that's what one of the web sites say.
08-23-2007, 02:01 PM
#14
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,429
RE: Tent question.
ORIGINAL: wyote
First thing to think about is carbon monxide. Propane heaters are not reccomended for tents of any kind.
Second any kind of propane in a tent (nylon or canvas)will make it sweat, even a single burner fish cooker.
A wood stove is the best for canvas tents. It's a dry heat and it's warmer.
First thing to think about is carbon monxide. Propane heaters are not reccomended for tents of any kind.
Second any kind of propane in a tent (nylon or canvas)will make it sweat, even a single burner fish cooker.
A wood stove is the best for canvas tents. It's a dry heat and it's warmer.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20075-cat280029&id=0044992517687a&navCount=3& ;podId=0044992&parentId=cat280029&masterpa thid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IH&ri d=&parentType=index&indexId=cat280029
Pricey though. Wall tents are nice but as a solo hunter That is camping at the truck I would try this:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0003781512246a&type=product&cm Cat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=truck+tents&N=4887& amp;Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&a mp;Ntt=truck+tents&noImage=0
08-23-2007, 04:43 PM
#16
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 599
RE: Tent question.
bugs,
I'd never discourage someone from a wall tent as I love them; however, it is an expensive step up and the "more you do it right" the more it costs.
I have hunted elk when we did NOT use a luxury wall tent camp. There are cheap comfortable options out there but they require strict adherence to the rules!
One winter we used a 7x9 dome tent, three season, with a large vestbule and a fly that went all the way to the ground.
One 15" wide table side ways on the the short dimension between two cots against the walls on the long dimension. A 25 # propane bottle with a REGULAR Mr. Heater within a foot of the table. Sleep with ones head at the table end and feet at the door end.
In the evening, open the door and a vent on the opposite end and run the Mr. Heater on low and it will leave you warm and toasty --- no condensation. Get ready for bedtime, close the vent and the door opening (18") hop in the sleeping bag and reach out and shut off the Mr. Heater. Sleep in a cold tent --- no problem. In the morning, alarm goes off, work your arms out of the bag and reach over and turn on the Mr. Heater and in 5 minutes (you absolutely cannot go back to sleep). it is warm as toast, get up open the door a little open the vent a little and get dressed, shut off theMr. Heaterand you are off.
In the evening hours, say 6 to 9 we ran the heat all the time, had a smallfolder table in the tent and ate between the cots while sitting on the cots. Warmth, relaxation, recharge.
The only downside being that you are holding your life in your hands all the time.... no room to screw up. We kept a carbon monoxide detector in the tent. We tested it before we left. It never went off while we were up there. Again, as mentioned earlier, I find the Buddy heater to be totally unreliable as a heat source at higher altitudes as the "low oxygen" switch gets confused by high altitude.
The two of us had a suburban that we had a tarp lean to on the side and did the cooking there and used the back of the suburban as a pantry/storage area.
No Problems.
Pinch hit, cheap solution.
I'd never discourage someone from a wall tent as I love them; however, it is an expensive step up and the "more you do it right" the more it costs.
I have hunted elk when we did NOT use a luxury wall tent camp. There are cheap comfortable options out there but they require strict adherence to the rules!
One winter we used a 7x9 dome tent, three season, with a large vestbule and a fly that went all the way to the ground.
One 15" wide table side ways on the the short dimension between two cots against the walls on the long dimension. A 25 # propane bottle with a REGULAR Mr. Heater within a foot of the table. Sleep with ones head at the table end and feet at the door end.
In the evening, open the door and a vent on the opposite end and run the Mr. Heater on low and it will leave you warm and toasty --- no condensation. Get ready for bedtime, close the vent and the door opening (18") hop in the sleeping bag and reach out and shut off the Mr. Heater. Sleep in a cold tent --- no problem. In the morning, alarm goes off, work your arms out of the bag and reach over and turn on the Mr. Heater and in 5 minutes (you absolutely cannot go back to sleep). it is warm as toast, get up open the door a little open the vent a little and get dressed, shut off theMr. Heaterand you are off.
In the evening hours, say 6 to 9 we ran the heat all the time, had a smallfolder table in the tent and ate between the cots while sitting on the cots. Warmth, relaxation, recharge.
The only downside being that you are holding your life in your hands all the time.... no room to screw up. We kept a carbon monoxide detector in the tent. We tested it before we left. It never went off while we were up there. Again, as mentioned earlier, I find the Buddy heater to be totally unreliable as a heat source at higher altitudes as the "low oxygen" switch gets confused by high altitude.
The two of us had a suburban that we had a tarp lean to on the side and did the cooking there and used the back of the suburban as a pantry/storage area.
No Problems.
Pinch hit, cheap solution.
08-24-2007, 11:31 AM
#17
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 211
RE: Tent question.
