A home away from home, wall tents are more than just shelter. They’re your basecamp. And taking care of your wall tent between excursions and adventures is vital. Keeping your gear dry, rodent-free, and ready for the following season requires proper storage and transportation. Otherwise, you might find yourself wasting time untangling ropes or battling mildew.

But if you’re not sure how to store and transport your wall tent and all its gear, we’re here to help. In this guide, we dive into some basic storage tips, solutions, and ways to transport your wall tent from Point A to Point B.

Storage and Transportation Tips for All Your Wall Tent Gear

double wall tent with wooden limber frame and poles in the forest

Your wall tent protects you in the field, so why not protect it year-round? Caring for a wall tent is fairly simple. One of the easiest and best ways to care for a wall tent is to store and transport it safely and properly.

What Your Wall Tent Needs for Optimal Storage

Always dry your canvas wall tent. Make sure to thoroughly dry your tent before putting it back into storage. If the sun isn’t cooperating the day you pack in and break down, allow the tent and canvas to dry once you’re back home.
Give the canvas good ventilation. Store your canvas wall tent in a well-ventilated room or space. Damp basements, truck beds, or attics are not ideal spots to store your wall tent, as these areas experience frequent moisture and temperature fluctuations, which can contribute to mold and mildew growth. Instead, store your canvas tent in a good, dry place.
Keep your wall tent elevated off the floor. Prevent moisture damage by keeping your canvas tent off the floor. This is especially true for damp garages, unfinished basements, and sheds. Always elevate your wall tent storage off the ground.
Protect canvas walls and fabric parts from rodents. When not in the field, consider storing your wall tent inside or in a pest-free area of the home. At least the canvas parts. You can store the frame poles out in a garage or shed, standing in a large bucket or pail. However, mice can do a really nasty number on canvas, so be mindful of that. Deter rodents and even bugs with a repellent. Cedar blocks work great to deter all sorts of critters. Of course, a sealed container does the job too. More on that topic below!

Storing and Transporting Wall Tents: Containers, Tubs, and More

Not only should you consider how and where to store your wall tent, but also how to transport it.

As mentioned, a sealed container of some sort is an excellent piece of gear to contain a wall tent. Choose the right one, and it can serve double duty, transporting your wall tent as well!

Additionally, we recommend measuring the size of your folded wall tent to determine the size of the container you need. Or grab two containers or tubs for extras, such as your extended awning, sod cloth flooring, and rain fly.

Canvas Duffel Bag

You can’t go wrong with a classic duffel bag. While our standard Beckel canvas bags might not be big enough for larger wall tents, we can make you a custom bag to fit any canvas tent. It keeps your wall tent packed neat and tight for the journey from camp to home. Just make sure that once home, you store that canvas duffel bag and canvas wall tent into something that’s not, well… canvas.

Because it doesn't matter how robust the canvas material is, mice and rodents can still gnaw their way through and wreak havoc. So how else can you transport a wall tent? What else should you pack it in?

Large Plastic Tote

large black plastic totes stacked along garage wall

A large, rectangular or square plastic tote made by Dewalt, Rubbermaid, or Sterlite. Honestly, there are several sturdy and robust tote brands out there; just make sure to pick the appropriate size. You want to allow enough room for your folded wall tent and any ropes, stakes, and other gear.

It’s also worth considering additional features. Features like wheels or handles and a snap-on lid can make transporting your wall tent to and fro a lot easier.

One advantage of plastic totes is their height. They can double as a nightstand beside your camp cot.

The only disadvantage is that they can’t fit the tent poles and frame.

Standard Rolling Garbage Can

large gray trash can with lid off to the side

Rolling plastic garbage cans, made by brands like Rubbermaid’s commercial Brute line, are great for transporting wall tents and gear. The only caveat is to ensure the lid can be securely closed. Some large garbage cans have loose lids that fold over and lay on top. We strongly recommend something a bit more moisture-resistant and rodent-proof.

Of course, these huge standing garbage receptacles don’t require wheels, but it’s a nice-to-have feature when moving your wall tent back and forth. If you find the right garbage can, but it doesn’t roll, a trash can dolly will suffice.

Stumble upon a garbage can without a lid? You can still put it to use! Stand your metal or wood wall tent frame pieces inside it (because they won’t fit in a plastic tote anyway).

Overpack Drum

Made of hard plastic, overpack drums are a nice alternative to plastic totes and garbage cans. A nice feature of these barrel-shaped containers? Instead of carrying, pushing or pulling, you can turn it on its side and roll it to your site. Just give it a sturdy kick or two with your boots and roll the wall tent and gear toward where you need to set up – easy peasy!

Ski Bags

Some wall tent users have gotten creative with their pole storage, seeking out second-hand items like long ski bags. These long ski bags are perfect for 6-foot wall poles. If you have a larger wall tent with a longer rafter, a ski bag won’t do. You’ll have to store it separately. But at least the wall tent poles are nicely organized.

Wall Hooks

Aside from a bin or bag, you could hang wall tent frame poles at home along the wall. This is a great way to free up floor space when you have a small garage or want to make use of vertical storage solutions. Hanging wall hooks or even kayak or SUP racks are perfect for this!

Ratchet Straps

Whether hanging on your garage wall or transporting to the campsite, keep loose poles neat and together with ratchet straps. Stack them together with the longer poles on the bottom and the shorter poles on top, cinching them together. This will keep the frame bunched up nice and tight as you move them around from the bed of your truck or vehicle to the site for setup. It certainly beats the poles sliding around and dinging up other gear.

Tent Stove Carry Bag

open stove carry bag with metal stove inside

Have a wood stove? Store and transport this piece of wall tent gear in a carrying case. Check out Beckel’s tent stove carry case, designed to hold most medium-sized wood stoves. The bag features an easy-to-clean, super-rugged 14 oz nylon material, webbing handles, and a beefy YKK zipper that fully extends around the top and down the sides, making it a cinch to remove the heavy stove from the bag as well.

Large Wooden Box with Rope Handles

Another wood stove storage option is to keep it in a box. If you’re handy, make your own large wooden box, perfectly cut and shaped to accommodate your exact wood stove model, and then add sturdy rope handles to transport from the truck to the site. It’s like a chuck box but fitted for your wood stove.

Extra Tips for Storing and Transporting Wall Tents

Duct tape shut any openings. Inspect any hinges carefully to ensure there are no slits or ways moisture can seep into the storage container. If there is, go ahead and seal those gaps with good old-fashioned duct tape. This will help make sure moisture doesn’t creep in.
Color code the poles and frame. For a faster wall tent setup, color code the poles and fitting joints using colored tape (like electrical tape). Ideally, choose something colored and reflective, which will help you see what you’re doing when you are forced to set up camp in the dark.
Organize small gear in smaller bins. Keep fittings, joints, and other smaller loose items (such as a repair kit for wall tent zipper maintenance) in a smaller plastic tote to make them easily findable and accessible. Ultimately, having your angle kit, canvas, and poles organized makes setting up a wall tent faster and easier.

Share Your Wall Tent Storage and Transport Solutions

Have another clever storage solution or means of transporting your wall tent and all its gear? Share with fellow hunters and outfitters in the comments below.

Storing and Transporting Wall Tents and Gear: Tips, Solutions, and Organization