Our customers say it best…
“Wow! Great customer service. My wife and I recently purchased a Traveler 5 tent at your retail store in Salt Lake City, Utah. As a family, we camped out for our first outing at Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. We were so excited to set up the tent for the first time and finally SLEEP while camping. The tent set up and looked excellent. We did notice however, that there was a small (pinhole) sized hole in the canvas material. This concerned us due to the fact that we are looking to use this tent for years to come and eventually pass it down to our kids so that they can also enjoy the great outdoors. Our fear was that the small hole would eventually fray and create a larger hole. Well, I called up your retail store and spoke with a very friendly customer service representative. I explained the dilemma and was pleasantly surprised when I was told to simply bring the tent in and it would be either fixed or replaced. My wife just called me on my cellular telphone and told me that she brought the tent in and it was exchanged without any questions asked. Thank you so much for making such a wonderful tent. But thank you even more for honoring your word at the time of exchanging or fixing the tent. Please publish this letter as it should instill faith in your company.”
“I purchased my first Springbar over 20 years ago, after stumbling onto your store when I lived in Salt lake. I got the smallest model, as it was within my budget, but it proved adequate for two. I had two other tents at the time, but favored the Springbar for its incredible wind stability, breathability, and insulative properties in cooler weather (shown in these photos taken in January, 1984, outside Lone Pine, California, with Mt. Whitney in the background.) Your tent wore like iron. The only problem I ever had was with the zippers, which gave way after a few years. I should have just gotten it professionally repaired, instead of squeezing the fastener from time to time with needle-nose pliers. Other than that, it was still in perfect shape, and I preferred the rounded doorway, discontinued in subsequent models. But I had given the tent away before buying my second Springbar.
“Not sure of the purchase date, but it appears here with my wife in a photo, date stamped July ,1995, taken at Kings Canyon National Park, California. That tent was also the Compact model, but the dimensions were slightly bigger. I would have some zipper issues down the line with the flap that covers the door. This time around, however, I didn't discard the tent. In fact, in the more than 12 years since that picture was taken, I still own and regularly use it. Your tents simply are the best quality, best workmanship I have ever seen in a tent. And that tent today looks pretty much like it did back in 1995. If you take care of it, such as by using a groundcloth, letting it dry completely, staked after rains, it seems to last forever.
This past spring, I purchased another, bigger Springbar — the Campsite model — which I got for a little more roominess, including allowing for standing up, ideal for when keeping a camping base for several days at a stretch. I'm sure it will serve me just as well.”
“My grandparents were given their springbar tent in 1963 as a wedding gift, and almost 45 years later they still use it when going on fishing trips.
“I recently received a Springbar Vagabond 6 for a wedding present from my grandparents, and expect 45+ years of happy memories.
“Thanks, Kirkham's for a great product!”
“Just another story of several days of wind, rain and snow. Probably no guessing on your part that our Springbar stayed nice and dry and the tent didn't budge. The harder the wind blew the more solid the tent seemed to become. It almost seems like the Springbar design diverts and transfers the wind's energy downward rather then sideways, helping to keep the shelter planted to the ground rather then blowing away.
“But the best was a San Rafael trip with our Springbar and a small heater. It was cold and windy, very cold and windy. Frozen water jug cold. Here we were surrounded by Toy Haulers. Guess where everyone ended up — our Springbar. Nice, roomy, warm (t-shirts inside) and lots of laughs at the expense of those who could not manage to keep their Toy Hauler warm. The boys from Colorado were quite impressed.
“And I, too, will not be a repeat customer. Short of a lightning strike my Springbar will outlast me — and I use it a lot, in all kinds of weather.”
“I've been running a summer paleontological expedition in the Bighorn Basin for more than 25 years. Springbars are the only tents we've ever had that stand up to the wind and other weather conditions of the Wyoming badlands.”
“Great job on quality. My wife asked me why didn't we get a tent like this in the first place.”
