4 Season Tent Advice

[THE-YETI]

Hi All. I am looking at buying a 4 season tent and have it whittled down to the Cabelas Alaknak or Tipi Tent. Just wondering if anyone has used either of these tents before and what their experiences were. I would need the tent to fit either 3 cots or a queen air-mattress and one cot with enough room to move around comfortably. Please let me know your thoughts and thanks.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/964?p...VariantId=2589
https://www.tipitent.com/product/cam...r-ii-tipitent/

[ghfalls]

A buddy of mine spent some time winter camping in an Alaknak and he said even with the wood burner going it’s a cold tent. It’s basically the same material as a regular tent.

[THE-YETI]

Originally Posted by ghfalls

A buddy of mine spent some time winter camping in an Alaknak and he said even with the wood burner going it’s a cold tent. It’s basically the same material as a regular tent.

Thanks, good to know. I will be camping with my 6 year old son, so maybe I'll need a warmer tent.

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by THE-YETI

Thanks, good to know. I will be camping with my 6 year old son, so maybe I'll need a warmer tent.

If it’s just you and your son you can’t beat a canvas wall tent with either a wood stove or a diesel heater for warmth. Get a 10x12 with the frame package, only draw back is weight.


BW

[LeadMonkey]

The TipiTent is solid but personally I would go with a SnowTrekker heavy Canvas tent or alternatively a Atuk canvas tent.

https://www.snowtrekkertents.com/

https://www.atuktents.com/en_kanguk.php

Google search both of them and watch some YouTube videos, the design is superior to anything out there IMO.

[THE-YETI]

Originally Posted by LeadMonkey

The TipiTent is solid but personally I would go with a SnowTrekker heavy Canvas tent or alternatively a Atuk canvas tent.

https://www.snowtrekkertents.com/

https://www.atuktents.com/en_kanguk.php

Google search both of them and watch some YouTube videos, the design is superior to anything out there IMO.

Those Atuk Kanguk tents look sweet! I may have to go with one of them. Thanks 😀

[LeadMonkey]

The other one that deserves a mention is Esker Tents which a Canadian company, they make some of the best hot tents on the market.

I think I’m going to pick up a 10x10 myself after sleeping in my buddies last year. He had a classic but I kind of like the classic 2 design with the stove out the side. Crazy strong and warm tents! Only 21 lbs because they use paracord guy lines in place of poles.

https://www.eskeroutdoors.ca/

https://www.eskeroutdoors.ca/downloa...ifications.pdf

Again YouTube and Google will help give an excellent overview of all 3 brands I mentioned.

[Tannerdog]

I have the Alaknak and would argue against the cold comments above. Was out in it for 3 nights over xmas. I have a good wood stove and as long as its going, you can sit in your underwear and be too hot. At 12 x 12 it is a good size with extra space for keeping all your stuff.
When the fire goes out, of course it gets cold but same for all tents that are heated. It is a bit heavy to transport but not nearly as bad as canvas.
The stove/heater is the biggest part of staying comfortable. I got one at Peavy Mart and its the best one I've tried. The top load "Airtight" stoves everyone seems to sell are junk. My $.02

[buckman]

I you want a tent that will last,wont melt with heat,will hold up in wind,can be extra insulated with a heavy tarp then buy canvas.

I have a 10x 12 that I bought used 30 years ago the guy told me it was already 30 years old then. I used it several times a year and its an amazing unit.

I now have a 12x 14 with a frame,I use an airtight stove top loader 24 inch. If I load it up and damp it down it will burn al night.

These tents can be hung on poles also(I use poplar when available less branches to trim)

They are heavy but oh so comfy.

[Bearbreath]

I have the Big Horn 3 tent which is the same material as the Alaknak. The tent is NEVER cold with the stove going. We tape up the vents with cardboard. We put a tarp over top this hunting season to see if it would keep more heat in and it definately did. You do get a lot of condensation, in cold temps, on the bottom meter of the tent (like pooling at the legs of cots...bring a shamwow or two).

