Springbar is an iconic brand in the canvas tent world. Originally designed by Jack Kirkham in the 1960s, it’s one of the few American brands that still manufactures tents in the U.S.
Springbar Canvas (aka Kirkhams) has a full line of tents that are hand-sewn in Salt Lake City with U.S.-sourced poles and stakes.
Many will use a Springbar for family camping, hunting, base camps, festivals, and anywhere you need a high-quality and weather-resistant tent.
Springbar is #2 on my list of best canvas tents.
I have over 15 articles on canvas tents. Get everything you need to know, including discount codes.
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Brands included: Springbar, Kodiak, White Duck, Teton Sports |
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Brands included: Springbar, Kodiak, White Duck, Teton Sports
I’ve used a Springbar for casual weekend camping, long-term camping, and as a basecamp for working remotely (learn more about that here).
You may not be using it for the same reasons I am, but the benefits (and some negatives) will definitely cross over to your use.
I purchased my Springbar in May 2021. I’ve had it for about 2.5 years and tested it often while working remotely and camping.
It’s seen heavy rain, snow, ferocious blown sand, and more.
No matter which canvas tent you go with (read Kodiak vs Springbar here), make sure to check out my new post about the best hammer for pounding in and removing the large 12 inch stakes!
Canvas Tents Overview
Let me be clear from the outset… you don’t get a canvas tent for its lightweight or convenience. It’s not for that overnight trip with friends. As long as you know that, you will better appreciate what a Springbar or any canvas tent offers.
I had never heard of canvas tents until I began on this journey to look for an “office” tent since I work remotely, but wasn’t very productive on the road.
They aren’t hard to set up, but they do take time… especially with 12 inch stakes.
There are basically three canvas cabin-tent brands to choose from: Springbar or Kodiak or WhiteDuck.
I have owned a 10×10 Kodiak and a 9×7 Springbar Outfitter.
The Kodiak is made in China while the Springbar is proudly made in the U.S. in Salt Lake City, UT.
I bought the Kodiak 10×10 at Cabela’s after calling Springbar and finding they only release their tents once a month and they sell out in minutes. The pandemic increased demand, but their production facility is fairly modest, so it’s understandable they couldn’t just increase production.
In addition, I called up Springbar again because I was living in Salt Lake City at the time and wanted to know if there was any way of getting one.
They have a “seconds” release which are slight manufacturing defects that they sell to locals.
Thus, I’ve used both my Kodiak 10×10 and a Springbar Outfitter 9×7 for many solo trips. They had accidentally sewn the logo too close to the corner of the tent so it wrapped around. In return, I got a tent and a small discount.
Why Do People Use Canvas Tents?
I went with canvas because of its reputation for being able to last decades with proper care and its durability in inclement weather. [Related Reading: Learn how to clean a canvas tent].
In addition, they tend to be taller than tents made out of other materials.
This was key, as I wanted to feel comfortable in the tent and not feel cramped.
The best part is, I can stand fully upright (I’m 6″0′) with room to spare in my 9×7 Springbar Outfitter. I do have to duck slightly to get in and out of it, but that’s okay.
Half of my tent is my sleeping pad, clothes, and random gear. The other half is where I set up my workdesk and my Jackery.
I’ve even brought my mountain bike inside a few times.
The image below is from my 10×10 Kodiak, but it gives you an idea of how big these tents are.
The Benefits of a Springbar Canvas Tent
- They are spacious. Not only can most people stand in the middle areas of the tent, the side walls are also tall (assuming you don’t get the 6×8 compact version).
- No condensation from sleeping and not much when it rains (didn’t see days of rain, but had a full night of rain)
~Update – I had it in some heavy rain and snow in April 2022 and it held up great! - No need for a rain fly. The fibers keep the water out even though the tent is soaked. If you’re like me and never had experience with a canvas tent before, it’s hard to wrap your head around at first. It ranks in my article for the best tents for heavy rain.
- Handles wind great when properly staked down. You might hear some flapping depending on your staking job, but nothing compared to how a nylon tent would feel.
- Stayed relatively cool compared to a nylon tent. The tent will have an outer door and an inside mesh door. The mesh part of the doors are THICK mesh and you may be hot with leaving those up. The mesh is so thick it was repelling water while it was raining and I didn’t have the canvas flap down.
