What does bombproof mean?

[evanwright]

I was curious if someone could explain to me what "bombproof" means. Does it basically mean that it a tent is able to withstand the elements? Also, what makes some tents a couple hundred dollars and some under $30?

[wiiawiwb]

Re: What does bombproof mean?

Bombproof. In general, for three-season tents it means it will withstand heavy rain and sustained winds. A four-season tent should also be able to withstand heavy snow.

Cabela's Alaskan Guide tent comes to mind. It is designed to be used in places like Kodiak Alaska. Here is a video showing what that tent can endure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PylrnSDprIM

In the conditions you see in the video, garden-variety tents would collapse, take in rain, or probably both. I happen to have this tent and it is the real McCoy. It can be the difference between life and death in certain circumstances.

Bombproof tents have more poles and stake out points and the shape is designed to shed water, rain, or snow. The Alaskan Guide tent has 7 poles and a myriad of tie-out points. They serve to anchor the tent and keep it from collapsing.



Cabelas even goes a step further and has its Outfitter XWT-Xtreme tent which is a 4-season storm shelter. It's ridiculous it is so weather proof.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk0WG1VpDqY



There are less expensive and smaller tents that are more bombproof. For example, Eureka's Mountain Pass 3Xt is a two-person tent that can be had for ~$200 and is very storm worthy. It has a heavy floor coating, heavy fly coating, a large front vestibule and the fly covers the entire tent. In this price range, that's the tent I'd strongly consider.

http://store.eurekatent.com/mountain-pass-3xte-tent

[NYCgrrl]

Re: What does bombproof mean?

As far as differences in tent costs it's all about the specifications used.

Here's a site that helps to make sense of much of the components:

http://familytentsforcamping.net/ten...ing-tents.html

HTH and welcome!

PS- don't let the use of the phrase "family tents" scare you off; the info is really for all tenters unless yer traversing the Himalayas......

[hwc1954]

Re: What does bombproof mean?

Also, what makes some tents a couple hundred dollars and some under $30?

Mostly the quality and cost of the materials. Aluminum poles cost more, but are lighter and stronger. There are many grades of tent fabric and degrees of water proofing. Lighter and/or stronger fabrics cost more. There are expensive high quality zippers and cheaper lower quality zippers. Full-coverage rain flies and partial rain flies. And, on and on.

Two things that can make for a very expensive tent are ultra lightweight and ultra strong tents for 4 season use (snow). Neither of these are that important in a summer car camping tent.

[elkantler75]

Re: What does bombproof mean?

my tents are built from 1000 d. cordura nylon.
bombproof as they get.
and bear resistant

[Malamute]

Re: What does bombproof mean?

I was curious if someone could explain to me what "bombproof" means. Does it basically mean that it a tent is able to withstand the elements? Also, what makes some tents a couple hundred dollars and some under $30?

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bombproof

[gmann]

Re: What does bombproof mean?

I camp in a 12x20 Cabela's Alakank tent. Not sure how it compares to other tents in the bombproof category but I feel pretty good betting that it ranks near the top.

Within the last few months the tent has experienced back to back to back to back days of pouring rain with nasty winds, gusts of wind over 50 mph, 14" of heavy wet snow, low temps of 10 degrees with wind chills at -10, hot humid weather with temps in the 90's and 18 days/nights with two boys ages 6 and 8 with no issues.