Gents -

This really isn't the place for this but thought is was the most applicable -

I am looking to upgrade my wife and I's camping/tent situation. On our hunts the last few years, we have basically been in lightweight backpack tents. Our style of hunting has changed a bit and I am looking for a bit more permanent type of setup that I don't need to pack in for miles.

I am looking at wall tents mostly but do not even know where to start on teepee-type shelters. I would like a wood stove for a heat source as she has shied away from a propane heater in the tent and I would prefer a wood stove anyway.

We would like a bit of room, thinking an 8x10' will be plenty for us with a stove but I'll seek some advice on that as well.

Would like something easy to set-up as well.

Any recommendations on a type of shelter fitting the above criteria and a manufacturer?

Thanks gents -

A six-man tipi from Seek Outside, get their reccomended stove size for that shelter in the climate you intend to use it.

I've got an lot of tents and several tipis and lightweight shelters including an 12 man Kifaru tipi. I like the larger tipi but if I'm not that far from the vehicle it's an expensive option.

Bad thing about wall tents is that they're pretty spendy as well and quite heavy. I've been eyeing this http://www.snowtrekkertents.com/basecamp.html

I could sled it in, drive in, or put it on my nephew and it looks really comfy with extra headroom. I want one.

It all depends on how much weight you can carry/drag/drive. I have 3 levels of heated shelter:

1. A heavy canvas (10 oz) sunforger canvas wall tent. 8x10, with a 3 dog stove. For two people I really like this set-up. Weight is about 60lbs combined. Keeps us warm down to -40. $500 tent, $300 stove. Started with internal conduit frame but moved to internal 2x4 frame.

2. A lighter wall tent (8oz I think) and homemade stove of 8 inch stove pipe. Still 8x10. Total weight of both is about 15 lbs. Only use this in spring/fall down to -10 or so. $400 tent, $20? stove. We use external spruce poles for a frame.

3. I bought a single wall tarp shelter off the Fire from Ed T and am going to make a roll up Ti stove. Total weight under 5 lbs. I'm looking forward to mountain hunting and ski tripping with this rig. $150 tent, $60? stove. Ski poles or hiking poles for "frame."

If you are going for the heavy permanent set up, nothing beats a plywood platform/floor to keep you up off the snow/frozen ground. We leave the platform in the same spot year round and drag home the tent/stove at the end of the winter season. UV rays from the sun are the single hardest thing on canvas (besides burning embers!). A tarp fly is really nice to stop embers and sun.

If you'd like more info, send me a PM. I've got lots to ramble on about dealing with wall tents, platforms, frames, stoves, etc.

When truck camping I use a wall tent that is 10x12 with 5' walls. This is great for 2 people. I would not go any smaller.

We have been using 2 cots side by side but i will be making a fold up double bed out of plywood. We have room to hangout, cook and not stumble over the dog. Often times we have another couple with us who come in and have coffee in the mornings to warm up and we are not cramped. I use a heavy duty waxed canvas tarp as a floor that comes just shy of the stove.

I also made up a 4' tall sheet metal heat reflector so that my stove is less than a 12" off the back wall and helps with maximizing space. As it sits right now we can have the tent up, tarp fly on and pegged, cots set up and a fire burning in the stove in about an hour if the weather isnt nasty.

fuzzyone

I'd agree with fuzzyone on the size. We like the 8x10 because we usually only have 2 people (and no dogs) in the tent, plus we are trying to keep it warm in some pretty cold weather. A 10x12 is 50% bigger than an 8x10 (120 sq ft vs 80 sq ft) so it gives you quite a bit more space for not much difference in price. In most climates with a decent stove, warming a 10x12 wouldn't be much of a chore.

On the rare occasion we do have a dog around, there always seems to be some singed tail hair on the stove in our 8x10.

Yeah, in tipis I wouldn't go smaller than an 8 man.

A Kifaru 6-man or Sawtooth would be the ticket for two people - I have both a 4-man and a 12-man & absolutely love them! The 6-man w/ medium stove might be the best for you...

I am looking at wall tents and think Davis is a good brand. The best advice I have heard is get one size larger than you think you want. If you think a 10x12 would work get a 12 x14. You are truck camping so who cares about a little extra weight. You cant make a samll tent larger...

Thanks gents -

Any advice on David tents traditional versus interior frame?

Or any feedback on their stoves?

Thanks -

If you are camping close to your vehicle, there is nothing wrong with a wall tent. I'm with gwl, I'd probably go with a 12x14 and a larger stove. If you are going to pack in this type of tent, you better have a couple of pack mules or horses. Last year, I have an opportunity to help our elk guide take down a drop camp in the CO. In addition to the horses we rode, it took 3 pack mules to move out the tent, frame and other camp supplies. Oh, we had to leave the stove as it would have taken another mule to move. After this experience, (I don't know how our guide has done this year after year), I'd go the light-weight tipi route and use a take-down stove.

I'm looking at Tipi's and stoves from Kifaru and Seek Outside. I'm really liking what I've seen and read about Seek Outside's tipi's and stoves. After using a floor-less tarp tent for the last couple of years, this will be a hugh step up.

I am looking for the same right now myself. After much looking, and reading reviews, I am leaning toward Cabelas Alaknak tent. I will probably get the 12x20, due to the number of people in my hunting party next year. Also looking at four dog stove for this setup. The Alaknak comes in a 12x12, which I think would be more than enough for 2-4 people.

