Modern Changing Tent?

Harrison tent: I try to air mine out a couple of times a yeart.

Sure, a more stable treatment would be great, but what and at what price. . .I surely don't know.

The main change I'd like to see on a Harrison tend would be to make the corner tabs that hold the pole ends a more secure pocket.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drew Bedo

Harrison tent: I try to air mine out a couple of times a yeart.

Sure, a more stable treatment would be great, but what and at what price. . .I surely don't know.

The main change I'd like to see on a Harrison tend would be to make the corner tabs that hold the pole ends a more secure pocket.

---

I wonder why they provide three holes on each side to make pole positions tighter or looser? You’d think they would have figured out the best way and provide one heavy duty hole.

Both of my Harrisons have only corner sockets on the floor. I was at the plastics store a few weeks ago and noticed how easy it would be to just buy a short piece of small diameter carbon fiber rod and turn it into a hoop to keep the inside of a thick-mil black plastic bag propped up, a bag recycled from a box of 20X24 printing paper, and use that at night out on camping trips. It would seem light-tight except during the day, and would be ultralight and easy to clean. No doubt similar things have already been done. I last used a Harrison for changing out film atop a countertop in the kitchenette of a resort room in Hawaii.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Brady

I have the jumbo version, I keep it set up and keep it up and out of the way, it stays like new. I have gone through two others, rolling them up and putting them in their nifty storage case, they turned to goo. Rolled and kept in the case is the kiss of death, I can’t believe as expensive as these are that the manufacturer hasn’t found a better material to solve this problem. But I guess as long as idiots like me keep purchasing new ones, that may be their sustainable business plan, kind of like the heads on Epson printers.

---

+1. Leaving it set up is the way to go. I've also had mine 18 years and while it is still a bit gummy from when I used to store it rolled up just leaving it set up on a piece of foam core high up on top of a wire shelving unit seems to to have improved it.

Ihav had a Jumbo for 10+ years. It's still perfect. If properly cared for I don't thinkany tent comes close, and i tried several prior to the Jumbo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ari

Will,
I don't know about their long-term durability, but I've read some good things about these tents: https://www.ebay.com/itm/19407777669...QAAOSwaCtd15WA
My own Harrison has lasted 10 years so far, but like yours, it's starting to decay.
I'll buy another Harrison when the time comes.

---

Got one of the Kangrinpoche tents in the link a couple of months for cutting up 4x10 and loading.
Biggest concern is durability of the tent poles, that perhaps are underdimensioned, but it has worked as expected.
We will see about long term reliability but so far I'm happy.

Still using the largest rubber lined changing bag with a file hanging rack (from a file cabinet) inside to hold bag open... Just filed/taped metal ends to not damage bag insides)... Works great, and bag can also be used plain if one is in an awkward space, like sitting in a moving car etc... And plain bag goes flat while stored...

Steve K

Presumably people want changing-tents to handle film whilst not near their darkroom. Also, it is likely that most (not all!) people will not be carrying the changing-bag while back-packing and in general it would be transported in a car with the rest of the holiday stuff. The most comfortable material I have found is light-proof cotton-canvas. I have a large double-layered bag from cotton, rather than a tent, but it has lasted years for usage up to 4x5", without giving sweaty effects during use.

Huge widths of this light-proof material are available, for lining curtains among other things, from textiles supply shops. Over here, some is dyed black, some is grey. As there are far more sewing-machines out there than there are enlargers, it should be practical to find someone locally who will make a changing tent to your own design -- especially if you can show them that they will then have a surefire saleable product that they can use to subsidise their own business/hobby (or one could order a dozen and subsidise one's photography!). Replacement glass-fibre tent-poles are available by the meter and are simple to re-purpose when a changing-bag frame is needed.

Using plastic coated material has few benefits apart from light weight, and that is really not so essential in most cases.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drew Wiley

Harrison has always been the best. The Achilles heel of any tent-like fabric, whether a film tent or camping tent, is that the urethane coatings on nylon or cordura fabric eventually go bad, especially if the item has been stored away tightly rolled up. That happened even to the floor of my Bibler expedition tent - the very best one can buy. All the upper part is a proprietary three-layer Goretex. But the floor is urethane sealed nylon because they don't want that portion breathable at all. I used auto rubbing compound to polish off the old coating, then resealed it; really a headache, but the classic original version of these tents are hard to acquire and last sold for over $750 (for a one-man tent). I wouldn't go to that fuss with a Harrison, but I always use a thin secondary poly liner inside them anyway.

---

WHy do you use the poly and what kind is it?

You mean the replacement urethane sealer, Alan? I think I got that from an auto store too. But re-do tent urethane is available from outdoor suppliers like REI too. The hard part is getting the old sticky, peeling guck off first. I probably won't even bother re-doing my Harrisons, since I use supplementary disposable poly wastebasket liners inside the film tents. The local expedition gear repair shop could sew in new film tent floors for me at moderate cost if needed. At my age, I probably won't do much sheet film loading in the field anymore, since I've opted for roll film backs on longer backpacking trips anyway.

What you DON'T want to do is follow web links about tents advising you to sprinkle talcum powder on old sticky urethane fabric. Yes, that will inhibit its stickiness, but also no doubt get into your holders and onto your film.