coleman instant tent

[phillybiker]

 I just wanted to let you guys know about a tent that works out really well for most CAP missions that require tents.
Its the Coleman instant tent. They will be on sale soon so save up now and the four and 8 man tent really are waterproof the 14 person tent needs a tarp thrown over it. These are NOT backpacking tents but set up in less than a minute and the price is right.
http://www.tonsofdeal.com/Reviews/Coleman-4-Person-Instant-Tent.html
I have bought several of them for my sqdn and we have used them sevral times already. Best part is that you can not loose the poles, so you always know that the tent is complete.

[♠SARKID♠]

Slick setup.  I'm still a fan of the classic bungee core poles, they're much lighter and compact IMHO.  That and I always found those pop-up poles to be a pain in the butt.  The ground blind I used for deer hunting this year had those and I was not a happy camper when it came to folding it into its smallest packaged form.

Pro Tip - Ditch the standard tent stakes that come with your tent.  Go to your friendly neighborhood mechanic and ask if he'll save up a bunch of used engine valves for you (Poppet Valves).  The stems are solid steel rods so they're WAY sturdier and won't bend. Also, the large valve head makes it easy to push into the ground with your foot (no swinging of a mini-sledge) and give you a world of grip for pulling them out (no ripping the stake loops off your tent in frustration!).  They were fantastic for cold weather camping when the ground was still partly frozen.  Your local mechanic should give them to you dirt cheap or free if you drop the CAP non-profit card - he'd be scrapping them anyways.

[Walkman]

^ Nice tip!