Anyone ever camp in one of these military tents?

Silvercreek Farmer · #21 01/03/13, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gman

Don't trench. It's very destructive and has not been taught in many years. Refer to Boy Scouts - Leave No Trace. Yes, use a proper heater, just be super careful. Forget crawling into a freezing cold sleeping bag. Most people do not have adequate gear for, or enough knowledge of, cold weather camping.

Quick tips: sleep with a watch cap on your head, stay hydrated and drink something warm before going to bed, eat a Snickers candy bar prior to going to sleep, hot water in a quality water bottle will make a huge difference in a cold sleeping bag, throw a couple of chemical hand warmers in the foot of your sleeping bag, use a foam or air pad to insulate you from the cold ground.

+1 on everything especially the hat and hot water bottle. A 1 quart Nalgene filled with boiling water and placed in a wool sock to protect you from the heat and tossed into the bottom of your sleeping bag will still be warm in the morning. We always nest 2 summer sleeping bags together for winter camping. Works fine and 2 summer bags seem to be cheaper than one winter bag, plus they are more versatile. A change of clothes before bed helps eliminate any sweat that can chill you later on and if spending multiple nights, try to hang and dry the condensation out your sleeping bags during the day if at all possible. If it is just you and the SO, some vigorous

can really help warm you up!

Farmer Willy · #22 01/03/13, 05:11 PM

I spent umteen weeks living in Uncle Sam's GP Medium tent cities. Stoves were nice if you needed to sit around in your drawers, but just for sleeping no stove was needed (or always available). Cots make tent life much nicer. Cots on top of wooden pallets make it much cleaner. I found a sleeping bag and a wool blanket to be plenty to stay warm in the winter. My trick is to run the blanket from just below your waste on up and out of the bag. This lets you have plenty of blanket to wrap around your sholders (couldn't stand to be cased in a mummy bag) and neck/head, almost like you'd wrap a shawl. Kept your arms free in case you needed them in the night.

vicker · #23 01/03/13, 05:27 PM

Yes on the platform on pallets. The first thing I did was make a wooded floor. That makes life so much better.

big rockpile · #24 01/03/13, 05:30 PM

Ok I'm thinking what you would pay for that you could get Modern Wall Tent with Stove and be ok.

Left one set up for months in snow.

big rockpile

Chuck R. · #25 01/03/13, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaMntHomestead

Chuck-first of all LOL at your first sentence.
This one does have openings(sorta) on the sides, like sleeves. Two sets on each side. We were told they were for heaters and air units that sat outside the tents and the heat/air was piped in through the sleeves. I think they were diesel heaters too. It has an inside layer like the outside of the tent, only white, I don't know if that is a winter liner. There is like 6-10 inches between the inner and outer layer.

It sounds like you have the more “modern” version that is modular and designed for “central” heat and AC with flexible air ducts run from the source. They do work extremely well, IF you have a source, not exactly energy efficient by any means. The white is the liner and will work for both AC and heat.

While sleeping bags, especially 4 season or late season bags are great for sleeping, it still means you’re going to be chilly when you’re not physically “in the sack”. I’d look for a good sized propane heater, only run it when there’s good ventilation, and turn it completely off when going to sleep. It will make it more enjoyable for everyone. Or do what we do and all sit around the campfire and only use the tent for sleeping. Which works pretty good as long as the weather holds.

Chuck

fantasymaker · #26 01/04/13, 12:13 AM

They "Hold" the wind not the heat!
Think of them as a wind break not a insulated wall. As long as your stove runs you will be warm but as soon as its out its cold.
Lucky for you its not really cold there. So run a heater to take the chill off ,sleep on cots on wood floors if you can, and have a GOOD sleeping bag.
I have truck camped before by loading all my stuff in the bed of a truck ,then when I reach my goal setting a pole in the stake pockets at the end of the bed on both sides. I then pulled a tarp over the entire truck and a few feet out from the tailgate. I used a home rated 20,000 btu heater behind the truck on the ground to cook on and that heated the truck/tent too..we set our sleeping bags in the back of the truck and the last guy to bed shut the heater off. Fairly comfortable. First guy up starts the heater and throws the bacon on!

irondale · #27 01/04/13, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gman

Don't trench. It's very destructive and has not been taught in many years. Refer to Boy Scouts - Leave No Trace. Yes, use a proper heater, just be super careful. Forget crawling into a freezing cold sleeping bag. Most people do not have adequate gear for, or enough knowledge of, cold weather camping.

Quick tips: sleep with a watch cap on your head, stay hydrated and drink something warm before going to bed, eat a Snickers candy bar prior to going to sleep, hot water in a quality water bottle will make a huge difference in a cold sleeping bag, throw a couple of chemical hand warmers in the foot of your sleeping bag, use a foam or air pad to insulate you from the cold ground.

If you don't trench a tent that has no floor and it rains it is going to be a mud pit inside.

Halfway · #28 01/04/13, 10:43 AM

I've lived in those when we were lucky enough to have a tent in the field. Much nicer than a lean to or foxhole. I also lived in one in a combat zone. Very nice accommodations!

Keep the zippers waxed and use a liner if you have one.

fantasymaker · #29 01/04/13, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gman

Don't trench. It's very destructive and has not been taught in many years. Refer to Boy Scouts - Leave No Trace. .

GMAN I think that advice is for HERDS of Boy Scouts moving from place to place..
I think the OP plans to erect the tent in one place they own for a very extended period of time.
I would site it on a well drained knob or add drainage AND still build a raised floor!

coolrunnin · #30 01/04/13, 11:16 AM

These are excellent bags.
http://wiggys.com/category.cfm?category=6

Jolly · #31 01/04/13, 09:12 PM

I've used an oil heater in a tent. The ones we had, had a line running from a 15 gallon drum, placed outside of the tent.

Worked well.

MelonBar · #32 01/16/13, 04:46 AM

I got away from sleeping bags and airmats and went retro with cots and itchy wool blankets.

Funny when I was fifteen I wanted to camp Indian style, naked with just my K-Bar at my side. Now that I'm 40 I want to camp 1800's British style with 300 porters, 8 elephants, 12 pack mules, 6,000 pounds of gear, wall tent with fireplace, wood floors and side walls, and a butler to serve tea at five.

Saw an article in Survival Guide on a Yurt. I'd like one but as said a used trailer can be had for $500 to $1000 so why pay $4,500 on a tent?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/11477584...FQWnnQodAD0AKg

Silvercreek Farmer · #33 01/16/13, 09:56 AM

So, how as the camping trip?