“We embarked on our first — of hopefully many — camping trips early this
summer. Our family is young and growing. Owen, age 3,
and Kennedy, age 1, did spectacularly on our trial run, a one night trip
to Larrabee state park. This was the first use of our new Springbar Family Camper tent. It was an easy,
one-person set-up, was well made and spacious. I'm very happy. I
shopped around for the better part of a month (on-line and in person)
looking for the best-constructed, and what would seem to be, the longest-lasting family tent available. I found it. This tent is fantastically
constructed and I'm sure it will last our family's lifetime. My hope
is that my son or daughter will be able to recreate some of the enclosed
photos with their children in the same Springbar tent. Thank you,
Springbar. Note to tent-shoppers: If you're reading this and don't have
a Springbar tent, GET ONE. You won't be disappointed.”
“I was married for 20 years. Last year my husband suffered a mid-life crisis. He decided he wanted to be single again so he could pursue a woman of means. He packed up everything he could carry, including the beloved tent (we loved to camp). I was devastated over the loss — of the tent! I searched the Internet to find a replacement — not for my husband, but for a tent! I found Springbar online and liked what I saw. I ordered a new tent and celebrated with a camping trip for me and the family dog! Thanks to Springbar, I'm a very happy and content woman again. Just goes to show you that there is life after divorce — if you have a Springbar! I got a better tent that I can set up by myself and it is much nicer than the one I lost. What a great trade!”
“Wanted to let you know that my tent showed up at my porch on Friday. My husband and I set it up Sunday … I expected a quality tent but I got a lot more than I expected … while I was impressed with the workmanship in putting the canvas together with attention to details and the quality of materials used, he was mostly impressed with the weight and design of the poles. Thanks for your help and the great service and for making such a fine tent.”
“Last month I joined my boss for a trip to the LaSal Mountains on the Colorado side. We set up his Springbar tent at the side of a small reservoir. On our second day there, the wind kicked up and pounded the area. Three trees fell around the tent, but the tent itself did not budge.” Read more, see photos…
“We bought the our Traveler just a little over a year ago and made four trips with it this season. We decided to buy a Springbar based upon numerous stories we read in various online forums from long-time owners telling of their experiences with the tent in foul weather. On our first three trips we enjoyed the ease of setup and the luxury of having a stand-up tent, but on our fourth trip we got hammered in the middle of the night by a pounding east-coast thunderstorm. Most of the other tents in our camp were blown apart, or their occupants soaked to the bone, while we remained high-and-dry. The next morning everyone else was frustrated, angry, upset, and damp — except us. This tent has made camping easier, more comfortable and less stressful. What more could we ask? Thanks!”
“Three years ago I purchased the 7199 [Expandable] tent, the 2813 Bedroom, and the 811 Canopy (with screens). I have to tell you that I have yet to look back at my decision with anything but continued excitement. Prior to getting the Springbar[s] we had all but stopped camping. Thanks to Kirkham’s, our outdoor time together has continued to grow. The quality of these tents is unmatched…. Thanks for being there, and for making such an unbelievably fantastic product.”
“This is my fourth Springbar tent purchase (one was a gift). I love these tents!”
“My father first purchased a [modular] Springbar tent in 1968. 14 years later my husband and I received one for a wedding gift. Now, nearly 24 years later, my son and his new wife would like to purchase one. We live in northern California and have enjoyed many camping trips to the beach and mountains. Many times we were made fun of because of our "old-fashioned" canvas tents, but who do you think was laughing when the wind and rain picked up and WE were nice and dry and warm?! Our family still has the original tents my father purchased in 1968 and we enjoy using them to this day. We wouldn't buy anything else.”
“Through August 2004, I spent countless hours researching a variety of canvas tents. I was in search of the ‘perfect one.’ What prompted this search was the decision of my then-fiance-and-now-wife to honeymoon in the first place we went camping together, Jackson Hole Lake, British Columbia.
“I stumbled upon Kirkham's website by complete accident … after more research I contacted Kirkham's and went through an entire gamut of questions about quality. [The salesman] spoke about his family using their Springbar tent to travel all over the midwest US. I was finally hooked. I ordered the Family Camper.
