Wall tent material recommendations in the really wet

[ghosthunter]

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.

I generally use a fly made from a white regular tarp. But when it really snows, clear plastic is hard to beat. The tarp has fiber that catches snow, clear plastic does not and it slides right off.

[James]

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.

For the rainfly or the actual primary wall tent material?

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

Good question.

Maybe another good question:

Are their still any outfitters that do drop camps and such on the Olympic Peninsula? If so what do they use?

Maybe an better question is what do outfitters in SE Alaska and Vancouver island use?

[trophyhunt]

I don't feel the rainy conditions really make a difference which tent is better, they both are water resistant to a point, even though I've been in some very wet conditions and haven't had any leaks with canvas or reel lite.  The tarp over the top is what makes the difference, no matter which one you buy, you'll want a simple tarp over the top.  The biggest difference between the two is the storage.  Canvas has to be bone dry when you store it, or hang it up in a garage.  That takes a lot of space to do.  The reel lite, can be put away wet and you won't have issues, at least we never did.  We Used the alaknak in Idaho for rifle season, you get all kinds of weather. My buddy never did any maintenance on his tent, none.  And several times we loaded the tent up in a rain storm, he never set it back up when he got it home, next time set up was the following season.  You do that with a canvas tent, it will be ruined.  Canvas= heavy, cumbersome, mold issues, but does hold the heat a little bit longer.  I'll never regret switching to the alaknak material, we used canvas for a few years before switching. 

[trophyhunt]

To add, depending on the size of your camp, the alaknak offers a few different models. With the vestibule, you end up with a pretty sweet set up, like the picture in this thread.  Then bring a couple 12x12 pop ups and you have a garage for your quads.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

As stated both setups will and need the tarp over the tent. The tarp protects from the sun, insulates to keep warmer and remove snow build up. Canvas material breaths which keeps tent drier and more comfortable.  Reel lite doesn't breath so well.

I was thinking if a person built a wall tent with reel lite roof and canvas walls/doors you would have a great tent that breaths and with great roof?

[gutsnthegrass]

As stated both setups will and need the tarp over the tent. The tarp protects from the sun, insulates to keep warmer and remove snow build up. Canvas material breaths which keeps tent drier and more comfortable.  Reel lite doesn't breath so well.

I was thinking if a person built a wall tent with reel lite roof and canvas walls/doors you would have a great tent that breaths and with great roof?

I will add that when I fired up the propane stove in the Alakanak to heat meals, the condensation inside was very noticeable, even with the wood stove going.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

As stated both setups will and need the tarp over the tent. The tarp protects from the sun, insulates to keep warmer and remove snow build up. Canvas material breaths which keeps tent drier and more comfortable.  Reel lite doesn't breath so well.

I was thinking if a person built a wall tent with reel lite roof and canvas walls/doors you would have a great tent that breaths and with great roof?

I will add that when I fired up the propane stove in the Alakanak to heat meals, the condensation inside was very noticeable, even with the wood stove going.

Good point with the propane heater operating and condensation forming. We have strictly operated two propane heaters in our canvas wall tent with zero condensation with lots of wet hunting clothes drying out. It definitely has to do with breathability of the canvas. Pros and cons to everything I guess.

[James]

Yes, waterproofness is part of it, but the other is maintenance.

If I bring back a canvas wall tent from elk hunting in November then hang it up in my shop, I can’t imagine it drying before it starts to grow mildew.  From hanging up large wet items in there before I am guessing it would be solidly into spring time before it would get dry enough to pack away.

[ghosthunter]

As stated both setups will and need the tarp over the tent. The tarp protects from the sun, insulates to keep warmer and remove snow build up. Canvas material breaths which keeps tent drier and more comfortable.  Reel lite doesn't breath so well.

I was thinking if a person built a wall tent with reel lite roof and canvas walls/doors you would have a great tent that breaths and with great roof?

I will add that when I fired up the propane stove in the Alakanak to heat meals, the condensation inside was very noticeable, even with the wood stove going.

Condensation can be handled with sufficient air movement. We never had condensation in our Costco cook shack because it’s not air tight. I also have never had condensation in a canvas wall tent in part because I never cook in it and always have cross ventilation. Keep a window crackled on either side. This year I have added a stove fan.

I had a tent with canvas top and relite sides. It was easy to maintain and I didn’t worry so much about mud splashing up on it as I do with the white canvas.

But let’s face it their are a lot of tenting personalities out there. We have seen several on this thread.  There’s guys who want as little work as possible ,they want to get there put up camp,hunt, take it down and forget about it.  Nothing wrong with that.

I am one who thinks about my wall tents a little every day. Planning , outfitting them, Messing in my head with them. For me the wall tent and set up is as enjoyable as the hunting.

[ghosthunter]

Yes, waterproofness is part of it, but the other is maintenance.

If I bring back a canvas wall tent from elk hunting in November then hang it up in my shop, I can’t imagine it drying before it starts to grow mildew.  From hanging up large wet items in there before I am guessing it would be solidly into spring time before it would get dry enough to pack away.

I bring mine home in October. I have a walk in attic in my garage. I spread them out suspended about three feet off the floor and turn on a small electric space heater. Every week for a month I move them around a little.
At about 2 Nd week of December I check them real well. Than stuff in 55 gal drums.
No mildew yet.

[ghosthunter]

Got to decide who you are.
If ya want slam bam thank ya mamm, a canvas wall tent may not be for you. If that’s the case the Costco carport is a better option or a RV.
No question that White Canvas Wall tents are a little more work.

[Magnum_Willys]

Yes, waterproofness is part of it, but the other is maintenance.

If I bring back a canvas wall tent from elk hunting in November then hang it up in my shop, I can’t imagine it drying before it starts to grow mildew.  From hanging up large wet items in there before I am guessing it would be solidly into spring time before it would get dry enough to pack away.

You need to add heat.   In heated shop I hang two 12 x 16s and will dry in 3-5 days depending on if I pressure washed em or not.

[trophyhunt]

With the alaknak, put away when you get home, and get back to candy crush! 

[Magnum_Willys]

The Alaknak gets musty if you don’t dry, but does dry in 1/5th the time as cotton

[jeffro]

We used to build awesome tents with 6mil clear visqueen
4-6 sheets of plywood for the floor 8x16 or 12x16
20 gallon ish barrel stove, homemade
And a box or 2 of screws 6”
Cordless screw guns
Framing material, “pecker poles” from sites or you can by a frame
Never got wet or cold
Pulled all man made materials and deposited in job site dumpster if unreusable
One camp lasted 2 seasons up past Spada lake