Heated tent options

[jamesfromseattle]

Been looking to upgrade to a heated tent. My criteria are that it needs to be easy to set up with one person, sleep at least two, have standing room, and be compatible with a stove. Mostly for car camping so weight is not an issue.

The easy one person setup criteria rules out a conventianal wall tent so I've been looking seriously at pyramid tents and other single pole styles. There are quite a few manufacturers making the pyramid tents in the 12x12 size (Montana Canvas "Range" for example), but I also like the look of the Davis Herder tents and in particular the Beckel Canvas "Explorer" tent:

https://beckelcanvas.com/products/explorer-tent/

Does anyone have any thoughts on these types of tents or others that serve similar purposes. Kodiak Canvas makes some cool tents too but I called them and they advised me not to instal a stove.

[C-Money]

Pretty sure my next tent will be a Kodiak Flexbow...easy set up, and can be stove compatible.

[jackelope]

Was it @92xj that had the Kodiak Canvas tent with the woodstove addition?
 

[TheHunt]

WHat about a teepee with a collapsible wood stove.

[jackelope]

2 of us set up a 12x20 Alaknak with relative ease. I imagine setting up their 12x12 version with 1 person would be doable.

Problem with a pyramid tent/teepee is you can only stand up dead center unless you're miniature sized.

Those little stoves don't hold a fire very long because they're small. The wood burns fast. You're all the  time adding wood or just letting it burn out.

[92xj]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,172708.msg2282754.html#msg2282754

[jackelope]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,172708.msg2282754.html#msg2282754

bingo.

[jamesfromseattle]

Was it @92xj that had the Kodiak Canvas tent with the woodstove addition?
 

It was--I was just stumbled across that old thread. Looks like an awesome setup.

I'm assuming the people at Kodiak Canvas told me not to instal a stove out of concern for their own liability, but being new to the heated tent world, I'm not sure if there is some obvious safety risk I'm missing here. With 92xj's setup, he's got the pipe way out from the canvas. Looks pretty safe to me.

[92xj]

That "mention" feature sure is slick.

[Fl0und3rz]

Don't forget the Seek Outside and Kifaru tipi options.  I think the 6 man is the beginning of standing headroom. Then there's the DIY route that Jonathan_S went.

I'll dig up a link.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,192689.msg2551197.html#msg2551197

[jackelope]

I can stand in my GoLite SL5 but only in the middle, next to the center pole.

[92xj]

Was it @92xj that had the Kodiak Canvas tent with the woodstove addition?
 

It was--I was just stumbled across that old thread. Looks like an awesome setup.

I'm assuming the people at Kodiak Canvas told me not to instal a stove out of concern for their own liability, but being new to the heated tent world, I'm not sure if there is some obvious safety risk I'm missing here. With 92xj's setup, he's got the pipe way out from the canvas. Looks pretty safe to me.

I'm still alive and so is the family. No issues or concerns at all and been in the tent more than I can count. I would change nothing. I love the setup still.

[jamesfromseattle]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,172708.msg2282754.html#msg2282754

92xj: are you still happy with this setup?

[jamesfromseattle]

Was it @92xj that had the Kodiak Canvas tent with the woodstove addition?
 

Awesome--I think I may have to plagiarize your design. Thanks for posting all the details about your modifications.

It was--I was just stumbled across that old thread. Looks like an awesome setup.

I'm assuming the people at Kodiak Canvas told me not to instal a stove out of concern for their own liability, but being new to the heated tent world, I'm not sure if there is some obvious safety risk I'm missing here. With 92xj's setup, he's got the pipe way out from the canvas. Looks pretty safe to me.

I'm still alive and so is the family. No issues or concerns at all and been in the tent more than I can count. I would change nothing. I love the setup still.

[SkookumHntr]

I love that tent 92xj! I may copy that same set up!

[jamesfromseattle]

I can stand in my GoLite SL5 but only in the middle, next to the center pole.

