Davis Go Tent Review, By Jordan Budd

[Justin Crossley]

If you're looking for a wall tent for those solo trips or when you might have one person stay with you for a few nights, the Go Tent may be just what you need. @Jordan Budd was able to get the Davis Go Tent out for some of her trips last year and has some good things to say. Check out her review below.

Davis Go Tent Review

 

[Rockchuck]

Great review, thanks!

I had recently been looking hard for a llama portable canvas tent and this one looks quite nice specs-wise compared to some other brands spike tents of similar size from the likes of montana canvas, reliance, etc.

I especially like the idea of the stove zipout in the sewn in floor for ease of sweeping out dirt/mud.

 

[rayporter]

25lbs of poles? i hope you can cut your own.

 

[Dirtydan]

Nice review. I've been anxiously awaiting this review ever since Jordon mentioned it in the Antelope package review. Whats your thoughts on pitching the tent alone, meaning how long did it take and how big of a pain was it. After using the trad pole set do you think it would be feasible to DIY a conduit frame system or is it not worth messing with? Is there enough head room for someone 6'2".

Thanks

 

[wyodan]

Will this still work by cutting poles in the woods? The tent weight is good, but I don’t want 25 lbs of poles on my smallish pack animals.

 

[robby denning]

Will this still work by cutting poles in the woods? The tent weight is good, but I don’t want 25 lbs of poles on my smallish pack animals.

great question, was wondering the same thing. I helped her set it up on a deer hunt and I believe it has a hole at apex both ends, so you should be able to use exterior cross poles and a ridge pole in the woods. @Jordan Budd , am I remembering that correctly?

 

[JeffRaines]

Nice review. I've been anxiously awaiting this review ever since Jordon mentioned it in the Antelope package review. Whats your thoughts on pitching the tent alone, meaning how long did it take and how big of a pain was it. After using the trad pole set do you think it would be feasible to DIY a conduit frame system or is it not worth messing with? Is there enough head room for someone 6'2".

Thanks

I realize I own a different tent, but I think its relevant.

I have a 12*14 Davis Tent with the traditional pole set. I can set the tent up solo in <30 minutes. Its really not that hard to do. Yes, the tent is bulky and trying to get it out of the bed of the truck and laid out can take a minute or two, but once its all laid out it goes quick. With me and my wife, I'll typically take the tent setup while she's pulling kitchen stuff out of the truck and getting that stuff set up.

The traditional poles really are fairly easy. I've never set up an internal frame tent before, but from what I heard doing it alone is a massive PITA usually involving ratchet straps. Setting up the traditional poles is really laying the tent out and staking 4 corners, going inside and putting up the main ridge pole, going outside and setting up the corner poles(including staking two guy lines per corner), then going along the outside of the tent, staking each grommet and sliding the side poles into place. It would surprise me if it took them 30 minutes to set up this smaller version.

 

[TheViking]

I realize I own a different tent, but I think its relevant.

I have a 12*14 Davis Tent with the traditional pole set. I can set the tent up solo in
The traditional poles really are fairly easy. I've never set up an internal frame tent before, but from what I heard doing it alone is a massive PITA usually involving ratchet straps. Setting up the traditional poles is really laying the tent out and staking 4 corners, going inside and putting up the main ridge pole, going outside and setting up the corner poles(including staking two guy lines per corner), then going along the outside of the tent, staking each grommet and sliding the side poles into place. It would surprise me if it took them 30 minutes to set up this smaller version.

I second this.
I’ve done the same thing - setup a 14x16 with trad poles solo and it’s fairly easy and sub 30 mins.
This Go Tent can’t take more than 15mins to setup solo.
Davis are the nicest and best wall tents out there. Super nice people too. I live in Denver and go pickup orders whenever I place them. Great guys to talk to, and shoot the sh*t with.

 

[JeffRaines]

I second this.
I’ve done the same thing - setup a 14x16 with trad poles solo and it’s fairly easy and sub 30 mins.
This Go Tent can’t take more than 15mins to setup solo.
Davis are the nicest and best wall tents out there. Super nice people too. I live in Denver and go pickup orders whenever I place them. Great guys to talk to, and shoot the sh*t with.

I don’t think I’ll buy a bigger wall tent, but if I ever do I’ll be sticking with trad poles. Not surprising it doesn’t take any longer with the bigger tent - it’s so damn simple!

 

[Dirtydan]

I realize I own a different tent, but I think its relevant.

I have a 12*14 Davis Tent with the traditional pole set. I can set the tent up solo in <30 minutes. Its really not that hard to do. Yes, the tent is bulky and trying to get it out of the bed of the truck and laid out can take a minute or two, but once its all laid out it goes quick. With me and my wife, I'll typically take the tent setup while she's pulling kitchen stuff out of the truck and getting that stuff set up.

