[MR] Pavilion question

[Cian of Storvik]

Do you mean that they are using ballistic cloth as a
backing/strapping at the toggle stress points? If you
mean the walls/ceiling are the same nylon as in modern
backpack/camping tents, then I might not laugh, but I
might cry only because you are spending too much for
it.

I agree with Caitlin, Nylon tents are rated for a
certain number of hours in the sun. Though we tend to
think of Nylon as being a super durable material, the
nylon fabric of tents is a very thin strand which
tears when overly stressed. Nylon is strong, but when
it's tensile strength has been reached it snaps and
does so quite spectacularly (creating cascading rips
as though someone has taken a knife to your tent).
Especially after a few hundred hours in the sun. This
is why many nylon tents (In the $100-$200 range) are
considered "disposable" because with regular use they
just completely fall apart. (Exception to the rule: my
70+ y/o father has a nylon tent that is nearly as old
as I am, and it is still in good shape, BUT  let me
quantify that by saying; he's a very occasional user,
and is meticulous about handling it/drying before
storage/folding it just so etc.). In fact, I'm not so
sure that modern tents are truely "nylon" (nylon is a
particular chemical strand) or some other plastic such
as polypropelyne.
 
Though not something you should become attached to,
there are advantages to nylon tents. They are
inexpensive, light, easy to set-up by an individual
and take up little storage space when not in use or in
transport.
But will you be "at home" in a nylon tent? Nylon tents
are meant to be shelter from precip and insect pests.
Canvas tents are often looked upon as your home away
from home. And often a thing of pride, like the car
you drive. (I have visions of someone going to
Yosemity and setting-up a full pavillion with awning
and banners for his vacation).

A good canvas tent will have flat felled seems and
reinforcements at critical stress points (trebbled or
quadrupled layers of fabric). So long as you do not
put canvas away wet, it can last a life time, from
what I understand. They do breath, and when well made
can be handled roughly and take some abuse, unlike a
nylon tent. But contrary to nylon, they may take more
then one person to set-up, are transportation
nightmares and obviously more expensive. But also tend
to be quite resellable so long as they aren't abused.

A canvas tent is an investment, to be sure, and as
such they are not within everyone's scope of finances.
The question you have to ask yourself is what do you
want out of the tent? Now, if the tent you are looking
at on ebay is indeed a "NYLON PAVILION", 2 of the
advantages of a modern tent are negligable, not
because of material but because of form and function.
Center pole tents because of all of the guylines and
balance are very difficult for an individual to
set-up, and it's not the canvas but the poles of
pavallions that are the transport nightmare. And if
you tell me the guy in Russia is charging say $700
including shipping (e.g. half the price of a Panther
tent of similar size), then you have to ask yourself
is what you're getting worth that? Or would you just
be better off/happier by eating Peanut butter and
Jelly sandwhiches for 6 months, and have a canvas
tent? Personally, I sort of like PB&J.

Also, I would be very weary of ordering such a
bulky/expensive item, from an unknown vendor, such a
great distance away. What if you decide you don't want
it? Can you return it or report them to the BBB? Or it
gets torn due to poor manufacturing? Even if it is
under warantee, are you willing to pay shipping back
and forth to Russia on a 20 lb. oversized parcel?
Mundanely knowing what we know about Nylon tents; yes
they may handle arctic wind and rain just fine when
they are egg-shaped and the seems are fused in a
plant, but how does a nylon tent made in a pavillion
shape that's been sewn together hold up in a high wind
or driving rain?

Now, I will add another question to complicate your
quandry. Are you really married to having a pavillion?
I don't doubt that nobles had multitudes of them but
they are not the only tents found in period . May I
suggest that you look into the period examples of
double-bell wedge tents in illustrations from the time
of Henry VIII. They do not require hundreds of feet of
guyline and can be set-up in a fraction of the time of
a pavillion, as well as the most wind resistant type
of tent next to a teepee. They require only 3 poles
and stakes. Their main draw back is that they do not
have a lot of overhead room to walk around or stand-up
in as in a pavillion. But a very large 20'L x12'W x10'
tall sunforger double bell wedge WITH A FLOOR can be
had for around $800+ship. See following pic:

http://www.tentsmiths.com/images/medieval_wedge_tent.jpg

I would also point out that Panther (though I truely
adore their tents and the effort they put into making
their tents the best) is not the only canvas tent
supplier. There is also TENT SMITHS and probably
others that you can commission to make a canvas tent
more to your own needs. 
-Cian of Storvik (sans tent)