Cabelas Outback Lodge 6 person tent

[Savage Bacon]

We're thinking about getting a tent. Not quite a canvas tent. Something a big lighter. It will be used for family camping. The boss, myself, our 13 year old and 2 year old. We'll be most likely getting one of the little tent bathrooms, and maybe a small wood stove for if we decide to do some colder weather camping (fall weather, not winter)

Does anyone have any experience with the cabelas outback lodge tent? We were skimming through the cabelas website last night. And then this evening I see it's on sale.

We usually use our camper, but want something a lot easier to pack up and go. We're mostly on crown land with the side by side and quads. And we already have cots, cooking gear, and such.

Is this a decent tent? Or is there something better for a lighter duty family sized tent?

Thanks for any input!

[raab]

I havent used one but I dont like the design. With the short walls itll really reduce the space inside. At 100 sq ft itll be tight for 4 + gear and a stove. The cots will most likely be useless due to head room.

If it was me I'd just get a 4 person MSR Elixir or MEC Camper tent. Invest in good sleeping pads and sleeping bags, and you'll be fine in the fall. Since you're taking quads and a side x side Id take a pop up canopy, folding table, and some lawn chairs as well. Id cook and relax in the pop up. If you wanted to go smaller then the canopy take a tarp and cook/relax under that.

In saying that if your heart is set on a tent with a stove, where you can use cots. I'd recommend getting something with 5 foot walls.

Also wanted to add if you're worried about space in the elixir or camper dont be. My wife, myself, our 2 daughters, and dog all sleep in the 4 person camper. My sister, her husband, and her 3 younger boys all sleep in the 4 person Elixir.

[CBintheNorth]

I have the Otter Monster Lodge (much bigger than the cabelas model) and 4 small cots in there leaves just enough room to get out of bed.
If you have another tent or one of those Costco pop-up shelters to do your rainy-day cooking under, it might work?

A wood stove in there wouldn't work though unless it's REALLY small. Keeping it far enough from the walls to not melt the thing will place it roughly in the middle of the tent.

A Buddy or Big Buddy, and an extra carbon monoxide monitor shine here.

Bunk cots would help the space situation as well.

Unfortunately, for how you're describing your outings, a wall tent fits the bill MUCH better.

[Savage Bacon]

Originally Posted by raab

I havent used one but I dont like the design. With the short walls itll really reduce the space inside. At 100 sq ft itll be tight for 4 + gear and a stove. The cots will most likely be useless due to head room.

If it was me I'd just get a 4 person MSR Elixir or MEC Camper tent. Invest in good sleeping pads and sleeping bags, and you'll be fine in the fall. Since you're taking quads and a side x side Id take a pop up canopy, folding table, and some lawn chairs as well. Id cook and relax in the pop up. If you wanted to go smaller then the canopy take a tarp and cook/relax under that.

In saying that if your heart is set on a tent with a stove, where you can use cots. I'd recommend getting something with 5 foot walls.

Also wanted to add if you're worried about space in the elixir or camper dont be. My wife, myself, our 2 daughters, and dog all sleep in the 4 person camper. My sister, her husband, and her 3 younger boys all sleep in the 4 person Elixir.

It does have short walls. When I think of everything I'd pile in there, I think it would fill up fast.

[Savage Bacon]

Originally Posted by CBintheNorth

I have the Otter Monster Lodge (much bigger than the cabelas model) and 4 small cots in there leaves just enough room to get out of bed.
If you have another tent or one of those Costco pop-up shelters to do your rainy-day cooking under, it might work?

A wood stove in there wouldn't work though unless it's REALLY small. Keeping it far enough from the walls to not melt the thing will place it roughly in the middle of the tent.

A Buddy or Big Buddy, and an extra carbon monoxide monitor shine here.

Bunk cots would help the space situation as well.

Unfortunately, for how you're describing your outings, a wall tent fits the bill MUCH better.

My thoughts keep wandering to an actual wall tent. The boss keeps saying it's too heavy duty for family tenting.

[raab]

Originally Posted by Savage Bacon

It does have short walls. When I think of everything I'd pile in there, I think it would fill up fast.

If you'd like an alternative to a wall tent check out the artic oven tents. Not cheap, and I havent used one, but I've been eyeing them up. I think they'd be awesome for mid November hunts.

