New wall tent owners!!

[trophyhunt]

I'm sure the guys who have owned their wall tent a while already know this, so to the new guys like me. Watch out for a bug that eats your fabric, it sneaks up on you when you get home from a long hunt and have lots to unpack. It's called LAZYNESS, it hammered me and my wall tent when I put it away after getting back from Idaho elk hunting last season. I put it away wet thinking I would put it up later to dry it out, then the bug got me. Pulled it out 2 weeks ago and it was covered with black and orange mold, completely covered. I spent 160.00 on some special cleaner that turned out to basically be chlorine. I scrubbed my tent off yesterday and set it up, started the fire to dry it off but its tough with this damp weather to get it bone dry. Bottom line for me, this will not happen again. I've learned that having a wall tent when you don't have a big garage to dry it out with is a big pain in the a ss. Another thing I found out is when it does dry out with out being on the frame, it shrinks up so much that I have to cut my frame for it to fit. There is nothing like getting back to a wall tent after a long hunt and feeling the heat from the stove, but if I had to do it over I don't think I would have bought a fabric tent and stayed with the tent material that doesn't shrink or mold when put away wet. The chlorine seemed to work, but the stains are still there.

[dpete]

I always hang mine up right after season it takes up my whole garage but is well worth it. Also set it up in summer and reaply waterproof, canvak or wahtever you use every year.my tent is pprobably more than 20 years old,a few stains and small burn holes but does its job. DSP

[trophyhunt]

So when you hang up your tent in the garage to dry, does it shink? Or is this shrinking on for the first couple years? I did the breakin process when it was new 3 years ago, soaked the crap out of it then dried it.

[Rainier10]

I have never had mine shrink since the first time it shrank after the first wet down.  Since then I bring it back damp and halfway set it up to get the air moving around it and let it dry.  It always fits the next time I set it up.  I have a Bravo and love it.  Sorry to hear of your troubles and the shrinking, maybe I have just been lucky.

[DRobnsn]

Subscribing for knowledge.

[trophyhunt]

I tried to get the guy from bravo to clean it for me, 500.00 is what he usually charges! But he doesn't like the material that Montana canvas uses so he didn't want to touch it. I kinda wish I would have researched the different brands before I bought this one, but it was brand new on craigs list with the frame and other gear, also with a great stove for 2400, so I bought it. Those bravo tents sound like really nice one's, if you take the guys word on all the differences. I do like his stitching on the corners better than my Montana canvas.

[Rainier10]

Hey $2,400 for a complete package is probably a pretty good deal depending on the size of the tent and options.  I know I paid a bunch for the Bravo, but I got a ton of options for it and it is everything I need.  I have had it for 7 or 8 years now and am super happy with it.  The sting of the cost has worn off.  I would definately recommend it to anyone.

[trophyhunt]

yeah I think we got a great deal, it's 16x24 with 6' walls. It came with a great stove, water tank that fit's on it 3 coat racks that fit on the frame, table and brand new stove pipe that I still have. The stove pipe is the 5 piece that is not the crimped together stuff, it's spot welded- if anyone wants it for a couple cases of good beer, its yours!

[Booner]

Good post. We've had our Bravo for three years now and will finally need to trim the wall poles for shrinkage, this is a normal part of the process. We cut the ridge and trusses a little after the first year but decided not to do the walls until this year.

We also dry it each year when we return. Set it up and blast a propane heater in it till it's dry to touch then let it hang in the garage for a day or so to be sure. We've never had to retreat it and don't plan on it, knock I'm wood. The canvas Bravo uses is pretty waterproof unless you have something resting against it on the inside and allow it to wick.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[washelkhunter]

Maybe for those who dont have a large garage to hang a tent up to dry you could check at the local school to see if you could hang it up for a few days in the gym or a shop. Check with your local fire dept to hang up in the training tower or parking garage.

[lostbackpacker]

We have a Med gp mil tent.  My father in law is always supposed to dry it out every year. Does he? No. Not once.
We wrap it up in a tarp every year for the ride home.
Have we ever had mold or rot? Not once. This has been going on for 10 years. He always says he will hang it up to dry but never does.
Maybe its cause they are mil spec canvas tents. I am counting my lucky stars now after reading the open story.

[trophyhunt]

Wow, I'm glad your having better luck than I am. I guess I should have researched my tent more before buying. I worked my a ss off cleaning the fabric and scrubbing the cleaner on it. It was not a fun process, anyway, I left it up for a week in the yard and kept the fire going and had a propane heater inside to helpl dry it out. Just put it away yesturday and it was bone dry! It looks much better than when I started, it still has some mold stains but it looks like the cleaner killed it. Time will tell.

[fillthefreezer]

ive started hanging my tent in the garage upside down  and squared it out on the ceiling