guys,

My wife and I have decided to quit borrowing other people's tents and get a good one for ourselves.

I've looked around and it basically boils down to nylon or canvas. We've got a huge outdoor industry here so getting stuff is no problemo.

I would like to hear opinions on the two materials though. The canvas tents (in the military style) are obviously heavier and more durable, but quite a bit pricier. The nylon stuff is lighter, not as waterproof, and probably won't last as long. We're not planning on hiking with it, just using it at campsites.

Anybody here have an opinion on which route to go? I'm inclined towards the canvas myself, as I believe in getting the best possible, but I'd like to hear some opinions from people who have experience with it.

Thanks!

Buffalohump, What kind of camping are you planning on doing? Will you just need a warm weather tent or will you need a good three season (maybe four season) tent? In answer to your question, I have both a canvas tent and a nylon tent. The nylon is just as waterproff with the rainfly. The canvas requires more care and a yearly waterproofing. If you put a canvas tent away wet it will rot.

Canvas is really nice but it is not really worth the extra cash and weight unless you are planning to stay in it for several weeks. I worked at an army surplus store and my boss would buy the HUGE army tents which were canvas but usually in rough shape. Unless you can get them direct from the government website I would not bother with those ones. The Canadian military ones are beautifully made though. A friend and I spent a whole afternooon admiring the aluminium poles. The takedown mechanism was so ssexy on those poles I saw men(strangly not a single woman?) stop dead in their tracks on spotting it.

There are the high quality canvas trappers style tents
often with little smokestacks. Those are awesome. They also hold their value fairly well compared to used nylon tents. If you go to mountain man rondevous or black powder/reanactor get togethers they are definitly worth having. I covet one myself. I have a hunch a lot of them don't get much use though. If you are sure you are going to use it for at least a week a year for 5 years then it would probably be worth it.

There are some nice nylon ones. You could get a really slick backpackers tent to sleep in and one of those big cheap mesh wall picnic tents for your campsite from wallmart. Then you could have a cool mountaneering tent for adventuring and
sleeping and a cheap socializing/eating room separate.

If you are not staying in a campgrounds you could just get a bunch of canvas tarp and make a little prospecter softwall. Those are pretty popular here in sask for hunting camps although a lot of them cheap out and use poly now.

I can't see any good reason to go with a canvas tent. Nylon is more versatile, highly weatherproof, lower maintenance, lighter, easier to pitch, etc. My canvas days are in the rear-view mirror!

I have too throw in another positive vote for the nylon. Much more durable than you would expect. I would caution that you get what you pay for. Cheap nylon tents are probably worse than cheap canvas tents. Nylon requires less maintaince. I have 4 boys and a dog that routinely camp in a tent. Eureka tents have withstood their abuse the best of all. The nylon in some of the large models is quite thick. Look at camping or base camp tents. They will be much more durable and roomier than a hiking tent.

I am not going to argue for or against any other tents. I am just going to give you one word: Tentipi.

You can chose your fabric (canvas or nylon) and size, depending on your application. You can have an open fire inside, use a stove, pretty much anything. You just better have some cash.

They are not big in the US, and not even sold here. You might have to visit some UK forums to see them in action.

Brian

tents why tents
sleep under a basha(tarp)
there much lighter

Thanks for the input guys <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

It's for family camping actually, and the weather can get pretty crappy out here, so we'd rather be safe than sorry and get something with four walls and a roof <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm glad I asked you fellas, though, cos I wasn't keen to drop all that cash on a canvas tent, when a nylon one will be just as good.

I'll definitely get something decent, I know of a Howling Moon dome tent made of 600D rip-stop nylon that's 3m X 3m and 2m tall (9ft X 9ft & 7ft tall). Price here is around $285. The canvas equivalent would be more than double that! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Mark

Take a good look at whatever tent you decide on. The dome versions of family tents I have seen lately look real nice. Then envision how effective the rain fly will be if there is any wind at all. Inside a tent in the rain is no fun. Inside a tent in the rain with the windows up is even less fun, and if it is cold enough you will produce enough condensation that everything will get wet anyway. For kids consider an extra tarp as well. A big one. Set up kitchen under it. Cooking iand eathing n the rain is no fun. Plus it serves as a game table during extended rain.

A canvas tent with stovepipe is a pretty nice set up though. I don't think their are any nylon tents you can cook in?

+1 on the extra tarp! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> When we went to Alaska in 1990 an extra tarp went along. Strung up between trees with an overhang allowed us to have a nice campfire when it was raining. Nice to cook on and sit around! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

We sell the tipistyle tents here in Canada I'll check to see if I can find a web site