Before having kids, I was a minimalist when it came to camping. Light, fast, and easy were my guiding principles. After having kids, that changed. One of the first items I got was the Kodiak Canvas 10×10 VX tent. And while it’s not light, setup is actually pretty fast and easy. Maintenance, though, isn’t what I’d call easy, and being canvas it definitely needs a bit more love than your average nylon tent to stay up to snuff. But if you take the steps, you’ll have an incredible shelter that will become cherished in the family for many adventures to come. Let’s break it down a bit further, below.
Kodiak Canvas VX Tent: First Impressions
| Pros | Cons |
| Roomy | Heavy |
| Great windows | Extra care to maintain |
| Built to last | Canvas can be prone to mold |
The first thing you have to know about a Kodiak Flex Bow tent is that it’s not light duty by any means. At 60 lbs, it’s not going to be attracting any of the ultralight crowd. But that’s fine as that’s a whole other market anyway. Those people probably aren’t bringing kids along, either, or if they do, their kids will end up swinging the other way when they are older and only want to go camping in RV’s. Heh, heh. Maybe not, but the thought of doing anything ultralight with children does not sound fun at all.
Once you get the heaviness out of the way, you’ll also notice a lack of poles, although the poles it does come with are pretty heavy-duty. If you have never used a flex-bow tent, you’re in for a treat. It only takes one time to learn how to set it up, and from then on the setup process is remarkably fast. Basically, you just need to set up the roof by putting it under tension using the heavy-duty rods, and add the side supports. Oh yeah, and make sure it’s properly staked for the tension to work properly. But that’s it. You can realistically have the whole thing setup in less than 10 minutes, assuming the campsite is already clear.
Notable Features of the Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Tent
The main features are in it’s name. The first one is canvas. Being made of waterproof duck canvas adds a heavy-duty element to the tent that you can’t find in nylon or any other synthetic material. Sure, it costs a pretty penny, but you will also find it incredibly rigid and supportive, no matter the weather happening outside. We have successfully used it in rainstorms where it rained over 1 inch in 12 hours, on top of dry playa desert surface. If anyone heard of the infamous rains at Burning Man in 2023, we were there, and the Kodiak kept us dry. The thick floor also lends to that, and the fact that it rises up to give a bit of a bathtub protection from water coming in was a huge advantage when the rain started filling in. We were safe, and would have been for another few inches of flooding.
The other part of the name that stands out is the flex bow. This is the main feature that gives the tent its shape and provides a solid support where the staked-out tent can spread out from. It’s an ingenius design and isn’t exclusive to Kodiak, but the use of their premium materials means it’ll be durable and long-lasting.
Drawbacks to the Kodiak Canvas Tent
The weight was already mentioned, so it doesn’t need to be expanded upon. But it’s heavy. So car camping is the only realistic use for this tent, especially if you have kids in tow.
The other main drawback to the tent is the canvas material. It definitely needs a bit more TLC than your average synthetic material tent. If you pack the tent up wet, you’ll need to set it back up at home to fully dry out before packing it up, which could take up to a day… and may not happen if you’re in a wet climate such as the Pacific Northwest in winter. You’d need a heated shed or something for it to dry out properly. So it’s not for everyone, especially if you don’t want to deal with soggy gear at the end of a camping trip. But if you have the space to dry it out and don’t mind the step, it isn’t a huge deal to work with.
Also for a large tent you have a huge footprint to deal with, so unless you’re at a prepped campsite it will be extra work to prep. Not a big deal, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind.
Final Thoughts
Kodiak’s canvas flex-bow tent is a beast. But with the added weight and bulk comes a roomy and spacious shelter that you can stand up in, fit a queen sized mattress inside with room to spare, and enjoy protection from the elements. The VX version has massive windows that zip down for extra pretty views, as well as airflow. It’s not one tent to rule them all, but if you have an extended stay and want to camp in comfort, we found this to take the cake for convenience, durability, and great living space.