The Armour Archive

About a month ago, I placed an order with Blockade Runner (Civil War Sutler) for one of their Large Wall Tents, as seen here:

http://www.blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg31.htm

*EDIT* - Price Breakdown:

Large Wall Tent: $339.95
Sod Cloth: $89.95
Ground Cloth: $89.95
Large Wall Setup (includes stakes, ropes, ridge sleeve, and wood poles): $119.95
Canvas Tent Bag: $24.95
Shipping: $50.00

TOTAL: $714.75


This past Gulf Wars was the first time I had the chance to use it.

I got the Large Wall Tent (10'x12', 4' side walls), with the Sod Cloth, and the Ground Cloth, along with the canvas bag to hold the tent, and the "Set Up Kit" for the Large Wall, which included Wooden Poles, Ropes, Rope Adjusters, Stakes, and the Ridge Pole Sleeve.

Here is my setup from Gulf Wars (tent on the left):



REVIEW:

Tent: High quality construction, with well sewn seams, reinforcements where needed, etc. Tent was waterproof for the one rain we had. Breathed well. Was easy to unfold and setup. Sod cloth was great for helping keep out the chill winds that came at night. I can *highly* suggest this tent for anyone looking for a Wall Tent. I cannot stress enough how much the 4' side walls helped, as compared to a normal 3' side wall on most normal Wall Tents. I easily was able to put my King Sized Viking Slat Bed in it, with room at the front end for two chairs, and room on the side to walk past, and have a small side table there.

Stakes: Simple, but well made steel 12" stakes. Did what they were supposed to do.

Ropes and adjusters: Again, simple but well made, the wooden adjusters even look good.

Ridge Pole Sleeve: As seen here (http://www.blockaderunner.com/images/eb11.gif), this thing is awesome. I liked it so well, I just bought another one from them so I can use it for the shade fly I want to make. Comes with the bolts / wing nuts.

...so...all of the above stuff is getting *GREAT* review points from me. Now...onto the ugly...

Wooden Poles: While the tents, stakes, and ropes were made by top quality folks, apparently their wooden poles were made by half blinded, drunken woodchucks. All they did was buy the cheapest 2x4s they could find, rip them down the middle to make 2x2s (but not even bothering to find the center...just "close enough" apparently, since some are way wider than others), drill a hole in one end, and set in the steel pins. For the ridge pole, they just took a 2x4, drilled a hole in each end, and then cut it diagonally in the middle where the Ridge Pole Sleeve goes. None of it was sanded, edged, etc. The ink from where the wood was stamped at the lumberyard was still on most of them, and the price tag sticker on the ends of the boards were still on...

Of the 10 side wall poles, 7 of them are so badly warped and/or twisted that I'm either going to have to run them through a planer, or just flat out make new ones to replace them with. I tried running them through my router table to round off the edges, and on over half of them, they are so warped, the router bit couldn't even reach the wood where it bowed up so much.

POLE MEASUREMENTS:

Wall Poles: 47-7/8"
Ridge Support: 86-3/16"
Ridge Beam: 144-1/2"

There's no way *I* would have ever let these out of the shop, had I been the merchant. It is just embarrassing. The only reason I bought the pole setup from them was because I knew I'd not have time to make them myself before Gulf Wars (was building my trailer). Wish I'd had the time...

Here are two photos I just went out to the garage and took snaps of, sitting next to my metal strait edge ruler:






...so...overall review: I can highly suggest their tents, sleeves, stakes, and ropes. Stay FAR away from their wooden poles though.

**EDIT** Forgot to mention that one of the wall poles had a knot that fell out of it, about 1" up from the bottom, big enough to lay my thumb in. And one of the ridge support poles has a huge knot / crack in it that I filled with wood glue to make sure it didn't snap from the stress. Not cool in my book...

Good review Az.

This is the important stuff to know about!

Got the same tent from them last Spring. Excellent tent. Spacious and the four foot wall is a big plus.
Made my own poles, ropes, etc. to save some money. Looks like it was a good idea.

Christophe de Frisselle wrote:Made my own poles, ropes, etc. to save some money. Looks like it was a good idea.

Oh, yeah...it certainly was. Wish I'd had time to make them myself before Gulf Wars, now...

One issue I did have as their instructions. I made the ridge pole and supports and wall poles to the lengths lists. They were just a couple of inches too long. Well, the ridge pole could stand to be a few inches longer. It was just the listed heights for the ridge supports and wall poles. At the listed lenghts the tent was very taught when set up. When it swelled from the rain, wow. I though some of the seams might tear out as everything was so tight. I cut everything down an inch and a half which worked fine.
How long are your wall poles and ridge supports?

My wall poles are all 2"x3" and the ridge is 2"x4". Made a chest everything fits in.

http://www.blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg31.htm

I'll have to measure 'em when I get home. Just got to work for the night...

