I just ordered a new wall tent and learned a few things so I thought I would share the experience. After a bunch of searching and shopping I ended up getting a new tent from Davis, will review that later. They were great to buy from and are currently having their famous scratch and dent sale so I saved around 200 bucks.
I guess the most important thing I learned is the price of cotton has gone up a bunch this year. This will be across the board that tent prices will go up by a hundred bucks or more. Davis said their prices will go up in June they think but every manufacture is going to have to pay more for their next shipment of cotton so look for everyone's prices to go up.
One note of interest is the fact in this economy Wall Tents are selling like crazy. My guess is that its a combination of people downsizing and not buying campers, people getting back to the basics, and maybe even some people losing their houses or just choosing to rough it in wall tent luxury. Any other theories are welcome, its interesting to think about.
The hardest decision was whether to get a back door or a back window. Because I will use the tent in Arkansas in the summer ventilation was huge consideration. The two basic selling points I was advised were one if you have two doors you can combine two tents. In this case only getting one tent means I can get two doors on a second tent if I want that option. More than likely I will just get an extended fly or porch. The second which was evidently coming from someone who had never been around bears was the idea that if a bear came through the front door the camper could exit the rear door. That seems a simple enough idea but having been in a small mountaineer tent and wanting out in a hurry once before I learned to sleep with a little knife close by for an emergency exit. Besides, bears do not use doors, they can come through the side just as easy as a door and most likely the door will be zipped anyway making the knife the ultimate option in an emergency.
The biggest disadvantage I could see with having a back door would be kids trying run through the tent, maybe a few young at heart hunters too. I also know often the entire back wall is blocked by cots and gear so its not really that great of a function anyway without the second tent option. It is possible a second door would get more ventilation but not sure how much. The second door with screen and a extra flap adds more expense than a window. There is also a question whether a second door weakens the tent versus a window but that should not a big deal unless your in a tropical depression with hundred mile an hour winds.
In the end I went with a window versus a door. A window should be fine as wall tents breath and the volume of air inside is comfortable unlike small sticky plastic mountaineering tents, the type I used to crawl into like an igloo.
A screen door was a must have for me but those hunting in higher cooler climates may opt for no screen. There is also the option of individual screens for cots which many like to use under a tarp anyway.
One thing I chose to add to the door is what Davis calls a Colorado Door, most just call it a flap with string ties. What this does in addition to having the standard zipper is give you an option if the zipper breaks in the field and helps to batten the tent down in bad weather like blowing/freezing rain. Nothing like having your zipper all iced up from freezing rain or a ten pound block of ice froze to the bottom of your door.
Conclusion, prices are going to go up for sure. If you have been thinking about getting a wall tent for the 2011 hunting season now seems like a good time to get it done. Happy camping and good luck with your bows in 2011, Keep it safe out there at home and in the field!
Congratulations, sounds like you jumped in before the increase. I know they come with different specs and all, what is yours going to be?
I've got a canvas cabin w/2 doors and I'm glad I got it that way. Had it over 20 years.
It's surprising how hot a wall tent can get if you don't have shade, something more common than not for me.
I got a 12'x14' with rear window, screen door, Colorado Door (heavy weather door flap with ties). It came with a zipper, sod flaps, and stove flap so I pretty much got the basic hardcore hunting tent. I plan to get a 24' or 28' heavy rain fly pretty soon. They called Friday and said it was on the UPS Truck heading this way. I think I will set up as soon as it gets here and move into it, SMILES.
Yes, you can get a hot tent if you don't camp smart. I camped for ten days in August last year in Arkansas, will not be doing that again in this life. That camp was dry, the lake was down and dead hot on top, it was the height of miserable camping but at least I was outside. I would not have done that but a crazy friend of my called up and said he was coming this way and wanted to camp out. I warned him about the heat, the second night we almost had to take him to the hospital as his legs went stiff from dehydration.
