Springbar Tents (1 Viewer)

[Douglas S]

In the market for a new tent. Considered going the RTT route but our style of camping involves setting up a basecamp and then driving out to trailheads or other places of interest in the local area so the constant setup/teardown would get annoying.

Research has led me to the Springbar tents - either made in USA Springbar, imported Springbar, or the imported Springbar copy - Kodiak. 10x10.

Any experience/recommendations? Prices are high for what is in the end a pretty basic tent so I want to be confident that I'm making a good purchase before I go through with anything.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

The Kodiak Canvas tents are also (or were?) made in the US - not imported as far as I know.

I've always preferred the look/features of the Kodiak options over Springbar, but anecdotal comments online suggest Springbar will be of slightly better quality.

Realistically, in this day and age, you are going to be buying whatever you can actually find in stock (which is already asking a lot).

On Kijiji there is a Kodiak 10x14 tent for sale (Winnipeg, if I remember correctly) - you may have luck convincing the seller to ship it to you. (I saw it yesterday.) That's probably your best bet right now.

This summer I was on the email list from Kodiak Canvas, to get a notification when their tents came back into stock. I got that email, looked at the tents on their site, and exactly 2.5 hours later they were all sold out again. That's what you're competing against in the current market.

 

[FrazzledHunter]

Kodiak tents are made in China.

Where are Kodiak Canvas tents manufactured?

All our tents are made in China by an expert canvas tent maker. If your concern is quality, know that all the materials are top of the line. We use top grade zippers and components. The canvas is custom woven and treated to meet our specs. We are confident that our tents are the best value for your dollar.
REF:
Frequently Asked Questions - https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/faqs/

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Kodiak tents are made in China.

Thanks for the correction!

Either I was wrong all along, or something changed in their production in the last few years. In any case, good to know!

 

[Douglas S]

The Kodiak Canvas tents are also (or were?) made in the US - not imported as far as I know.

I've always preferred the look/features of the Kodiak options over Springbar, but anecdotal comments online suggest Springbar will be of slightly better quality.

Realistically, in this day and age, you are going to be buying whatever you can actually find in stock (which is already asking a lot).

On Kijiji there is a Kodiak 10x14 tent for sale (Winnipeg, if I remember correctly) - you may have luck convincing the seller to ship it to you. (I saw it yesterday.) That's probably your best bet right now.

This summer I was on the email list from Kodiak Canvas, to get a notification when their tents came back into stock. I got that email, looked at the tents on their site, and exactly 2.5 hours later they were all sold out again. That's what you're competing against in the current market.

I did see the one in Winnipeg - the 10x14 is just too huge for my use and would make it hard to pitch at the campsites around me.

Springbar does monthly tent releases - have to be fast and know what you want but they are available.

 

[ducktapeguy]

I have a Kodiak 10X10, it's a nice tent but heavy and huge. I switch between the Kodiak and RTT depending on where I'm camping and the type of trip I'm on. For base camping like you do the Kodiak is a better choice, but even though it's fairly easy to setup I wouldn't want to do it unless I was staying in one place for a few days or more. I've never had a Springbar so I can't compare the quality but the quality of the Kodiak is pretty good in my limited experience.

The only thing I would change on it would be to get the VX model with windows on the side, but I live in a desert environment where you can never have too much ventilation. The strength of the tent is entirely dependent on how well you stake it down, so you always need to be aware of that when selecting a campsite. It's a lot larger and more comfortable but it's also colder due to the extra volume inside.

 

[Douglas S]

I have a Kodiak 10X10, it's a nice tent but heavy and huge. I switch between the Kodiak and RTT depending on where I'm camping and the type of trip I'm on. For base camping like you do the Kodiak is a better choice, but even though it's fairly easy to setup I wouldn't want to do it unless I was staying in one place for a few days or more. I've never had a Springbar so I can't compare the quality but the quality of the Kodiak is pretty good in my limited experience.

The only thing I would change on it would be to get the VX model with windows on the side, but I live in a desert environment where you can never have too much ventilation. The strength of the tent is entirely dependent on how well you stake it down, so you always need to be aware of that when selecting a campsite. It's a lot larger and more comfortable but it's also colder due to the extra volume inside.