I've also got an SL5 and love it. Seen some photos of people installing stoves in those but I'm worried about sparks landing on that fabric.

Since I'm planning on just using the stove for car camping I figured I may as well just get a tent to devote to that and size up a bit while I'm at it.

[92xj]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,172708.msg2282754.html#msg2282754

92xj: are you still happy with this setup?

Very much so and would highly recommend it.
As great as the stove has been, I'd highly recommend doing the pegs that I replaced the factory ones with.  I have the link to the company in that thread. Monk industries.  They are freaking awesome!

The tent is awesome.  Plenty of room for 2 guys, plus 3 dogs and the stove and still room to stand and get dressed.  Without the stove, 3 guys and 3 full size cots fit good.  Good cool summertime tent, great ventilation.  Great heat retention.  The wood stove will get it smoking hot inside, but regulating the stove and turning it down and venting windows makes it perfect.  Highly recommend North Idaho energy logs for all night burns so you don't have to get out of bed every few hours to add wood.  Also, I do still run a buddy heater in the fall when I leave the wood stove at home.  It's nice for going to bed and also waking up and getting out of the sleeping bag to knock the chill down.  All in all, I would not change a single thing and would build my next tent exactly like this one if I ever had to.

[92xj]

I love that tent 92xj! I may copy that same set up!

Do it!
Be sure to post some pictures in that thread. a few guys have already done the same and are enjoying their setup as well.
Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.  Will be glad to answer as best I can.

[whacker1]

we have a 12x17 with 5 foot walls.  canvas roof, reolite sided wall tent that we set up solo all the time.  It takes a little less than hour for 1 guy to set it up on a frame.  wood stove.

If you are car camping, I think this is just as easy as setting up any other tent.

I also have a Seek outside 6 man tipi that I use for backpacking and while it is great for backpacking I would want something more substantial for regular car camping in cold/wet weather.  Hard to use a cot when car camping with it.  Still takes a good 30-45 minutes to set up. 

[jamesfromseattle]

After doing a little more research, it looks like the Kodiak tents are essentially a cheaper version of the Springbar design. I have an inquiry in with Springbar about whether they are able to install stove jacks at the factory. The Springbar tents cost a little more but t looks like they might be made with better components and some of their tents are made in the USA. Will need to do some research to see if they are actually any better--in particular whether they are more fire resistant.

The Springbar tents use 'sunforger' treatment on the canvas.

[follow maggie]

I use a canvas wall tent with wood stove & internal frame. Easy to set up by myself in under 1/2 hour.

[grundy53]

2 of us set up a 12x20 Alaknak with relative ease. I imagine setting up their 12x12 version with 1 person would be doable.

Problem with a pyramid tent/teepee is you can only stand up dead center unless you're miniature sized.

Those little stoves don't hold a fire very long because they're small. The wood burns fast. You're all the  time adding wood or just letting it burn out.

I have a 12x12 Alaknak and it's really easy to set up by myself. I use a three dog stove in it and love it. If you dampen it right it will burn all night.






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[huntnnw]

I have a 10'x10' Montana canvas spike tent and I can set it up in 15 min. It heats up rather fast with the Kni-co stove. I will go away from the wood stove tho one day and go with a generator and a heater. Stove is just a pain and a worry all the time. Wind and stove stacks don't work real well  had pipe come out in really windy conditions. Heater much easier and safer option

[Happy Gilmore]

I had my bird pen get crushed, different story...anyways. I got to thinking.... I bought a cheap dog kennel panels. It took about 10 minutes to put together. I put a roof on it with 6 4x4's and some panels. Seems like it would be real easy to pre cover the walls and just pop the thing together in the woods?

[Camo]

This one might be worth considering? Selkirk Spike Tent by Wall Tent Shop here: http://www.walltentshop.com/collections/spike-tents. This may be very similar to Huntnnw's recommendation? This is a 10'x10', enough room for 2 guys with the stove. They also do a 12'x12' in same configuration. Set up(for the tent) is about 15 min or less by myself. Just follow the directions per the video instead of trying to put up the center poles BEFORE the side poles, like I did! The tent looks like a disorganized mess because I was leaving camp to go home for a couple days when I took these.