Congrats on your new tent. You will not be sorry. Davis makes a great tent and are wonderful people to work with. I bought one several years ago and have camped for up to 30 days at a time in total comfort. I went with colorado doors and screens on both ends and have never been sorry. You have something that will last a lifetime.......now HAPPY CAMPING :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I got a wall tent from Canvas Cabins last year and he puts a back door in all of his. That way if you ever want to go to 2 tents together or get the extra room you don't have to modify your tent. The first time we used the tent we were camp at the ATBA Jamboree in an open field. Daytime temps were 82F with no wind. Hot enough. We opened the front and back doors and both side windows and I was comfortable enough to have a nap in there! (I can't sleep if it's too hot) My wife absolutely loves the tent. She says it was well worth the price.
Who is Davis?? I am looking for a wall tent also.
82F LOL, thats wintertime where I used to live. I think we hit a hundred and five last year in August. On several occasions I have slept outside and it was so hot you just laid there sweating buckets under the mossie net, thats with no tent but no breeze either.
Davis is Davis Tent in Colorado.
I like wall tents but not when its windy...
I went to a camper for the open country in MT after picking my tent out of a barbwire fenceline one year. It was surrounded by big round bales and still got ripped out of the ground. Had to replace two poles.
How about floors? I hate bugs.
God bless you all, Steve
I should know better than to read threads like this !! :banghead:
Thanks Bryan For pushing me over the edge !!!
I talk to Chris today at Davis tents ,And before we got done a 12 X 14 was on order,Colorado door, Three screen windows ,The screen door ,And the stove,and the traditional setup.When I figured it up it was about $250 more than what they came up with. I asked them to figure it up again ,He came up with the same price, I must have got great discount for my great looks :biglaugh:
They are definitely great people to work with.
My wife said "If that eight year old can do it we can to" She was talking about the DVD of the setup of the tent on Davis website.
I've been wanting to do this for years,I wish I would've done it 10 years ago.3 to 4 weeks and it'll be here.
Carl
Something to think about. I ordered a wall tent with two windows, one in either side. We were camped in hot weather in the summer (July). The two windows allowed the breeze to blow thru the tent. It was slightly cooler inside than outside believe it or not.
JW
Carl, Good for you. Im in the same boat wishing I would have done this years ago. Today I called Davis back and ordered two of their heavy duty cots. It was a about 250 with shipping but I figured what the heck, go for it. We plan to hit as many camps as we can this year, bladesmith gatherings, Trad Archery, and maybe even some Muzzleloader Camps.
JW, I kinda cheat in that department, I use a fan if its hot. After living off the grid in Alaska for a bit I learned a bunch of tricks like car or motorcycle batteries, solar trickle chargers, and inverters to power up.
Bryan,
I think your going to be very happy with your choice of tents. I have a Davis Tent pretty much the same specs as yours 12 X 14 with a rear window, no screen door, zippered canvas door and stove jack.
Nothing like a wall tent and a wood stove for a comfortable camp.!
The only downside to wall tents here in Idaho are the mountain mice.
I once trapped 19 mice in one night in my tent----with one mouse trap.
Didn't sleep a wink, just kept listening to the mice getting closer and closer to the trap, then WHACK! Reload the trap and wait for the next one.
I've had many camps with similar mouse problems, but 19 in one night still stands as my record.
Of course, if you are not packing deep into the back country and don't need to go light, you can have a tent with a floor.
Rik,
Mountain Mice no problem, try coming back to camp after dark to find a Pine Marten in your tent in the dark.!!
I was wearing a different pair of pants the next morning... :laughing:
Rik, how did those mice grill up? Any good with eggs for breakfast? Man at truckstop sees all the camo and asks "How was your hunting trip?" hunter replies "Got 19, best trip ever!" :)
There is a story among a small group of guys I know up in Alaska. A guy up there, a bush version of a bum would squat in old cabins but the guy was a real cockroach, you know the type that could survive a nuclear bomb at ground zero. He disappeared for months one winter then showed back up with the nicest parky anyone had ever seen. It was shiny and slick like sheered mink. The story that's told is he killed voles all winter in a cabin he was froze into, that he skinned, ate, and tanned every single one then made the coat out of the fur. His story finishes when he was dragged off to town by the guys in the white coats.