Thats great feedback. I’m thinking I’ll probably use lag screws and an impact gun to peg it down. I have found out the hard way that a lot of the campsites in our provincial parks are too hard packed for standard pegs. Plan is to use a diesel heater to keep warm in the shoulder seasons.

 

[TXSunDevil]

I have the Kodiak 10x14, it is a great tent. I wanted a Made in the USA Springbar but ended up getting a good deal on this one. I would like to get a Springbar 10x10 for trips when it is just me

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Thats great feedback. I’m thinking I’ll probably use lag screws and an impact gun to peg it down. I have found out the hard way that a lot of the campsites in our provincial parks are too hard packed for standard pegs. Plan is to use a diesel heater to keep warm in the shoulder seasons.

For lag screws/stakes, I have this exact kit, but in a different colour: Amazon product ASIN B07R6S12DC. It works well, and if you intend on a similar setup, get it while you can, because these can be surprisingly difficult to find.

Diesel heaters can work well, but make sure you get one with a muffler, otherwise they're stupidly loud. Be prepared for some hassle with the $300 Chinese copies of Planar, or to pony up around $1600CAD for ready to go Planar kit.

 

[Douglas S]

For lag screws/stakes, I have this exact kit, but in a different colour: Amazon product ASIN B07R6S12DC. It works well, and if you intend on a similar setup, get it while you can, because these can be surprisingly difficult to find.

Diesel heaters can work well, but make sure you get one with a muffler, otherwise they're stupidly loud. Be prepared for some hassle with the $300 Chinese copies of Planar, or to pony up around $1600CAD for ready to go Planar kit.

I like that kit - haven’t seen anything like that before.

I have a real Webasto coolant heater in my land cruiser but to keep a tent comfortable I’m willing to gamble on a Chinese heater. Not a life or death situation - I’ll be setting it up in a packout box.

 

[ewrk1989]

Springbars are good tents and good people (customer support). I have the 10x14 hot tent package and it's a really nice setup. It's particularly nice in hot weather, as there are many windows for ventilation. As compared to nylon/polyester, canvas is a lot nicer fabric to spend time during just about every type of weather condition. I would say if you get the Springbar, look into getting their storm fly as well, it's a big improvement to be able to endure rain but still have the windows partially open. Obviously setup/takedown/storage are more involved than a simple dome tent, but for these base camp type situations it's perfect. It really is like coming "home" each time you return to camp.

 

[FrazzledHunter]

I just placed an order for a Springbar Traveler in the Natural/Bison color combo.
TRAVELER - https://springbar.com/products/traveler

 

[eatSleepWoof]

The Kodiak Canvas tents are also (or were?) made in the US - not imported as far as I know.

I've always preferred the look/features of the Kodiak options over Springbar, but anecdotal comments online suggest Springbar will be of slightly better quality.

Realistically, in this day and age, you are going to be buying whatever you can actually find in stock (which is already asking a lot).

On Kijiji there is a Kodiak 10x14 tent for sale (Winnipeg, if I remember correctly) - you may have luck convincing the seller to ship it to you. (I saw it yesterday.) That's probably your best bet right now.

This summer I was on the email list from Kodiak Canvas, to get a notification when their tents came back into stock. I got that email, looked at the tents on their site, and exactly 2.5 hours later they were all sold out again. That's what you're competing against in the current market.

Coincidentally - I ordered a 10x10 Kodiak and vestibule last week. The retailer didn't ship to Canada, so I had the packages shipped to reship.com's Portland location, and am awaiting for the two packages to be consolidated into one before being shipped to me here. Also going the hot tent route, and have a wood stove on the way. Looking forward to it all!

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Spring bars are one of the best tents money can buy. Springbar tents have a rope sewn around the bottom perimeter of the tent. The metal loopes for the stakes are attached to this rope.

This is one big difference between springbars and Kodiak tents that I never see mentioned. You can literally grab your springbar tent and pull on the tent floor in order to remove the stakes and you will never hurt the tent.

