Wall Tents Tips and Tricks

[ghosthunter]

I just got one in the mail. Silvel Amazon heater. Kicks out good dry heat. Plan to use it at whitetail camp in a few weeks, but I'm currently trying to figure out a good power source for it. Leaning towards the deep cycle lithium battery, that can work well at cold temperatures.
I Jerry rigd the power source to a car lighter plug I got at o'reilly's, and bootlegged a bigger fuse so it wouldn't blow out on warming up the glow plug.
Worked fine with the car running through the warm-up phase, which takes more power.

How did the heater work?
I have been researching diesel heaters for month now. At first I was all in, but I have now talked myself out of getting one. Seems like just as much stuff to carry. Since I already have buddy heaters and wood stoves.

For a diesel heater you need the heater, diesel at a gallon a day, power source, ducting .

For a Buddy heater you need, heater,hose, balk tank.

For stove you need stove, pipe, wood, chainsaw, gas, oil.

The Buddy puts out moist heat, but honestly I have not noticed that being a big issue in the ten years I have used them.

On a recent moose hunt in Idaho we had to cut and split wood that wasn’t that dry. But  we got it to work by splitting it smaller and using a 1/4 dural log with the wood to get things going. We supplemented with Buddy Heaters at night.

I can see the diesel heaters would be an advantage with heavy snow on the ground or no wood source. But the Buddy heaters would work too.

Everything I have seen says you cannot expect move than 30 degree difference from outside temperature in a tent with diesel heaters. I know wood could do better and I think the Buddy could at least as good as the diesel.

Also the diesel heater apparently clicks while pumping fuel. So little noise?

So I don’t know if it’s worth it for me.

I would always have a chainsaw anyways.

[Buck Rub Jr]

First trip in the tent was a success!

[ghosthunter]

Nice

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Very nice! Congrats with everything and some vitamin R along the way. Beautiful!

[Buck Rub Jr]

Very nice! Congrats with everything and some vitamin R along the way. Beautiful!

It would’ve been wrong to not have a few rain dogs in the tent!

[ghosthunter]

Another thread had a photo of his buddy’s wall tent caught high wind and didn’t look pretty.
Got me thinking about wind set up.

So anyone do anything special to protect from high winds. Highest gusts I have been in have been 45-50 mph and haven’t had any issues.

For my set up I make sure all bottom stakes are in tight, all Eve ropes are tight. The corner Eve ropes are staked out on an angle from the corners to keep the tent from moving end to end. I also stake out the ridge front and back. If I can set up between two trees front and back I will tie ridge lines to the trees.

I found EMT conduits slips a little so I use rubber bungees angle to angle at eves and ridge.
You could also use ratchet straps.

So far so good.

[pawpaw1934]

Looks like you have a good set up with all points of securing tight. Only thing I have fond that helps is to have snow fly/rain tarp long enough to secure very close to ground. This deflects any side winds up and over tent.  Bravo Tent Manufacture give a good demonstration at various sportsman's shows. Elk hunting isn't for the weak of heart!

[Rainier10]

On my Bravo tent I opted for the high wind add. It’s self belt material sewed at the edge where the roof meets the wall. You can really crank down the tie down straps and not worry about fabric ripping.

[jrebel]

On my Bravo tent I opted for the high wind add. It’s self belt material sewed at the edge where the roof meets the wall. You can really crank down the tie down straps and not worry about fabric ripping.

 

I did the same with my Bravo.  I added every option they had at the time and don't regret any of it.  Stake the walls down, tie down strap the eaves and rest assured the tent will stand in the strongest of winds. 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

On my Bravo tent I opted for the high wind add. It’s self belt material sewed at the edge where the roof meets the wall. You can really crank down the tie down straps and not worry about fabric ripping.

 

I did the same with my Bravo.  I added every option they had at the time and don't regret any of it.  Stake the walls down, tie down strap the eaves and rest assured the tent will stand in the strongest of winds.

Absolutely all.of the above! Just read another members story this season in Idaho about wind taking out his tent. Wind is the worst enemy of any tent situation.  With the BRAVO camp it  really cuts it out of the equation.       Pay once cry once.

[High Climber]

Any of you guys have a picture of the tie downs your using on the eaves? I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I stake both the tent sides and use the adjustable ropes to ties down my eaves and rain fly. Also I tie down my stove pipe so when the wind whips the pipe doesn’t lift off the stove… kinda wish my rain fly was a few feet wider but it’s been pretty dam nice. Are you guys using straps inside the tent to tie the framing together?

[ghosthunter]

Any of you guys have a picture of the tie downs your using on the eaves? I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I stake both the tent sides and use the adjustable ropes to ties down my eaves and rain fly. Also I tie down my stove pipe so when the wind whips the pipe doesn’t lift off the stove… kinda wish my rain fly was a few feet wider but it’s been pretty dam nice. Are you guys using straps inside the tent to tie the framing together?

I am using rubber bungees. I install them when I put the frame together, helps keeping things in place while I get the canvas on. I also wire my pipe down to stove. If I knew was going to get really bad wind I would throw a rope across the tent and anchor it both sides with24 inch 5/8 rebar stakes. Never had to do it yet.

[jrebel]

I use 24" concrete form stakes and usually pound them into the ground 12-18 inches.  If the winds are normal, I use rope to tie down the ridges.....a lot like what you have in your picture.  If I'm expecting high winds, I will use short ratchet straps in the 4 corners.  My rain fly just gets ropes and I have never had a problem.  The walls get 12" stakes and they only get staked if there is going to be wind.  Most trips, we just tuck the sod cloth under the poles / feet.  I have doors on both ends of my tent.  Both the doors have tie downs as well.  I have found that in real windy areas, if you tie down the door not being used and half on the side being used......it really helps.

I don't have pictures of the ratchet straps.....we just tie a short rope to the grommet on the eve and attach the ratchet to the rope and then the stake. 

[Magnum_Willys]

Been using SW Lodge 12x12 tent for cookshack last couple years.  Overkill but nice -  campchef burner warms it in a minute or two.  Beats the heck outa popup. 

[jrebel]

on a lighter note......we didn't stake down the crapper blind this year.  One night it blew so hard, I thought for sure the crapper pop up blind was gonna be gone.  We got lucky and it stayed in place.