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by Savage Bacon

My thoughts keep wandering to an actual wall tent. The boss keeps saying it's too heavy duty for family tenting.

There is a lot of stuff that goes with a wall tent, especially if you go with a pole kit, and you should.
It'll fill up half a truck bed, no doubt, but you'll be camping in style! Space out the wazoo, nice wood heat, many pluses.

I have a 14×16 and I can set it up completely by myself in under an hour.
That's the tent, fly, floor, stove, chimney, cots, and table.
All princess has to do is show up....and she still doesn't!
My wife hates camping.
Luckily my boys love it. Makes for some great "boys" trips.

[Savage Bacon]

I like the idea of the wall tent. The 14x16 does sound appealing. Maybe I should bite the bullet, cry once, and just get one.

I imagine it might be too big tho if she decided she wants to go to a camp site.

Raab, that arctic oven 12 looks nice but you're right about the price!

[raab]

Double post

[raab]

Originally Posted by Savage Bacon

I like the idea of the wall tent. The 14x16 does sound appealing. Maybe I should bite the bullet, cry once, and just get one.

I imagine it might be too big tho if she decided she wants to go to a camp site.

Raab, that arctic oven 12 looks nice but you're right about the price!

Yea I figured the 12 would be perfect for you with a medium stove. The price is steep though. Would be interesting to know the packed dimensions and weight versus a wall tent. Might be worth it depending on the size of a packed wall tent. The Oven 12 is basically 3ft x 3ft x 2ft and weighs 78lbs packed. To put this in comparison for size my MEC Camper 4 is basically 6" in diameter and 2ft long packed weighing 8lbs. Honestly if you can take the sleeping on the ground with a good sleeping pad. (Since you're not worried about weight MEC has a 10" pad that'll be more comfortable then your mattress most likely), I love the convenience and size advantage of my backpacking gear vs the traditional stuff. For some people sleeping on the ground isnt an option though.

[nelsonob1]

I have the 12x12 Araknack (apologies for spelling) which is similar in design but the side wall is higher and floor space wider. I like the tent, lighter than a wall tent so easier to put up solo, but it's a three man at best for hunting with everyone's gear.

[Savage Bacon]

We might head into Calgary this weekend to physically see some tents. I was just on the MEC website and saw the 8 person hub. I thought it would be perfect and wanted to go look at it. Until I noticed the price

[ehrgeiz]

Might suggest the Seek Outside 8 person tipi with a half nest for sleeping.

I run Redcliff and have had 4 of us inside 2 nests with a stove. Not a lot of extra room but it worked. The 8 person should be lots for 4.

[Savage Bacon]

Originally Posted by ehrgeiz

Might suggest the Seek Outside 8 person tipi with a half nest for sleeping.

I run Redcliff and have had 4 of us inside 2 nests with a stove. Not a lot of extra room but it worked. The 8 person should be lots for 4.

The 8 man is almost 200 square feet, with a 16ft diameter. I like the classic tipi design.

[ehrgeiz]

^
I can vouch for the quality of the Seek products.

Thought given your requirements it may be of interest to you.

I went Redcliff as it provides a sweet spot for space and weight. It can still be reasonably backpacked-in for a Sheep Hunt base camp with a stove. Especially if you have 2 or 3 guys splitting the load. I've used it down to -22 and the stove can still turn it into a sauna if you let it rage wide open.

If I had no intention of backpacking-in I would have gone bigger.

Like most quality products, it isn't cheap though.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I looked at that Cabelas tent as well. Looking through the reviews, it sounds like it would be roomy enough for two adults, and maybe a small child or two. There are recreational tents that would provide the same room with less setup (there are a lot of stakes involved!) If it would have supported a small wood stove, I would have been more interested.

The recommendations on the Seek Outside tents are the direction I'm leaning as well.

I had a chance to use a TentTipi tent that my brother-in-Law's brother used on one of our camping trips, and it was awesome. Only issue was that, on hard ground, the stove would cause cold air to be drawn in along the skirt, past the beds, which made for a bit of a chill (one side of you would be hot from the stove, the other side would be cold from the draft). I'm sure there is a way to solve this, though. I'm thinking that we were doing it wrong.

It was fairly compact, and the stove had its own crate. Slick setup for our purposes.

