Score....

[Canotrouge]

I did a few trips with Mike Hurley from Hurleys Journal years ago with his campfire tent. His had no frame, he used paddles to set it up, which meant no evening paddle and a lot of ropes to trip over. He had no floor either, but the tarp worked, just let too many critters in at night.
He made a fire under the vestibule roof, which worked but the smoke was always in the tent, shoreline breezes are tricky.

I don't know if his tent had windows at the back, but one suggestion that Ric who makes the one I have made is to close those windows and it should greatly increase a smock free tent!! That said if you set up your tent facing the wind/breeze, I doubt you could prevent having smoking in the tent!! Can't wait to try that thing out!!

 

[lowangle al]

I wouldn't put the fire under the awning, Bill Mason would have the side panels up with the fire between them and the canopy stowed. They reflect light and heat into the tent. I used a separate tarp one time, with one edge tied to the ridge pole it was almost as easy as setting up the tents canopy. It allowed for smoke to escape and kept the canopy from getting black with soot. The best solution I found is the light weight wood stove with the stove pipe 45'd out the vestibule.

 

[lowangle al]

This is what I have been doing recently. In the picture on the left there was no wind. I will set up like the picture on the right in wind or cold.

 

[Robin]

Nicely done Al

 

[Canotrouge]

Wow Al that is really interesting!! I will need to play with it for sure to find what work for me!! Talked to my daughter tonight, she's in Vancouver BC with her aunt uncle and cousin on her way back here will be back in early august and she want to go for a short trip just me and her while mom is in Greenland and the canadian arctic on the student/teacher on ice program(lucky her) they have been gone for 2 months( I saw them for 8 days out east in the middle of there trip... Anyway i'm getting off topic here lol... But I will report back after the first trip in early august!!

 

[Pook]

Interestingly enough Becky Mason brought her Dad's Baker tent to Assembly and had it set up on the grass.
Very Cool!

Bruce

 

[lowangle al]

Canotrouge that was by far the most comfortable set up in the cold and wind we've ever had. It was the perfect combination of having the comforts of "inside" while still being outside, and my wife liked that there was no smoke or campfire soot to deal with. I've used it quite a bit with a larger stove (24" Alaskan) for base camping with good results, this was the first time I used a small 7 lb. approx 12x 9" stove portaging and feel it was good enough for even the coldest canoeing temps.

Pook, I think her dad helped Ric from Horizons Unlimited with the design of the tent. I have two other baker tents from other manufacturers and I can tell that the makers never spent a night in either one. They didn't have tie offs where they are needed or gromets and stuff like that. The HU tent is very well thought out and can be set up in a variety of ways. After over twenty years I still come up with new configurations.

 

[boatstall]

Al, that is a well set camp. Second pic with the glow of the fire is a keeper for sure. We love going back over old photos of our most memorable set-ups. Never camped with a stove, but may have to add one to the gear. I really like the open front of the baker design. Room with a view and a fireplace. Thanks for posting that picture.

Canotrouge, Congratulations on the Baker tent find. Sewn in floor will be worth the extra weight.

 

[Boreal Birch]

I have always thought that this kind of tent would be a lovely way to spend time in a fixed camp. I never had enough money to afford one, my friends are to poor to own one, so I can't even borrow one, I've never even saw one set up. I wonder if Bothwell Voyageur is thinking of adding this tent to his offerings.
Do these campfire tents take as much time to set up as a wall tent? Kinda looks like it would, with lots of ropes to adjust. I do think having your tarp & tent in one unit would nice, makes for a tight set up with bedroom, kitchen and living room within a step or two.
I love my Whelen Lean-to and wall tents, but this tent might be like having both.

 

[Canotrouge]

I have always thought that this kind of tent would be a lovely way to spend time in a fixed camp. I never had enough money to afford one, my friends are to poor to own one, so I can't even borrow one, I've never even saw one set up. I wonder if Bothwell Voyageur is thinking of adding this tent to his offerings.
Do these campfire tents take as much time to set up as a wall tent? Kinda looks like it would, with lots of ropes to adjust. I do think having your tarp & tent in one unit would nice, makes for a tight set up with bedroom, kitchen and living room within a step or two.
I love my Whelen Lean-to and wall tents, but this tent might be like having both.

This tent took me all by my self about 12-15 minutes and it was the first time ever setting up one! The guy who sold it to me said it needs two to set it up! Would have been easier in the bush where the ground is not compacted gravel like my back yard... As for the tarp/bedrom/kitchen, up here it is not a good idea to cook and keep your food that close to your sleeping quarter as you know same rules apply where you are I'm sure. We do make exception during hunting season some time cause food is plenty full for bears!

