Arctic Tent instructions

[Lerch]

Here's my situation. My cadets have a winter survival exercise in two weeks, and I've just been notified that we'll be getting the Arctic Tents as part of our support. Now, I have no experience with these tents, and I've only ever seen them in the CHAP videos from when I was a cadet. I'm going to be giving a briefing to the NCO's and they'll be passing it on to their squads, and then I'll be supervising the rest.

Does anyone have written instructions, or can tell me how these tents are raised?

Thanks in advance.

 

[241]

I find it the easiest to spread out the tent with the door facing away from the wind, spike down all the corners, then send someone in side to extend the pole as high as they can get it, then hold it up right while the guide lines are all spiked in a tightened, make sure to put 2 or 3 rolls in the door so it is not pulled to tight and you can't get it to zip closed....Hope that's detailed enough...Perhaps you can have whom ever is giving you the tents for the weekend give you a demonstration on there use/setup

 

[kkwd]

Go to the Army Electronic Library and download the Basic Cold Weather Training pam. It is under 323-003 - Arctic and Sub-Arctic Operations. It is a bit dated equipment wise but has what you are looking for. Pay particular attention to the safety section. Keep the tent properly ventilated and light stoves and lanterns outside even though it may be a pain.
http://armyapp.dnd.ca/ael/publications_ie.asp?series=320_e

 

[R031button]

Why don't you go ask a local reserve unit to assist you? Chances are they'll be the ones issuing the tent, and more then likely, they'll have some people that know how to raise it.

That being said, it's dead simple, unfold it, make sure the door is facing the direction that you want it too, one guys goes in the tent, he pushes the side on the ground out, and unfold the pole, places it in the base plate, then the primary (lower set) of guide lines go out, get get set, then get tighten, then you have him extent the pole as far as he can ( you have to play with the slip collar) lock it, and hold it straight up. Then the secondaries go out, get set, get tightened (remember that the secondary above the door gets looped around the tiller bar on the sled, which should get set up at a 90 degree angle). After that, corners get pegged in, the pole man pulls all the white flaps in, the guys on the outside pullthe white flaps out, and pile snow on top to them. During this, have one man designated cook, and he'll be getting you stove and lantern going, as soon as the ten is up, he should have both of those running and inside the tent, with the vents open.

Key points. You can to shovel all but a few inches of Snow away from the area your tent is being set up on, this will keep the mud away and act as insulation from the he ground. Also, make sure you remind everybody that every shift of the stove watch has to keep the stove and lantern going and filled. Finally, there's laundry lines for a reason, make sure they all hang up their socks, and do no do so directly over the stove ( i know it sounds ridiculous, but we did an exercise with some Cadets last year...and yeah)

 

[Bomber]

The lower your pole is set the warmer the tent becomes.

Dont bury the ousides, just a few inches of snow to keep the wind from lifting the edges.  Any more and you won't be able to role out the side when your tent is lit on fire by someone being silly.

Try and sleep on an ice shelf, about a foot off the normal ground level, dig right to the ground at the entrance, an make a small cooking area there.  Your stove goes at the bottom of this hole, called a "Cold Sump" and heats the air in the tent, as the air rises, the cold air circulates down, into the cold sunmp and gets heated, and then over and over again.  The sump also allows guests a nice bench to sit on but not be so comfy they make a nuissance, and if you leave your mukluk outers in the sump, they will stay frozen and won;t thaw, melt, and ge all wet and unuseable.  make sure you bring your liners up, and hang them on the clothes lines.

 

[lostrover]

Ideally see if you can get hold of the Basic Cold Weather Pam or the older Operations in the Arctic Pam,  241 is erecting the tent properly, without going into all the individual roles, tent come out of the toboggan, droped in place where it is to be erected (as it should be folded properly thus the door till be facing where the tent is dropped), unfold the tent, the tent grp cmd takes hold of the zipper on the door, collects a few inches of sateen (aka the canvas) two soldiers stake in the corners on either end of the door, the stake out the of the corners, hope in erect the pole, then set all your guy lines.  The pam's have the erecting process down pat, just seems many have never read them, nor be taught the propper manner to erect the arctic tent.  One man can erect either model in this manner in less than 10 minutes, add a section of soldiers..........it goes much faster.  Try your best to secure copies of the pams, the sections on the care and coddling of Coleman stoves and lanterns is invaluable (even for the newer models), as there is no such thing as a broken Coleman (apart from being driven over by an MLVW).

 

[geo]

I really, really, really recommend that you get an instructor from a local reserve unit.
NLCC suggests that you are located on "the rock".  You should have a coy of the RNfldR somewhere near ya. 

Much, Much better to have someone intimately acquainted with the tent to teach it`s set-up and take down.

 

[Klc]

The one most important piece of advice I can offer from setting them up on all my FTX's as a cadet - check to make sure the tents you are using are prepared properly (interior and exterior laced together properly IIRC) prior to leaving for the ex. especially if you may have to set them up in pitch black of night, in 40 below....

Worst... ex... ever.  ;D (of course it was still loads of fun, just a moment of sheer terror for the senior NCOs when we realised)

 

[geo]

for a cadet ex....
never set up a tent in the dark the 1st time - no one is going to thank your for it

 

[Lerch]

The dark won't be a problem, we're going to be doing it in the mid-day. And thanks for the info guys, I'm gonna talk to the TrgO tonight and see if we can get some personal instruction. Elsewise I guess we'll be trying it out at our base the night before we start.

 

[Sloaner]

Lerch, I've got quite a few materials for use by cadets on setting up these tents and the other cold weather gear.  Let me know exactly what you may need and I can forward it to you by e-mail.  Developed these materials last year so its all current.  Shoot me a PM and I can get on it for you.

 

[geo]

whatever you do, DO NOT attempt to light coleman lantern AND/OR stove in the tent........

We would tie a knife on para cord & hang it from the tent pole.  If there ever was a fire, it could be possible (?) that someone could reach knife & slash an opening thru the tent - allowing egress to anyone left inside the tent.

.... Keep personal kit in the tent to a minimum - there just isn't enough room

.... do not let someone go to ground in their sleeping bag while fully dressed - they'll sweat, moisture will accumulate in their clothes and they will freeze............ and that's not a good thing.