Canvas Tent and Stove

After drooling over the winter camping videos on Youtube for a long time, I took the plunge today. It wasn't cheap, but I love my wood stove, and I love camping. And the idea of winter camping is appealing to me.

I found a tent for me and my wife and daughter if they could be talked into going with. This should last a lifetime, I'm hoping at least.

http://www.westernwalltents.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34&products_id=95

And, after watching some reviews on Youtube, I think this will be a good tent stove. About 2 cubic foot burn box, so it should be hold a fire and heat the tent on even the coldest of nights.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ue&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=A1JJK8MYASBFNR

There are lots of tents out there, but very few used canvas tents with a stove jack. A specialty tent for sure.

I like that the tent is made in the USA by people in Montana where these are more common than in the midwest.

 

I'm not planning on going too far away from my car or truck. I think the key with these is to use low sparking wood and protect the tent from burns. They sell a rain fly, but that added $300 to the price. I don't want to go that crazy.

This one is small. 10X10 should be easy to heat. There are much bigger ones, but I don't need it, and I will be setting this up alone likely. Canvas seems more durable. My step dad has a 45 year old Coleman without a stove jack. Works great, but I won't inherit that.

 

Yes. I'm going to hang it over a clothes drying rack about 5 feet from the wood stove and keep flipping it over till it is absolutely dry. Don't want mold.

 

Drying them out is what makes them last. Skimp on something else, not this....especially without the fly. The fly basically makes for a replaceable roof rather than expose the whole tent to the moisture. Any good canvas guy can make you a fly.....or just get a harbor freight heavy duty tarp.

I love winter camping! Enjoy your family time.

 

I agree. $300 was a little steep. I think a tarp would work..it could be tied out with rope and additional stakes

 

So, would a tarp function here? I just think it's the idea that you have something to shed the snow and keep the top dry?

 

As long as the tarp had an air space above the tent roof, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Have it wider and longer than the tent so when you come out of the tent, you are not standing in the drip area.

 

^NAILED IT. Air space is key. Some 2 inch saplings, stakes, and paracord. Vestibule and all is possible with a tarp.

 

Only problem is the pipe vents out the top, so I would need a stovejack for my tarp too. Maybe that's the $300 pricetag right there.

 

I didn't wanna say it but, buy once cry once. I'm all for saving money, but a fly is insurance on an investment.

Otherwise you have to tarp around the stove pipe.

Creative tarping has worked for many. But your gambling a thousand dollar tent on a 50 dollar tarp next to a heat source. Imo, get the fly. Now that I'm speaking frankly.

 

Yes. I know you are right. Without the fly, the tent is no good I'm hearing...unless it doesn't snow.

 

Your tent is fine without a fly. Even with snow. Guy it tight. The canvas will swell at the first sign of moisture and you are good to go.

Check out four dog stoves. I have the three dog which keeps my 10x12 roast toasty. They have a baffle which helps cut down on the sparks. I also run a couple mesh screens and have no problems.

 

I am familiar with them. I found their youtube videos about a year ago. It's an older gentleman. They are pretty expensive, but I'm sure you get what you pay for. What's the burn time in the 3 dog?

 

Yes. I probably will get one. They have great features like the baffle as you mentioned, and everyone claims an overnight burn. Also, it seems like there are many features like a gasketed door, a spring mounted air control, and other well thought out details that make it better. With the shipping, it's pricier than others though. There are some that can be had for $200 shipped and the Three Dog is about $365. I'm sure you get what you pay for though. No buyers remorse or desire to trade up.

 

Whew! After reading more reviews online, I found out that Western Wall Tents have issues. I won't say more, but I cancelled my payment before the tent could be produced or shipped. Got lucky there. Canvas tents are too expensive to get wrong. I read on a bunch of hunting forums and settled on Davis Tent and Awning from Colorado. Everyone had great things to say about them.

So, I have settled on a 12X14 tent with a Four Dog stove model 4 with optional spark arrestor. This tent has the Colorado door, a rear window, no floor but a sod cloth to keep the cold out, and a traditional pole frame to keep cost and weight down. Since it will be me in there by my lonesome mostly, this should be plenty big and plenty warm with a 2.47 cubic foot stove. Has a built in 5" stove jack and I like that the tent lacks a floor to clean out the stove and not worry about ash or a hot stove burning through the floor.

http://www.davistent.com/shop25/item-detail.cfm?ID=1214u&storeid=17