I have a Springbar Compaq 2 and a Kodiak Flexbow 8 x 10. The Sprinbar Compact 2 weighs only 22 lbs with stakes and poles. I recommend keeping the stakes that come with the tent as they're the wedge type that are imo better than the rod type and don't weigh all that much.
Neither tent is waterproof near the edge of the tent walls where they connect to the floor. Only the floor is waterproof. The Kodiak uses a
13.5 oz vinyl. Polyester reinforced material whereas the Sprinbar uses a 9 oz vinyl-laminated polyester, (CPAI-84 fire-retardant, antibacterial, UV inhibitor)
The only method I know of to waterproof the tent floor where it connects to the tent walls is to use a silicon spray.
How the floor is attached is different from the Kodiak as the Springbar additionally installs a rope with metal ground loops around the floors perimeter. Which is preferred by many over the Kodiak, as it creates a better ground attachment preventing the floor from ripping when staked down. All that's securing the Kodiak to the ground is the sewn in plastic floor and sewn in fabric stake loops. The floor of the Kodiak uses a thicker poly but I'm uncertain if it's any stronger than the Springbar's floor material. I believe both floor materials have approx. the same strength.
The only time the Kodiak's floor ripped was because the Kodiak was left up an entire summer in an area with poor drainage that sometimes became wet with several inches of water. The ground water to an extent was siphoned into the tent walls, one corner of the canvas edge of tent floor ripped where the canvas tent material became water logged over an extended length of time. Also I never treated the tent with silicon which I probably should have done to prevent the tent walls near the floor from becoming saturated with water. I took the tent to a canvas repair business and they sewed in some more canvas material in the area of ripped canvas.
Imo both brands are good tents, however there slight differences in construction and design. Springbar is made in the USA whereas the Kodiak's are manufactured to Kodiak's specs and imported.
Springbar tents:
8.5 oz Shelter Duck, double-fill construction, 100% cotton with Sunforger marine-finish boat shrunk treatment
Roof- 10.1 oz Army Duck, double-fill construction, 100% cotton with Sunforger marine-finish boat shrunk treatment
Windows- Polyester no-see-um mesh, CPAI fire-retardant
Zippers- YKK #10RC and #8CF nylon coils with nickel-plated sliders
Springbar Compact 2
- Weight: 22 lbs
- Tent Bag: 10 in x 30 in
- Pole Bag: 8 in x 36 in
- Floor: 6 ft x 8 ft 6 in
- Floor Area: 51 sq ft
- Sleeping Capacity: 2 adults
- Minimum Height (Inside): 40 in
- Maximum Height (Outside): 48 in
- Number of Doors: 2
- Number of Windows: None
Springbar Outfitter 3
- Weight: 34 lbs
- Tent Bag: 12 in x 29 in
- Pole Bag: 8 in x 35 in
- Floor: 7 ft x 8 ft
- Floor Area: 56 sq ft
- Sleeping Capacity: 2 adults or 1 adult with extra gear
- Minimum Height (Inside): 67 in
- Maximum Height (Outside): 68 in
- Number of Doors: 1
- Number of Windows: 1 half-height back window
Back Window: Top- 20 1/4" Height- 34" Bottom- 25 3/4"
8.5 x 6 ft. Flex-Bow VX Tent
Pack Weight: 30.5 lbs. (Tent 15.5, poles 10.5, stakes 4.5 lbs.).
Pack Size: Tent-- Length 30 in., Diameter 10 in.
Capacity: 2-person (8.5x6 ft. floor, 4 ft. ceiling height).
Ceiling Material: 10 oz Hydra-shield™ canvas.
Wall Material: 8.5 oz Hydra-Shield™ canvas.
Floor Material: 13.5 oz vinyl. Polyester reinforced.
Frame: 1-inch, galvanized, steel tubing.
Flex-Bow Rods: 7mm diam., solid, spring steel.
All-season: Use year-round, but not designed for extreme winter mountaineering or heavy snow accumulations
I found this to be interesting, there is a Flex-bow camouflage version:
http://www.longwayleisure.com.au/pro...086-camouflage
Springbar metal floor/ground loops. A piece of rope is also sewn into the edge. The Kodiak on the other hand sews directly to the plastic floor material using fabric ground loops, which is iirc a nylon or nylon re-enforced fabric.