24 Byrd Tents Campers' Delight

While Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd's snow cruiser slowly hobbles along toward Boston from Chicago over tortuous high-speed American highways, a local sailmaker is rushing to completion 24 Antarctic trail tents for housing the 63 members of the expedition who plan to remain at the two bases in Antarctica. Unlike the snow cruiser, a quick glance at the tents reveals little out of the ordinary with the exception, perhaps, of the tubular entrances and the color, a brilliant orange. This bright color was carefully selected to make the tents easily visible against the endless white wastes of the Antarctic. Tubular entrances on both ends of the tents are the only other departures from standard tent equipment which are immediately noted. These entrances, when held open, resemble, somewhat, the tunnel of an igloo except that they are cloth and fall flush with the tent when not in use. At night, the tubular section is drawn into the tent and the ends securely tied with tape to keep out wind and snow. "All fours" and plenty of skill are required to enter and leave these circular portals with their 29-inch diameter openings and tubular flaps which are 36 inches in width. Closer inspection shows these tents to be almost as different in detailed construction, when compared with custom tents, as the snow cruiser is in comparison to other motor vehicles. Even the manner of erecting these tents is a departure from the usual side-by-side method. Instead, they are placed end to end in a straight line. Between tents, there is a 7-foot "extension fly" which is connected to the tents on either end by 16-foot zippers. These "flys" are white, have no floors and are used as kitchens. Each one is equipped with a tubular door on the side and a chimney, also of tubular construction, about five inches in diameter. To a camping enthusiast, one of the most attractive features of these trail tents is their weight which is one-quarter to one- third that of regular camp tenting equipment. The use of "Byrd cloth," a very light wind and snowproof material, for everything but the sewed in floors, is responsible for the difference in weight. One tent, with a 7-foot square floor inside and six feet from floor to peak, weighs only 171/2 pounds. On the outside, the heavy canvas floors extend about 14 inches beyond the sides of the tent. Another feature, which would appeal to most campers, is the arrangement of the poles which fit in pockets running from the top of the tent to the corners and which need not be removed when the tent is taken down. Ventilation is supplied through zippered slits in the top corners of the front and rear of the tents. These are shielded on the outside by heavy canvas.