BWCA Timberline 4 Outfitter Boundary Waters Group Forum: Scouters
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
   Group Forum: Scouters
       Timberline 4 Outfitter     

Author

Text

billconner
distinguished member(8607)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
11/28/2016 05:04PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
With the cessation of Eureka manufacturing these, and the non-outfitter version not lasting long with Scouts, what are you going to for regular (not just canoe country) campouts? Our troop started using these in the 1990s and now are looking for an alternative. Some of the adults are not at all keen on the SQ version.

(My memory is not great but seems like we used these at the 1969 Jamboree.)
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next
Cedarboy
distinguished member(3437)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
11/29/2016 11:41PM  
Our Troop has 20 of the non-outfitter Timberline 4s, some are over 25 years old. We havent had any major(retire the tent)problems with them. They are holding up to the Scouts abuse. The Outfitter models would have been nice but you know how budgets work, large troop lots of gear. I wouldnt be afraid of getting some non-O models. Yes there are better tents out there but having a simple tent that young men can set up and they can teach younger Scouts to set up, the Timberline 4 is hard to beat.
We continue to buy them as we grow to stay consistent with our older gear. All tents the same, all stoves the same, all cook sets the same, you get the idea.
I think I read a few years ago about Eureka making their 4,000,000th Timberline tent.
CB

I dont like the SQ model either
We have 30 of the Eureka Tetragon 9 models we take to and use only at Summer camp for the week........they are garbage, fiberglass poles,d-shaped doors, bad zippers.
 
Cedarboy
distinguished member(3437)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
11/30/2016 12:23AM  
Eureka Canada still has the Outfitter models, they are called the Kananaskis. They have a 4 and 6 man version. Nearest dealer would be in Thunderbay ON.
check out Gear-up.com .
CB
 
billconner
distinguished member(8607)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
11/30/2016 07:27AM  
It seems we get 15 or so years from the outfitter model. Slightly over 100 registered Scouts, usually 45-60 on 8 weekend campouts a year, several high adventure trips each summer, probably 25-30 tents, and seems like we buy 5 or a few more every 4-5 years. We tried a non-outfitter and I think zippers failed in first year.

(I'm just the pole man - big spool of shock cord, boxes of crimps, and a big box if pole sections. Every few years I sit down and assemble 10-15 sets of poles. I think I must have said something when I learned how much we were spending on buying replacement sets so got volunteered.)
 
WindChill
distinguished member (223)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/01/2016 03:38PM  
We've been through the same things with the TL4 - zipper repairs on the non-outfitter and shock cord replacement after a few years on the outfitter.


We are making the switch to Alps Mountaineering Taurus 4 Outfitter.
(http://www.alpsmountaineering.com/products/tents/outfitter-tents/taurus-outfitter)

We like the configuration much better (2-doors and the vestibules) and feel that they are more weather-worthy with the full fly. They actually have just a bit more floor space (about 1sqft) and are just a bit lighter (about 10oz). With the hikerdirect.com pricing they are about $150 less.


 
12/01/2016 05:06PM  
I keep trying to steer our SM towards Alps tents, especially when he keeps wanting to gravitate towards the same junky Eureka Tetragons they've been using for the last 5+ years. Whenever anything with aluminum poles is mentioned the rebuttal is almost always that the Scouts would be too hard on them and we'd have bent, useless poles.
Of course, right now we have a lot of useless tents that need new fiberglass poles or the zippers on the door have gone to shit after only a couple seasons of use.

At least one of our youth who have gone through NYLT recently had one of his goals 'better quality tents' for the troop.
 
dm45244
member (47)member
  
12/02/2016 12:15PM  
Our troop had the Timberline 4 for years. For whatever reason, we kept having to replace the zippers.

We've moved to the Alps Lynx 4. Vestibule to keep the muddy boots out of the tent, decent size, $100 to $120 online if you look regularly and wait for a sale. I like the one size pole rather than Timberline's three plus the bone.

I don't like fiberglass poles because they are heavier and my experience is they have a limited life before splitting in multiple places. We have had only two issues with aluminum poles - one broke second night in BWCA (don't know why) and a couple bent when gusts hit 50 mph-ish in Kentucky.

Alps is okay quality but you can find good prices.

One minor whine with Alps & other tent manufacturers - why are tent, stake & pole bags the same dull color as the grass and leaves? How bout something bright you can find like light blue?
 
WindChill
distinguished member (223)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/02/2016 01:10PM  
quote mirth: "Whenever anything with aluminum poles is mentioned the rebuttal is almost always that the Scouts would be too hard on them and we'd have bent, useless poles."


Hm...I find aluminum poles to be more durable/rugged to begin with, and they can often be straightened if the bend is not too bad.
 
WindChill
distinguished member (223)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/02/2016 01:19PM  
quote dm45244: " $100 to $120 online if you look regularly and wait for a sale.
...
Alps is okay quality but you can find good prices. "


Are you getting them retail? Do you know about the Alps discount site hikerdirect.com (formerly scoutdirect.com)?

The Lynx 4 is listed as $199 retail and $113 regular price through HikerDirect.


 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next