Do that enough times with a Kodiak tent and the stake loops will tear and separate from the tent.

This integral rope also gives the tent enormous strength in even the worst wind storms.

My family and I have been using springbars for 30+ years and our oldest tents are still working great. We have left them set up for months on end and have never had to worry about coming up to camp to find our tents torn or blown down.

I have spent nights in springbars while the winds were gusting above 60mph, I have awoke to find 17"s of snow on my tent and it didn't phase it. I would trust my springbars in any situation.

Another great thing about springbar tents is the fact that springbar will make repairs on your tent. Especially if your using a wood burning stove, it is impossible to avoid the occasional spark burning a small hole your tent with a wood burning stove.


Here are some random picks I happen to have on my cell phone from the last two years....

 

[FrazzledHunter]

Spring bars are one of the best tents money can buy. Springbar tents have a rope sewn around the bottom perimeter of the tent. The metal loopes for the stakes are attached to this rope.

This is one big difference between springbars and Kodiak tents that I never see mentioned. You can literally grab your springbar tent and pull on the tent floor in order to remove the stakes and you will never hurt the tent.

Do that enough times with a Kodiak tent and the stake loops will tear and separate from the tent.

This integral rope also gives the tent enormous strength in even the worst wind storms.

My family and I have been using springbars for 30+ years and our oldest tents are still working great. We have left them set up for months on end and have never had to worry about coming up to camp to find our tents torn or blown down.

I have spent nights in springbars while the winds were gusting above 60mph, I have awoke to find 17"s of snow on my tent and it didn't phase it. I would trust my springbars in any situation.

Another great thing about springbar tents is the fact that springbar will make repairs on your tent. Especially if your using a wood burning stove, it is impossible to avoid the occasional spark burning a small hole your tent with a wood burning stove.


Here are some random picks I happen to have on my cell phone from the last two years....View attachment 2838306View attachment 2838307View attachment 2838308View attachment 2838309View attachment 2838310




View attachment 2838311

I didn't know about the rope and you're right they don't mention it. I can see its value. Ours is en-route and I'll look for that rope as soon as we unpack it. We're both hunters and could see ourselves out in the winter. We were wondering how best to heat the tent or if we should try to heat it at all.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

I didn't know about the rope and you're right they don't mention it. I can see its value. Ours is en-route and I'll look for that rope as soon as we unpack it. We're both hunters and could see ourselves out in the winter. We were wondering how best to heat the tent or if we should try to heat it at all.

One of our older springbars is called a leisure port and it has no floor. Because it is exposed dirt on the bottom we had a chimney hole added to that tent and we use an old Korean war era military surplus wood burning stove.

It is super fun and it keeps the tent extremely warm. This is the tent we use to store food, do all our cooking in, and hang out in before we go to sleep. Some good memories in this tent with friends and families staying warm and enjoying some adult beverages after a long day of hunting.

It out other tents that have a floor we just use a big Mr. Buddy heater hooked up to a large propane tank with a long hose. We keep the big propane take outside of the tent.

We have been using this method for quite a few years and have never had a problem with safety. Mr. Buddy heaters have all kinds of safety switches so you can't kill yourself with carbon monoxide poisoning (canvas tents breath anywase) and the Mr. Buddy heater shuts off if it gets knocked over.

When we have been camping in extremely cold weather we will run the heater all night. But usually we just fire in up long enough to get into bed than shut it down. Fire it up again in the morning and wait a few minutes before getting out of our bags to get dressed. The tent will go from below freezing to 60-70 F in a few minutes and it makes getting out of bed a lot more enjoyable.

 

[FrazzledHunter]

One of our older springbars is called a leisure port and it has no floor. Because it is exposed dirt on the bottom we had a chimney hole added to that tent and we use an old Korean war era military surplus wood burning stove.

It is super fun and it keeps the tent extremely warm. This is the tent we use to store food, do all our cooking in, and hang out in before we go to sleep. Some good memories in this tent with friends and families staying warm and enjoying some adult beverages after a long day of hunting.

