Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

[Phylodog]

A good buddy bought one of these: TENT

He's had it up and airing out in his basement for a few weeks now. I was over last night checking it out and he asked me if I knew about a hole in the floor of the tent. It was a little more than 12" across and had material there to cinch the hole closed. I hadn't seen a tent like that before, anyone know what that hole is for?

 

[-=boone=-]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Looks like a nice spot to sweep the dirt out of ones tent.

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

stove maybe............

 

[ajwcotton]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

I have never seen that tent issued or used by anyone in the military.
Is there a place in the top for an additional pole?

 

[duckhunter80]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Ice fishing?

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

I thought a stove might be a possibility but it doesn't have any holes in the roof for vent pipe, could be for a cook stove I guess.

It could be used for ice fishing too.

 

[Graham]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Is it for going to the bathroom in very cold weather?

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Could work for that as well

 

[ORD]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: duckhunter80</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ice fishing? </div></div>

^^ This ^^ Or maybe its for the crapper?

I mean seriously, who wants to get out of the tent and hump it all the way over to the latrine on those sub-zero hunting trips/excursions?!?! NOT ME!!


ETA: DAMN!! Graham beat me to it...time for a faster computer!!

 

[razzle]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

My guess is it's for digging a hole in the snow for cold air to sink into. Or could be for a stove, like already mentioned..
Where on the floor was it located?

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Just inside the entrance to the left

 

[sniper2ndrep]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Its used as an extreme cold tunnel hatch..

 

[Ranger70]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Hole for the beer!!!

 

[zack-s]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

$3,800 for a tent? Wow

 

[bcw1284]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Zohan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Its used as an extreme cold tunnel hatch..</div></div>

This ^

 

[AlabamaShooter]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

My guess would be for a small backpacking stove(heating/boiling water) and for to keep anything hot from contacting the tent floor.

 

[4thPointOfContact]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

For the cook stove, had one in a few tents before.

 

[sniper2ndrep]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Read my original post..thats what its for. I have a great deal of expericence with these tents.

 

[BX1129]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

eehhh.... I have never seen these tents.....

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

While I have no idea what an "extreme cold tunnel hatch" is, we were issued a tent almost identical to that one at the Mountain Warfare Training Center during the Cold Weather package.

I don't recall if there was or wasn't a hole in the floor. Those tents had a bunch of features we didn't use.

We used to dig a nice hole in the vestibule that way you could almost stand up and ditch your outer layers before you crawled into the tent. It also worked as a "cold hole" allowing the cold air to sink away from where we were sleeping.

You can keep that cold weather shit. I learned a lot, but drawing straws to see who got to crawl out of the bag to light the stove was not fun. Nor was trying not to catch the whole works on fire.

 

[eleaf]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Had anyone actually read the listing, you would know what it's for.

And no, it has nothing to do with cold air or stoves or latrines.

Click on the 4th pic in the sequence (the one that shows said hole), look at the top of the pic and all will be revealed.

 

[Arno]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

I stayed in one for a few months. I believe the intent for the hatch is for connecting 2 tents. They are decent tents just bulky and a little tricky getting the poles in place.

 

[zack-s]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: eleaf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Had anyone actually read the listing, you would know what it's for.

And no, it has nothing to do with cold air or stoves or latrines.

Click on the 4th pic in the sequence (the one that shows said hole), look at the top of the pic and all will be revealed. </div></div>


The 4th pic shows said hole in side of tent. His is in the bottom of tent. So are you saying its for a 2 story tent?

 

[bcw1284]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Why do you people continue to ignore Zohan, what he said is correct for the hole in the floor (idk about side ones). When setup in deep snow you can dig a hole and enter the tent that way, preventing the warm air in the tent (stove, body heat) from escaping. It also helps cut down on wind penetration because the entrance is shielded.

I have seen them demonstrated in this manner, though I have not used the feature myself because the snow here blows away before it gets that deep, lol.

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: eleaf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Had anyone actually read the listing, you would know what it's for.

And no, it has nothing to do with cold air or stoves or latrines.

Click on the 4th pic in the sequence (the one that shows said hole), look at the top of the pic and all will be revealed.</div></div>

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the hole in the floor, which is visible in the first pic not the 4th.

If it were my tent I'd use that area for my Whisperlite stove. No having to put it up on a stand would be nice.

 

[finbox]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?


Cinch enterance for connecting 2 tents

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

If you read Colin Fletcher's "The Complete Walker" you'll find he advocates a hole in the floor so you can place and use your stove inside the tent.

