Military half shelter

[Gdawgs]

My son got one of these military issue half shelters (includes two halves) as a prize for cub scouts a couple years ago.
http://www.jmcremps.com/Military-Sur.../#.UiKlY0Mo7mQ
It has been sitting in his closet ever since, and we finally took it out tonight to check it out. The quality of this thing is impressive. The canvas is THICK. Feels about twice as thick as a Kodiak tent. But these don't have a floor, so it doesn't seem to be all that useful. This looks like fun, but I'm not sure what to do with it. Maybe a portable toilet station, or a gear shelter.

Has anyone ever used one of these? If so, what did you use if for? I'm wondering how you could rig up some sort of flooring to keep the critters and water out.

[Irate Mormon]

Re: Military half shelter

You can buy these on the cheap, but there's a hefty weight penalty. You don't need a floor, but don't be tempted to touch the canvas during a rainstorm.

[SmokeEater2]

Re: Military half shelter

I used them in the Army, Mostly during training and in severely cold weather but they are heavy so we mostly used poncho hooch's.

When we did use them one guy carried each half and one carried the poles, The other guy carried the stakes. As far as it not having a floor we piled sand,dirt or rocks on the small flaps along the bottom to keep the larger crawly things out.

They actually work pretty well and are tough as nails and you can warm the inside with a candle in really cold weather.

[Bigdog57]

Re: Military half shelter

I used one in my Civil Air Patrol days when I was in high school. Tight for us 'big kids'. Luckily it never rained on us when we were 'camped out' in the back lawn of the motel in Naples, Florida. It was high adventure for a sixteen year old kid. ;-)

[Mike]

Re: Military half shelter

Obviously not a backpacking tent, but if you want to use it for nostalgia purposes, you can get some of the cockroach killer at a Mexican grocery store for a couple bucks and pour it around the perimeter if the tent. That will keep the bugs from crawling inside the tent including scorpions. It won't keep snakes out, though

It isn't worth the trouble of putting much money into it to upgrade. You can put down just about anything for flooring. One of those woven straw mats would be nice

Like the other cats on this forum said, canvas tents leak I the rain when you touch them and pup tents are so geometrically small that it is difficult not to touch the sides

Try it out and see what it was like camping in the old days or what it was like for old school military

[Oldcoyote]

Re: Military half shelter

I remember a shelter half tent set up in the woods at Ft Jackson, S.C. The tent pegs were driven into the sandy soil. In the middle of the night, a rainstorm came, the pegs pulled out and the tent collapsed. Misery.

Give it to Goodwill.

Mexican grocery store, love it!

[Gdawgs]

Re: Military half shelter

Well I don't think we'll ever actually sleep in the thing. We have it setup in the backyard and the kids have a bunch of neighborhood kids over, and they are having a blast with it. I guess if that's all it ever gets used for, that's good enough.

[Hikenhunter]

Re: Military half shelter

Well I don't think we'll ever actually sleep in the thing. We have it setup in the backyard and the kids have a bunch of neighborhood kids over, and they are having a blast with it. I guess if that's all it ever gets used for, that's good enough.

That's what I'd do with it. Let the kids play in it, at least it is getting used that way.

[Moss]

Re: Military half shelter

I setup only one half and stack my firewood under when camping. I use it for shade/privacy as well for coolers and other items people might be drawn to steal. :cool:

[Gdawgs]

Re: Military half shelter

My son and I slept out in his half shelter last weekend(in the backyard ). We had a good time. Stayed up late watching TV shows on my phone. This time of year, bugs aren't bad and the weather was cool (45 at night). Not the greatest tent, but it helped build some great memories.

[Oldcoyote]

Re: Military half shelter

That's great. What did you use to watch tv on your phone?

[Gdawgs]

Re: Military half shelter

Using Netflix on the phone.

[Bigdog57]

Re: Military half shelter

How was the data usage? What number of Gigs do you keep monthly. I only have 1G of monthly data right now, and figure any TV usage would really eat it up!

[Gdawgs]

Re: Military half shelter

I have a 4 gb plan. But since we were "camping" in the backyard, I was still on my WiFi network, so no usage there. :D

[Waldo Pepper]

Re: Military half shelter

I'm 51 and motorcycle camp with one fairly regularly. With the external mosquito netting. Works great!!