Traders of Tamerlane - Hand crafted Yurts and Treasures of the East

Wall tents are a very simple design, and as such have some great advantages. They are very easy to set up, requiring as few as 3 poles. They are lighter and more compact than most other tents, as well as easier to transport. These factors make them ideal for weekend camping when minimum set up time is a plus. Wall tents are also versatile enough to be set up in a few different ways, giving you the option to choose the setup that's best suited for your camping area.

Wall tents are perhaps the most widely seen style of tent in history, and variations of their design can be found across many times and cultures. Soldiers of ancient Rome used wall tents made entirely of leather, perhaps the earliest examples of such tents. Due to their straightforward design however (two uprights and a ridge pole at minimum) varying designs developed independently in many places. Contrary to popular belief, wall tents were not the domain of Europe and they were used in many countries of Asia, such as what is now Turkey, India, Iran, Afghanistan and others.

At its very basic, a wall tent consists of two or more uprights which support a ridge pole. The fabric is then draped over the ridge and staked to the ground, supporting the structure. The fabric consists of a large roof piece, with two doors on the wide end and a small wall attached to the long end, hence the name wall tent. These walls could be anywhere from 1 ft and up. Taller walls provide more interior space, but make the angle of the roof shallower.

Poles - Our ridge and upright poles are made of pressure treated pine for good rigidity and weatherability. In addition we apply a polyurethane finish, as a standard feature. The standard ridge height is about 8 feet, and the length varies by the tent size of course. If any of the poles are too long for your particular method of transport we can splice the poles however you would like, and include a joint at no extra charge. We can also make your poles out of steel pipes which can be screwed together to put up at no additional charge. Let us know in the comments section as you check out if you wish to choose this option.

Ropes and ties/loops - Your tent will come with all the ropes and ties you will need to set up. We use sissal rope and and pine wood sliders to keep it taught. All our ties and loops are triple stitched. Stake and rope loops are made from 1" nylon webbing sewn on every seam along the bottom of the tent. Ties are cotton webbing and are sewn 4 to a side along the doo inside and out.. Stakes are also included.

Walls and roof fabric - The fabric in our wall tents is top of the line Sunforger canvas for the best in water repellency and mildew resistance. This comes in a 10oz or 13oz variety, and both are a natural off white color. For more information on our canvas, click here

Versatility – A wall tent can be set up two different ways. One is two uprights and ridge, with ropes attached to the wall loops and staked to the ground. This carries the advantage of fewer poles, but a slightly wider footprint. The other way is to insert a side pole horizontally through the loops, and support them with a few short wall poles. This means a narrower footprint but requires more poles. We offer these side and wall poles as an option below

Portability – Wall tents are arguably the most packable type of tent. The few poles required by a wall tent as opposed to a yurt or marquee make them ideal for limited packing space. The canvas is traditionally one piece, and folds down to a neat bundle.

Setup – A wall tent's simple structure makes it quick and easy to set up. A two person setup is ideal, but the wall tent can be setup with just one person. Complete setup instructions are provided with every tent.

Floor Space - Since the uprights used to support the ridge pole are at each end of the tent, the space underneath is uninterrupted floor space. No center pole is needed.

Ceiling - Due to the sloped ceiling inherent in the wall tents design, some folks may be more comfortable with a yurt or marquee design. You can stand full height beneath the center ridge, but the ceiling slopes downward as you move toward the walls. The walls can be made taller, but this has a practical limit as the pitch of the roof becomes too shallow to effectively drain water. To this end, we do offer a tall wall option, with 4' walls. Keep in mind, this primarily allows for more storage space, as opposed to standing room.

Footprint - As with any tent using ropes/stakes, the ropes needed to secure the tent will extend 4' to 5' beyond the walls to each walled side. Keep this in mind when laying out your campsite

Ventilation - Since the typical design of wall tents has attached wall and ceiling pieces, you cannot undo a wall or door to provide a breeze inside your tent, like you could do with a marquee for instance. Your primary method of ventilation would be to flip the doors on each end up on top of the roof, or you can tie the bottom corners of each door to one of the wall loops. For those who would prefer a bit more versatility, consider our detachable walls option, below.

Deposit - We require a 30% non-refundable deposit to begin work on tent orders, the buttons below will add that deposit to your cart. The balance (plus tax if applicable) will be billed to you once your tent is complete and is due before your tent will ship. You may pay this balance earlier, should you so choose. Any options must be paid for along with your initial order, unless otherwise noted.

Shipping - Shipping cost will also be included in the above mentioned bill and will be calculated based on your address, whether an in person pickup or event delivery can be scheduled, and final weight of your tent. We attend many events in the NJ/ East PA Area and are happy to schedule a delivery if possible. In-person pickups are also welcome, if you are near the central NJ area.

Build time - Please allow 4-6 weeks for the construction of your tent. This time can vary depending on how many orders we are working on at the time (Late spring / early summer tends to be the busiest time), the size of your tent, and other factors. If there is a specific date you would like to have your tent, we encourage you to order early! As we build, we will keep you updated via e-mails and pictures on the status of your tent, and an estimated completion date. We will notify you ASAP once it is ready to ship.

Warranty – All tents are covered under a 3 year warrantee, guaranteeing that they are free of defects or faulty manufacturing. See this link for more information.

The wall tent - This contains everything you need to set up your wall tent. Includes canvas wall/roof/door, upright and ridge poles, all required ropes and stakes, and full setup instructions.

13 oz. Sunforger canvas- add 20% of base price- For the absolute best in weather resistance, we offer 13oz Sunforger canvas. This may be more than you need for the occasional camper but for those who anticipate extremely harsh conditions or camp year round, we recommend this canvas. For more info on our canvas click here.
(Please indicate in the "Optional Instructions" section as you check out if you would like 13oz canvas. Due to the limitations of PayPal, we must bill separately for this option)

Taller Wall option - add 10% of base price- An extra foot for your walls, bringing the height to 4ft. .
(Please indicate in the "Optional Instructions" section as you check out if you would like the taller wall option. Due to the limitations of PayPal, we must bill separately for this option)