[gramps73]

the guys I hunt with bought one for this past moose camp.
Less than impressed, lots of issues with condensation and wet gear.
the other issue is the short wall but its been said.

price point is nice but thats about the only thing.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by gramps73

lots of issues with condensation and wet gear.

That's true - that issue gets mentioned repeatedly in the reviews as well.

[Mavrick]

I went with a 10x10 Esker Classic 2 from Canadian Outdoor Equipment this winter. I wanted a smaller tent then my big wall tent when just my and the wife wanted to go. It has the center pole, then you use guide lines to hold out 3Ft walls. I have only used it a few times and the 10x10 was big enough for us and our gear.

The pros: Like other canvas tents it is warm with a wood stove.The 3ft walls allowed us to use cots to sleep, so we where off the ground. Room for two and gear somewhat comfortably. Lightweight compared to my big outfitter tent. Easier to dry out after a trip because it's smaller.

Cons: a bit of a bugger to put up, but I'm still getting use to the guidelines so that might get better. Room in the tent is ok, you can stand up in the middle so at least your not bent over all the time, but I knew that it wouldn't be like my big tent, you give up room to get the weight down. Smaller stove so when it got down to 20 below I needed to feed it lots. It also can take up room in the tent because of where it needs to sit.

So far I'm happy with it for what it is, a smaller tent to hall back in the bush for two people. For a family of 4 they make a 12x12 that they say sleeps 6 to 8, but I don't know, they said the 10x10 sleeps 4 to 6, but no way it can do that. Like every tent math, 4 to 6 =2

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Savage Bacon

We might head into Calgary this weekend to physically see some tents. I was just on the MEC website and saw the 8 person hub. I thought it would be perfect and wanted to go look at it. Until I noticed the price

anyone know if with the management changes if MEC is still anti hunting?

[Savage Bacon]

I think I'm stuck with what we need. We might look at a wall tent in a few years. We're just not ready for that yet. But need something big enough for the 4 of us. But realistically we just need it for sleeping so it doesn't have to be huge. And we could have our stuff in a screen tent so it's somewhat out of the elements.

We do have a decent camper, but to go camping for just a night with friends, it's way too much of a pain to get ready and haul out.

Lots of great suggestions tho guys.

In my younger days, after enough drinks, a guy would just pass out in the chair, or on the ground somewhere. Thank God those days are over.

[Savage Bacon]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

anyone know if with the management changes if MEC is still anti hunting?

If that's the case I won't be rushing in there to spend any of my pro-hunting money.

[calgarychef]

What about a bell tent? Kind of a compromise between a wall tent, and a yurt.
You can up put a stove in them. Trust me on this, a stove will make your family love you AND camping. They spring need the big frame that a wall tent needs.

[lead chucker]

I've been looking for an alaknak tent for a while now, cabelas says their discontinued? Is that true?

[Savage Bacon]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

What about a bell tent? Kind of a compromise between a wall tent, and a yurt.
You can up put a stove in them. Trust me on this, a stove will make your family love you AND camping. They spring need the big frame that a wall tent needs.

Those look very roomy

[Savage Bacon]

Originally Posted by lead chucker

I've been looking for an alaknak tent for a while now, cabelas says their discontinued? Is that true?

Yep discontinued, but still selling the vestibules it looks like. The cabelas tent I was looking at seems to be similar, but with shorter walls?

[nelsonob1]

Originally Posted by Savage Bacon

Yep discontinued, but still selling the vestibules it looks like. The cabelas tent I was looking at seems to be similar, but with shorter walls?

Yes, very similar but not the same in quality. I'm surprised it was discontinued. It's a good tent. I think I'll try and find a used 20fter

[Savage Bacon]

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

Yes, very similar but not the same in quality. I'm surprised it was discontinued. It's a good tent. I think I'll try and find a used 20fter

The 20 footer looks huge.

[nelsonob1]

Originally Posted by Savage Bacon

The 20 footer looks huge.

I can park my atv in there with me.

[Savage Bacon]

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

I can park my atv in there with me.

That's luxury for sure!

We're going to look at the cabelas tent today. I know there's been lots of good suggestions. For quick sleeping accommodations, it looks hard to beat. We have a small dome tent that works just fine for the two of us, but won't fit the kids.