It out other tents that have a floor we just use a big Mr. Buddy heater hooked up to a large propane tank with a long hose. We keep the big propane take outside of the tent.

We have been using this method for quite a few years and have never had a problem with safety. Mr. Buddy heaters have all kinds of safety switches so you can't kill yourself with carbon monoxide poisoning (canvas tents breath anywase) and the Mr. Buddy heater shuts off if it gets knocked over.

When we have been camping in extremely cold weather we will run the heater all night. But usually we just fire in up long enough to get into bed than shut it down. Fire it up again in the morning and wait a few minutes before getting out of our bags to get dressed. The tent will go from below freezing to 60-70 F in a few minutes and it makes getting out of bed a lot more enjoyable.

Excellent!!! We were looking at the Mr Buddy Flex heater/stove combo but were hesitating on the CO safety issue as we have never done this before. So that's it: Mr Buddy just went on the buy list. BTW that's a nice looking animal you got there.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Excellent!!! We were looking at the Mr Buddy Flex heater/stove combo but were hesitating on the CO safety issue as we have never done this before. So that's it: Mr Buddy just went on the buy list. BTW that's a nice looking animal you got there.

The only thing to be aware of with the Mr. Buddy is the fact that they won't run above 8'000ish feet. I think the sensor that prevents them from killing you won't let them run at higher elevations.

But personally when I am camping in cold weather where I need the heater I try to avoid those kinds of elevations.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Spring bars are one of the best tents money can buy. Springbar tents have a rope sewn around the bottom perimeter of the tent. The metal loopes for the stakes are attached to this rope.

This is one big difference between springbars and Kodiak tents that I never see mentioned. You can literally grab your springbar tent and pull on the tent floor in order to remove the stakes and you will never hurt the tent.

Haven't heard that detail before - sounds like a good feature! Although I can't imagine why anyone would want to pull on a tent to remove the stakes from the ground.

Excellent!!! We were looking at the Mr Buddy Flex heater/stove combo but were hesitating on the CO safety issue as we have never done this before. So that's it: Mr Buddy just went on the buy list. BTW that's a nice looking animal you got there.

The biggest problem with MrBuddy heaters is that they introduce a ton of water into the air, which will form as condensation. If you don't have a ton of ventilation, you may find yourself getting literally rained on inside your tent.

There are quite a few better options for heating tents:

- Propex heaters (propane, no condensation)
- NuWay stoves (propane, no condensation, requires exit for chimney)
- Chinese diesel heaters (tons of heat, cheap, very economical diesel consumption, but can be loud and occasionally problematic)
- Planar, Espar, Webasto, etc. diesel heaters (quality units, but expensive)
- Wood stoves

If I were willing to spend $2k CAD on heating, I'd get the ready-to-go Planar diesel heater in a case: Portable Diesel Air Heater Planar | Shop Diesel Heaters Online by Planar - https://planarheaters.com/product/portable-diesel-air-heater-planar-2d-12/

 

[FrazzledHunter]

Haven't heard that detail before - sounds like a good feature! Although I can't imagine why anyone would want to pull on a tent to remove the stakes from the ground.



The biggest problem with MrBuddy heaters is that they introduce a ton of water into the air, which will form as condensation. If you don't have a ton of ventilation, you may find yourself getting literally rained on inside your tent.

There are quite a few better options for heating tents:

- Propex heaters (propane, no condensation)
- NuWay stoves (propane, no condensation, requires exit for chimney)
- Chinese diesel heaters (tons of heat, cheap, very economical diesel consumption, but can be loud and occasionally problematic)
- Planar, Espar, Webasto, etc. diesel heaters (quality units, but expensive)
- Wood stoves

If I were willing to spend $2k CAD on heating, I'd get the ready-to-go Planar diesel heater in a case: Portable Diesel Air Heater Planar | Shop Diesel Heaters Online by Planar - https://planarheaters.com/product/portable-diesel-air-heater-planar-2d-12/

Interesting!!! I'll look I to all this. Mr. Buddy buy now on hold LOL!