Even if you have a floor mice will eat through the wall. Depending on what your hunting a dog in the tent might stink up your hunt. In that case I might try to spray a little fox urine or something predatory to mice around the edges of the wall.
How many use traditional setup for you Davis wall tent ?
Carl
"Ah Rats! Blind Guard"" from DB or Cabela's
I've got a Herder Tent, from Davis. Love it. Set up is easy for one person. Have side windows, back door, and a slot for an a/c, for summer use. Also have one of their big Boy cots.
Great folks to deal with. Kep hinting about a sponsorship.
Johnny/JAG
I thought about the Herder Tent , but I went with a 12X14 3 windows & screen door & valley stove & a tent fly
Carl
OK, Typing from wall tent now. The tent and cots arrived a couple days ago so I promptly set up the tent at my shop and refuse to sleep indoors :) sleeping well on the cot too, very well.
If your packing in the light weight poles are good if you don't want to have deal with cutting poles on location. I plan to order their fittings and cut conduit for a quick easy and portable set up. Here at the shop I wanted to experiment a bit and go for a more heavy duty set up. I had a bunch of 2'x4's laying around so I made a top rail by splicing them to 16' making a 4'4' beam with 2 4'x4' poles. I hand chiseled out holes in the top of the pole and holes into the beam so a 3/4 inch piece of pipe will fit so you can get it up. Like that its pretty tight then I just climbed up and used a drill to screw another piece of board to both pieces. Barring a tornado, knock on a stave, it seems pretty bomb proof. We have already had some pretty good wind and it was quite steady. My only serious concern with this type set up is sustained rain which would soften the earth and let my stakes slide out which would let the beam collapse. The nails supplied by Davis are great but being I can do a little blacksmithing I will hammer out some serious stakes later, something you would see used on a circus tent.
For side poles I just grabbed some conduit and large nails with washers. Stick the pole up to the hole and then slide the nail including washer through a knot in the rope, put the nail through the grommet and into the pipe and your good. Later I will make some more camp looking side poles, I have a few ideas in my head already.
Of course the guys over around my shop think I'm a complete nutt, lol. I was trying to explain to one guy that Im getting ready for the fall hunting season now, he kept agreeing with me like you see on those comedy movies where the guys are talking to a shrink, shrink keeps agreeing. IMHO its much better to learn about this tent here and now where if anything happens I can just go in out of the weather than to be a unhappy hunter learning about new equipment during hunting season.
I will try to get up some pics and more notes pretty quick. A couple points, I plan to use this tent for the entire hunting season set up on a wooden platform, that's why Im experimenting with dimensional lumber like 2'x4's. One thing that was fairly simple and warned from Davis is all tents are unique, meaning you will need to fit poles to each individual tent. In this case slightly longer poles were fixed by digging down a couple inches, problem fixed so now all the grommets are touching the ground. I set up on a nice pad of gravel too, no floor, and I will round up some more gravel to lay on the sod cloth to seal up the tent. Time for a couple hours sleep, weather is calling for rain in a few hours, FUN!
Yea, i need pics to go along with your descriptions. I'm not picturing the beams or your side pole attachments. Sounds like your "livin' the dream" though!
:thumbsup:
How is it we have 2 pages of wall tent discussion, and not 1 single picture????
There is nothing more cozy that residing a a canvas tent, with the wood stove cranked up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/autumnarcher/001.jpg)
INDESTRUCTIBLE STAKES
because we often camp on river rock, our tent stakes are 12" heavy spikes w/washers welded 1" below the head. need claw hammer to pull.