Cory, many of us use study 3 season tents out here in the winter. As long as you are not summiting and expecting feet of snow on the tent for days on end, they work darned well for winter camping at half the weight of a true 4 season.

Not a direct answer to your question though, but some things to think about.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _9H</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As long as you are not summiting and expecting feet of snow on the tent for days on end, they work darned well for winter camping at half the weight of a true 4 season.</div></div>

Bringing back memories of knocking snow off the tents every couple of hours. Cold Weather training was the most fun I ever hated.

 

[hiddenmongoose]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

zohan is on the money

 

[SRT_Supply]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _9H</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As long as you are not summiting and expecting feet of snow on the tent for days on end, they work darned well for winter camping at half the weight of a true 4 season.</div></div>

Bringing back memories of knocking snow off the tents every couple of hours. Cold Weather training was the most fun I ever hated.</div></div>

Out of curiosity, how cold did it get during Cold Weather training?

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Extreme cold tunnel hatch it is, makes sense. Thanks for the info, I will pass it along.

 

[Slapchop]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">While I have no idea what an "extreme cold tunnel hatch" is, we were issued a tent almost identical to that one at the Mountain Warfare Training Center during the Cold Weather package.

I don't recall if there was or wasn't a hole in the floor. Those tents had a bunch of features we didn't use.

We used to dig a nice hole in the vestibule that way you could almost stand up and ditch your outer layers before you crawled into the tent. It also worked as a "cold hole" allowing the cold air to sink away from where we were sleeping.

You can keep that cold weather shit. I learned a lot, but drawing straws to see who got to crawl out of the bag to light the stove was not fun. Nor was trying not to catch the whole works on fire. </div></div>

Like LoneWolf, I too used these tents (white in color) while attending the Cold Weather package in Bridgeport CA. I don't really remember any holes but I do know that those fuckers were roomy and really stood up to the elements.

Good piece of gear and relatively simple to set up, which was a good thing given the amount of times the instructors had us "pull pole".

 

[Slapchop]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Out of curiosity, how cold did it get during Cold Weather training?</div></div>

Definitely below freezing. Quite often canteens and water jugs would freeze overnight.

 

[socalsheepdog]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Never seen one but am wondering if the cold weather hatch is a door that opens only enough to let you slither in without letting cold elements into the interior of the tent while you made your way inside.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SRT Supply</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Out of curiosity, how cold did it get during Cold Weather training? </div></div>

I am not really sure what the number was. We were always on several feet of snowpack and it was some of the best skiing I have ever done.

 

[Pat Harrison]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

Lol...when I did winter warfare training we hit a warm spell and it was about 40 to 45 degrees F

 

[45.308]

Re: Any Mil guys ever use this tent?

These tents are built off the VE24 from the original Pole Sleeve Oval by The North Face. Their design is rigid multiply geodome poles to stand firm to the wind that they do very well. Leaving a tent a couple days and returning to find it buried under snow but still erected means this is a strong design. While I have been in hurricane force winds in Alaska, I have never used a geo in that type of wind. What they do poor is, a lot of extra weight carried for the unusable floor space and lack of head room with the sloping walls. All the poles run through pole sleeves takes calories and time, if in a good blow this can be excruciating calorie and time consuming.

There is a cinch shut hole in the floor that serves multiple purposes; cooking/heating stove and an entry and exit. This hole looks just like the same one seen in pix 4 in the side of the tent. My opinion and recommendation from use in very cold, very windy Alaska climate, not very useful. A hanging stove will get the stove up off the floor of the tent out of the way so less chance of knocking the stove over spilling or burning the floor even with the hole. For an entry and exit for cold and wind; in a blow, the dug tunnel for entry/exit will fill with snow requiring extra calories and time to re-dig it out. Plus wind will find its way down the tunnel and under the tent, this creates an air foil and can cause some concern. The cinch shut door in the side of the tent is a better option but is still a weak spot in the tent. It requires less calories and time to dig out from the main door. As a cold sink hole it does very well, testing has shown a sink hole can allow the main body of a tent to be 10 degrees or so warmer but there are other ways to dig a cold sink hole.

The cinch up door in the side is for entry exit in a hard blow so wind, snow and cold has a harder time finding its way in as you slither through the hole. Plus, multiply tents can be erected side by side connecting the tunnels so to speak for a mini commode post HQ or hotel as some call it.