I spent a couple of seasons in Antarctica, and while I was there we used a pyramid shaped tent called a Scott Tent. Does anybody know where these can be purchased, or the fabric can be purchased?

I Googled it and got this:

http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/13030.html

http://www.usap.gov/travelAndDeployment/documents/FieldManual-Chapt12Tents.pdf

http://huey.colorado.edu/77DegreesSouth/week2p5.html

Looks like a Golite Shangri-La on roids. I would contact these polar institutes and ask them where they get theirs. Just remember, they weigh 80 lbs...EACH!

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

BF <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Like this one?
Scott tent

Here's another story with some pictures
story

I am pretty good at finding stuff on the web and didn't see anything except stories about using these tents. Your best bet would probably be to contact whoever had it and ask them where they got it.

Yeah, that is the tent. I atteneded the class they are talking about in those stories. It is called "Crappy Camper School" by those that have taken it.

The Scott Tent is a design rather than a particular product . I could not find a match to the one in that picture however a very similar product is made by One Planet , ( an Australian company that supplies the Australian Antarctic Division), soon to have a couple of new very light weight tents as well , the Gunyah (for the Aussie bushwalkers...)




http://www.adventureone.com.au/industria...mp;amp;Itemid=7

Similar products can be purchased from

http://www.snowsled.com/polar/tents.htm
http://www.outdoorventure.com/tent_systems/arctic.html


For the ones interested in tent design, this is a recent variation to the Scott tent by One Planet for one of the Aussies Sub Antarctic Bases. It's made of reinforced Gore Tex . The previous type did not stand up too well against the 250 KPH (155 MPH) winds and "summer" rain.





Franco
( picture from outside the Melbourne factoty, Wha Lien Trading is next to it)

franco:

geez, a tent with a sphincter! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Got a video of campers emerging from it? Would look uncannily like that disguised-as-a-rhino tent in use in the African bushland.

Kevon
I'm Downunder, but these tents are designed for the very bottom of the planet...
Seriously, beats using zippers
Franco

Thanks Franco, I saw a similar tent on an Aussie Antarctic site a few years ago. If I can find it again, I'll post it.

Here's the one I saw. Turns out it's the same one you have off the Aussie Antarctic Division site-
Tent pics

Here's another one-
another pic

Kevon-those snow doors were pretty common on winter tents back in the 70's. If you look at some of the pics of what are now really old school tents, you will see those. I think TNF had a winter dome tent with them.

This design appears to be particular to use in Antarctica from what I can gather from the websites. If I understand it right, there are 4 tent poles that meet at the apex and are attached to some type of hinged bracket, somewhat like some of the cheap family tents. It sounds like the poles run just under the corners of the 4 sides.

I wonder if you could make a lightweight version using some type of waterproof fabric and smaller diameter aluminum poles. That way you could have a pyramid without the pole in the middle.

One site said that some Scott tents aren't really waterproof since it is so cold and dry in Antarctica that they don't need to be, but for "normal" camping, that would be problem.

Thanks for the help. That puts me on the right track for finding what I am looking for.

Lots of tents were made througout the 70's with tunnel entrances. Some had the tunnel as a backup with a zippered entrance on the opposite end. I don't know why tunnels went out of style, perhaps zipper quality is better now than in the past.

My Rivendell Bombshelter has a tunnel entrance.

The first tent I made (double skin, looped pole at front, straight pole at back, very much "coffinlike...) had a tunnel entrance, for the good reason I couldn't find a long enough zipper. It was also easier to make than a door.
For ventilation, I made one part of the flap out of mesh.
It was rather unpractical to hold the flap in place, with several hoops and toggles, adding weight, and the fabric tending to sag and get in the way.
The thing looked very much like a, yes, sphincter, and I experienced good laughs from my fellow campers (but the weather was generally nasty, and the vestibule hid it...).

The traditional fabric is Ventile ( a processed cotton) and it can be purchased, maybe, at Point North in Britain.

Um, why on earth would you want a Scott tent? Are you making an antarctic base camp sometime soon? They are huge and cumbersome, and very specific purpose. The poles are like 12 feet long!! I've done a ton of repair work on them. I will try to remember the name the manufacturer who made the ones for the exploration company I did the work for,but I am currently drawing a blank.

Somebody posted photos of a vintage North Face tent not so long ago and that tent may have had a tunnel entrance as well. Quite common in the day.

Penny, I find it interesting that you did repair work on Scott Tents since the items are so obscure, certainly in the US. I think Scott Tents are really cool, but I can't imagine actually using one, certainly not if I had to transport the tent. Given the conditions the tent is designed for, they must weigh a ton or two.

That was the North Face Dandelion:

http://www.freewebs.com/bigfootpictures/unknownorthfacetent.htm

Great tent that i was selling but decided to keep. The snow door is awesome by the way!

BF
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I'll have to dig around on my website for the photos....

A lot of the older VE series North Face tents have tunnel doors.