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I'm the Scoutmaster for my boyhood Troop and I'm an Eagle Scout. I've been camping for a little more than 20 years now and have had many great adventures. When I took over as Scoutmaster and began looking through our Troops gear I noticed that someone before me decided to get away from small tents that can be easily packed in a backpack and went for the big 6, 8, and 10 man tents. Sadly upon setting them up and inspecting them, I found all of them had either all or most of their stakes missing, (which is to be expected so not too bummed about that) places where you can see daylight through the creases in the fabric from being packed away, broken tent poles, broken zippers, missing tarps, and probably my least favorite thing to see in a tent...Mildew! It's sad because those big tents for Boy Scouts were honestly a waste of money... My feelings are thus... The more boys you pack into one tent the longer you're begging them to keep you awake as they'll want to play all night... And that playing usually leads to tents being destroyed... So I'm on the hunt for some new smaller tents...
I'm very picky about what I'd like to get in a tent. I have been given a budget of $100.00/tent. And what I'm looking for is something that is a durable set of tents. Remember these will be for teenaged boys to sleep in, without mom or dad in there keeping them settled down and not tearing up the tent.
What I'm looking for is fairly simple:
3 person tents (since that usually equates to a 2 person tent). We live in Florida so ventilation is a must as is a good tent fly. I'd like to have the fly go all the way down to the ground around the tent (since Florida rain doesn't fall down it falls sideways... Don't want it blowing under the edges of the tent fly and if the fly goes all the way down that's usually a non issue). A sturdy pole system that won't collapse when the wind starts blowing during one of our famous thunderstorms (with hurricane force winds that do sometimes sneak up on us in the middle of the night no matter how clear the weather channel said it would be). They need to be light enough to be strapped to a 12 year olds back pack. Also if possible I'd like to find tents that have a vestibule they can leave dirty shoes under outside their tents and not worry about them getting soaked if a storm rolls in during the night. And a proper footprint to lay down under the tent to protect the floor. I like the tents that have the tarp material and is designed like a tub they seem to stay the driest inside at least that has been my experience.
I have looked at so many tents online and in person at so many different stores that my eyes are going cross eyed trying to narrow down the search. I expect to have to use waterproofing treatment on any tents that we get before their maiden voyage into the wild but would also want the seams to be fully taped and sealed. Zippers need to be the big ones that are easy to open and close. Don't want any of those zippered holes in the bottom of the tent like the ones we had when I was a Boy Scout (the idea was you could just open that zipper and then shake out all the dirt and leaves through that hole or sweep it out through it. It was probably a great idea in an arid climate, but not so great in a wet marshland like Florida) I'd love finding ones that the tent clips to the poles (that prevents a lot of wicking when the tent body isn't touching the fly due to the way the poles go trough the tent pole sleeves).
To summarize what I feel makes a good Scout tent:
1.) 3 person in size (which normally is really only a 2 person tent).
2.) Must be at least a 3 season tent. (We don't really have to many opportunities to travel to snow country.)
3.) Tent body has clips to attach to the poles instead of sleeves you pass the poles through.
4.) Tent fly goes all the way down to protect from wind blowing the water through the wall seams.
5.) Heavy duty zippers that are easy to open and close.
6.) Good ventilation capabilities.
7.) Light enough a small 12 year old boy won't be to strained by having it added to his backpack on a hike.
8.) Strong tent poles that won't allow the tent to collapse during the wind and rain.
9.) Fully taped seams.
Optional features:
1.) Bottom of the tent is made from tarp material and is shaped like a tub so that there are no seams touching the ground. (Plus it's a more durable floor material in my opinion)
2.) A properly fitting footprint for protecting the floor of the tent. (If we have to we'll make footprints for the tents using tarps, rivets, glue, and nylon straps. I learned how a while back on YouTube but would rather a commercially made footprint)
3.) Vestibules that close up so they can leave dirty shoes and other gear outside their tent safe from weather.
4.) Built in HVAC... OK, OK, OK I'm kidding on this one!
So in order to help me start narrowing things down so that I can get my Scouts in some dry tents I've come here seeking suggestions on tent selection. If you'll make a suggestion of a tent model and why you're glad you got the particular tent model you're suggesting that would be great. If you'll supply the tent model name, I'll look up the features of the tent and go from their.
