FAQs

Q: What size of tent should I buy?

A: We recommend 30 sq ft for each person, wood stove, and/or table. This allows for plenty of room to move around in the tent. If you just want to pack people in for sleeping purposes, you can get away with 20 sq ft per person.

Q: Why don't most wall tents come with floors?

A: A sewn-in floor makes it very difficult to set a tent up with an internal frame. Furthermore, it also makes for a difficult escape should you need to leave your tent in a hurry. Therefore, we normally sell floors that are separate from the tent and can be staked down or snapped to the tent walls. Alternatively, you can buy outdoor carpeting or a tarp from your local hardware store to use as a floor.

Q: What is a sod cloth?

A: A sod cloth is not a floor, but rather is a 10-12" vinyl strip that is sewn onto the bottom of the tent wall. The purpose of the sod cloth is to seal the tent walls to the ground to prevent weather and/or critters from getting in. This is accomplished by either burying the sod cloth or tucking it inside under a floor.

Q: Why don't most wall tents come with poles?

A: Many people still set up wall tents the traditional way by cutting poles in the woods and making an external frame. All of our wall tents are designed to be set up this way. However, many people like the ease and functionality of internal frames. We offer complete internal aluminum frames or steel angle kits to build your own internal frame out of 1" EMT conduit.

Q: Should I get a canvas or synthetic-based wall tent?

A: The answer to this question depends on your needs. Magnum wall tents are made from canvas. Canvas is a cotton-based material that breathes well and provides insulation. Ultra-light synthetic materials such as Relite are appropriate if weight is an issue. However these materials rarely breathe as well as canvas, and provide little insulation because they are so thin. Our recommendation is a 12oz if durability is more important than weight.

Q: What is the difference between all of the different types of canvas and canvas treatments?

A: Canvas comes in different weaves, weights, and treatments. It is important to understand the different canvas specifications because each will determine how well your tent will meet your needs.

Weave
The 2 most common weaves used in canvas wall tents are single-fill and double-fill. Single-fill canvas is a looser weave than double-fill. Most single-fill tent canvas is not treated. Although single-fill may feel thicker, that is only because it is woven less tightly. Single-fill generally has a lower tear resistance than double-fill, and will shrink up to 10% once it gets wet and dries. Double-fill canvas is stronger, more naturally water repellent due to the tighter weave, and normally shrinks less than 2%. Another way to understand the differences is by using thread count. Double-fill canvas has a higher thread count than single-fill canvas.

Weight
The most popular canvas weight for tent making is 10oz canvas. This refers to the weight of the canvas per square yard before any type of treatment is added. Treatment can add 10-40% more weight to the canvas. The 10oz canvas is a nice compromise between strength and tent weight. Although the old 17oz army tents were definitely durable, it usually took an army to set one up because they were so heavy! Most people want a lighter tent that is easier to pack and set up. Few companies are making heavier tents these days. However, a 12oz canvas provides more durability and insulation than a 10oz canvas. Our line of Magnum tents are made with 12oz preshrunk army duck canvas. The downside is that it is 20% heavier than 10oz.

Treatment
There are several types of treatments available to make tents water resistant and/or flame retardant. The only way to make canvas waterPROOF is to use a heavy paraffin wax or PVC coating that also renders the canvas unbreatheable. These types of treatments cause condensation to build up on the inside of the tent. These treatments also add a lot of unnecessary weight to the canvas. Some people prefer to purchase untreated tents and treat the canvas themselves with Thompson's water sealer or Canvak. Although this is possible, it usually costs more to treat the tent yourself than to buy it treated. The best canvas treatment is a dry treatment that is applied to the canvas during the manufacturing process. The result is a lightweight, invisible treatment that has saturated all of the canvas fibers. Many people call this a "Sunforger" treatment. However, Sunforger is a brand of treatment rather than a type of treatment. There are other dry treatments available that achieve the same result. A more generic term for this type of treatment is called "Marine treated". This treatment is designed to last for many years of hard use. Although it may begin to wear off eventually, it is usually not necessary nor advisable to re-treat your tent because the double-fill weave that it is applied to will continue to provide a very high level of water resistance due to its tight pores.

An untreated canvas will still shed water. However, it will be more prone to mildew if it stays damp for extended periods of time. It will also shrink more than a treated canvas. Regardless of whether your canvas is treated or not, if you store it away wet, it will mildew and be ruined!

A tent that is treated with fire retardant does not mean that it is firePROOF. Rather, the fibers are treated so that if exposed to a heat source it will only burn or smolder rather than burst into flames. Once the flame is removed the tent will stop burning. Although not necessary, this treatment does add peace of mind for those using a wood stove, particularly when sleeping.

Before you purchase a tent, be sure and ask which type of weave, weight, and treatment it is you are buying.