Sell the Wall Tent

[JeffRaines]

I realize the OP has since sold his tent and moved on... I just don't know if I could give up the livability of the wall tent for hunts that it could be used. It seems to get a similar amount of space you'd be looking at going 16/24 man and quite a bit more money.

I think its situational too, if you're hauling it over a thousand miles to a hunt, having a tent that you could pack smaller would probably be ideal.

 

[hunt1up]

I realize the OP has since sold his tent and moved on... I just don't know if I could give up the livability of the wall tent for hunts that it could be used. It seems to get a similar amount of space you'd be looking at going 16/24 man and quite a bit more money.

I think its situational too, if you're hauling it over a thousand miles to a hunt, having a tent that you could pack smaller would probably be ideal.

The wall tent does have give some more room to sprawl out that is for sure. The hauling was a huge factor for me. On the last hunt where I used the wall tent, I had to take a small enclosed trailer for all the wall tent components. Then, due to having that big wall tent I just haddddd to fill it up with big cots, a camp kitchen, wood stove, card tables, etc. It was an ordeal. That was a two man hunt.

Having now done 3 hunts (2 archery elk and the AK moose) with 3-4 guys in a tipi, I don't find myself really missing the space of the wall tent. We had 3 men with cots, guns, gear, and a stove for a 9 day hunt in rain and wind and it was plenty comfy in the 12 man. You can stand up and move around some, everyone has their "corner" for their bed and gear.

It was quite the departure going from a trailer full of stuff down to just a few duffel bags. Logistics aside, I'd have a wall tent as they do offer the utmost comfort. But the performance gap is a small one and I can fit the 12 man under the seat of my truck. As you said, it's very much situational.

 

[Michiganhunter]

We use a wall tent and it’s getting leaky. It’s only got a few years left. I’m going go try and convince my buddies we need to downsize. Like the op we always take a shit load of gear because we need a trailer for the tent anyway. It’s 4 of us in a 16x32 army tent. It is awesome when it’s set up but we lose a half a day setting it up and at least that to take it down. It would be nice to have less shit to haul around.

 

[rbljack]

I can see how having the wall tent equals adding a lot more gear. I follow a youtube channel, and the amount of stuff they bring to elk camp just blows my mind. They have a great camp but I can only imagine how much effort goes into the planning phase, set up, tear down, and then clean up and restock afterwards. Here is a link to one of their videos showing the camp. Its pretty impressive, and I used their videos to develop a list of stuff, but damn I sure as hell don't want to pack it all....LOL. For those who like the camp pics and videos, take a look, its pretty impressive. They did an elk camp every year for the last 10 years and posted a video each year. You can see the progression as you go thru the years. They are definitely making some great memories though im sure.

Admins, I hope its ok to post their video...if not, feel free to take this down. Not sure if im breaking any rules with this. Hoping not.

 

[Brendan]

Im looking into the same thing and wondering how does the seek outside courthouse compare to say a 12 man tipi?

Courthouse is much smaller.

 

[Bubblehide]

I have a 14x17 real-light wall tent and tips. The real-light material makes putting up the wall tent a one man job. It still takes time, but it is no big deal. The tipis are nice for speed or mobility. But I love the wall tent when there is weather, as I set up a luxury indoor kitchen.

However, if the wall tent were canvas, I would have ditched it long ago.

 

[Fatcamp]

I can see how having the wall tent equals adding a lot more gear. I follow a youtube channel, and the amount of stuff they bring to elk camp just blows my mind. They have a great camp but I can only imagine how much effort goes into the planning phase, set up, tear down, and then clean up and restock afterwards. Here is a link to one of their videos showing the camp. Its pretty impressive, and I used their videos to develop a list of stuff, but damn I sure as hell don't want to pack it all....LOL. For those who like the camp pics and videos, take a look, its pretty impressive. They did an elk camp every year for the last 10 years and posted a video each year. You can see the progression as you go thru the years. They are definitely making some great memories though im sure.

Admins, I hope its ok to post their video...if not, feel free to take this down. Not sure if im breaking any rules with this. Hoping not.

Looks like a great camping trip. Do they ever kill any elk?

Our Kodiak is a hassle, but my wife is not fond of spiders so I think a teepee is out.

 

[Matt Cashell]

My hunting group has 6 wall tents of various sizes.

We still use the wall tents for drive-to camps on occasion. It is hard to beat a full-on canvas tent for comfort.

We use a 12 man Seek Outside tipi for horseback hunts in the backcountry. It saves us a full packhorse, essentially.

Upsides of the tipi are the obvious weight and bulk savings.

Downsides are the reduction in useable space and huge footprint. You notice this quickly when you are trying to clear 20 inches of snow to set up! Also, condensation is a much bigger issue with silnylon.

I don’t plan on getting rid of the wall tent for truck camps, but the tipi gets the nod in the backcountry.

 

[JeffRaines]

I can see how having the wall tent equals adding a lot more gear. I follow a youtube channel, and the amount of stuff they bring to elk camp just blows my mind. They have a great camp but I can only imagine how much effort goes into the planning phase, set up, tear down, and then clean up and restock afterwards. Here is a link to one of their videos showing the camp. Its pretty impressive, and I used their videos to develop a list of stuff, but damn I sure as hell don't want to pack it all....LOL. For those who like the camp pics and videos, take a look, its pretty impressive. They did an elk camp every year for the last 10 years and posted a video each year. You can see the progression as you go thru the years. They are definitely making some great memories though im sure.

Admins, I hope its ok to post their video...if not, feel free to take this down. Not sure if im breaking any rules with this. Hoping not.