EKM,
Thanks for the suggestion, that camp set-up you described probably makes the most sense.Now to find a decent, well flyed dome tent.
I'm on a volunteer FD, we get paged out for carbon monoxide testers going off quite frequently in the winter. I'll set up the tent, fire up the heater, and let her cook for 1/2 an hour then test the air in the tent withthe FDgas tester.
Bugs
Thanks for the suggestion, that camp set-up you described probably makes the most sense.Now to find a decent, well flyed dome tent.
I'm on a volunteer FD, we get paged out for carbon monoxide testers going off quite frequently in the winter. I'll set up the tent, fire up the heater, and let her cook for 1/2 an hour then test the air in the tent withthe FDgas tester.
Bugs
08-24-2007, 11:29 PM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Idaho
Posts: 2,072
RE: Tent question.
When I am not bivy hunting I do just about what EKM states. I hunted a late season mulie hunt last year and got snowed on heavily with cold temps. I was nice and toasty. I also put a tarp over the tent linched between two trees. That method is alot cheaper and easy for 1 guy to set up if needed. If you use a cot in cold weather, make sure that you have some type of thermarest pad or equal to keep the cold air from circulating underneath, or you will get cold even with the best of bags.....
08-25-2007, 07:38 AM
#19
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 599
RE: Tent question.
Elkcrazy8 made two real good additions.
To reiterate:
(1) Any tent is a better tent under a tarp, this will allow you to consider the boxy "canvas condo family tent" if you have one that isn't too drafty, just make sure it will support weight of the tarp and the snow, unless you use the rope between two trees style ridgepole to carry the weight, still will be some indirect pressure on the tent. Main thing whenusing the Mr. Heater is you DON'T want snow on the same layer that your rising heat is going to "bounce" off of as that is just begging for a condensation problem.
(2) Cots are great for saving your floor space and for making things efficient (and easier to get up) but theyDO need a thermarest or something under them, your body gives off a lot of water thru the night and you don't want it condensing on the bottom side (top side is okay). Also make sure you put some padding between the cot legs and the tent floor to prevent damage, especially on unfavorable ground.
To reiterate:
(1) Any tent is a better tent under a tarp, this will allow you to consider the boxy "canvas condo family tent" if you have one that isn't too drafty, just make sure it will support weight of the tarp and the snow, unless you use the rope between two trees style ridgepole to carry the weight, still will be some indirect pressure on the tent. Main thing whenusing the Mr. Heater is you DON'T want snow on the same layer that your rising heat is going to "bounce" off of as that is just begging for a condensation problem.
(2) Cots are great for saving your floor space and for making things efficient (and easier to get up) but theyDO need a thermarest or something under them, your body gives off a lot of water thru the night and you don't want it condensing on the bottom side (top side is okay). Also make sure you put some padding between the cot legs and the tent floor to prevent damage, especially on unfavorable ground.
08-25-2007, 11:24 AM
#20
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 583
RE: Tent question.
ORIGINAL: bugs11
Huntaway,
Great pictures. Yesterday I was at a surplus store looking at one of those army tents. How do you like it? The store wants 3-5 hundred for a small tent depending on condition. They also have the larger ones, which is what it looks like you have. The one they had set up in the store was a command tent. I'd have to think the army tent would be pretty tough. I just really like the idea of coming back after a hard day of hunting to a place I can stand up in and get undressed, maybe relax a little and warm up around a stove. I wonder if you can buy the army tents new?
Bugs11
Huntaway,
Great pictures. Yesterday I was at a surplus store looking at one of those army tents. How do you like it? The store wants 3-5 hundred for a small tent depending on condition. They also have the larger ones, which is what it looks like you have. The one they had set up in the store was a command tent. I'd have to think the army tent would be pretty tough. I just really like the idea of coming back after a hard day of hunting to a place I can stand up in and get undressed, maybe relax a little and warm up around a stove. I wonder if you can buy the army tents new?
Bugs11
Bugs11 specifically, (and anybody elsse that is interested)
You mentioned the Army tent at the suplus store and for a bunch of reason. I won''t say you are wrong. Everybody else makes good points too. Something that you might consider if that is what you want is to go through DRMO. That is Defense Reutilization managment office. You can do a web search for them. that is where the military sells of old still usable equipment that isn't being used any more. That is where the surplus stores get all their stuff. Figure, if they are asking 500 for the tent, I bet the bought it for 100 or 200 tops. You'll have to look into that. Anyhow, depending on how much stuff, and how many guys you have going, set one up, and put a little keorsene potbelly military heater in there. It will be HOT in there. The tents have a stove pipe hole in the roof for the heater.
This is just a thought. Not trying to say anybody is wrong either. You all make valid points concerning the Carbon monoxide...etc. Either way, you can still get the tent and not use the heater too.
hope this helps somebody.