Opininions on Pyramid vs. Wedge

[bowbender68]

Hello,
I am planning to order my first canvas tent from Panther but cant decide which style I should choose, a 12x12 pyramid, or their Monster wedge which is about 10x11. I plan to use it during hunting camp, so period authenticity is not an issue. I eventually plan to put a small stove in it as well. My main concerns are...ease of set-up for 1 person, ability to withstand heavy rain and winds, and lastly, roominess for 2 or 3 plus gear. Any thoughts or suggestions for a rookie?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I lived for several winters in a 15x15 one-pole with a small wood stove. It was quite nice for three dogs, myself and all my gear. I have my doubts about a 12x12 with a stove. The problem is the slope of the walls, to keep the stove a safe distance from the canvas it has to be very close to the center pole. You have to keep a clear space around the stove and that really impinges on the already limited space in the tent. Do not get a stove which stands up on legs, that will force you to place it right in the middle of the tent. Setting the stove flat on the ground will allow you to move it back closer to the corner and getting the heat down closer to ground level is much better anyhow. In a heated tent there may be 80 degrees difference between head level and ground level so placing the heat source as low as possible is a good idea.
The advantage to the one-pole is ease of setup and transportation, especially with a jointed center pole. The wedge requires two end poles and a ridge pole and is not so easy for one person to set up. The wedge also has steeply sloping walls and so presents the same problem for stove use.

 

[RC]

I'd consider a mini wall tent,, the wedge and pyramid, like coyotejoe said you loose a lot of room with the slanted walls... the mini i about as easy to set up,probably alot easier than the monster wedge..by yerself.. i have a big wedge and a mini wall.. the mini is much roomier and stove wise, it's great! jus my opinion..good luck! oh bunch easier to put a lil fly off the mini...comes in very handy!

 

[Ridge]

Depending on the height of the wedge, it can be real pain to set up by yourself. My wedge is 7 feet tall and 8 feet long. It's virtually impossible for me to do it.

 

[RC]

Ridge,, mines 8x 10 an i do it by myself,,the secret is the "magic" words! guy i vous with can set up his big wall tent by himself..an he's 70! (he uses magic words i ain't ever heard before :shocked2: :redface: if you can "pin" the uprights to the top, or, anchor the bottom of the uprights and walk it up.. but it's much easier with 2 people an 2 doors! but the xtry room is worth it..especially with the fly and stove....

 

[mmahlock]

Have you considered their Bell tent. Like the pyramid it has only one pole but it has 2 ft sides which makes it effectively even larger than its actual size. It is also an historic tent starting around 1810 or so which is much earlier than the pyramid or so I've been told. :hatsoff:

 

[Coot]

I have a museum wedge & my buddy has a pyramid.

The pyramid will be easier to set up & needs less in poles (less to haul around).

The wedge will be easier to attach a fly & the door will let in less rain it the tent is used without a fly. (Door is in a vertical end rather than a sloped side).

Either will work fine. Neither is hard to set up. If you want to consider possible resale, the wedge will appeal to more people as it fits a wider timeframe.

 

[Blacksmith]

I formerly used a wall tent at rondys. I understand that you wish to use your tent at hunting camp. I now use a wedge and love it. 2 pm Sunday when teardown time I can kill the wedge and have the fly last after the shop to pack. To set up the wedge ( Panther 8 x 10 ) I just drive corner stakes, insert the ridge that has uprights hinged to it on the ends, crawl inside the tent and work the legs up until they are standing proper. Leave the bottom ties tied and go about finishing the stakes and evening up. Very fast. I attach the rear fly pole to the front tent pole with twine ( setting the 10 x 12 fly by myself with a helper pole ). As suggested perhaps a centerpole is better idea for you. I love the wedge for me. I have a stove for a couple of events but otherwise warmer weather camp. I'm a one dog deal. Setup and teardown of camp is roughly 2 hours both ways ( inc canvas, forge and shop ).

 

[LRB]

I like a wall tent, but a wedge is easily raised if you stake down one side. Insert the ridge, and poles. Then loop a rope over each pole pin, drive a stake at each end about where the center of the ridge will be, set the poles against the stakes, then pull it up and connect the ropes to a temporary stake to hold the tent in place while you stake down the rest of it. I am 63, and can do this with a 12x12x8 bell wedge. Crawling around inside trying to set poles and such is the hard way!

 

[Handy]

I love the ease of the Pyramid tent set up and with two exterior poles leaves the entire inside area open, this works well for the smaller Pyramids 9 foot and under. Here is a link to a movie on Pyramid set up...notice his tent has the "miners" type of door where I like to have two Tipi style doors for ventilation on hot/muggy summer days and Fly have attachment points above the doors. Hope this helps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9xbCrcMD0Y

Handy

 

[LRB]

The main problem with pyramids is that they are not allowed at most early type events.

 

[mmorgan1730]

I have a Panther 15X15 tall boy pyramid that I have used for four years. It's easy to set up and the single pole in the center leaves a lot of room inside. The shape helps shed the wind and rain. It gives you a lot of room to stand up and move around in that the smaller lodges don't have.

 

[miki]

Just my opinion I would go with the Monster. I have one and set it up by myself. I have put a y at the top of my poles to catch the ridge and then drop a pin, a 2" bolt with a washer welded to it, through the canvas into the ridge. That holds the ridge in place and the tension holds the uprights. I have been through several hard storms in it. I do have a stove pipe that goes out the door flap.

Miki

 

[Dave Young]

Hey Wick, thanks for that post! I have a monster wedge and have been thinking of getting rid of it and going with a one pole, because I have not found an easy way to set it up by myself. Your explanation sounds like the easiest yet. Anyone else have an "easy" way to set up a wedge by yourself?

 

[LRB]

The only catch is body weight. Not so much to do with strength, but enough body weight to overcome the initial lift. I weight 175, and my wedge was a 12x12x8 with a bell, in Sunforger. I was very near my limit, however, one could get the ridge off the ground a few feet, and rest it in the center on a short pole, then do the hoist, if there was a problem. Once the ridge is about half way up, and the uprights are about 45 degrees, it becomes pretty easy.

 

[BillinOregon]

I don't know why I enjoy reading these tent threads so much -- I haven't spent but a couple of dozen nights in tents since my surplus shelter half days in the back yard as a kid. There's just something about tents ... I have a wall tent currently that I got surplus from a guy who bought the set leftovers from "Gods and Generals" as well as a Dutch surplus pup tent and a couple of modern synthetic monstrosities. Still, a large bell-back wedge sounds so very lovely. It must be something about the idea of unwinding that goes along with canvas tentage.

 

[Poor Private]

Or you could go another way put up a dog tent. 2 shelter halves buttoned together. myriad of way you can set it up. from a 1 sided lean-to, to a normal dog tent, to many variations of a shebang. or just roll up in it for a sleeping bag.

 

[mmahlock]

You could also use a Blanket Tent. :hatsoff:

 

[Poor Private]

I am goin to make a "diamond" tent for civil war reenacting. I will make it look like a tarp from an ordance wagon.

 

[Claude Mathis]

"Opininions on Pyramid vs. Wedge"