Tent recommendations

[redneckdan]

I went to the Snowtrekker tents. I have the 9x11.5 short wall. Much lighter than the Davis style tents. That can be good or bad depending on your needs and how the equipment is cared for. I can set up the tent by myself in 15 minutes.

 

[MThead]

One more for Davis, I have a 14x16, doors and screens on both gable ends with windows on low eve walls. Adds a 4 season aspect (cooling) and the ability to adjoin another tent.
IMO Davis as a company is hard to beat, C service is top notch, accessible and honest. Their products follow suit. There are other manufacturers who provide a worthy product, however I would strongly caution against anything other than canvas especially with 4-6 people, breathing and wet gear will create a miserable environment. That being said not all canvas is created equal, due diligence is required. A 14x16 tent is pretty full with 4 people and gear.
Cheers

 

[ofbandg]

My friends and I built our own tent and we used variations on it for years in northern British Columbia. We began with portable garages, the kind for sale at any large automotive or hardware store. We shortened the walls to 5 feet and added plywood ends so we could cut doors and put in plexiglass windows. We took old house mats or pieces of carpet to put on the floor. One of the advantages of this system was that size was adjustable. For just two of us it could be 10 x 20, but it was expandable to 10 x 32 if more were going. Usually we threw an extra tarp over the tent to improve warmth because it regularly went well below freezing on these trips and snowstorms weren't unusual, but we were always warm and dry inside. Even though the ends were held on with zip ties it weathered many a wind storm and we used no guy ropes. These were truck camps and we believed in being as comfortable as possible because we usually stayed for weeks. These tents cost much less than the canvass variety and were easier to modify. It took about two hours for two people to completely set up once you got used to the process.

 

[cjuve]

I can't speak about the Alaknak tent but the size you are thinking is pretty close, I would look at the cot set up closer and make sure that the 13' width will accommodate what you are using. I have a Montana canvas 14 x 17 and it handles 4 in (2) XLbunk cots and a stove pretty easily, if I were to try and sleep 6 with gear I would definitely want more length or width.

 

[rrseahorse]

Davis tents are great

 

[kpacker]

I agree with what others have said regarding size and number of people. 4 is max in a 12x14 but would be kinda tight . You could do 2 tents in case you need a sleeping and cook/gear tent vs one large tent .

As another option, I've had good luck recently with Elk Mountain Tents. They use a lighter weight fabric as opposed to standard canvas.
here: https://www.elkmountaintents.com/

 

[dluehrs]

Just stayed in a Davis tent on an elk hunt in CO. Great tent but all of them at the guide service we stayed with collapsed when they had 3 days of rain and left them unattended. They replaced the poles with wooden ones and all it right now. My only suggestion is to have a cook tent and use hammocks for sleeping. With the right hammock setup I have stayed warm overnight when it's -10 out. I find no better sleep in a hammock other than possibly a tree stand.

 

[RogerPA]

I don't know a lot about tents in general, but I can tell you my Alaskan outfitter used nothing but "Arctic Oven" tents. They include a good sized vestibule, which was very handy for leaving a lot of gear outside of the main space, but still high and dry. The living quarters is really a tent inside another tent, and I can tell you without question, a little heat goes a long way inside this tent! It's easy to tell how they came up with their name!

 

[Hbomb11]

I have used the Cabelas Alaknak for 10 years now. It has held up and been a very good tent. You can put two wood stoves in it. The only problem we have had is condensation inside the tent. But we were only using 1 wood stove. Once we started using two wood stoves it has helped keep the condensation down tremendously.

 

[Bmccart]

Thanks for all of the replies. as far as the size goes, I think the 13x27 will be fine for my needs. I like the idea of the smaller size but I think I would rather have the bigger tent and not need it all than not have enough room. If it comes down to it, I doubt I'd go by myself anyway and as of now I think I can come up with at least a couple guys to go any time. Went with a friend of mine this year and we slept 6 in his 14x20 montana canvas tent for 9 days. it was a little tight but not terrible. Had a propane stove for heat and a 30x50 tarp for a rain fly that gave us 15 feet of dry space in front and back for the kitchen and another dry place to keep stuff out of the weather.

 

[HunterLV]

This is a great website that I just recently used. Fast shipping and great customer service. I very high quality tent and accessories. https://www.walltentshop.com/collections/canvas-tents

 

[GA Sheephunter]

I hear your qualifications and I understand what you're asking for but I would ask you to consider whether you really want 4 - 6 sleeping, snoring, adults under the same roof in a small, new (relatively unknown), tight area. Any one of them gets up to pee it's 100% possible that, in the middle of the night in a smaller, unknown, tight area, they're going to wake everyone under the roof. Especially without a lot of white noise.

^^This. If/when I buy a tent for annual elk hunting use, it will be a 1 person Hilleberg. If I have hunting companions, they will need to buy their own tents as well, and if they all want to sleep in a tent together that is their business.

 

[L.Sherm]

^^This. If/when I buy a tent for annual elk hunting use, it will be a 1 person Hilleberg. If I have hunting companions, they will need to buy their own tents as well, and if they all want to sleep in a tent together that is their business.

This is pretty tuff to do if your hunting out west in the snow and cold and having to worry about 3 or 4 different stoves to keep warm and dry.

 

[GA Sheephunter]

This is pretty tuff to do if your hunting out west in the snow and cold and having to worry about 3 or 4 different stoves to keep warm and dry.

Stoves are not a part of my gear list. I have done fine with just a tent and a zero degree sleeping bag in some pretty brutal conditions