“Approximately one week later the tent was sitting at my in-laws. I was explaining to my future father-in-law what our plans were for our honeymoon. He thought we were nuts. That was until we put the tent up. We were tripping over each other admiring the workmanship and quality. When my wife saw it she was thoroughly impressed. She commented that it was big enough to bring kids camping.
“We married on September 25, 2004. We had camp set up in our own little paradise on September 27th. We set up a table, two chairs, queen-size air mattress and all our gear. There was still room to move around easily. At 6'3", 220 lbs, I was able to stand straight up to get dressed, which I've never done in my old tent. We were able to hang and store clothes and based on my calculations, we had room for a child's bed. A year later we had our first baby daughter, Avery.
“With all that said, I'm busy spreading the word to all my friends in Canada who enjoy camping: This tent is simply the best money can buy.”
“I purchased my Springbar Model 955 in the early '70s, around '74 or '75. I still have it and use it quite often. It is without a doubt the best tent I have ever owned.”
“I took my 10-year-old Springbar on a recent trip to the High Uintas. During our trip, we ran into a few backpackers that had packed in and had some light duty tents. We horsed-in to make camp and of course took our 10x10 [Springbar]. Needless to say, after two days of continuous snow and hard weather, we had some company, and probably some new customers. Nothing is as good in the hard wind and hard weather we have here in Utah. Props to the Springbar people, and too bad they won't have me as a customer again — the tent is so solid, I think it will outlive me.”
“Labor day week of 2005 our family went to Bryce Canyon. While there, two severe rain-, hail- and over-50-mile-per-hour-wind storms hit — two days in a row. In our group were three Springbar tents and two other makes. Two of the Springbars were at least 12 to 14 years old and one was of the old design that was at least 35 years old. All three performed as though new and kept the elements out — keeping all warm and dry. To the dismay of the others in our group that had other [tent] brands, they had wet equipment and had to dry everything out each day. The tents made by Springbar are the best money can buy! For 2006 I plan on purchasing another — the 8 person — so that all of our family group can camp protected from [everything] that nature hits us with!”
“My dad bought one of your two-man Springbar pup tents in the late 60s when I was a youngster. We used that tent on many, many family and Scouting campouts. It has been though every kind of weather: high wind, rain, snow, and sleet. It has never let us down. On one occasion when every other tent at a Lake Michigan campground was blown down by a sudden squall, our little Springbar remained standing. That tent is still in use today (my brother has it, lucky devil) and it still looks like new, believe it or not! I have used many other tents, but I have not found one to match the Springbar for its simple design, efficiency, and ruggedness. Also I don’t think most folks appreciate the advantage that a canvas tent has over nylon tent for breathability and comfort.
“Now, I am looking to buy a tent for my family and I was searching for one that could closely approximate the qualities of the Springbar (I didn’t know Springbar was still in business). Here in Michigan, you can’t even find canvas tents. On a hunch, I decided to look you up on the Internet. Imagine my delight to find that you are still making the same great tents. Some folks might balk at the higher price you pay over cheaper nylon but I see it as a great value and I can’t wait to get one.”
“… just a huge note of thanks — after storing the tent for several years I was still able to put it up in 15 minutes. Wow, talk about perfection in design. Kirkham's makes the best tents in the world!
“The Springbar Campsite canvas tent is the perfect car camping tent for two campers." [read the entire About.com review of the Campsite Tent … ]
“‘HELP!’ That's what we were yelling when one of our canoes recently capsized on Squam Lake (New Hampshire) under a heavy wind. We were making the two-mile paddle back to shore after spending five days on an island campsite. With the weight of our gear and a sudden windstorm on the open lake, we started taking on water from the wind-whipped waves. One boat capsized and the other flooded. Luckily, three motorboats responded to our signal and were able to fish our family of seven from the water.
