How hard could it be to source and supply 3/4″ EMTs themselves? Set up can be done independently but is much easier with two or more people. You build the roof frame first, then drape the canvas over the top, then build up the legs one section at a time.
Yes, it can feel more humid, but if you can get some kind of a breeze blowing through, you can regulate the temperature without any AC. Don’t think it won’t be hot, though; all tents get hot in the sun, but the cotton canvas is just better than synthetic materials, in our opinion. On a recent trip, we tested a friend’s 16 x 20 ft Alpha wall tent, and it slept eight people with a stove, loads of gear, and two dogs. The tent will easily sleep 14 or more people on camping cots without a stove and maybe around 12 people with a stove.
We talked through the Copper Canyon’s specs with Ryan Flynn, sales manager for Johnson Outdoors, Eureka’s parent company. Flynn told us that the advantage of the lighter aluminum poles found in the company’s Jade Canyon tent is purely about weight. The Copper Canyon’s rugged fiberglass-and-steel poles are preferable for what he called “free-country” camping (car camping on Bureau of Land Management land, for instance) and for anyplace else where weight wouldn’t be an issue. Our only quibble with the Mineral King 3 is that it comes with a mere six stakes. That’s just enough to secure the tent and fly but not to fully secure the tent with extra lines in very windy conditions. You can find a plethora of options out there, but these inexpensive stakes are comparable to the ones that accompany the Mineral King 3.
I really liked the way it looked and the space but will not be able to use it due to the leaks. When something says “waterproof” it does not mean it will not leak. It is simply a way to keep you from direct ozark tent weather contact. And as with any experienced camper, we all know that tents are not waterproof, even if it says money back guaruntee. That’s why you buy a tarp to put over and a tarp for under.
“A nylon tent is much stretchier,” he said, “and can absorb a lot more shock,” which can be an advantage in the backcountry, where your only option in a windstorm is to ride it out inside your tent. But in sudden, violent storms, car campers always have the easy (if perhaps pathetic) option of collapsing their tents and retreating to their cars. Whether you’re thinking of hitting the road or staying close to home for your next car-camping adventure, you and your loved ones will need a comfortable place to sleep. The one exception to the rule here is for the larger cabin-style tents, especially those with an “instant tent” design that uses pre-attached poles. These shelters tend to be much heavier and bulkier when packed up due to the frame design, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got room to transport them in your vehicle and store them in your home before buying.
During this period, winds rose up to 35 to 40 knots, and we experienced passing showers as well as direct sunlight and 80-degree temperatures. To mimic heavier rain and to test the tent’s ability to withstand soggy ground conditions, we also soaked our tents with a garden hose. A few weeks later, we brought the front-runners to a platform in an area that had higher elevation, near the Waianae Mountain Range, and camped out overnight in intermittent but consistent rainfall. Beyond their general size, the tents in our test group were very different from one another, with a wide array of pole configurations and window, door, and roof designs.
It got so hot one afternoon that we spent the day taking shifts in the car, cooling our photography equipment while monitoring ourselves for signs of heatstroke and dehydration. If tents can withstand those conditions, they’ll withstand just about anything. Nylon is also more susceptible to UV damage, which, as Howe pointed out, is a top tent killer. In the backcountry, campers are generally making camp each evening and then packing up again in the morning, whereas car campers generally leave their tents up for much longer periods of time, increasing the material’s UV exposure. (Howe suggested setting a tent up in the shade to prolong its life.) Polyester is stiffer and heavier but not as susceptible to UV damage, and it doesn’t absorb water like nylon does, Howe told us.
The main thing is is that the zippers that you put in these tents are so substandard that it doesn’t last more than one or two camping trips. You set a new low in tents and the damn zippers you put in them. And before you guys cop an attitude, I have been camping since I was at least 4 years old and I am now in my mid-50s. You can leave a wall tent made from canvas up all year if you are willing to accept it will have a reduced life span and be willing to maintain it as and when needed. Chemical washes and sprays are straightforward to apply and will ensure your tent remains resistant and functional for many years.