Wall tent material recommendations in the really wet

[Special T]

Do folks not treat thier canvas with a linseed oil and Bewswax treatment? Ive seen a few differend home made recipies and have made my own tin pants  as a result. Totally waterproof and resist snagging and tearing.

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[ghosthunter]

Do folks not treat thier canvas with a linseed oil and Bewswax treatment? Ive seen a few differend home made recipies and have made my own tin pants  as a result. Totally waterproof and resist snagging and tearing.

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I don’t know.

I can tell you I am five years down the road with my #1 tent which is 10 oz canvas and never had it leak. I do use a fly to keep it clean of pitch,  but I set it up in the yard and hose off with a garden hose every spring and it repels water like the day I bought it.

I just don’t understand why folks think they need to re-treat canvas every few years.

UV is very damaging. So the fly helps with that too. But honestly I think some folks really over think it.

[bigsads]

I have the water, mildew, fire treated 12.5 ounce canvas from draper tent, and a fitted tarp rainfly, best quality for the money

[trophyhunt]

We had our canvas tent with mildew protection, water treated, and I put it away bone dry. One season on the garage floor and I spent 8 hours scrubbing the mold off w a non bleach chemical. Zero maintenance on an alaknak.  And yes, we put a tarp over the alaknak just to add cover on the sides for wood and gear, and help w condensation. Go reel lite, not canvas, but, if you buy canvas, you’ll know what I’m talking about after a couple years.

[2MANY]

If you tarp try to keep open air separation between the top of tent and tarp or it will condensate in wet conditions.

[James]

Well I am in the canvas tent rain fly club.

But you seem to want something different with little effort to maintain.

 If that’s what you want look at a Costco canopy. Put a stove jack in it. 10x 20.
Material is easy to maintain. If the sides don’t hit ground cut the legs off a little.we have used one for years has cook shack. You might ha e $500.00 bucks in it plus a stove.

Or

Get your self a large pvc tarp ,like the cover hay with and keep doing what you are doing now.

Funny you mention that, a costco car canopy with a big tarp and stove is what we have been using for years.  Couple reasons we have been wanting to step up to a real wall tent.  One is snow load for Montana hunts, but we don't want to have rainforest problems with the new setup that we spend a bunch of money on.

If you tarp try to keep open air separation between the top of tent and tarp or it will condensate in wet conditions.

I don't know if you are familiar with Buzzacot, but at elk camp we quite enjoy reading passages from his fantastic work.

He is very big on this principal and had drawings of his tent designs that separate the rainfly from the tent.

https://www.amazon.com/Buzzacotts-Masterpiece-Complete-Trappers-Information/dp/0342396056/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

the reel lite material like what the alakanak is made of, is very nice, you can put it away wet if you had no choice and it will be fine.  Canvas is a pain in the butt to get dry to put away for the season, if you have a big barn or garage, you can hang it up and it will be fine.  But I've had both, and the alaknak is just way easier to set up and put away.  With a good stove, the heat will feel the same as if you had canvas.

Do you know of any wall tent manufactures that offer this material (or something similar) as an option?  I think a traditional style wall tent would suit us better.

[Stein]

Maybe check this thread, it's a few years old but might have some good info.

https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/who-makes-a-synthetic-material-wall-tent.261665/

[trophyhunt]

Cabelas alaknak is the reel lite material, it’s great. Many different sizes too.

[2MANY]

Montana Canvas did my real lite tents.

[gutsnthegrass]

I have a 12x20 Alakanak that held up really well in the bitter cold this year.  I can't attest to how it would hold up with the type of rain you get on the olympic peninsula, but I think it would do well. 

[James]

Maybe check this thread, it's a few years old but might have some good info.

https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/who-makes-a-synthetic-material-wall-tent.261665/

Interesting in that thread a couple of posters are saying the relite material isn't as waterproof as they want.

[whacker1]

i know several outfitters that use the fiber reinforced poly construction sheeting.  Mtncook taught me that trick several years ago.  clear, so the light comes through and water proof tarp.  using golf ball in the corner pulled tight over the 20 ft wide by whatever length you can find.

[2MANY]

Good call Mtncook.

[trophyhunt]

Maybe check this thread, it's a few years old but might have some good info.

https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/who-makes-a-synthetic-material-wall-tent.261665/

Interesting in that thread a couple of posters are saying the relite material isn't as waterproof as they want.

I wonder if they mistaken condensation for a leak? But, we put a tarp over it and never had a leak.

[Axle]

If you buy one or have one made of untreated materials, you can set it up and spray it down with Thompson's original. It works very well to waterproof a tent. You still need to cover it with a plastic tarp when you set it up. The plastic tarp will also help to hold in the heat.
Don't put it away wet.