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Should I buy a Polish Army Luvvu?

David Day

David Day

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Has anyone got any experience with the Polish Army Luvvu?

I really want to get into wild camping and have seen these at military mart and I’m really considering one.

https://www.militarymart.co.uk/polish-army-dome-tent-lavvu-teepee/

My main question would be how big and how heavy are the different variants?

MM state the height differences for the 3 sizes but what does this equate to in internal volume, ground space for example?

I’m 6’2” and want to make sure I’ll comfortably fit in and have room for my pack.

Any advice or modifications to this setup will be greatly welcomed.
 
They are surely cool, but heavy.
More for camping than hiking if you are alone. For two persons ok for hiking too.

I had it only in the shop in my hands, but couldn't take it with me, because my rucksack was full.

There are a lot of videos about modifications in the net.

Do you know Luxe Outdoor SilHexpeak Tents? Have a look!
There you get condensation problems, but they are looking similar and are really light!

Interesting alternatives of higher price and larger Size are Kohte and Tschum.

Tschum you can order in nearly every possible configuration, because they are hand made in Germany.

But of course not for the price of a polish army tent. The polish tent is incredible cheap.

If you are a beginner who doesn't want to spend to much money I would say:

Try it!

They start to become seldom. It should be no problem to sell it later.

But I can't tell you anything about the size.

Räer in Hildesheim sells them too.
No Idea, if they are larger there.

WARNING:

SOME TOOK FIRE EXTREMELY FAST IN GERMANY.
YOU HAVE TO CONTROL THIS.

But usually they don't have this problem.
 
Another alternativ idea would be to buy 3 rectangular NVA Tarps. I think they are 180x180cm.

You could construct a triangular pyramid tent with it.
That is large enough fir 3 Persons who are 185 cm tall. The pegs go in the corners. The folding line diagonal over the tarp to the tip of the pole.

So the 3 ground lines are 180 cm.

That is another cheap solution in cotton.
 
After I saw your introduction, my thoughts are the following:

I think, that the cheap polish army tent is a nice playing tent for children.

Who wants to educate his children to real indians should by one for them!

Now you can get it. But I think, they are the last on the market. Several large surplus dealers can't offer them any more!

For a young family Tschum 4 P and Kohte are very interesting options.

In both you can light a real open fire inside!

Not only a Hobo stove, not a tent stove, no:
You can light a relatively large real open fire in the middle of the tent!

You can hang a chaine in the centre and with it a large Cooking pot over the fire.
You really can heat the tent. You can sleep with 4 Persons (or even more) in the tent around the burning fire.

The Kohte exists in two sizes and is constructed with 4 Parts that work very well as single tarps too.
It is portable on hikes by 4 Persons.

The smaller size you can watch in the YouTube video "Kohtenaufbau auf Zeit".

That is an ideal Camping Tent for a young family. Very comfortable for 4 Persons, but you can invite 2 more children for a weekend. They fit there in too.

That is the standard tent of the german boy scouts. The small one costs around 500 €.

Should you be interested to buy one I would tell you wich special variants I would recommend. And where you can buy it.

The Tschum 4P is a bit smaller and lighter. It is constructed from 2 Parts and recommended for 4 Persons, mother and father can carry it on a hike!
In my opinion it is the most interesting option for you. But ok, it isn't cheap. But surely not over priced too.

The Tschum is a high end quality cotton tent. It is a real lavvu in the original meaning, it is a fire tent, like the Kohte. But the Tshum is lighter!
It costs around 800 €. (Like the large size of the Kohte, where fit in up to 8 adult persons.)

If you order a Tschum, you choose out of several options. At the homepage you find a telefone number. Tschum is a one man start up business. (But the tents are no prototypes. They are tested and used for several years.)

And so you get there directly the guy who makes it and who constructed this and - by the way- the similar looking Luxe Outdoor SilHexpeak Tents, which are produced in China.
The Tschum is hand made by himself in Germany next to Minden. Off course he speaks English.

I spend one evening around 0*C in the tent and I slept the following night in his Tschum in his Garden.

I own a SilHexpeak V4a, and the boy scout tents Kohte in both sizes.