A very good feture to have on your wall tent is double zippers on both the door and bug screen. Also, instead of reloading the mouse trap there is an automatic type. Get a 5 gal pail and put 3 to 4 inches water in the bottom. Put a hole in the bottom of a pop or beer can. Put an arrow through the can then put the thing across the top of the bucket. Lastly, put some peanut butter on the side of the can. Put a ramp up to the can. The mice jump out on the can and revolve around and fall in the water. I caught 8 in one night in the back of a pickup box that a friend was sleeping in.
Living the hillbilly dream! And a city boys worst nightmare! Had to snake check the tent tonight, they are crawling now.
The reason we don't have many pictures is most of us can barely get a email sent :) Will try to get some pics up in a day or two.
Great mouse trap, will have to try that one out.
Another way to do the mousetrap is to fill it with water to a couple inches from the top, and then pour sunflower seeds in it. They float on top, the mice think they can walk on them. They jump in for the seeds, and game over. Same ramp do they can get up to the bucket. Works great.
Got the word today !But
Mine should be here in about 2 weeks :clapper: :clapper:
Carl
Update, we had some heavy weather come through, gusts of wind and sideways rain 70 MPH plus. It hit hard here so I went in the shop for an hour to find my hand crank radio for weather reports. Hundreds of trees came down and several people were killed that night, tent held strong and contents stayed dry.
After the initial storm blew through we had sustained winds from 15 to 25 MPH for maybe 20 hours or more. I lost one of the corner poles from wind whipping but fixed it in a minute, no big deal.
At this point the only thing I know I will change is to make some heavy duty tent pegs, something at least 18 to 24 inches with a with a swivel of some type so the rope cannot jump off the stakes.
Overall I'm very impressed with the tent.
Update 2014, if anyone is interested in tents, guessing a few people are. After I got my tent from Davis I ended up camping in it for an entire year. Went back to civilization for awhile, hated it and went back to the wall tent for another 6 months, then a camper, now looking for a tipi.
Camping was from Arkansas to Florida, ending up in Key West. The worst weather was a tornado in Arkansas, it was a few miles away where it hit but the tent held up to huge winds. I had a widowmaker come through the roof at one camp, do not camp under trees, seems like it would be common sense but its a huge temptation and many state and even national parks have tent sites under huge trees, limbs and lightning are serious issues when they happen. Sure one can get lucky but its not worth it. No matter how hot it is, a tent will cool off after dark.
The tent stood up to days of hard weather on the ocean. The most was around 45 mph sustained, which is an incredible pressure on a tent. I watched more than a dozen tents rip to shreds while the wall tent held up. Its at the end of its life now and the plan is to recycle it into bags and packs.
For a ridgepole i ended up taking 2 16 ft 2x4s gluing then screwing them together. This sat on 2 7ft 2x4s also glued and screwed with standard metal L joints all screwed together. I have a five gallon bucket full of spikes, dozens of tie down straps, and for the ridgepole I had wenching 2 inch wide cargo straps from the ridge to the ground on all four corners.
A couple observations, as Dick Prenoke advocated,gravel floors cannot be beat. Spill a gallon of water, no worries, it goes away. Heavy rain storm, eventually the water goes. With a canvas floor, you are subject to rot and the floor can pond too. The other option is a wood
floor. Of course in a short term camping situation you set up camp on the ground, grass, dirt, mud, or whatever.
In high winds I chose to not set up a rain fly just because it flaps and makes a bunch of noise. The sun will kill the tent faster and you can have pinhole leaks but its all a trade off. In normal weather a fly is probably best. Also, I do not advocate staying in a tent when the wind gets over 30 mphs, that might seem a bit crazy but in big tents thats where I find them to get a bit spooky. Even if you are anchored for extreme wind, the ridgepole can break, then there is other flying debris which can fly right through a tent wall.
Currently I'm in Key West with plans to hit some 3D shoots hog hunting here in Florida.
Awesome review and tips.
Thank you.
