Kodiak Canvas Experiences

satchamo

WKR
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
706
Hello-

I’m looking for a tent for a truck camp for an upcoming elk hunt (assuming I draw which I should) in late September.

I’ve gone back and forth between a tipi and a wall tent and have now come upon Kodiak canvas tents. They seem like the biggest bang for your buck.

I need enough space for 2 adult men and cots and will run a mr buddy heater when needed.

As of now I’m eyeballing the 12*9 cabin tent or the 10*14 flex bow. As of now the cabin tent seems like a sweet package with the huge awning and option of enclosing it as well. But it is pricier and supposedly a 2 person setup.

Then there is the 10x14 flex bow. I’ve read nothing but good about these. Easy 1 person setup. Little bigger interior but lacks the massive awning. But I do have a pop up canopy already so I figured I could just use it off the front, just couldn’t enclose it.

Anyways, I’m looking for some real world experience with these tents from you guys. Plus and minuses of both and which one you would get in my situation!


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Joined
Dec 30, 2014
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8,175
10x14 man! Easy to setup alone and perfect spacious size for 2. I don’t bother with the awning but I also don’t hang around in camp during hunting season unless it’s after dark.
 

Terrapin

WKR
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
345
Flex-Bow, no question. Get the big one. You’ll be done setting it up in 10 easy minutes with only two blood blisters. I think they have a new model with a stove jack. I use a little buddy heater, but would prefer wood heat because it dries. We usually set up a cot on either end with a folding table along the back side. Plenty of space.


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douglasfir

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Dec 17, 2019
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I have a 10x10 Flex Bow. The 10x10 is a good size for two people in cots, but I don't know about running a heater in it. If you don't mind the extra weight and the challenge of finding a big enough tent site, you might as well go bigger.

The benefits of the Kodiak Canvas are vertical walls, the feeling of quality, good performance in wind. The drawbacks are weight, packed size, and poor handling of moisture (in my opinion)

The poor handling of moisture is probably just part of having a canvas tent, and I probably need to waterproof the thing with silicone spray. But the tent has a big nearly-flat top - when it unexpectedly snowed on us on an August trip to the mountains, the snow stayed put up top on, and the tent leaked. Also, I have been unable to find a setup for the awning that keeps water from pooling on it. It's a shame, because without the awning it's impossible to enter the tent in the rain without water getting in the tent.

The tent takes forever to dry and becomes a big mess if you have to put it away wet. Unlike a nylon or polyester tent, it's difficult to hang it up in the garage to dry out (depending on your garage, I guess).

If I could do it over again, I'd buy a quality tent that was lighter but could handle rough weather. Unfortunately this would mean sacrificing so much of what is so nice about the Kodiak, because the Flex-Bow is the only design of tent I've found that is so roomy but also seems weather-worthy.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 4, 2014
Messages
2,032
I have had the opposite experience with my kodiak. In heavy rain I angle to awing to allow water shed. I usually have my tent up for 20 to 30 days so I’ll add a tarp to the top. I think for a canvas tent the weight is very manageable. I store mine in a 150 qt cooler. Good to hear different experiences though.
 

stevie

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Dec 17, 2018
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Location
Utah
10X14 great for 2, plenty of room. Easy to set up with one, easier with 2.
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2018
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Another vote for the flexbow 10x14. We used it last year for 2nd in CO with 3 guys and it worked like a champ. Super easy setup, durable, and heats pretty well.


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twall13

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Jan 21, 2015
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Utah
I've also had really good luck with the 10x14 flexbow and in some pretty high winds and rains as well. I haven't used it in the snow but it sheds the rain really well. Speaking about the awning pooling water, yes it will if you don't set it up right in that kind of weather. If I expect water I pitch one pole on the awning lower than the other with the higher pole on the side I enter the tent from. This puts a good side slope on it and the water won't pool but you still have protection over your door and don't have to stoop too low to enter the tent.

To me a canvas tent is warmer in the cold and breathes so much better in the heat. I did the recommended "seasoning" by setting it up and drenching it and letting it dry before I ever took it in the field and it's never leaked since.

They are heavy and bulky but you'll be hard pressed to find a tent with that much usable space that does as well in the weather. There are tepees and shorter tents that will be better in some ways, but the vertical walls and a height you can actually stand up in are very nice features that other tents (canvas wall tents aside) have a tough time matching and still holding up to the winds and rains.

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OP
satchamo

satchamo

WKR
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
706
Thank you for all the feedback! It looks like I’ll go with the flex bow 10x14. I’m planning on running the nuway propane stove and installing a stove pipe jack


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ChrisS

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Joined
Sep 19, 2013
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859
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A fix back east
I like my flex-bow, I just wish I had the guts to cut like 90% of the floor out of it. I'd prefer it to be floorless, but I think it would ruin the structural integrity somehow, though setup doesn't seem to tension the floor.
 

rklein

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 12, 2016
Messages
128
Location
in between hunts
I'll agree with most all of what has already been said. The big downside is the drying out after a trip. I have the cabin version, and I can set it up by myself, but its much easier with two. One person setup takes a while. The awning is nice but I'm not hanging around camp much either. I should have got the flex-bow, but I found a craigslist special I couldn't pass up. Its pretty cushy camping with a Mr buddy heater.

In regards to the awning pooling up with water. Its similar to an RV awning. If you go somewhere it rains you will notice that any seasoned RV'er will position one end of the awning lower, for water drainage. I've seen collapsed awning supports on campers that didn't angle it. You can drop a corner as stated above, or get another pole and put in the middle(peaked roof), use a tennis ball on the end of the pole.
 

Pinewood

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Joined
Oct 4, 2015
Messages
186
I had a local wall tent company put one in mine. At the same time he showed me how much less fire resistant the fabric is, as well as thinner than their material. That being said, I've had lots of fires in my homemade propane tank stove and it's been great.
 

Gutshotem

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Oct 4, 2017
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USA
I had a local wall tent company put one in mine. At the same time he showed me how much less fire resistant the fabric is, as well as thinner than their material. That being said, I've had lots of fires in my homemade propane tank stove and it's been great.
Any pics of the homemade stove??
 

gburk

WKR
Joined
Jun 9, 2019
Messages
355
Location
Texas
Interested as well. I'd like to add a stove jack to my 10x14. I think a dual fuel stove would be ideal. Looking for ideas.
 
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