Like you and your friends I don't have lots of money but this one was half the price of a new one, but not as light!!

 

[lowangle al]

You only need four stakes to get it set up, six in a storm, so it goes up about as fast as a modern freestanding tent. I never set it by myself but I would think it would add a few minutes. I do enjoy tweaking the way it is set up to make it even better or adapt to conditions. Canot, I put an arrow on the outside of the floor that is visable when the tent is folded and rolled up so I know where the front is.

I feel the same way about having the cooking and sleeping area so close so with the stove in there I stay away from smelly foods. No frying bacon.

Duluth Pack used to offer one for I think 695.00 that looked like it was a copy of that tent, but it was much heavier. I have two other bakers, 10x10 that were cheaper than that before I added on stovepipe holes and a bug screen on one of them. Birchy, I would loan out one of my 10x10s but not my Horizons Unlimited campfire tent, not even to a best friend.

My next tent will be a wall tent and I will be sure that the door has a zipper going all the way up to the peak so they can be fully opened for a better view and ventilation. They are great to hang out in, I keep one of my 10x10s set up in my yard in Ak. and the other one at my place on a lake in Pa.. Like I mentioned earlier in the thread I think it's the best combination of enjoying the outdoors with the comforts of being indoors. They may be spendy but all my tents and canoes together cost less than a nice motorcycle or motorboat.

 

[lowangle al]

I may have been wrong about Duluth Pack offering that tent. It is currently made by Frost River and sells for 950.00, if anyone is interested

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

Tentsmiths also make a Baker tent but again it will be in a 10 oz cloth

 

[Canotrouge]

Tentsmiths also make a Baker tent but again it will be in a 10 oz cloth

This one I got is 7oz. I guess it was in the period where he ran out of Egyptian cotton and when he started to use Ethaproof.... I would love one in Ethaproof...

 

[lowangle al]

It looks like Ric offers the Ethaproof version of the 7x7 for 1680.00. If weight didn't matter and I was going to get a cheaper one, I would go with the Frost river tent over Tentsmiths for the following reasons. First, on Tentsmith's the side wings are an option, IMHO the tent doesn't work w/o the side wings because it won't be storm proof. You also need them to reflect heat and light into the tent from your fire. If you do get the sidewing option they are designed to be used to close the front opening of the tent. This means they will be shorter than the canopy and will not enclose the entire space beneath it. This tells me they are not familiar with how Bill Mason used the tent. He never closed off the front and neither do I, it defeats the purpose of always having the tent open to a view. I also don't think the tentsmith version has a floor.

The second reason is that the tentsmith tent is a traditional period design. This means it will be lacking things like grommets, reinforced webbing, and D rings.

The last thing is that Frost River only makes one tent design and probably put more thought into the details than other manufacturers that make many models.

 

[Canotrouge]

It looks like Ric offers the Ethaproof version of the 7x7 for 1680.00. If weight didn't matter and I was going to get a cheaper one, I would go with the Frost river tent over Tentsmiths for the following reasons. First, on Tentsmith's the side wings are an option, IMHO the tent doesn't work w/o the side wings because it won't be storm proof. You also need them to reflect heat and light into the tent from your fire. If you do get the sidewing option they are designed to be used to close the front opening of the tent. This means they will be shorter than the canopy and will not enclose the entire space beneath it. This tells me they are not familiar with how Bill Mason used the tent. He never closed off the front and neither do I, it defeats the purpose of always having the tent open to a view. I also don't think the tentsmith version has a floor.

The second reason is that the tentsmith tent is a traditional period design. This means it will be lacking things like grommets, reinforced webbing, and D rings.

The last thing is that Frost River only makes one tent design and probably put more thought into the details than other manufacturers that make many models.

All good points. I really think I would get Ric's new version out of the Ethaproof if money wasn't a problem lol... I think for $850 the one I got will do great and I'm sure that if I like it I will get the lighter version eventually!!

 

[Canotrouge]

One thing that I was thinking is an hybrid baker/campfire tent, I think the design would lend it self well to a nylon canvas hybrid design! maybe the 3 panels of the canopy out of a nylon/polyester and the same for the back wall and floor and I think you would save lots of weight and bulk that way!!

 

[Boreal Birch]

Here is some reading material about using a Frost River Campfire tent on trip down the Yukon River.

 

[lowangle al]

That was pretty cool and I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels so strongly about their tent. I would also say that there is a difference between a baker tent and a campfire tent and how they were used.

 

[Canotrouge]

That was pretty cool and I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels so strongly about their tent. I would also say that there is a difference between a baker tent and a campfire tent and how they were used.

hmmm I thought they were synonymous and were ensued the same way.... Educate me my friend!!