Az, can you give a breakdown on cost from them?

Sure...

Will put it in the original post.

I have 2 of the Blockade Runner Large Wall Tents I have used at every Pennsic since 31. They are a little dirty, and many of my stake loops have rotted out and need to be replaced. But after 8 years, they still hold up great to wind and weather. I tossed the ground cloths after a few years. Now I just use a plastic tarp covered in rugs.

Highly recommend this tent. It was my first foray into camping in canvas, and I'll never go back (at least for Pennsic).

Christophe de Frisselle wrote:How long are your wall poles and ridge supports?

Just measured them.

Wall Poles: 47-7/8"
Ridge Support: 86-3/16"
Ridge Beam: 144-1/2"

The Ridge Beam is really about 1/2" too long. Will likely slice about 1/4" off each end. Was almost impossible to get it into the "pockets" in the tent ridge when we set it up for Gulf Wars.

(will update OP with pole sizes)

ALSO...

Forgot to mention that one of the wall poles had a knot that fell out of it, about 1" up from the bottom, big enough to lay my thumb in. And one of the ridge support poles has a huge knot / crack in it that I filled with wood glue to make sure it didn't snap from the stress. Not cool in my book...

I have a large wall tent that I bought in 2005 from Blockade Runners. I purchased, with it, the set up kit, which came with poles, ropes, ridge, sleeve and stakes. In short: I love this tent, and for the price it could hardly be passed up at the time.

I have no complaints about the canvas whatsoever. I have doors on either side that overlap nicely with ties, sod cloth, etc., and the ridge are is reinforced at the points. I’ve camped in deserts, on the point at Lilies, at Gulf and in various conditions all over the country and have never had an issue with the quality of work put into the construction of this tent. It continues to serve me well after many years of use.

With regard to the set up kit, I’ve had much the same experience and observation as Asbrand. The stakes, ropes and ridge have had no issues except those that have resulted because of my own stupidity. No complaints there. The uprights and side poles, however, have given me some problems. As Asbrand says, they are cut 1/2s of 2x4s that seem to be of low quality. The first time I set the tent up, one of the major uprights split out at the pin, even though we were supporting the ridge at the pin when we stood it up (I always do this, as I’ve had many a problem with bent pins or cracked poles/ridges). Since this happened at Estrella, there was quite a bit of scrambling to get a fix in place. Not a fun experience. After Estrella, I wrote the owners of Blockade Runner about the issue and they promptly sent me two new uprights at no charge with a nice letter of apology. I took these new uprights and reinforced the pin areas with copper pipe at the top and have had no issue since.

The side poles are much the same. I have knots in my side poles, too, some that have fallen out and left holes. One even split in two at Lilies this year as we were pulling gear out of the car. This was no big deal as the tent has loops (as well as grommet holes) to attach ropes to, so it was an easy fix, but still, it’s something of which to be aware. The other side poles show some signs of warpage that wasn’t there when they first arrived, but I’ve chalked this up to normal for wood that sees a lot of varied weather conditions.

All in all, I’d say DO buy the tent, ropes, ridge sleeve, and stakes from Blockade runner, but if you have the ability to make your own uprights and side poles from wood you can carefully choose, do so. That being said, if you do have issues with anything you buy from Blockade Runner, DO let the owners know. They seem to be nice enough and willing enough to make reparations for reasonable complaints. And for all that, I certainly will continue to do business with them and recommend them to others.

Here's my tent at Lilies 2009 (on the point) minus a side pole.

asbrand wrote:

Christophe de Frisselle wrote:How long are your wall poles and ridge supports?

Just measured them.

Wall Poles: 47-7/8"
Ridge Support: 86-3/16"
Ridge Beam: 144-1/2"

The Ridge Beam is really about 1/2" too long. Will likely slice about 1/4" off each end. Was almost impossible to get it into the "pockets" in the tent ridge when we set it up for Gulf Wars.

(will update OP with pole sizes)

Mine had to be shorter than that, even though that is what the instruction said to make them to. The wall are actually a bit shy of 4", so a 4" wall pole was too tall. With 4' wall poles the wall was streached taught from top to bottom. It was putting alot of stress on the loops. I measure the seam and it was not 4'. It was like the fabric was cut to 4' and then after sewing minus seam allowance is now less than 4'.

The 7'2" ridge support, as per instructions, were also too tall. Worked better at 7'. The ridge pole they said to make to 11'8" and it could really be another 2 or 3 inches longer. If you put it all the way in one pocket the other end will just barely be in the other pocket.

Christophe de Frisselle wrote:The wall are actually a bit shy of 4", so a 4" wall pole was too tall.

4 inch walls, 'eh? Wow...you got the super SHORT version of the tent, 'eh?

Damn shift key...

Early this morning, I sent an e-mail to Blockade Runner to let them know of this review / thread.

