Springbar VS. Oz tents

[Mojavejohn]

You have a nice set up. That's a cool looking rig. Looks like we have the same tent, except mine doesn't have the front window. I wished I would have gotten the upgraded model like yours, that's the cheapskate in me.

Took the Pinzgauer up to Devil's lake state park in WI a couple of weeks ago. I took my Springbar family camper along. I've never owned an Oz or Kodiak but absolutely love my Springbar. Sets up in about 15 minutes, realistically by myself.

View attachment 166874

View attachment 166873

The tent measures 10' x 14' and has plenty of room for gear and to hang out with a seven year old if you have bad weather

No issues or problems, owned it about six years now.

 

[Old_FJ_Guy]

Mohavejohn,

Thanks for the compliment, I love my Pinz's. I'm not sure how the Springbar would work without being staked? Without the stakes, there would be no resistance to make the "bars spring"

 

[brentbba]

Mohavejohn,

I'm not sure how the Springbar would work without being staked? Without the stakes, there would be no resistance to make the "bars spring"

Agreed - A Springbar (and a Kodiak for that matter) get's its stability and structure from the stakes in the ground. On 10x10 for instance, 16 of them around the perimeter of the base! You can't just throw up a Springbar in your driveway to dry out like a Eureka, Coleman, etc. that has poles to all four corners to provide stability. It won't work! I don't have that big a plot of grass at home, so I drap mine over my trailer when I get home if I've had to put it away damp. Remember, that on a Springbar, you've only got one pole to the ground at the center of each side and a center ridgeline pole. Without at least the four corner stakes, there's no way for the tent to stand up.

 

[Woods]

I've got a different take on the 10X10 Kodiak. I'd say 90% of the time I only stake the corners. I've been using lag screws as stakes and put them in with an impact wrench. My 60 pound nine year old son can drive and pull a 12" X 3/8" lag screw, into everything but solid rock. There's a problem with this though. The threads on the lag screws are wearing on the fabric webbing that the stakes go through. Not cool on a $500 tent. I've been working on making some parts that will hold the webbing to the lag screw. I'm on my first revision and have some ideas for rev 2. So far these work very well. I'm thinking about starting a line of expedition/car camping products and the lag stakes would be the first offering. Anybody interested? I'm itching to become a sponsor here, so hopefully these take off... I'm also looking for other car camping ideas. Anybody got some?

 

[Mojavejohn]

That sounds like an awesome idea! I don't quite get how you put them in though. Basically screw them in with a drill? This seems like it would speed up the process quite nice. The worst part of the tent is pounding all of those stakes in. The Springbar has big metal loops to put the stakes through, not the webbing like the Kodiak. I think those bolts would work great, nothing really to tear up. I'd definitely like to try them.

I've got a different take on the 10X10 Kodiak. I'd say 90% of the time I only stake the corners. I've been using lag screws as stakes and put them in with an impact wrench. My 60 pound nine year old son can drive and pull a 12" X 3/8" lag screw, into everything but solid rock. There's a problem with this though. The threads on the lag screws are wearing on the fabric webbing that the stakes go through. Not cool on a $500 tent. I've been working on making some parts that will hold the webbing to the lag screw. I'm on my first revision and have some ideas for rev 2. So far these work very well. I'm thinking about starting a line of expedition/car camping products and the lag stakes would be the first offering. Anybody interested? I'm itching to become a sponsor here, so hopefully these take off... I'm also looking for other car camping ideas. Anybody got some?

 

[Woods]

Granted this dirt is about as easy as it gets, but with an impact wrench even dry lake bed is about this easy.

That sounds like an awesome idea! I don't quite get how you put them in though. Basically screw them in with a drill? This seems like it would speed up the process quite nice. The worst part of the tent is pounding all of those stakes in. The Springbar has big metal loops to put the stakes through, not the webbing like the Kodiak. I think those bolts would work great, nothing really to tear up. I'd definitely like to try them.

 

[Mojavejohn]

Granted this dirt is about as easy as it gets, but with an impact wrench even dry lake bed is about this easy.

I'M IN!!!:victory::victory::victory:

 

[Honu]

Seen and heard others using lag screws

Snowpeak pegs are pretty awesome also

Have seen these long spax screws that seem like a cool option quite agressive thread part on them also home depot has some ground anchor things I have wondered about

Good excuse to buy a new cordless tool with this method

 

[Woods]

I contacted Spax as part of my research. There was always some issue with them. Didn't make them long enough... the serrations are counter productive when screwing into dirt... price. I think they are stronger than lag screws, but I'n not sure that's a benefit here.

I wonder if a standard 1/4" impact would work with lag screws. I'll throw my small impact in the Jeep and next time I'm in a tough environment, I'll test it out.

Seen and heard others using lag screws

Snowpeak pegs are pretty awesome also

Have seen these long spax screws that seem like a cool option quite agressive thread part on them also home depot has some ground anchor things I have wondered about

Good excuse to buy a new cordless tool with this method

 

[Honu]

These were the ones I thought of i know they go to 12 inches



Sure regular galvanized are the same for a tent

Would be curious if a 1/4 could do it ?
But again good excuse to buy an1/2 cordless


So that hold down part is something you made ?

 

[Woods]

Yup. The hold down is something that I'm developing. I'm not sure if that's what the final design will look like. I've already made some small changes to it and am considering a complete re-design.

Does anybody know if the Springbar hoops are solid or split ring?

These were the ones I thought of i know they go to 12 inches

View attachment 167482

Sure regular galvanized are the same for a tent

Would be curious if a 1/4 could do it ?
But again good excuse to buy an1/2 cordless


So that hold down part is something you made ?

 

[Honu]

One thing I would like to see is the round loop end either twisted 45 degrees or angled up so you can attache a line through it even if its snugged into the ground

 

[Mojavejohn]

Yup. The hold down is something that I'm developing. I'm not sure if that's what the final design will look like. I've already made some small changes to it and am considering a complete re-design.

Does anybody know if the Springbar hoops are solid or split ring?

Solid ring, I'll try and send a picture of it tomorrow.

 

[brentbba]

x2 on the Snowpeak stakes being very solid. Pricey, but solid. BTW - Springbars don't have those inexpensive stake holders...they are metal.