Hey folks, this just came in the mail today. I got a chance to pitch it in the backyard. I had been wanting something light/compact and just big enough for my little partner in crime and myself. This thing fits the bill to a tee. The 5Col site has an accurate description and pics, but I took a few of my own to throw up. If you just want to thumb through pics and not read my rambling, I'll spare you. This thing is awesome! The sack itself is unique in that it's partitioned by a seam to make a separate compartment for poles and stakes and another for the tent itself. Both sections cinch closed by the pull of a single drawstring. If you've ever pitched a tent before, you'll figure this thing out immediately. It took me all of 10 minutes to get it assembled. It came with plenty of stakes and eight guy lines. Two long for the ends and six short for the side vents. The poles had another unique feature. Rather than shock cord, they had a metal spring which ran through them for tension. There are sturdy YKK zippers, as advertised. There was more than enough room for us two. My little man was stoked about the surplus factor. We had an Army/Navy surplus in town many years ago. I'd cut grass all summer to hand my money across the counter. This brings back fond memories of childhood. Here are a few more of the seams and stitching and miscellaneous hardware. On my scale it weighed in at five pounds and thirteen ounces. We're due for nasty weather this weekend so I'm going to have to hold off on seam sealing. The only other thing I'll do to it is add some bright orange, reflective guy lines. This was a very square deal. The material itself and the hardware had nothing in the way of wear. Honestly, if the bag didn't say "Raclet Mamers 1991," it would pass for brand new to me. It was priced right and 5Col got it shipped out quickly to me. Many thanks to you and your shop Andy.
Sorry, it was late (for me) last night when I saw your reply. I had to hit the hay. You're welcome, man. I hadn't seen much of you lately. It's good to see that you're still around! Sorry, but I can't see the image. Could be my phone or browser though.
Looks like we only have two of these in stock at the moment, but more will be available in a few weeks. You can find these here on our site if you're in the market. @Kaw-liga , I'm really glad you like the tent! My first two tents were pup tents that were pretty similar. I experimented with using trek poles in an A-frame configuration at the entrance so there's not a pole in your way. It seemed to work well, but you do need to dig the poles into the ground a little so they can't kick out and collapse the tent.
We just restocked on the French F1 Tents. You can find them here on our site: https://5col.com/collections/tarps-and-tents/products/f1-commando-pup-tent-french-army-surplus We also offer a Tyvek groundcloth with bartacked loops here: https://5col.com/products/backpacker-tyvek-footprint-5col-survival-supply
i know it's an old post, but i ordered one of these a couple days ago. pretty excited to try it out. any more updates or reviews?
Mine is holding up nicely. It sees use about 4 or 5 times a year. I used it for my last ESEE Bushcraft class and camped on site. It's my go to tent for cub scout camp outs when it's just my son and I.
did you ever seam seal it? it's something I've never bothered with on the cheap tents I've always used, but maybe I'll need to on this one.
I did, but only because it was suggested. I'd never done it before, but bought a 4 pack of this stuff on Amazon. I think it only took me a single bottle to do mine. The other 3 are still packed up somewhere with my gear. I just hit all the stitched areas, IIRC, and then let it dry. It left a sort of film. I always treat my tents with a silicone spray anyway because summer storms are a given in my neck of the woods. But the seam sealer was cheap and I figured it couldn't hurt.