Gear Junkie: Canvas tent bombproof, one of kind

Nestled in a canvas cocoon atop a cushy foam mattress, I feel cozy and warm. The world around me is shut out – no wind, no lights, and no pointy rocks from below.

That’s how you feel inside an Outback Swags Pioneer tent. It’s complete isolation and a sense of security in the waterproof canvas shelter.

The Swag provides an all-in-one sleeper that’s about as easy to set up as it is to pronounce. Unroll the conical tent with footprint and mattress included, insert three half-circle poles and two stakes, and you’re set for sleep almost anywhere.

It’s a great option for cooler climes, bad weather, and rough terrain. But the Swag is heavy, and it’s less ideal as temperatures and humidity go up.

What is a swag? They originated in Australia in the 19th century out of necessity. Transient farm laborers tucked all their belongings into a canvas bedroll and hiked from job to job.

The modern swag draws off the same principle of tucking the entire camp setup into one simple roll. The similarities end there. It’s still canvas, but the Outback Swags Pioneer uses poles to create a canopy, a PVC vinyl floor to block moisture and pokey sticks, and a removable top flap for ventilation.

With Outback Swags Pioneer tent you get a shelter made of 12-oz. rip-stop canvas and a foam mattress. It costs $229.

Altogether, the Swag system weighs 20 lbs. This is obviously not designed for hiking. Indeed, the portable home is about as heavy as an eight-person tent.

But packed down in its bag the Pioneer tent measures just over 3 feet long. Unfurled and pitched, it extends 7 feet.

Try a swag out if you’re looking for a new kind of camping experience. It’s a simple, cozy, and near-bombproof sleep system that’s one of a kind.