The traditional poles really are fairly easy. I've never set up an internal frame tent before, but from what I heard doing it alone is a massive PITA usually involving ratchet straps. Setting up the traditional poles is really laying the tent out and staking 4 corners, going inside and putting up the main ridge pole, going outside and setting up the corner poles(including staking two guy lines per corner), then going along the outside of the tent, staking each grommet and sliding the side poles into place. It would surprise me if it took them 30 minutes to set up this smaller version.

Thanks for the run down.
Seems simple enough. I’ve stopped and spoke with the guys over at Davis before and they seem like nice folks. Now I need to convince the wife I need another tent.

 

[3Fingerbrown]

Great review. The Go tent concept is great, I love to have my own tent at camp even when I’m with the best of buds it’s just nice to have your own space... the ultimate elk camp in my mind has a bigger wall tent for eating meals and hanging out but small individual tents for each hunter, though that is a lot of gear, the go tent makes this idea feasible. But it has some competition coming from say a 10x10 Kodiak canvas tent which sets up faster and has higher sidewalls so it feels a little roomier. But the Kodiak lacks a stove jack, though they can be retrofitted, and it lacks the zip out floor which is nice for the stove and sweeping dirt. You can always use a non combustible mat for your stove in any event, but the go tent is ready to go. For two people staying beyond a single night I would go with a 10x12 though because of the higher walls.

 

[Ddman]

Great review.

 

[sneaky]

I realize I own a different tent, but I think its relevant.

I have a 12*14 Davis Tent with the traditional pole set. I can set the tent up solo in
The traditional poles really are fairly easy. I've never set up an internal frame tent before, but from what I heard doing it alone is a massive PITA usually involving ratchet straps. Setting up the traditional poles is really laying the tent out and staking 4 corners, going inside and putting up the main ridge pole, going outside and setting up the corner poles(including staking two guy lines per corner), then going along the outside of the tent, staking each grommet and sliding the side poles into place. It would surprise me if it took them 30 minutes to set up this smaller version.

Ratchet straps? I have a 16x20 Davis tent with an internal frame and I've never had to use ratchet straps to set it up.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Jordan Budd]

great question, was wondering the same thing. I helped her set it up on a deer hunt and I believe it has a hole at apex both ends, so you should be able to use exterior cross poles and a ridge pole in the woods. @Jordan Budd , am I remembering that correctly?

Yep you've got that correctly. You could cut your own poles for sure, I personally think that would be a giant PITA for a roadside camp but you could do it if needed especially on a horse trip. You could definitely ditch the small wall poles for sticks/limbs in any situation and save quite a bit of the weight.

 

[Jordan Budd]

Ratchet straps? I have a 16x20 Davis tent with an internal frame and I've never had to use ratchet straps to set it up.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I was thinking the same thing here, not sure why you would have to use any ratchet straps. Just takes some muscle and strategy but it's quite easy

 

[spfarr]

thanks for the review.
fwiw - if someone's looking to fit two people in this size wall tent, they may want to try the Disc-o-bed cots/bunks.
I have an older 10x10 wall tent, and we use the Disc-o-bed cots as bunk beds to maximize space.
for our family of four (2 parents, two kids ages 6 and 8), we use one set of cot-bunks for the adults, one set for the kids. it's a cozy fit, but it works, including the wood stove.
also, each Disc-o-bed cot easily converts to a couch for day/evening use. nice to have if the weather is sour and people are passing time in the tent.
here's a link to a product description on Cabelas (i have no affiliation with Cabelas or Disc-o-beds).

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/disc-o-bed-xl-cot-bunk-beds?ds_e=MICROSOFT&ds_c=Shop%7CGeneric%7CAllProducts%7CHigh%7CSSCCatchAll&gclid=c9c9275c19611b3964984700a903fead&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=c9c9275c19611b3964984700a903fead

I don't know whether the wall height on this new Davis tent is tall enough to accommodate the Disc-o-bed cots along a side wall. but the cot-bunks could presumably be used along the back wall, with its taller wall height.

 

[Davis Tent]

Great job @Jordan Budd

Your rainfly is on its way!

 

[parshal]

I just ordered one after seeing the review. I've been on the fence about a wall tent due to the bulk and time to set up. This looks to have addressed both those issues. 16-man SO tipi going up for sale now!

 

[parshal]

I think one of the concerns of folks is how much space canvas tents take up when traveling. Here is mine with tent, poles, loose floor, fly, separate awning and a 5’ x 6.5’ sand mat for the entrance. The tent is in one small Davis bag and everything else in another. All of it fits in a 9.5 cu. ft. waterproof cargo carrier bag with plenty of room to spare.

 

[Davis Tent]

Thanks for sharing @parshal !