On a personal note, I sold canvas, went with an Alagnak (well built solid tent) for a couple years and couldn't wait to sell it. Now I'm back to two canvas tents. Too many hunts I don't really "need" a stove but I want some form of propane heat in the mornings. I also usually cook in the tent, and the condensation from propane was just not manageable for me.

[jamesfromseattle]

I have a 10'x10' Montana canvas spike tent and I can set it up in 15 min. It heats up rather fast with the Kni-co stove. I will go away from the wood stove tho one day and go with a generator and a heater. Stove is just a pain and a worry all the time. Wind and stove stacks don't work real well  had pipe come out in really windy conditions. Heater much easier and safer option

How much standing room do you have in these? My high school level geometry skills are a little rusty but, roughly estimating (9 feet tall by 10 feet wide), it looks like you've got about about a 3x3 foot square with standing room for a 6 foot person?

Also, do you do anything to secure the stove pipe? Looks like this sort of tent may flex a bit on a really windy day.

Been doing some serious waffling on designs, but the range style design is appealing because it looks like the absolute most simple style to setup. (I.e. Peg the corners and throw up the one pole). Also looks pretty hassle free in snow and wind. When in doubt I tend toward simple. Downside of course are the more limited space to stand and lack of options for a vestibule. And it doesn't look like the Kodiak Canvas tents are actually much more complex to set up.

[jamesfromseattle]

I appreciate all the pics and advice. Lots of great info here.

Camo, was the setup comparable between the Alagnak and the Selkirk? Looks like it is a pretty similar process for both those and the Davis Herder tent (all are primarily supported by a center pole).. Those tents were both on my short list but I am tending away from them because they are not quite as simple as the Kodiak or Range style tents. They do look substantially comfortable, though with substantially more headroom than the range tents.

If I were using it for longer trips, those tents would be an easy choice for me but I do mostly short weekend trips, which is why easy of setup is particularly important and comfort is less important.

[dscubame]

A few years with the Cabela's Alaskan Guide tent and a Big Buddy heater that needs to be on low or you will get baked out.

True four season.

I'm 6 2 and easy walk around in it.  Lots of room.  High wallls meant for cots and it easily fits two.  Double vestibule using one for outside storage and the propane for heat the other is large enough for a camp chair under it protected from the elements and providing a place to sit and remove or put on boots.

So simple yet so bulletproof.

[Camo]

I guess I missed the weekend only part? For weekends only, I wouldn't use either the Selkirk or Alagnak. Set-up is basically the same. I also would not even consider screwing with a wood stove for 2 days unless it wasn't going to get out of the teens for temperature. As Dscubame suggested, a quality nylon, double wall with a propane heater will get you comfortably through most any weekend. If i am going for 3 days or less I typically use a 10'x10' Outback Lodge. Same condensation issues but its 2 nights and I'm only in it long enough to eat dinner and go to bed. If you run a zero degree bag its easy to sleep comfortably with no heat. Seems like most tents actually hold a few degrees just from body heat as well?

I had seen, but was not familiar with the Flexbow prior to this thread. With my affinity for canvas, that might be the winner for what you're doing, having the versatility for extended trips. Unless your back packing, I would be very hesitant regarding any "triangle" tents with no vertical sidewalls. A 10'x10' turns into a 5'x5' real fast, especially if your over 6'. 

[lamrith]

Great info in here folks, thanks I learned a few things to keep in mind when I get to the point I want to upgrade my camp setup.

I am shocked nobody has said to just take the simple route?  smaller tent and beans with every meal.....

[Wingin it]

I set up my Alaknak 12x20 with vestibule by myself this year. It did take a little more time, about 45 minutes. It was very doable though.