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Springbar Tent

Looking very hard at the MSR Mutha Hubba three person tent with the optional gear shed. Plenty of room for the the two of us and Rex the dog. Total weight a tad over 6 pounds.
 
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I found this old Montgomery Ward 10' x 8' canvas Field Tent in Craigslist for very little money and had to buy it. It looks like it did not get much use and is in good shape. The trouble is, it has a cat pee odor problem. I read online about how to get rid of that smell, but I am confused by most of the solutions I found. I was going to hit it with my pressure washer, but then I read that would destroy the fabric. Then I thought of stuffing it into a commercial washing machine at the local laundromat. Evidently not a good idea either. You guys have some advice? Vinegar? Baking Soda? Gas and a match?
 

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I vote for # 3, just so you are sure that smell is gone for good!! You could use the frame for your tomatoes.....
 
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Dagger I made my choice. I opted to pass on the small 13 pound AO due to temperature concerns. I bought a 3 person MSR Mutha Hubba and an optional gear shed, footprint, and mud mat. I put it up in the yard for a test run and it will have plenty of room for my lovely bride and myself, and Rex the dog, plus a nice dry place for all the gear. Everything combined is right at 7 pounds and it all packs together into a nice compact duffel with compression straps. I will also have the 10x14 CCS tarp.
 

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The Nemo Wagontop series might be a good solution for someone looking for a very livable tent. They've had one of these set up at the BWCA Expo the last two years, and they look very well thought out.

Quinn
 
Very different tents but both seem very well made. I'll probably end up with two tents. A manageable size and weight canvas tent, and a larger poly for the family.
 
Alright...old thread, but I just wanted to finish the conversation...at least temporarily. I'll get to the temporary part later.

Anywho, I just bought the below Kodiak tent. It is the smallest flex-bow version they make. The floor is 8.5' x 6' and the internal height is 48". This tent is built like a tank, but it also weighs as much as one. I take that back, the tent alone is not that bad (15lbs I believe), but all that Chinese steel tubing is rather heavy. So are the tent stakes. The tent comes with 10 of them, and they weigh over 2.5lbs alone! They are 12" long and 5/16" thick, which I think is overkill for what I'll be doing with the tent. I will replace them with Aluminum or plastic stakes. I also have some AL tubing laying around to replace some of the steel tubes with. I think I can save about 5lbs total with some easy mods.

All in all it will still weigh about 4lbs more than the comparable "Springbar Compact 2", which is advertised as 22lbs. What drove the decision to buy this tent home, were two details.
A. This tent is 8" taller inside compared to the Springbar. I am over 6' and every extra inch of height in a tent is welcome.
B. In addition to the two doors, this tent als has two large windows on the short sides compared to the Springbar which does not have those. I live in California and I camp in hot weather more than I camp in cold weather. More ventilation is simply better.
Oh yes...the $269 delivered to my doorstep (compared to the $388 for the Springbar) helped a little as well.

Now to the temporary part I mentioned. I have come to the conclusion, sometimes that takes me longer than others, that I really need two tents to cover all my canoe camping needs (wants). My next tent needs to be large enough for three plus some gear and perhaps a small stove. That search will take a few month, but I am in no rush. For now, the Kodiak should do fine.
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Thats a neat tent for sure. But please don't complain about the weight until you have checked the specs or hefted the 10x10 size that I have or one of the larger ones. Insane.

My biggest issue with the Kodiaks is they are not self supporting which is usually not a problem, but was once, memorably.
 
Yup the 10x10 is a behemoth. A friend of mine has two of them. Great for car camping, but way to heavy for canoe camping, IMO. I only bought the small Kodiak because I am a sucker for the nostalgia of canvas tents. The jury on how smart I was, buying a 30lbs tent for my canoe trips, is still out. Besides nostalgia, I also really really like light weight stuff. I love the new light weight camping gear that is out there, and as soon as I can afford it, I'll buy a lighter weight canoe. My Kevlar Spirit II weighs "only" 49lbs, but every time I am out with my friend in his Carbon Fusion Keewaydin 17 from Swift, I start salivating.
 
Dagger......where did you purchase the tent from for that price.........
 
I apologize for the late reply Canube. My notification setup must not be working.
I bought the tent from this place. http://www.competitiveedgeproducts.com
They advertise the tent for $299. When I read the reviews, I noticed they had it on sale ones for $269, so I e-mailed them and asked if that sale would come up again anytime soon. They asked me to call them, and when I did, they gave me the tent for $269.
 
Alright, so I took the small Kodiak tent out 4 times now, and I must say I really like it a lot.
Here are a few pics from our latest trip the weekend before the 4th. Lots of granite around that area, so using tent stakes was largely a no-go. I was able to only use a stake on one corner. I used heavy rocks tied to the remaining corners of the tent.

...the sandal is a size 11 ;-)

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Dagger - This old boy misses his home and life... in the foothills of the Sierra's, so please do tell, where are those lake and tent shots taken...?!
 
Thank you Dagger, a blast from my past...! There is nothing like the 'Range of Light'...
 
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