Author Topic: How do you use military surplus tents? (Read 15336 times)

luckyorwhat · « **on:** March 08, 2008, 02:30:26 PM »

I saw one in person the other day and want one, I could park a car in it for pete's sake. But it looks like it would take two loads in a jeep just to get it out to the campsite.

Do people buy land and set the tents up permanently? Do they fit it all in a trailer and have a second vehicle bring the rest of the camping stuff?

What is the typical usage for these tents?

http://www.rddusa.com/General-Purpose-Small-Tent-G-P-Small-Military-Tent-Army-Tent-Military-Surplus.html
http://www.rddusa.com/Search.aspx?Keyword=tent

Bigjake · « **Reply #1 on:** March 08, 2008, 02:33:40 PM »

Quote from: luckyorwhat on March 08, 2008, 01:30:26 PM

What is the typical usage for these tents?

http://www.rddusa.com/General-Purpose-Small-Tent-G-P-Small-Military-Tent-Army-Tent-Military-Surplus.html
http://www.rddusa.com/Search.aspx?Keyword=tent

Distilling yer own hooch, as per MASH!

Jamisjockey · « **Reply #2 on:** March 08, 2008, 02:43:16 PM »

Most people I know with big tents like this only use them for long weekends and extended trips. They use them for winter hunting, etc.

I've stayed in a military tent for extended periods of time. laugh

If you have a jeep, you're probably going to want a light trailer if you get a tent like that. They ain't small.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #3 on:** March 08, 2008, 02:43:42 PM »

We used to use one of those for deer camp (great with a wood stove in one corner).

We would strap it to the top of one person's Durango with the posts arranged on either side and the center post underneath pointing out over the windshield like a lance. Otherwise, it would go in the bed of another guy's F250. We'd put it up for a trip as short as a weekend, but then only if the weather was cold and we needed the cots, wood stove, etc.

Edit to add: Two people who know what they're doing can put it up in 15-30minutes depending on the number of beer breaks taken...

Edit again: We could get 6-8 folks on cots inside, but it was best with 5 folks, a table, the woodstove, and a small stack of wood to get through the night and next morning.

Chris

luckyorwhat · « **Reply #4 on:** March 08, 2008, 03:20:32 PM »

Thanks guys. mtnbkr that's great info. The one I saw was $600 including a pot belly stove and all accessories. Good to hear it fits on a roof OK.

For short trips I sort of feel it's better to build camp each night, but setting this up in 30 minutes is awesome. I guess it would make a good base, like the hub of a wheel, and you could take 2 day hikes out and back and then relax before the next.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #5 on:** March 08, 2008, 05:32:07 PM »

No problem.

We eventually switched to a couple wall tents our group shrank a bit and we decided we didn't like how cave-like the tent was even in the middle of the day. The GP-Small was great for larger groups and held the heat of the wood stove very well.

Chris

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #6 on:** March 08, 2008, 05:34:18 PM »

what do they weigh?

Bogie · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2008, 06:02:22 PM »

Nothing several privates can't carry.

Manedwolf · « **Reply #8 on:** March 08, 2008, 06:06:33 PM »

Just get a real original "surplus tent", the shelter half pieces. Can sit in it and curse the icy draft as you enjoy your hardtack and boiled coffee.

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #9 on:** March 08, 2008, 06:10:22 PM »

Quote from: luckyorwhat on March 08, 2008, 01:30:26 PM

What is the typical usage for these tents?

When I was in college, I worked in the summer as a counselor at a boys' camp that used tents like that as "dormitories." They had wooden platforms built to keep us off the ground, and the tents were erected on the platforms. Typically, each tent was home for three to five campers and one counselor.

jrfoxx · « **Reply #10 on:** March 08, 2008, 06:23:12 PM »

Quote

Just get a real original "surplus tent", the shelter half pieces. Can sit in it and curse the icy draft as you enjoy your hardtack and boiled coffee.

Actualy, I have one of the old GI half shelters I got for like $10. It has a 1963 date,and the name/rank of the poor grunt that had to hump it around stenciled on it.Kinda neat.They are VERY durable/rugged, and hold heat in and the weather out VERY wll.They are also pretty heavy (the canvas is quite thick). I wouldnt want to hump one around the junlge of Vietnam, on top of all my other stuff, thats for sure...(I guessing in realty, they were rarely to never carried there though,due to weight/space limitations, and general lack of need. I dot recall ever seeing footage of GI's camped out in half shelters in the jungle--probly not a wise or practical thing to do) grin

Very cheap, neat, useful item to have around though.Straps to the bottom of the frame of my canvas Swiss (or is it Swedish, I forget) Army surplus framed backpack very well (another $10 or so well spent IMHO).