“We managed to rescue most of our gear, including our Springbar Campsite Tent which was a present to us from my father shortly after our marriage 15 years ago. We're glad we saved it as it has more than just camping value, it carries memories of training our kids to love the outdoors. It has kept us dry and happy year after year, while other campers around us wake up wet and ornery after an Adirondack thunderstorm or an infamous Nor'easter…”
“We discovered Springbar about four years ago while searching for a quality tent online. Your tent is not only the best tent made in America, it's the best tent ever made anywhere, period. We won't buy any other tent now that we've discovered yours.”
“My father first purchased a Springbar Tent in 1968. 14 years later my husband and I received one for a wedding gift. Now, nearly 24 years later, my son and his new wife would like to purchase one. We live in northern California and have enjoyed many camping trips to the beach and mountains alike. Many times we were made fun of because of our ‘old-fashioned’ canvas tents, but who do you think was laughing when the wind and rain picked up and WE were nice and dry and warm?! Our family still has the original tents my father purchased in 1968 and we enjoy using them to this day. We wouldn't buy anything else.”
“We purchased a Springbar Tent approximately 17 years ago. We travelled through the USA, England and Europe in it, and now do the occassional holiday back home in New Zealand. Best tent we ever had! Everybody asks where we got it...”
“I am writing this letter to tell you how completely satisfied I am with my Springbar Tent. I have my tent now for about nine years. Every time I go out hunting or fishing and set up my tent, people come by and comment on my tent.
“When I first got my tent, I took it hunting in late October up to extreme northern Nevada about 200 miles from civilization. When I arrived it was late at night and the wind was blowing and threatening to snow. My buddies were skeptical about the tent holding up in the wind through the night. One even wanted to sleep in the truck for fear the tent would blow down. When we woke the next morning we had about four inches of snow on the ground. The tent held up great; I think the wind blew about 30 MPH that night — and we slept real warm and dry.
“Since that experience I was completely sold on your product. I have never had a tent that performs that well in the most extreme conditions. I like the heavy zippers, the perfect-sized windows that can be partially opened or closed depending on the circumstances, and the heavy duty walls and floor. I could go on and on about my tent and the wonderful experiences I have had with it. If you ever have anyone who is skeptical about buying one of your tents, just send them to me and I will tell them about the fun times I've had with mine and how well it holds up and lasts. Again, thank you for making such a great tent.”
“Thank you for manufacturing such a quality product — it's a rare thing these days.”
“We have had the Bedroom Tent for one year now and love it! We take it everywhere we go…can't wait to expand and take camping with Springbar to another level. They are the best tents you could ever find!”
“Early summer of 1997 as scoutmaster I took our boy scout troop to Goblin Valley, Utah. The campground was at capacity with all kinds of tents, including one large military tent that we had all our 14 scouts in. I had a fiberglass-pole/ nylon-dome-type tent along with nearly every other camper there. A storm rolled in that evening that started with high winds and rain. At 10 PM, I abandoned my tent for the back of another leader’s truck that had a shell. At midnight the rain torrents struck and I ran out and pulled the poles out of my tent to prevent the rest of them braking. It was just flopping in the wind and several poles had been shattered. At 2 AM, I looked out and could only see a couple of dark shapes that indicated only two tents standing in the whole campground.
“The large military tent was flattened with a bunch of bumps showing the scouts were still in there, wrapped in their sleeping bags. One of the scouts came and told me the main support (a 3-inch wooden pole) had broken and ‘what should they do?’ I said, ‘climb back in the tent and go to sleep — there’s not much we can do under current conditions.’ At 4 AM, the scout troop next to us got up, stuffed everything wet and soaking into the back of their pickup, and headed home. At 6 AM, it was starting to get light and the storm was subsiding. At 7 AM, I crawled out of the truck; the storm was gone and the sunlight was beginning to come over the canyon rim. It looked like a war zone. Everything was strewn around, every single tent was either ripped or shredded and all were flat on the ground except for two tents that stood like monuments in the surrounding destruction. They were both Springbars.
“From that day, I have trusted only Springbars as the best tents on the planet. I only approve Springbars for scouting equipment and know I can get a good night sleep, regardless of the weather, when I’m in a Springbar.”