Its cool for sure - as long as I'm not involved in the loading, set up, tear down, and subsequent cleaning and repacking of all that. I'm having a panic attack just thinking about the logistics of that setup and the headache of it all.

 

[John pettimore]

I’m asking myself the same question. Mine isn’t a true wall tent but an attic military surplus tent... canvas, double walled, heavy, and very difficult to put up solo. Planned to use it as a base camp but really considering if it worthwhile to haul and set this thing up vs. a compact lightweight tipi.

 

[jmike]

Sold the wall tent. Now we are running 2 Luxe outdoor Tipis. big one for sleeping and small one for storage. add in their tarp for the front porch and you will be happy.

 

[Michiganhunter]

I can see how having the wall tent equals adding a lot more gear. I follow a youtube channel, and the amount of stuff they bring to elk camp just blows my mind. They have a great camp but I can only imagine how much effort goes into the planning phase, set up, tear down, and then clean up and restock afterwards. Here is a link to one of their videos showing the camp. Its pretty impressive, and I used their videos to develop a list of stuff, but damn I sure as hell don't want to pack it all....LOL. For those who like the camp pics and videos, take a look, its pretty impressive. They did an elk camp every year for the last 10 years and posted a video each year. You can see the progression as you go thru the years. They are definitely making some great memories though im sure.

Admins, I hope its ok to post their video...if not, feel free to take this down. Not sure if im breaking any rules with this. Hoping not.

We bring a recliner and one guy would bring his bed from home. I don’t have pics of the bed but I do of the recliner.

 

[Pn8hall]

Damn you guys! Had my mind up we were getting a kodiak 10x14 for basecamp hunting and now I am torn. Currently run a cimmarron with a stove for 2 of us. Has plenty of room but I am getting to damn old to climb up off the ground. I really want something I can use with a standard cot so I can sit up on it to get dressed in the morning. Want the option to use a wood stove or a buddy heater Maybe a larger tipi is the ticket. Our group is gonna grow to 3 guys next year so something bigger is definitely needed.

 

[BRTreedogs]

In the same boat.
Wall tent hasn't been used used in like 4 yrs.
And if i just used the tent it wouldn't be bad, but it also leads to being a whole production.
Picked up a kodiak 10x10 it's way easier but still to much of a hassle sometimes.
Had a Redcliff for a bit, but as mentioned sil nylon has a few poor qualities.
Maybe a canvas tipi?
Also thinking I need to pick up a canvas cutter.

 

[campingalan]

Damn you guys! Had my mind up we were getting a kodiak 10x14 for basecamp hunting and now I am torn. Currently run a cimmarron with a stove for 2 of us. Has plenty of room but I am getting to damn old to climb up off the ground. I really want something I can use with a standard cot so I can sit up on it to get dressed in the morning. Want the option to use a wood stove or a buddy heater Maybe a larger tipi is the ticket. Our group is gonna grow to 3 guys next year so something bigger is definitely needed.

In the same boat.
Wall tent hasn't been used used in like 4 yrs.
And if i just used the tent it wouldn't be bad, but it also leads to being a whole production.
Picked up a kodiak 10x10 it's way easier but still to much of a hassle sometimes.
Had a Redcliff for a bit, but as mentioned sil nylon has a few poor qualities.
Maybe a canvas tipi?
Also thinking I need to pick up a canvas cutter.

Bleh....I am still teetertottering more than a week after my original post: canvas tent (12x14 or 14x16), a cabelas Big Horn 3, or a smaller, packable seek outside or luxe teepee. These would be for both winter and summer camping. I have a 6ft bed Tacoma. I'd love to have a traditional canvas tent. However, I'll be solo for winter trips, and a few of the summer trips. Also, I have a 132 yr old mining town house; so no garage or other indoor means to dry out a canvas tent. It would either be laying it out on my gravel driveway or coming up with some sort of suspension system in my 10x10 shed. I do a lot of snowshoeing in the winter. Of course, it would probably take multiple shuttles with a draggable sled to haul a canvas tent system.
I visited the folks at Davis tent when I was on a trip to Denver; they were awesome. Seek Outside is up the road from my house about 2 hrs. I'm sure they are great too. So.....continuing to follow the dialog while pondering this.

 

[cbeck36]

I grew up using a wall tent. Three years ago I purchased a Kifaru 12 man. After transporting and set up. I screamed bloody hell, where has this system been all of my life.

 

[Wiscgunner]

Another couple options to consider:

Atuk out of Canada. Canvas single pole hot tents. Too heavy for pack-in but often seen on Youtube snowshoeing in with sleds. Seem to be a lot lighter than a traditional canvas wall tent
Atuk Tents

Cooke Custom Sewing out of Minnesota
Winter T Hexagon
Sil-nylon like a Seek Outside Courthouse but with more of a vestibule. Terrible Website but these guys exhibit at the Winter camping Symnposium in Minnseota every October so hoping to check them out there this year.
Winter Camping Symposium

If Seek Outside has a full offering there this year it would be great to compare the 8man and the Courthouse to other like the Winter T Hexagon or Snowtrekker offerings.

 

[missjordan]

We only do base style camps from the truck and still have opted to stay with the wall tent. Even in the coldest weather they stay pretty cozy and i am unsure if you could really replicate that in a tipi. I like our tipi for backcountry trips and have a hard time convincing myself it would be just as comfortable as a wall tent in a larger size.


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[elkduds]

Kodiak Canvas Experiences

Hello- I’m looking for a tent for a truck camp for an upcoming elk hunt (assuming I draw which I should) in late September. I’ve gone back and forth between a tipi and a wall tent and have now come upon Kodiak canvas tents. They seem like the biggest bang for your buck. I need enough space...

www.rokslide.com