I just ordered a new wall tent and learned a few things so I thought I would share the experience. After a bunch of searching and shopping I ended up getting a new tent from Davis, will review that later. They were great to buy from and are currently having their famous scratch and dent sale so I saved around 200 bucks.
I guess the most important thing I learned is the price of cotton has gone up a bunch this year. This will be across the board that tent prices will go up by a hundred bucks or more. Davis said their prices will go up in June they think but every manufacture is going to have to pay more for their next shipment of cotton so look for everyone's prices to go up.
One note of interest is the fact in this economy Wall Tents are selling like crazy. My guess is that its a combination of people downsizing and not buying campers, people getting back to the basics, and maybe even some people losing their houses or just choosing to rough it in wall tent luxury. Any other theories are welcome, its interesting to think about.
The hardest decision was whether to get a back door or a back window. Because I will use the tent in Arkansas in the summer ventilation was huge consideration. The two basic selling points I was advised were one if you have two doors you can combine two tents. In this case only getting one tent means I can get two doors on a second tent if I want that option. More than likely I will just get an extended fly or porch. The second which was evidently coming from someone who had never been around bears was the idea that if a bear came through the front door the camper could exit the rear door. That seems a simple enough idea but having been in a small mountaineer tent and wanting out in a hurry once before I learned to sleep with a little knife close by for an emergency exit. Besides, bears do not use doors, they can come through the side just as easy as a door and most likely the door will be zipped anyway making the knife the ultimate option in an emergency.
The biggest disadvantage I could see with having a back door would be kids trying run through the tent, maybe a few young at heart hunters too. I also know often the entire back wall is blocked by cots and gear so its not really that great of a function anyway without the second tent option. It is possible a second door would get more ventilation but not sure how much. The second door with screen and a extra flap adds more expense than a window. There is also a question whether a second door weakens the tent versus a window but that should not a big deal unless your in a tropical depression with hundred mile an hour winds.
In the end I went with a window versus a door. A window should be fine as wall tents breath and the volume of air inside is comfortable unlike small sticky plastic mountaineering tents, the type I used to crawl into like an igloo.
A screen door was a must have for me but those hunting in higher cooler climates may opt for no screen. There is also the option of individual screens for cots which many like to use under a tarp anyway.
One thing I chose to add to the door is what Davis calls a Colorado Door, most just call it a flap with string ties. What this does in addition to having the standard zipper is give you an option if the zipper breaks in the field and helps to batten the tent down in bad weather like blowing/freezing rain. Nothing like having your zipper all iced up from freezing rain or a ten pound block of ice froze to the bottom of your door.
Conclusion, prices are going to go up for sure. If you have been thinking about getting a wall tent for the 2011 hunting season now seems like a good time to get it done. Happy camping and good luck with your bows in 2011, Keep it safe out there at home and in the field!
Topic: Wall Tent 2011 (Read 929 times)
