Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - deluxe?

[asdfasdf]

Just looking for a bit of info from Kodiak owners.

I recently purchased this and it hasn't been delivered yet...I'm having second thoughts about purchasing the tent. I've read through many good reviews but there are a handful of reviews that scare me.

How different is a canvas tent than a normal nylon tent? Is it a more comfortable experience? I have a wife and two daughters so I like to try and make camping as comfy as possible for them.

Is it that much better?

I live in Florida...will I only be able to use it in the winter?

Will it possibly leak? I really want to use this at Ft. Wilderness at Disney World for a week but I'm afraid it will leak and ruin our trip.

Is it durable?

Thanks for any info you may have!

[Mick]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

I bought this same tent last year and used it a couple of times. It is a very heavy tent to haul but is a cinch to set up. It is 10 X 14 and over 6' tall so it is a roomy tent. It has plenty of ventilation with the side windows. You can open them fully or as little as you want. The floor is super strong but we still use a camping carpet. We went from a Marmot double wall tent to the single wall canvas because we were experiencing a lot of condensation in the Marmot even with the vents open. It tends to be extremely humid here and where we camp. The Kodiak showed no signs of condensation inside on the tent walls or ceiling. All in all i am extremely pleased with our purchase and the way it has performed. If weight isn't an issue, this is an excellent choice for a family tent. I can't speak for durability but the materials are top notch so I am expecting to get a lot of years of use from it. Hope this helps..

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

I have one. Great tent. Don't let the negatives scare you. I wouldn't trade it for any other tent. It has been in 60 mph winds and did fine. Down to 38 degrees and warm, with a mr buddy heater of course.
Seems like the negatives are from people who think Kodiak is using 1962 technology, or used the tent in a way it wasn't designed for.
If you have specific questions, just ask.

[MacGyver]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

Contrary to what a lot of people think, canvas tents aren't hotter in hot weather. In fact, they tend to insulate you from the heat because of the thickness of the fabric. Nylon heats up because it's so thin. The (usually) lighter colors of canvas also helps by reflecting sunlight. I have the 10x10 deluxe and it tent does just fine in warm weather.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

I remember a friend and his 2 daughters went on a trip with us. They used a 6 person tent with a chair cushions. His wife came up the second night. Me and him went for a night atv ride. We came back and they weren't in his tent. His wife, daughters, and my daughters were in my Kodiak. With his wife in my bag, on my mat she said if he would buy her this set up, she would go camping.

It may be semi-glamping, but it is well worth it.

[Mick]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

You are right on MacGyver. The insulation provided by the canvas makes a difference and the new canvas breaths so much better... I think they are just a bit quieter too than their nylon counterparts. We are planning our first camping trip the end of April and I am also planning to use your lag screw idea too to help with the set-up. The campground we are going to (Elk Neck State Park Maryland) has a crushed stone base that is very compacted and I hope the screws do better than hammering those spikes that tend to splinter the base as they go in.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

I remember a friend and his 2 daughters went on a trip with us. They used a 6 person tent with a chair cushions. His wife came up the second night. Me and him went for a night atv ride. We came back and they weren't in his tent. His wife, daughters, and my daughters were in my Kodiak. With his wife in my bag, on my mat she said if he would buy her this set up, she would go camping.

It may be semi-glamping, but it is well worth it.

Kingquad semi glamping.
The visual has me in full tilt giggle mode:he::glasses:

[Sparky]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

I have the Kodiak 6041VX 10x14 and also love it. I have been in a few bad storms with it and never had a drop inside. It is heavy and bulky but well worth it.

[BluegrassLady]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

I have the 10x10 VX and it has gotten through some hard rains that lasted for hours with nary a leak! When winds get crazy it may sway a bit but it is stays! I set it up and take it down by myself and it is no problem. Your family is going to love this tent!

[Kodiakxj]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

I have the 10x14 vx tent. So far I have only had it for one outing, it performed great! Unfortunately, it poured rain for almost the whole weekend. The tent was soaked. But no rain got in!

I do want to note some things. As it rained the night before we broke camp, I had to take the tent home wet. They do not recommend keeping the tent stored wet! So, when I got home I wanted to dry it out. Well, the only other downside to this tent is that it is not freestanding. I wanted to set the tent up in my basement to let it dry out in a clean environment.

My solution? I bought a pack of hooks like you might use to put a bicycle on the wall. I attached 4 of them in a row on a joist in my unfinished basement. Then I took the top pole of the tent and slipped it into the hooks. I think I let it sit this way for several days, and when it was nice and dry I put it away.

[MacGyver]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

It's not the Kodiak, it's the more expensive Springbar, but since they set up the same way, check out this video.

https://youtu.be/h-0bZoGm9Is

[tplife]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

Polyester (and the cheaper nylon variants) tents have half the weight and twice the breathability of canvas tents, without the additional care (such as careful storage and occasional CanVac treatment) needed to address and/or minimize mold and mildew issues from improper storage or humid environments. Modern poly tents offer good headroom and vertical space of canvas but most designs have better wind and rain integrity, without the rain pooling issues common in canvas tents. Poly tents have dual-wall construction, so their thinner material offers the same warmth (at night) as single-wall canvas (providing you have a full-coverage rain fly). Full-coverage rain flys in poly tents typically feature vestibules that can double for gear storage. The cost of a good poly tent is about the same as a quality canvas tent in the same size. I liked canvas too, in the '60s and early '70s, but wouldn't go back to canvas with its many drawbacks for the mountain and desert (read: WIND and RAIN) climates where I typically camp.

[Kodiakxj]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

I guess I was in post jail, maybe still?

[jjk454ss]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

Can I kind of hijack this thread? Anyone use the vestibule? I just got it, but haven't used it yet. Every time I've used the tent I've kind of angled one side of the awning to let water flow off it. Anyone done anything, or have tips to get the awning nice and tight? And keep it that way without water issues if it rains?

[Mick]

Re: Anybody have any experience with the Kodiak 10 X 14 flex-bow canvas tent - delux

I don't know how your vestibule's grommets are but I had to install 2 extra grommets just to close the gap between the awning and the vestibule. The factory installed grommets are too close to the end and if you use them there is a big gap where the tent's awning and vestibule come together. As far as water pooling, I have never been successful with keeping it from pooling. I have tried a painter's pole to prop up the center of the awning but then there 2 instead of a single water pool. If you find a way to do it, let me know.