When it’s not buggy, I unzip the mesh and tie it to the sides with the built in straps to maximize airflow. However, in a hot and humid area, it doesn’t vent well because how thick the mesh is – you might have to think of a solution like some sort of screen tent outside of the tent to let airflow in but the bugs out.- Note: Various versions and sizes of canvas tents have different venting systems. Mine only has venting on two sides, so it’s something to think about when you set up the tent. If you know where the wind is coming from, set up your tent so the wind comes through mesh. Otherwise, contrary to some reviews, it’s still going to get hot in the tent. Yes, better than alternatives, but it’s not like the canvas is absorbing the heat somehow.
- Note: Various versions and sizes of canvas tents have different venting systems. Mine only has venting on two sides, so it’s something to think about when you set up the tent. If you know where the wind is coming from, set up your tent so the wind comes through mesh. Otherwise, contrary to some reviews, it’s still going to get hot in the tent. Yes, better than alternatives, but it’s not like the canvas is absorbing the heat somehow.
- My favorite benefit? You can choose a product made in America which doesn’t seem to be common in tent/camping gear products.
- Their customer service is based out of the same building as their factory. I’ve talked with them and got a response within 24 hours.
Why I Don’t Like Springbar Canvas Tents
- I broke a tension rod on my first use. Then a second one broke in the middle of the night. Read my full Springbar and Kodiak comparison for more details.
- It’s a pain in the ass to drive the stakes down. Mine came with sand and snow stakes. I bought a big ass mallet that got them in, but couldn’t get them out (although I recommend a stake hammer like this now) to help with the process. The stakes will sometimes get stuck and you have to dig them out, so having a claw helps. This is not something you want to set up each night.
Update: Check out my post: Best Hammer for Canvas Tent Stakes. It’s much easier now!
Update 2: I found the best tent stakes for most occasions. Much easier to get in and out. Expensive, but high quality.
- I won’t set mine up unless I know it’s a minimum of a 3-night stay. Not a knock on Springbar, but more of a limitation of canvas tents in general.
- You have to treat it when you buy it to help seal it to help with the waterproofing.
Both Kodiak and Spring bar recommend treating your tent by spraying it down with water and letting it dry to treat the tent to be waterproof. If you have a yard, spray it down with a hose after setting it up and let it dry. For those that live in an apartment complex like myself, that meant taking it on a test night to water it down and let it dry. In order to do that, I used some spray bottles and heavily misted it and rubbed it in (otherwise it beads up). Here are some spray bottles that would help with that. - In general, canvas tents do not pack small. They take up a lot of space in your vehicle. If you didn’t have a cargo rack yet, you might now.
- It’s heavy. Mine weighs nearly 30lbs and that’s the outfitter. Other sizes and brands will push 70lbs+. You don’t want to venture too far from your vehicle to set this up.
- It’s expensive compared to competitors. The Kodiak version is almost identical with a thicker floor and maybe even better poles. That’s just an observation, I don’t know if it has any impact on longevity or usefulness.
For example, these are the prices for the 2-3 person-sized tents for the top 3 brands:
Get My Canvas Tent Discount Codes Kodiak Flex-Bow 8x9  | Springbar 7x9  | White Duck 7x9  |
$599.99 | $999.99 | $1,379.99 |
It should be noted, Kodiak and Springbar keep their prices stable and I have never seen them go on sale. White Duck on the other hand just increased their prices from ~$600-$700 to $1,300 and then discount them 40% occasionally.
Conclusion: Should I Buy a Canvas Tent?
In the end, I love canvas tents. The feeling of being able to stand up in a tent is still new to me, but it’s amazing to not feel confined.
More importantly, after 1 year of abuse, it’s still holding strong. My Springbar Tent has been in snowy conditions to extreme heat and on various terrain. It can also handle windy weather.
It’s also great to have a place protected from mother nature besides my SUV. It definitely took me a few trips to fully trust it, but now it feels more like a temporary home and allows me peace-of-mind.
Overall, I’m happy with my canvas tent purchase. It’s much cheaper than hauling a trailer and allows you to access more roads and less crowded areas.
Learn more about canvas tents here and read my full Kodiak review here. And click here for the best tool to hammer AND remove the stakes.
Related Questions
These are the questions I get from friends and readers about my tents:
Can You Set Up a Springbar Canvas Tent By Yourself?
Yes, yes you can. I am able to set up the Springbar Outfitter (9×7) by myself.
I was also able to set up the Kodiak 10×10 by myself which uses a nearly identical design to Springbar’s larger tents.