I have a davis wall tent and love it as well. I really enjoyed this thread.
What kind of tipi are you considering, meaning a real indian type tipi or one of the more modern types made from silnylon ?
Good right up, and way to travel through life.
QuoteOriginally posted by LB_hntr:
Awesome review and tips.
Thank you.
I have a davis wall tent and love it as well. I really enjoyed this thread.
What tent do you have and what do you like about it?
I got the 12 ft x 14 ft with one door and and one window with screens. I got the tan canvas which I have really liked, its about the color of smoked moose hide.
One thing about tent color. If you are going to go to rendezvous and period reenacting gatherings and such, its best to stick with white tents. I'm looking into going to a muzzleloader shoot next month in Florida and the color of the tent is a question mark.
When I got the tent the plan was to use it at a bow hunting camp in Arkansas in winter. Because of that, I got the tent with one door, then I went south and camped in the heat, two doors with two screens would have been much better. However, if one is going to winter camp, one door is better and a bit cheaper.
In Alaska, White is a better color because it lets light in. The amount of light coming in is maybe the biggest consideration as far as color. In Florida, you can find yourself out in the middle of a field with the sun beating down on you so a colored tent gives the effect of shade, is may last a bit longer too. Bedouins used black tents in the desert. When you add color pigments to thread, it acts as a barrier to protect it from the sun. White socks always breath better than black socks, black canvas will last longer in the sun, brown or tan is compromise on both.
12x14 is about the biggest tent one guy can get up by himself fairly easy. If I was to buy one now I would probably get a 10x12 just because your putting up a smaller sail if the wind starts blowing. Your ridge pole is a couple feet shorter on a 10x12, a little bit more manageable for moving your camp.
QuoteOriginally posted by njloco:
What kind of tipi are you considering, meaning a real indian type tipi or one of the more modern types made from silnylon ?
Good right up, and way to travel through life.
I am looking at real tipis, not the sheep herder types. Im just getting started, so looking at websites and going to a big gathering next month that will have a couple dozen tipis. That way I can talk to people and see what they like or dont like about theirs.
I have considered making one and may end up doing that. You got any ideas?
Oh, I ordered a few books on tipis too, so will read them before I buy one.
Bryan.. why not throw a dark fly over that tent (of any color) to give shade and protection from the sun ?
ChuckC
I thought about making my own Tipi many moons ago, then stumbled on to a steal of a deal on new ones from Reliable Tents and Tipis in Montana. They run a spring sale every year I think in March and I picked up my 14ft Sioux Tipi, not long after my brother and my sister and her husband bought there's there too. Here's mine set up at Wooloroc in Oklahoma.
(http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac248/TmPotter47/Woolaroc013-1.jpg)
I got mine in 2005 and paid $400 total for cover, door and liner. I went with the cheaper natural canvas but treated and water proofed it my self saving money. After getting one and looking at what i would have had to sow, I was very glad I spent the money and bought one instead plus I couldn't have doe near as good of a job sowing it either. I still have it and use it and in great shape. I cut my own poles and that saved me a bunch of money too, This spring I need to go cut some more finally, I've broke a few and there getting old but lasted a long time for softwood trees. I wish we had lodge pole pines around here but we don't. Check out Reliable I think my Tipi cover is still like $360 so it hasn't gone up that much.
I've been thru storms with 70mph winds and hail when other tents were blown to shreds, snow and 100f temps and had no problems, I love my Tipi!
Tracy
That is cool.
That Tipi is beautiful!!!
I am definitely getting a wall tent next year!! That has been on my list for a while!
QuoteOriginally posted by Bryan Bondurant:
Quote
What tent do you have and what do you like about it?
[/b]
I also have a 12x14 from davis. It has a screen door on the front and a window with a screen on the back wall. Its the internal frame with 4 sections for sturdiness. I love it! I used it on a solo trip to Ohio mid November and it was record breaking temps in the single digits. I have the smaller cylinder stove they offer called the summit (smallest of their 3 sizes). The stove work great but i had to fill it a couple times thru the night. Wish i would of got the bigger stove but liked the lighter weight of the smaller one as i hunt alot alone due to a free schedule during the week when most of my buddies are working.