“[Our] tent is a 1965 vintage internal-frame Springbar. It is all original equipment except for the stakes. It has survived wind storms at Flaming Gorge, dust storms at Martins Cove and extended cloudbursts in the Uintas. Never failed us in any way.”
“My family of five went to the Sand Dunes on Easter Weekend, 2005. It was our first time using a Springbar Tent. Setting it up and taking it down was very easy. Saturday morning we got up to 3 inches of snow. The tent never got a drop of water in it…the roof was weighed down by the snow and the tent stayed stable and very warm. I've owned many tents — NOTHING stood up to my Springbar. I would take it anywhere and feel confident in any weather.”
“We wanted to provide our participants with the most comfortable accommodations possible, while … always considering the intense heat and wind that are environmental constants in the Lower Pecos. Thanks to Kirkham’s Springbar Tents, both of these objectives were met. The tents were roomy enough to comfortably handle the provisions and gear. The first day…it was a scorching 103 degrees outside, with the wind blowing constantly. I was very impressed with the ventilation…the light exterior color and net panels really make a difference.
“Our third night in camp, a series of thunderstorms blew through, strong enough to disable two local radio/cellphone towers. I just knew the tent was going to blow over or collapse. But the storm passed and amazingly, the tent looked like nothing had happened. By the time the third storm came through, I knew that I wasn’t going to blow down the hill into the river…that my son and I were as safe as possible in our sweet tent.
“Thank you for providing such a superior product.”
“My old tent (1980-81 Springbar) is still my ol' time favorite of favorite tents.”
“We love our Springbars. I grew up with them. We still use my Dad's 30+ year-old tents.”
“Outfitting in the canyon country of southern Utah is extremely demanding on our equipment; scorching desert sun, torrential cloudbursts and gale-force winds happen frequently and often within the same half hour! The Springbar tents we use at all our base camps handle all that the wilderness can dish out and are ready for more. The various models can accommodate any group size and the … spacious interior and generous headroom is welcomed by all the staff, especially the camp cook who no longer resembles a question mark after hunching over in a smaller tent for five days.
“For ease of setup, functionality, durability and value, Springbar tents are simply without peer.”
“I have an Expandable Tent, which I have had for some 30 years. We have certainly enjoyed this tent and the Bedroom that zips onto it.”
“I just wanted to say thank you for recommending your custom wall tent for my hunting and camping trips. As we discussed when I was deciding what material, frame and size, that this tent would be subject to long and hard use. The 15’ x 17’ has been perfect for all my uses. I have had my tent for more than 7 years and plan to have and use it for many more years.
“My wall tent has been set up for long periods of time in Teton Park during the Wyoming Elk Hunt from October until the middle of December. I have encountered various weather conditions including rain, heavy snows and temperatures ranging from 70°F to -16°F . My friends and I have always been comfortable, warm and dry and have never been disappointed with your product.
“I would recommend your tents to anyone who wants an excellent tent with lots of room, comfort, and durability to last season after season.”
“We purchased a 3401 Campsite Tent about
five years ago. We use the tent while
camping with our horses. The tent has performed flawlessly and shows
virtually no signs of wear. This is the second tent I have owned and the
first Springbar tent. Going foward I will be purchasing only Springbar
tents.”
“We purchased a Springbar tent that would house our expanding family (Model 7199 Expandable) in April 1996 and took it on a trip to Dinosaur National Monument. We wanted to be away from the [Green] river because of the ages of our curious and adventurous children and found what we thought was the most beautiful campsite, right up next to the mountains on the west side. My five-year-old daughter and I pitched the tent (yes, they are really easy to set up), while the three older children played on the hillside next to our campsite. Then it was back in the van for a day trip to Vernal to visit the Utah Field House of Natural History.
