Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Tent recommendation please!!

In my experience the folks who are most likely to call for a rescue on the Alaska peninsula are those using Cabelas AK guide tent. Partially because the tents are nowhere as tough and durable as either the Bombshelters or the Arctic Oven but also because those using them have too much faith in the tents and don't shelter them or tie them down as they need to be.
If they understood the weather and took care the guide tents will do fine but are not in the same league as either the bomb shelter or the Arctic Oven.

Was in a good blow at Fraser Lk on Kodiak in a Guide tent. This model had fiberglass poles. We had it tied out as designed on good ground. The wind blew that thing flat many times until all the poles broke just above the stake pocket. That tent looked really sad after a night of that wind. Of course, then the rain started but the tent never leaked. A friend had a similar experience on the Kusko river camped at the base of the mountains. A williwaw hit his tent on the top and broke all the poles just above the pockets. I think the tent I was in was too tall for the size.

These are just my own experiences, so take them with a grain of salt. I have spent a lot of time both in the Bombshelter and in my Alaskan Guide 8-man. They are both great tents. But if set up in the best way possible for each, I think the AK Guide tent actually is a little better. The Bombshelter is more rectangular and takes a bit more hit with the high winds. It still works, but I found that you have to go outside every so often and re-stake the heavy fly which tends to buffet in the wind and pull the stakes harder. The AK Guide has a more aerodynamic dome shape, more rigid, and in my experience, with the same type of high winds, it does not pull out stakes as much. Mine came with an attachable 7”x10” vestibule. The whole thing with all of the guy lines is held by 46 stakes. It’s pretty secure when you use all of that. Just my own experience.

All that being said, if you’re concerned about really bad weather, you might be better off with two 11-lb three man tents, which would be less than half the weight of either of the above. Last Sept. in SW Alaska, my guide had his 10x1 Bombshelter set up, and I brought the backup—Marmot Thor 3p tent. These are successfully used on Everest expeditions. It has six high-strength aluminum poles, has a lower profile, and mine is staked out with 36 stakes, including countless guy lines. When the winds got over 60mph, the Bombshelter stayed up, but it was constantly flexing and, as said before, we had to re-stake it several times. My Marmot (much smaller with the lower profile and staked out in 36 places) essentially didn’t budge. If the winds had picked up another 10-20 mph or so, we clearly would have been solely in the Marmot.

The obvious dilemma about bringing the two smaller tents as opposed to one bigger one is that they are more stable and trap more body heat. But they also don’t allow you to stand up or put a table in there, etc … Depends on your needs. If the weather was likely to be really extreme, I would prefer to have two smaller expedition tents. If not, a bigger stand-up tent would be better.

Here's the Bombshelter and Marmot. You can barely see the Marmot, but can get an idea of the lesser profile:



This is it more close-up:





A couple of pics of the AK Guide:

If I bought another tipi, I think I"d almost go 12 man...

As to wind, I doubt mine has ever been in anything beyond 60 mph but it was fine in that wind.

MarineHawk is giving great advice. Even when I am setting up steel framed Weatherports, if they are likely to get severe winds ( 60-100 mph winds !) I will make sure there is a spare Mt Hardware, North Face or Kelty expedition dome tent set up and protected in the alders. As I have had Weatherports, Arctic Ovens and Bombshelters blow away during the night and when your tent departs at night during a 100 mph blow, your sleeping bag and cot are usually not far behind.

Our weather is not nearly as severe as AK, but we do get some wind now and then.

We have a Mountain Hardware Trango-2 for a fallback tent. It was the tent we started with back in 1995.

We're both in our 50s, and enjoy a little more creature comfort of a larger tent most of the time. Chairs, table, cots, woodstove, etc.

A couple years ago we purchased a 12x14 wall tent with internal frame as well. It's really comfy to live in for a while, but a bit more work getting it set up, heavy, bulky, and catches a lot of wind. Then getting it dry.

Gopher safari with dad, and my brother. Living large,







Been thinking about an 8-man Seek Outside Tipi for ease of setup/takedown, low bulk storage, roominess, and supposed wind resistance, but I'm not sure how well they REALLY take the wind.

http://us.hilleberg.com/products/4-person.php

Looking for a 3-4 man tent. Something that will work if needed 365 days a year. It will be hauled around in the jeep so don't need something to pack. Simple quick setup and take down would be nice.