In the boy scouts tents I slept thousands of nights in all conditions. I use them since more than 30 years.

So, should you be interested in that, I can tell you every thing.
 
David Day said:
Has anyone got any experience with the Polish Army Luvvu?

I really want to get into wild camping and have seen these at military mart and I’m really considering one.

https://www.militarymart.co.uk/polish-army-dome-tent-lavvu-teepee/

My main question would be how big and how heavy are the different variants?

MM state the height differences for the 3 sizes but what does this equate to in internal volume, ground space for example?

I’m 6’2” and want to make sure I’ll comfortably fit in and have room for my pack.

Any advice or modifications to this setup will be greatly welcomed.
Click to expand...

Loads..........see UK Campsite reviews, (Polish Army Lavvu Teepee Tent Reviews and Details) with loads of photos......a lot are mine, lol!
I am 6'4" and I find it fine.........the MM site suggests theres not much in it in sizing, but if pitched properly, I get 7' diameter
I cannot recommend them highly enough, despite the rising prices....that's why I bought 2!!

Weather wise it can take it all, including stoves for hot tenting (see U toob), certainly not just a kids plaything.
 
I didn't mean it would be only a children's playing tent.

But it would be a good playing tent for them. Because it is a good real tent.
 
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The group I camp with bought a few when they first hit the market, tried them, played with them and sold them...crap poncho shelters and are not by any means a Tipi tent.
 
I should point out, the tent im currently looking for is just for me an the pup for weekend adventuring :)
 
They are whatever you want to call them, tipi, pelerina namioty, lavvu....matters not, bloody effective one man cotton tents. And cost relative peanuts.

I'll tell you what; if you want a cotton tent......you get a large from MM, you decide it's not for you, I'll take off you same price but your postage? There you go, in print!!:thumbsup:
 
lol said:
They are whatever you want to call them, tipi, pelerina namioty, lavvu....matters not, bloody effective one man cotton tents. And cost relative peanuts.

I'll tell you what; if you want a cotton tent......you get a large from MM, you decide it's not for you, I'll take off you same price but your postage? There you go, in print!!:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
lol said:
Very true:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Sorry David, my post was very badly written....should read," I'll take it off you for the same price, etc.," but I'm sure you gathered that!
:whistle::)

Mods., potentially so many....
-Use a cheap extendable washing line pole from the sheds, about £5 as a centre pole or lash two together to make an A frame and hang it from that....or two cut poles on site? I use an old A frame from a Blacks Good Companion standard....frees up the interior completely.
-Small peg loops (keep short) around the eyes of the hem, just enough to lift it out of very short grass, and pegs out really tight.
-set the tent with the shoulder flaps inside, not outside as many do...why set up inside out? Also gives you hanging loops (for a UCO candle light?)
- get someone to sew a HD zip down oneside....or use a lash system to open and close your entrance......much quicker than buttons if weather gets shitty.

The list can go on and on...some sew in walls and groundsheets and so forth.
Needless to say, irrespective of the weather, if I'm on my own, it's probably my "go to" tent, but then I don't do plastic tents.........:whistle::evileye::thumbsup: :D perhaps I should?.........no, not yet at least!!
 
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I bought one from Military mart for £20 2 years ago. Used it around 5 times so far. I like it as it is dark inside and lets me sleep on a sunny morning. Only mod I found needed was to fit small elastic loops to take the pegs. allows for a bit of stretch. Very little condensation and it has not leaked even in heavy rain. I sometimes add a tarp as living area. pictures attached
DSC_0022.JPG
DSC_0026.JPG
 
And you can give it later the kids as a playing tent.

And you can buy later a larger Tent where you can really light a fire inside.
 
So David.......
Never mind whether you should or not (that's a no brainer in my book!:rofl:)...........HAVE you..............?
 
lol said:
So David.......
Never mind whether you should or not (that's a no brainer in my book!:rofl:)...........HAVE you..............?
Click to expand...

Im still waiting for the large one to become available in MM........ They only have the small at the moment.
Do we think the'll get them back in or should I just bite the bullet and get the small??
 
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