I haven’t tried a 10×14, but I THINK I could do it.
How Hard is it to Set Up a Springbar Canvas Tent?
There are two taxing times when some could struggle.
One is pounding all the stakes in. It took my girlfriend much more time than me, but it’s doable.
The other time is when you put the side-support poles up. You’ll assemble the tension rods on top, and then you need to basically pry a pole on the side to lift the entire tent up as the final step.
Sometimes the tent just doesn’t want to move. During initial pole set up, I recommend assembling those poles on the shortest setting.
If you’re having trouble during this part of the set up, here’s how I’ve done it.
Get one of the two poles wedged in maybe halfway to where it’s supposed to be, so it will be at an obnoxious angle, but it will at least get the tent off the ground a bit. It’s going to fall down anyway, so it doesn’t need to be pretty.
Next, go to the other side and prop it at the standard angle. While you do that, the other pole will likely fall down, but you should be able to get this one all the way up because you had the help of the other on to start. It takes some brute force.
Then, go to the original side and fix that pole. Once those poles are securely positioned, then you can try to increase the length of them to get a more taught setup.
I normally set it somewhere in a middle-length setting. In order to do that, you have to really put force into it to increase the height of each of them. It’s easier to decrease the angle slightly, adjust the setting, then re-prop it up.
The shorter you are, the more challenging the set up will be. I’m 6″0′ and in decent shape and it’s not “easy” but it’s not hard either.
Pro Tip: have the windows and door open during take down and set up so it doesn’t create a vacuum and is easier to fold/get the air out when packing.
How Long Does it Take to Set Up Springbar Canvas Tent?
It takes between 12 and 25 minutes depending on how hard the ground is and whether you have adjust the location of any of the stakes. It takes about 30 or 40 minutes if you’re not familiar with the set up. It only takes one or two times to feel comfortable setting it up without instructions.
It’s a little quicker to take down, but it depends on your method of taking the stakes out. I struggled a lot with improper tools. Check this post out for a hammer with a stake remover that will help.
Like I said above, it’s not necessarily hard, it just takes time.
The majority of the time is spent driving the stakes into the ground sometimes adjusting one or two of them after you take a step back and look at your staking job haha.
How to Take Down a Springbar Canvas Tent to Get it Back into the Bag?
First, you should open the door a bit and maybe any other window vents you have in your Springbar. This will help when you take it down so that the air gets out so you can fold it easier.
It’s not fun to try and crawl in and open the windows after you collapse it… trust me.
Then remove the two support poles on either side of the tent. The tent should collapse on itself.
I take my shoes off and crawl onto the top of the tent and disassemble the tension rods and the roof bars.
Then I remove all the stakes while trying to get the least amount of dirt onto the tent. You could also take some out before you disassemble the entire thing, but if you take them all out it be awkward taking it down.
Once the stakes are out, the poles are disassembled, then it’s time to fold the tent.
Pro tip: I would highly highly recommend budgeting in a heavy duty tarp to put beneath your canvas tent. It prevents the bottom of the tent from getting moisture and makes this part easier. If you did not have a tarp, you might have to flip over the tent and let the bottom dry out. I made this mistake once and then the tent got super dirty when I flipped it over so it could dry before packing.
Always make sure the tent is dry before storage or it can cause problems.
Essentially, you’re going to fold it like you fold a letter to fit into an envelope. And if you haven’t done that in a while because it’s 2022, you are folding it into thirds.
The Springbar is 9×7 and this is done on the long end. Bring one end over, and then the other end over (great description, I know).
So, the tent should be about 1/3 wide after folding.
Then roll it up. Assuming you vented it enough, it should be easy to get the air out as you go.
I like to put my knee in the middle after each “roll” to help compress it.
I’ve never had an issue getting it back into its bag except the first time or two.
How to Heat a Springbar Tent?
Staying warm in a Springbar during the winter and shoulder seasons is key to fun for the entire family. Learn about how to heat a canvas tent here.
If you have any other questions, leave a comment and I’ll add it to the FAQ! Cheers!
I am not affiliated with any of these companies. I may earn a small amount at no additional cost to you if you use any of these links. It takes a long-time to produce original content AND to keep popups and annoying display ads, so any use of my links is greatly appreciated! Cheers – Wifibum
2023 Canvas Tent Buying Guide Kodiak Flex-Bow 8x9 | Springbar 7x9 | White Duck 7x9 |
$599.99 | $999.99 | $1,379.99 |
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