Greg,

I know I've seen threads over on Monster Mulie that gave some specific brand recommendations for wall tents. A search there, as well as here for "wall tent" might help. I have a 10 x 12, but without unpacking, I couldn't tell you what brand it is.

Bob

Have you checked out a Tentipi? Tentipi is a Swedish manufacturer that's been making tipi style tents for many years. I recently saw that they have a new North American distributor based in Seattle - www.mansfieldoutdoors.com

Their Zirkon 15 would seem to be a best of both worlds for you. It's a huge single center pole tipi, but made of cotton canvas. Seems like an ideal cross between wall tent and tipi, although I confess I've never seen one in person.

Good luck!

If you arent packing in for miles, and you want an easy set up, look at the canvas kodiak 10x14 flex bow or 10x14 springbar. I bought it instead of a wall tent (we have a 16x20 wall tent) for easy summer camping since it has a floor. It also sets up stupid eas and fast compared to a wall tent. Perfect size for two with a stove.

I used mine last year without a stove, since we used the stove (knico alaskan) in the alaknak for packing. But this year I will run the stove in it, TxTrapper posted some good photos of his stove install in his kodiak.

G-I'd take a serious look at Davis in particular the 10x12 with 5' side walls. My wife and I have been looking at the same thing.

Other option to consider would be the Alaknak that Cabelas makes. I saw one of those on a goat hunt a couple years ago and I kind of like the idea.

Best of luck to ya

Dober

I have lived in various tents for extended periods in the BC wilderness, started almost 50 years ago. I REALLY dislike wall tents, but, the management of the BCFS, were not too concerned with what we young staffers thought, so, I put in my time in them.

For size, I would go no smaller than 10x12 for two hunters, and 12x14 is better. I would always have a plywood platform if at all possible and this makes a BIG difference. I also like an extra tarp hung about a foot over the entire tent body/roof and extending a few feet in front of the entrance. makes a big difference in overall comfort.

I have had tipis and am hoping to buy a Seek Outside 12 man this coming year, I have a Four Dog Large Ti stove for it. There is no doubt that a wood heated shelter is FAR more comfortable than even the finest mountain tent. I have owned and used many tents and even a Hilleberg can be cold, damp and kinda gloomy in really bad November weather.

I prefer individual ground sheets rather than a complete sod cloth or floor in a tent or tipi and I use Integral Designs double GCs, under my bed roll to keep it and my "night stuff" clean and dry, cheap, durable and light.

It can be a hassle, in the mountains, to find a good site to erect one's larger tipi and you must be careful about snow loads, especially where, as in most of BC, the snow is always "wet". It is snowing outside as I post and is just at freezing and this combo can make one hell of a mess in and around a camp, if you do not set up well to deal with it.

Like others, I won't use a propane stove/heater at night and I much prefer the scent of burning wood and the greater heat that the wood stoves put out. YMMV, but, this is what I prefer.

My wall tent is 12x14 with 5' side walls. Dry and wrapped in a manty tarp it weighs about 70 lbs. The tarp serves as a ground cloth for the back half of the tent. My stove is folding sheet metal with 4" pipes.

When I had horses we would pack it in every year for elk, moose, and sheep hunts. It worked great for two people, and I've had up to 4 in it.

It's also a great size for 2 people for end of road truck camping as there is room for two cots, a folding table, a cooking table, a couple of coolers, and still have some room to move around.

The wood stove keeps it very comfortable, and we have been warm in it down to -20*F, but after the fire burned out during the night, we woke up to a frozen solid 5 gallon water can inside the tent.

I have a 12x12 alaknak.....bout' a 2000 model. It is perfect for two and lots of gear. On a horse trip three or four is doable without cots. The sealed floor has saved a few trips.....one year I had to stack rocks and wood around the stove opening in the floor to keep it above the river that developed under the tent. I saw Noah pass by in an ark where the field had turned to a torrent.......the inside stayed dry.

The tent needs wood heat to stay dry as the venting is not adequate unless the windows are opened a bit, and I STRONGLY suggest a better storage bag or wrapping in canvas or tarp if you horse pack into tight trees. Overall, the price I paid ($400 iirc) was a steal and if I paid a couple hundred more and the quality hasn't gone south, I would still be happy.

If you do end up with an alaknak, drill a couple holes in the center post for the hooks used on bungee cords.....they make perfect lantern holders and coat hooks. I ran a piece of para cord all the way around the inside and use it to drape clothes over to dry by the stove.

I have the Kifaru 8 man tipi.. and its great for two people and gear. But if you want that Wall tent feel and space. I would go with the 12 Man.

Me, too, the extra space will make a major difference in overall comfort and on longer hunts, you will be surprised by how "tight" even a 12 man gets after a few days with a partner sharing.

My ideal two person "base camp" for a few days to a few weeks, is my Hilleberg Saivo plus a 12 man tipi, enclosed in a bear fence and if you can handle the cost, I would change the Saivo to the newer Hilleberg Saitaris. Wood heat in the 12 man tipi and a Big Buddy propane heater for the tent.

I prefer lots of space between the two shelters and having a "spare" shelter in remote wilderness is a safety factor, plus, I do not like sleeping where food has/is prepared, as I always am in Grizzly country.

I will take this rig, over ANY other "soft" shelter in BC, AB and Canada's "Territories". It costs, but,is very versatile, light for what it provides in shelter and I just like it better.