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #11 on:** March 08, 2008, 06:28:36 PM »

i've got a campsite on the river near my house a tent like that would be nice and it could stay there

mtnbkr · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2008, 06:57:49 PM »

Quote from: cassandrasdaddy on March 08, 2008, 04:34:18 PM

what do they weigh?

It was all I could do to lift the on in the pictures up to shoulder height in order to get it on the Durango. More than the weight, it was big. All rolled up, it was a bit over 3' long, 2.5' wide, and 2.5' thick, give or take a few inches.

Chris

Paddy · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2008, 06:58:53 PM »

Only indigent homeless people sleep in tents. This is 2008, remember?

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2008, 07:06:44 PM »

looking at a mule would be easier with the kids to let animals pack as much as i can and i've got a 2 horse trailer

doc2rn · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2008, 07:11:44 PM »

There is a smaller Square one that comes with a liner and uses 9 smaller poles and a shorty that fits on one of the poles for the center post. It also has a nice awning.

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2008, 07:25:34 PM »

when you say liner you mean a floor? or a double wall?

Bogie · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2008, 07:45:17 PM »

The Freak Show Tent is a basic canopy tent, but with an oversized silver tarp. If things get ugly, I can tarp the ends. It's 14x20, and I can put it up by myself. I can also move it by myself, but not all at once, since it uses 10' sections of conduit... One thing to remember is to put a floor down - I usually use a cheap blue one for that, from a Harbor Freight sale - that way, if it gets rainy, it's disposable.

I've considered adding a stove, but instead picked up a coupla propane heaters - A coupla large tanks will make for decently toasty.

Paddy · « **Reply #18 on:** March 08, 2008, 07:46:14 PM »

I don't get it. Why not just sleep in the bed of your truck?

Manedwolf · « **Reply #19 on:** March 08, 2008, 07:49:04 PM »

You know, some people "camp" by "walking" to a new place, not just driving there.

Bogie · « **Reply #20 on:** March 08, 2008, 09:12:55 PM »

I drive my van. I park my trailer. I sleep in the trailer. The Freak Show tent is the gathering spot.

http://www.canopymasters.com/

mtnbkr · « **Reply #21 on:** March 09, 2008, 12:58:46 AM »

Quote from: RileyMc on March 08, 2008, 06:46:14 PM

I don't get it. Why not just sleep in the bed of your truck?

Try doing it for a week, in temps as low as 15deg.

Quote from: Manedwolf on March 08, 2008, 06:49:04 PM

You know, some people "camp" by "walking" to a new place, not just driving there.

Not with a GP-Small, you're not.

Quote from: Bogie on March 08, 2008, 06:45:17 PM

I've considered adding a stove, but instead picked up a coupla propane heaters - A coupla large tanks will make for decently toasty.

We tried the propane heater, but they couldn't put out enough heat to warm a GP-Small when the outside temp was merely in the 30s. Two might have, but the wood stove worked down to 0deg and used fuel we could get while in the field.

Chris

Manedwolf · « **Reply #22 on:** March 09, 2008, 05:24:17 AM »

I'd want the woodstove as well. Not only does it heat well, but they usually have a cooking-top. Coffee from a blue enamelware percolator heated over fire, for some reason, tastes really good.

charby · « **Reply #23 on:** March 09, 2008, 06:18:05 AM »

I have done it the winter years ago with two tents tied to each other with a wood stove in the middle. Got so stinking hot at night when there was no wind that we'd have to open both ends up because it got so hot in there that you'd be sitting around in shorts sweating.

I've been toying with the idea of getting a wall tent and setting up a week long deer camp for late muzzleloading season here in Iowa.

Manedwolf · « **Reply #24 on:** March 09, 2008, 06:22:34 AM »

How about this one? It's a Russian surplus tent.

News:

Author Topic: How do you use military surplus tents? (Read 15336 times)

cassandra and sara's daddy

cassandra and sara's daddy

Paddy

cassandra and sara's daddy

cassandra and sara's daddy

Paddy