Choosing a Tent

No matter what you're hunting we've got the tent

SIZE

Your first decision should be the size of tent you will need. If it is too small, you will not be comfortable...and a tent that is too large can be just as frustrating.

If this is your first "real" tent, take the time to plan carefully how you will use it. A 9' x 9' tent is generally suitable for two adults. A 10' x 12' works well for three adults. Six adults need a 12' x 14' tent. Ask yourself these questions: How many people will be sleeping in the tent? Will you set up a table and eat in the tent? Will you put a stove in the tent? The answers to these questions will help you determine the size you will need.

The type of fabric you select is an important consideration. All of our fabrics are very durable and, with proper care, will last for many years. Our most popular fabric is the 10.10-oz Army Duck Canvas.

Tent companies manufacture tents from a wide range of tent fabrics, allowing campers to choose the fabric that best meets their requirements at a reasonable price. The basic fabric used is commonly referred to as “Cotton Duck.” The name derives from a trademark of a duck stenciled on heavy sail cloth imported from Europe around 1840.

WHITE DUCK CANVAS (single-fill cotton duck). We use two weights of this fabric in our tents: 12.41 oz. and 14.90 oz. per square yard. It is a flat weave cotton cloth with single yarns in both warp and filling. The warp yarns are woven in pairs side by side and are predominant over the filling yarns, producing cloth highly resistant to tear and abrasion. While not treated with a waterproof compound, cotton duck canvas is water resistive through its construction. Although we refer to it as a white fabric, it is actually a natural, off-white color.

Single-fill cotton ducks are very durable and have been used as text fabric for over a century. Tents made of 12.41 oz. and 14.90 oz. work best in regions with low humidity and powder snow. Mildew can appear on your tent quickly in damp regions. Single-fill cotton ducks are not preshrunk, and we do not recommend them for a framed wall tent. Pole sets work fine, and they allow you to stretch out some of the shrinkage each time you erect the tent.

ARMY DUCK (double-fill cotton duck). Army Duck is a plied-yarn fabric. We use two weights of this fabric in our tents: 10.10 oz. and 12.63 oz. per square yard. The 10.10 oz. is the most popular fabric that we well. Two pieces of yarn are spun together in the fill creating the double-fill duck while a single yarn is used in the single-fill duck. The double-fill duck (Army Duck) is a dense fabric with a tight weave that is preshrunk. We purchase Army Duck with a Sunforgerâ finish, the commercial name for a treatment that provides more mildew resistance, water repellency and durability. The 10.10 oz. is white and the 12.63 oz. is available in white or pearl gray.

Rocky Moutain Achery offers 10.10 Army Duck with a flame resistant finish, which meets flammability requirements of CPAI-84, and is in addition to the standard Sunforger finish.

CAMPERCLOTH (cotton drill cloth). A three-leaf woven twill. Single-warp yarns are woven over two filling yarns, then under the next two and subsequently repeated, producing a staggered weave that creates a noticeable diagonal pattern to the cloth. The weave produces a high thread count per square inch, creating an extremely strong fabric for its weight. Drill cloth is water resistive by its construction. Our 7.35 oz. Camper Cloth is an extra high-count drill cloth that is preshrunk, dyed tan, and finished with Sunforger, giving it mildew resistance, extra water repellency, and durability. A second finish is applied so that Camper Cloth meets the flammability requirements of CPAI-84. Camper Cloth will not check in warm weather or become stiff or brittle in cold weather. Tents made of Camper Cloth are lightweight, easy to erect, and provide complete protection and long service.

10-OZ. VINYL (vinyl-coated polyester). This mildew and flame resistant fabric is used for tent floors and tent flies. It withstands the damaging effect of the sun’s rays. It is registered with California State Fire Marshall. We recommend forest green for tent floors and white for tent flies.