They did respond, with a "Ok, thanks." but that was it.

Wooden Poles: While the tents, stakes, and ropes were made by top quality folks, apparently their wooden poles were made by half blinded, drunken woodchucks. All they did was buy the cheapest 2x4s they could find, rip them down the middle to make 2x2s (but not even bothering to find the center...just "close enough" apparently, since some are way wider than others), drill a hole in one end, and set in the steel pins. For the ridge pole, they just took a 2x4, drilled a hole in each end, and then cut it diagonally in the middle where the Ridge Pole Sleeve goes. None of it was sanded, edged, etc. The ink from where the wood was stamped at the lumberyard was still on most of them, and the price tag sticker on the ends of the boards were still on...

Yeah, that seems to be fairly common.. the only place I've ever seen where htey aren't just horribly splintery lumber-yard wood is the guys who use the rings on the end of the ropes for adjusting.. Tentsmiths maybe?

Even my panther (which I love to PIECES) has sappy bleedy poles.. but not nearly as bad as the ones you have there.

Honestly...I'd be way too embarrassed to send out stuff like this to paying customers.

At the very least...use non-knotted / cracked wood that was straight, even if you didn't edge / sand it.

asbrand wrote:Honestly...I'd be way too embarrassed to send out stuff like this to paying customers.

At the very least...use non-knotted / cracked wood that was straight, even if you didn't edge / sand it.

I plan on replacing all my pine lumber with Hemlock at some point. WAY stronger, and WAY lighter than pine.

asbrand wrote:Honestly...I'd be way too embarrassed to send out stuff like this to paying customers.

At the very least...use non-knotted / cracked wood that was straight, even if you didn't edge / sand it.

"Sorry, Pete, I know we're kin, but they got this depression on. I got to do for me and mine!"
~Washington Hogwallop (aka Judas Iscariot Hogwallop)

Ok I'm the odd man out, who knows maybe I got lucky...

I've purchased 3 Tents from them - all with setup packages.

10x12 wall
10x12 wedge
6x8 wedge

Everything canvas was fine - they did send me the wrong tent once but one phone call later they had replaced it, with no hassle. (right size, wrong shape)

I've had a weld pop on the joining piece on for the ridge pole, but they replaced with one call.

The setup poles were regular pine - and no they weren't sanded. but there are no horrible knots, they were straight, and the correct height.

I tell people all the time to buy from Blockade Runner, still hard to beat for the price. heck they event sent me an extra set of tent stakes, when I called and told them, they said "just keep'em"...

Nice folks easy to deal with.

Halvgrimr wrote:

asbrand wrote:Honestly...I'd be way too embarrassed to send out stuff like this to paying customers.

At the very least...use non-knotted / cracked wood that was straight, even if you didn't edge / sand it.

"Sorry, Pete, I know we're kin, but they got this depression on. I got to do for me and mine!"
~Washington Hogwallop (aka Judas Iscariot Hogwallop)

"damn we in a tight spot"

Further Update:

Used the tent again this past weekend at Fool's War. Again, everything was great, *except* the poles.

Some are even more warped than before.

The pins (that go through the grommets) on the poles are already rusted to hell and gone.

And, one of the uprights for the ridgepole cracked around the end where the pin is set. Gonna have to make a new one.

First thing I did with my Panther was to paint the pins and stakes to cut down on the rust. I didn't event want to give it a chance.

Sounds like you got a real nice tent, just a slight rip off on the set up package.

A great option for the peg part of the tent poles is to use fiberglass fencing. It is strong and doesn't rust so it won't discolor your tent.

Adrielle Kerrec wrote:A great option for the peg part of the tent poles is to use fiberglass fencing. It is strong and doesn't rust so it won't discolor your tent.

Is this generally available at Home Depot?

Jestyr wrote:

Adrielle Kerrec wrote:A great option for the peg part of the tent poles is to use fiberglass fencing. It is strong and doesn't rust so it won't discolor your tent.

Is this generally available at Home Depot?

I use aluminum rod. It works great.

Jestyr wrote:

Adrielle Kerrec wrote:A great option for the peg part of the tent poles is to use fiberglass fencing. It is strong and doesn't rust so it won't discolor your tent.

Is this generally available at Home Depot?

It is available at TSC stores

asbrand wrote:
And, one of the uprights for the ridgepole cracked around the end where the pin is set. Gonna have to make a new one.

Just make all new poles. It will save you aggravation later, probably at an event. Presure treated or plain with some stain. I just use linseed oil.
My stakes are 12" nails

Well, for Fool's War this past weekend, I made a shade fly to go with it (as seen here):



...for the spikes, I bought galvanized nails and cut the heads off with a dremel. Won't have to worry about rust from the galvanized ones...

I dunno about that. The air in Macon can rust things that weren't even taken out of the car.