Remember my budget is $100.00 per tent and if you know of a supplier of the tent or tents that you're suggesting that is, "Boy Scout Friendly" (as in they like to give discounts to the BSA...) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, Tell me the tent model and where you got your best deal from.
Thanks Very Much,
Scoutmaster of Troop 160
Boy Scouts Of America
North Florida Council
I'm very picky about what I'd like to get in a tent. I have been given a budget of $100.00/tent. And what I'm looking for is something that is a durable set of tents. Remember these will be for teenaged boys to sleep in, without mom or dad in there keeping them settled down and not tearing up the tent.
What I'm looking for is fairly simple:
3 person tents (since that usually equates to a 2 person tent). We live in Florida so ventilation is a must as is a good tent fly. I'd like to have the fly go all the way down to the ground around the tent (since Florida rain doesn't fall down it falls sideways... Don't want it blowing under the edges of the tent fly and if the fly goes all the way down that's usually a non issue). A sturdy pole system that won't collapse when the wind starts blowing during one of our famous thunderstorms (with hurricane force winds that do sometimes sneak up on us in the middle of the night no matter how clear the weather channel said it would be). They need to be light enough to be strapped to a 12 year olds back pack. Also if possible I'd like to find tents that have a vestibule they can leave dirty shoes under outside their tents and not worry about them getting soaked if a storm rolls in during the night. And a proper footprint to lay down under the tent to protect the floor. I like the tents that have the tarp material and is designed like a tub they seem to stay the driest inside at least that has been my experience.
I have looked at so many tents online and in person at so many different stores that my eyes are going cross eyed trying to narrow down the search. I expect to have to use waterproofing treatment on any tents that we get before their maiden voyage into the wild but would also want the seams to be fully taped and sealed. Zippers need to be the big ones that are easy to open and close. Don't want any of those zippered holes in the bottom of the tent like the ones we had when I was a Boy Scout (the idea was you could just open that zipper and then shake out all the dirt and leaves through that hole or sweep it out through it. It was probably a great idea in an arid climate, but not so great in a wet marshland like Florida) I'd love finding ones that the tent clips to the poles (that prevents a lot of wicking when the tent body isn't touching the fly due to the way the poles go trough the tent pole sleeves).
To summarize what I feel makes a good Scout tent:
1.) 3 person in size (which normally is really only a 2 person tent).
2.) Must be at least a 3 season tent. (We don't really have to many opportunities to travel to snow country.)
3.) Tent body has clips to attach to the poles instead of sleeves you pass the poles through.
4.) Tent fly goes all the way down to protect from wind blowing the water through the wall seams.
5.) Heavy duty zippers that are easy to open and close.
6.) Good ventilation capabilities.
7.) Light enough a small 12 year old boy won't be to strained by having it added to his backpack on a hike.
8.) Strong tent poles that won't allow the tent to collapse during the wind and rain.
9.) Fully taped seams.
Optional features:
1.) Bottom of the tent is made from tarp material and is shaped like a tub so that there are no seams touching the ground. (Plus it's a more durable floor material in my opinion)
2.) A properly fitting footprint for protecting the floor of the tent. (If we have to we'll make footprints for the tents using tarps, rivets, glue, and nylon straps. I learned how a while back on YouTube but would rather a commercially made footprint)
3.) Vestibules that close up so they can leave dirty shoes and other gear outside their tent safe from weather.
4.) Built in HVAC... OK, OK, OK I'm kidding on this one!
So in order to help me start narrowing things down so that I can get my Scouts in some dry tents I've come here seeking suggestions on tent selection. If you'll make a suggestion of a tent model and why you're glad you got the particular tent model you're suggesting that would be great. If you'll supply the tent model name, I'll look up the features of the tent and go from their.
Remember my budget is $100.00 per tent and if you know of a supplier of the tent or tents that you're suggesting that is, "Boy Scout Friendly" (as in they like to give discounts to the BSA...) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, Tell me the tent model and where you got your best deal from.
Thanks Very Much,
Scoutmaster of Troop 160
Boy Scouts Of America
North Florida Council
A canvas campateer
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