Modern Changing Tent?

Is anyone making a portable changing tent that's reliable?
I have an extra-large Harrison tent with the side extensions that I bought many years ago to accommodate ULF.
But the material has deteriorated to the point that it's more disgusting than old chewing gum. I know nothing is forever, but this is ridiculous.
I am now faced with the prospect of having to trash what was a very expensive item back in the day. And that just tears me! I don't spend money only to have to throw it away in a few years.
When I google 'changing tent', it returns only some silly changing rooms intended for putting on a swim suit at the beach without flashing the other beachgoers. Not what I want.
Surely there must be a solution for loading holders in the field.
Anybody?

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.

I bought my Harrison used thinking the tent had finished degassing, but no.

The best material for a tent I found was in a Frontier bag, but making the pole one self might not be an easy task. I had saved some poles from a child playing tent, so it was doable, but not without two wires upwards fastened somewhere some how. Sold the hole construction for what I paid for the tent $25 ;(

Sent fra min SM-G975F via Tapatalk

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.

---

That's interesting Ari. I had not seen it before. Thanks!

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.

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.

---

Harrison's instruction are not to roll up tight and put the tent in the case they furnish for it but to keep it folded lightly and not rolled up which is what I do at home. I guess the case is for when you travel or hike with it. But once you get home, take it out of the case and leave it loosely folded.

I have a Harrison that turned into mush. Then I found a Shadow box. Really like the Shadow Box, it’s fabric and has interior pockets that I really like.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MyHarrison is still going strong after 20+ years. I keep it on a hanger in a garment bag. I’ve always understood that keeping them rolled is the cause of their breakdown. It probably helps to live in a low humidity area.

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.

I have had a Photoflex Changing Room for about 20 years and like the sleeves and roominess. I wouldn't load film in bright daylight with it but room lighting is fine. The pop-up structure folds flat but not compact and it does have a case to protect the silver shell. After use, let it air out if you get sweaty inside.

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.

Does anyone vacuum out the Harrison tents or otherwise clean it? How do you do it?

you could just get a small grow tent and flip the fabric inside out. a little less portable but more useful.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alan Klein

Does anyone vacuum out the Harrison tents or otherwise clean it? How do you do it?

---

In the studios, we would vac everything near film with a premium shop vac with drywall dust or finer filters... Holders, changing bags, bellows, cases, film boxes etc... Would be fine for changing tents...

Use the brush attachment overall (keep it clean by washing regularly), and slot nozzle attachment for corners/crevices, but be careful as some vac are very powerful suckers!!! Try to keep vac as far away from items being dusted, and vac surfaces you are placing clean items on... Bag clean items ASAP as you clean, to keep them clean... And wash hands, and don't wear linty clothes when doing camera operations or shooting... Don't stuff holders etc into pockets as they tend to be linty...

There are also pro computer vac that are useful for photo needs that will not emit dust... They are smaller with good filters, but the battery operated ones are usually near useless...

Don't use that vac for any other cleaning chore, but dedicated for film op use...


I consider a clean vac essential for LF operations... Being compulsive here pays off big time!!!

Steve K

I too use a Harrison tent, but I don't take it with me while in the backcountry. The reason has more to do with the bulk of it than the weight. For those trips I take one of those change bags that looks like a t-shirt. It's not ideal. Perhaps I should put my mind do designing something compact yet can support itself.

My Harrison is like new after 18+ years. it stays set up unless I'm actually traveling with it. I "hide" it out of the way under one of my wife's two grand pianos with the sleeves draped across the opening to keep the (fur-ball) kitty out!!!

Moisture is generally not an issue in Tucson, although the last few days of Monsoon rains have dampened things a bit. I think we've already had more rain this Monsoon season than we had all of last year.

I'm also a user of the Photoflex Changing Room, have it 30 years now, but I have the space to keep it up all the time. Works for me for 8x10".

Thanks for the link Ari.

FYI for walking shoes, I learnt that storing them inside a plastic bag caused the rubber/urethane soles to disintegrate. Storing another pair in the open for the same period was OK.