“We were gone for several hours. During our trip, several thunder showers hit the area. I wasn't until late afternoon that we realized we had left our tent door flaps open. We drove back all worried that our sleeping bags, etc., would be all wet. After turning into our campsite, to our horror we found that we had chosen the low spot in the campground. Our campsite was covered by four to six inches of water. In addition to being the low spot, we found that being right next mountain was not very advantageous, either. All the runoff came down the mountain and ran through our camp, carrying mud, etc. We got to our tent and found to our surprise everything was still dry. The water had run around and under the tent, but did not get inside. I waded through the floodwater and carried all the bedding back to the van. We simply lowered our tent, moved it to higher ground and had a late dinner. We were able to sleep well in a dry tent!
“We made it to all 29 [Utah] counties that summer and fall [with our Springbar tent]. We have added two more children and have purchased two add-on Bedrooms which have allowed us to continue to enjoy camping in our Springbar tent. Thanks for producing such a great home away from home.”
“This year we were able to use our Christmas money to buy the Expandable Tent. Our first adventure with the tent was our annual spring redrock desert trip. This spring's weather was not the hoped-for sunny, hot days; instead we got cool days with rain and wind. What a great way to test out the new tent!
“Our first evening out, the wind picked up, it downpoured rain and the campsite became a muddy mess. Happily, the tent performed extremely well. We didn't have any leaks and the wind didn't break any poles, rip any seams or cause any horrible flapping noises. It was great! We couldn't be more pleased with our tent.”
“This story begins in Utah, continues in Hawaii and ends in Virginia. If you've not guessed by now, my husband in the military, the US Marine Corps, to be exact.
“While living in Utah in 1998, [my husband] went camping at Hans Flat. It was spring, and the weather turned ugly. While other campers suffered through the nights in their rip-stop tents, he slept comfortably in a neighbor's Springbar Tent. Others came home with horror stories of dripping ceilings, broken poles and total collapses under the weight of heavy snow. Upon my husband's return, the first words out of his mouth were, ‘I want a Springbar Tent.’
“In April 2000, my husband received new orders. Lucky us! We were moving to Hawaii. We bemoaned leaving behind the outdoor fun in Utah. On our last camping trip to the redrock desert, we practically cried as we rolled up the Springbar. Unbeknownst to us, Hawaii is a campers' paradise. We erected the Springbar on every corner of Oahu — from the highest point of the Waianae Mountains to the windy shores of Ka`a`a`wa. After nights of heavy wind, rain and many broken tents, the locals would come inspect out tent and ask about its origin. That Springbar never wavered in a Pacific Ocean storm.
“In January 2004, another set of orders. We were moving to Virginia in August. This would not be the average move; I was expecting our first child. On May 27, I flew to Utah [to stay with my parents until the baby was born]. My husband left Hawaii a month later, picked up my stepdaughter in California and drove to Utah. In mid-July, our son was born. The two weeks following his birth were busy. We planned to buy a 4-person Springbar (our 5-person Springbar was being shipped to Virginia with our belongings) and drive [to Virginia], camping all the way.
“On August 3, [the four of us] set our for our trip across America. The first night almost ended the trip. [The baby] began to cry. He cried through Arches National Park where full campgrounds turned us away. He cried as we spent the next hour scouring the map for close and convenient campgrounds. He cried as we drove to Warren Lake Campground in the La Sal Mountains. He cried when the new camp stove would not light. He cried when my husband practically shoved a Swiss Army knife blade through his hand trying to open a new 5 gallon water container. He cried while we ate cold hot dogs and baby carrots. He stopped crying when we settled down for a cozy sleep in our Springbar Tent.
“Our camping trip ended last August in Stafford, Virginia. We've lived here almost a year now. And this weekend we plan to do something we haven't done for nine months. On Friday night we will once again unroll the Springbar at Prince William Forest Park, a National Park about 15 minutes from our home. We look forward to many more Springbar adventures.”
REVIEW of the Springbar Compact 2000 tent. David
Sweet gives this tent a
5-star rating after extensive use this year —
“This is the best tent I have ever seen or tried. If you want a tent that will last a lifetime, get a Springbar.”
David Sweet, Camping Guide, About.com