Tipis are cool, but you loose space with the sloped walls. Wall tents have more liveable space.

The bighorn has been a great tent for us. If I was doing a lot of late season or winter trips I would go with a canvas wall tent with the biggest stove possible.

[Big Grey Wolf]

If you want to stay warm and lots of comfort only consider good sized outfitter canvas tent with large wood heater.

[ehrgeiz]

I use a Seek Outside Redcliff with a pack down Ti stove. Can fit 3 on cots with a stove, but it's tight. I use internal nests in the early to mid fall to keep the bugs off and have had the wife and 2 kids in there comfortably, but not a ton of living space. The 8 person would be a better for 3 cots, but I would only recommend Seek if you have a need for packing the tent in on foot.

If the plan is quad or car only and weight is not a real consideration then previous advice is correct. Go canvas outfitter for condensation management, durability. and comfort.

[dave99]

I run a Hilleberg Nallo 4-person. Great, bombproof tent for backcountry skiing and sheep hunting. No stove option though.

BTW, I think that 4-season vs. 3-season tent is a bit misleading. Either a tent is meant to withstand cold, and is therefore on the warm side for summer use, or it’s designed for warm weather and will perform poorly in the cold.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Desert Eagle]

I have a tipi tent and haven't had it out in -20 yet, but with a good wood stove I have had it too hot at -8 and we had to open the door to cool it down. It does draft a bit through the vents down low, so you have to be careful how you set up your cots.

[alpineguy]

Canvas wall tent with a good wood stove will keep you warm without having to tape vents or have a second tarp. I have 2 and usually set then up with a log frame but have also used their internal frames. Both have their pros and cons but my favorite is the log frame!!

[marky_mark]

Arctic oven
👌👌👌

[6.5 shooter]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

Arctic oven
👌👌👌

this

[JD848]

I have been looking hard at the artic oven,only thing holding me back is seeing one in front of me to check it out.Foor etc.

No bad reviews so they should do a fantastic job in the winter,my only concern is putting an elbow in that stove pipe away from the top or getting one that exits out the side or end of the tent and stays together if the wind really blows like 60 k per hour.You don't set mit up in some field,you set up where you got good wind protection from all sides.

It seems like a high price,but if works like it says it's money well spent,looking at the 12 foot x18,so I can bring my grandkids plus my wife and she will stay more then one night, but if she's not comfortable it's big tent just for one guy,plus I would put my own type of stove.

You go to on some winter vacation to get sand kicked in your face plus,my older traveling spots have been over taken with crime,so spending 5 k for something you have for life is a good investment along with resale must be good also.

JD

[OL_JR]

Good canvas wall tent with 5' sidewalls is so versatile you can use it all year round. We summer camp in ours as well and it's nice and easy to set up with the aluminum frame. I don't see much of a benefit in these other designs that have short sidewalls, it really kills the room in the tent. Considering the short days in the winter it's nice to have the extra room where it's warm imho.

I have a "5 man" mil surplus tent as well and I'd say more than two people in that thing it would feel crowded with the short sidewalls.

[Prairiewolf]

Originally Posted by ehrgeiz

I use a Seek Outside Redcliff with a pack down Ti stove. Can fit 3 on cots with a stove, but it's tight. I use internal nests in the early to mid fall to keep the bugs off and have had the wife and 2 kids in there comfortably, but not a ton of living space. The 8 person would be a better for 3 cots, but I would only recommend Seek if you have a need for packing the tent in on foot.

If the plan is quad or car only and weight is not a real consideration then previous advice is correct. Go canvas outfitter for condensation management, durability. and comfort.

I'd second all of this advice. I use a Seek Outside Cimmarron for multiday backpacking trips but it wouldn't fit 3 cots - Seek do make products to accommodate the size you're after. I use a canvas wall tent for extended stays and where I don't need to pack anything in/out.