I went without a floor but use a 8x10 cheap tapr for under my sleeping area so the front half of the tent is floorless and the back half has a floor.
I made a couple laundry lines out of paracord and carabiners that span the ridge line and also got a dozen hangers that go on the frame poles from montana canvas that work awesome.
I love the shower set up i came up with. I always have a jet sled with me for hauling deer and firewood. I heated water in the water jacket on the stove, filled my solar shower with the hot water and hunt it from my ridge poll next to the fire, pulled the jet sled inside the tent and stood in it with my dirty clothes in teh bottom of the sled. took a show right there in the tent next to the fire and all the water went into the jet sled along with my clothes and soap. after my hot shower I hand washed the clothes in the water in the jet sled then dumped the water outside. hot shower and clean clothes all in one shot and inside a 70 degree tent on a 9 degree night! doesnt get better than that. had 3 days with 30 plus mph winds and tent was solid as a rock (i on the other hand spend those days holding on to my tree while in stand freezing my rear end off).
my only issue i want to work on is learning how to get the most efficiency out of the stove with the damper on the pipe and on the front.
Here are a couple pics from that trip. On the inside shot note that i had everything moved close to the stove and just used the back of the tent as storage for extra wood, water, clothing, gear, etc. since i was alone and didnt need to use that space.
Side note the cot i used comes in a bunkbed with 2 cots so you can stack one on top of the other. Best cot system i have ever used and also the most comfortable cots i have ever been on. Can sleep 4 guys in the space needed for 2. they are called disc-o-bed. Best cots ever!
the 12x14 was easy to put up and take down alone. it took me about 2 hours to totally set up camp and about 2.5 to break down and pack everything perfectly and in the truck ready to leave including washing tent stakes off, wrapping lines, etc.
(http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg133/jasonsamko/outsidewalltent_zps7d5820c6.jpg) (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/jasonsamko/media/outsidewalltent_zps7d5820c6.jpg.html)
(http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg133/jasonsamko/insidewalltent_zpscbd5d83a.jpg) (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/jasonsamko/media/insidewalltent_zpscbd5d83a.jpg.html)
The End! At least its the end of this wall tent story. I got it out of its canvas bag to clean and air it out, hung it up, and it basically ripped in half. So, the issue was hard core use, at least 500 nights plus of use, a lot of that use normal, but plenty of extreme use too. 2 tornados, multiple nights of 40 plus winds, one widowmaker, lightning storms, evacs to the truck, sun rot from use on beach in the Florida Keys.
The biggest deal was the compromise to use without a rain fly which caused the roof to sun rot which caused the canvas to fail and rip beyond reasonable repair. The reasons to not use a rainfly was the high and constant winds, rainflies tend to whip and flog, tent alone is more manageable. If one is packing gear on horse or mule, the no fly option is a good choice for weight and pack ability. At one point the tent was set in the same location for six months set on pallets with a plywood floor.
The absolute very best floor one can have is smooth creek gravel. If anyone wants to use the pallet floor, I recommend laying out the pallets, screwing plywood into that, then setting up the tent directly including screwing some 1x4 onto the ground flaps to keep wind from blowing under the tent sides. If the tent is in the same place more than a week, setting up on top and allowing air to flow under the pallets, will keep it dryer and relieve some mold issues that can happen when you set pallets on green grass, no worries for a weekend, but if you set up for weeks during hunting season, something to avoid.
Conclusion, the tent was a heck of a deal, it got used hard, even put away wet, and kept going and going, was retired, pulled back out and used, retired, pulled out to repair and ultimately catastrophic failure in the back yard, no campers hurt or even wet.
12x14 Davis Wall Tent (2011-2017)