We just returned from a very eventful “Get Out & Stay Out” winter camp in the hills. We were very excited as part of the trip was to test a new “Campfire Tent” – a full size, modern and innovative canvas tent using environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing (from greenoutdoor.co.uk), and based squarely on the original “Baker Tent” concept from the days of the trappers and “voyageurs” in Canada’s Northern Wilderness – more recently made popular by Ray Mears ( see our Ray Mears Campfire tent feature) – and in between kept alive by the pioneer of canoe travel and wilderness camping Bill Mason.
We were planning to do this on the River Wye as a winter canoe camp trip, but with the recent constant rain in November and December the river levels were much too dangerous and all the camping locations we’d have used are now submerged! So we headed for the hills in Somerset, and as you’ll see hit some spectacular wild weather. This made it a really tough test of this tent, to which it stood up very well indeed, but more on that later. Suffice to say having spent time using this tent to shelter from sub-zero windchill conditions, and gale force winds and driving rain I am even more impressed with it than I expected to be. We’ll publish a full review of the tent and our experiences shortly, along with a full trip report but for now here’s the video of the campfire tent in use.
For more information on this tent see the Green Outdoor website or read our “Baker Tent Hunt” series.
Eagle-eyed viewers will spot a new “black kelly kettle” in use here – it’s actually an Eydon “STORM” kettle, a new black version that we fell in love with on this trip, providing as it did many cups of hand and heart-warming hot tea!
Hi there ,
Having just watched the video of the camp fire tent ,
I was wondering Why ..
When there was a previous fire site just there , why you chose to build your fire next to it and on living grass ?
I would have thought it would be good practice to at least have used the same site , or even better to have removed a turf and lit the fire in the hole and replace the turf afterwards,
For some one whe goes by the name of “campfire Kev ” I,m not very impressed mate !
I,m a no trace camper !
otherwise I liked the video and think the tent is great
Cheers Noel
Hi Noel – Thanks for your comments. To answer your very astute question.. Well it had been raining heavily for a couple of weeks and the firepit there was already huge and full of a deep layer of ash and charcoal: I was concerned that it would be so damp the fire wouldn’t pick up – as when lighting a fire on wet sand: so that was behind it, but I guess I could have tried that first – although it was freezing in that wind and I wanted to get a fire going asap! Also as it’s a farm campsite I wasn’t too concerned with no-trace camping as I would certainly be when wild-camping of course, but you’re right we should always minimise our impact, even at a campground like this, and replacing the turf as you suggest would have been a good idea. But glad that didn’t spoil your enjoyment of the video and yes the Campfire tent is absolutely superb, a great piece of gear. Cheers, “Campfire Kev” 😉
Hi,
Just bought a new campfire tent partly on the strength of your review and video. Agree with the comment re fireplace, and your response! Where did you get the cool looking folding seats please?
Richard & Cynthia
Hi There – Thanks for your comment: the Campfire Tent is a masterpiece I think, so you’ll enjoy using it enormously. The chairs are “sandcrab folding chairs” from http://www.bearcreek.co.uk/; very good lightweight chair which fold almost completely flat. Mine has just broken after a year of VERY heavy use though, almost daily use! They’re the only ones of this type I’ve seen available, Wynnster used to do a similar one (but without the arms) which I owned for several years, but not anymore I think. Let us know how you get on with the tent! If you go on any trips with it feel free to mail us any photos and we’ll include them on the site for others to see. Thanks!