Starting out tent

[funkmasterfresh]

Hi there, I'm hopefully going for my first hunt this year. My plan is to truck hunt just to keep the penalties of learning my first year to a minimum, but I feel like it's a bit irresponsible to assume I won't need a tent.
My fiance is vegetarian, but is open to eating game I bag since she knows it's sourced ethically, that and she wants to come with the first time since we both are outdoorsy and she could help pack things out if I get lucky. My plan is to get a 2 person trekking pole tent so she can come along and still have shelter if things get nasty, but hopefully the weight won't be so bad I couldn't use it by myself either.

For the peninsula, are there any shelter "must haves" that a newbie wouldn't think of? Is a floor for the tent crucial since things will probably be soaking wet? Stuff like that. Any recommendations would be really appreciated too.

[Fl0und3rz]

Congratulations on taking the first step and welcome to hunt-wa.

I presume that you have taken Hunter Safety.   

If you are truck camping/hunting, I would think any old two person, three-season traditional tent would work.   That, and a largish tarp (part over the tent) to provide some area out of the weather would work fine.

Don't know about your experience camping/hiking in the fall/winter, but it is wet and cold in the mountains in the fall.  I imagine the peninsula is even more wet than the Cascades, which is what my experience is based on.

If you are looking for an on the go type of shelter, I would just keep a decent quality tarp in your pack, which can be used as a two person shelter in camp, if you didn't want the traditional tent.

Floorless would be fine, and it is more of a preference thing, really.  Having no floor is better in the fall/winter, to me, since there are fewer bugs to worry about.

Other than that, keep and maintain dry wood as much as you can, if you want to have a fire.  Another cheap blue tarp is useful for that purpose.  Have fun.

[Jonathan_S]

Strong holding tent stakes like MSR Groundhogs are a must for this style of shelter because every stake is critical to maintaining proper pitch. Utilizing the guylines is also very important.

If you're camped in a muddy spot it will suck regardless of floor/floorless so pick a well-drained spot. Groundcloth is a good call too.

[Stein]

It's a personal thing, but I like having floors and bug screens on my tents.  If you are used to trekking pole tents, they can work great and I have a light one-man but you obviously lose the ability to use your poles while the tent is up and they are limited in design and a bit harder to use.

For two people, it's easy to split the weight and a regular tent with poles might be a good option as well and there are many more to choose from.  It all comes down to how much you want to spend, if you aren't sure whether you will be getting a bunch of use out of it in the future, I would probably jump on Camofire or the REI Outlet and grab a decent budget friendly tent and go with that for the first year.

For two people hunting, I would also consider a 3 man tent, the extra room makes the experience much more pleasant especially if the weather turns and you end up spending more than just sleeping time in there.  With hunting, even if you are a gram weenie you will have a bunch of stuff the average hiker doesn't.

Compare the footprint measurements as the different manufacturers have vastly different sized tents in the same category, especially if you are taller.

I have one of these and you are looking at about 2 pounds per person.

https://www.rei.com/product/128692/rei-co-op-half-dome-2-plus-tent

I also have a one-man from the old GoLite company that is nice, but it isn't fun to get into, out of or spend any time in there other than sleeping.

I don't have much experience with tarps or tipis, but I'm sure you will get some input on that route as well.

[Oldguy]

Do you have a canopy on your truck? I sleep in mine and it works great with a tarp rigged to the rear for rain or sun protection.

[Fl0und3rz]

I have one of these and you are looking at about 2 pounds per person.

https://www.rei.com/product/128692/rei-co-op-half-dome-2-plus-tent

That design has been around forever.  I have one, and I have used it in the fall on the forest floor, in a continuous rain.  If I had to do it over again, I would use it without the rainfly, but with a largish tarp well over the peak of the tent to allow for sufficient airflow.

When things get really muggy, and the rainfly fabric allows condensation close to the tent, it is pretty muggy in the tent.

[Fl0und3rz]

Do you have a canopy on your truck? I sleep in mine and it works great with a tarp rigged to the rear for rain or sun protection.

This is actually my preference if I am hunting out of the truck.  No set up, camp where you want, dry ground.

[vandeman17]

Do you have a canopy on your truck? I sleep in mine and it works great with a tarp rigged to the rear for rain or sun protection.

I was going to mention this. Slumberjack has a cool tarp set up that you can hook to the back of the truck to give you a dry area for a little table and place to cook.

My main advice would be not to go cheap if you want the old lady to be comfortable. What works for you might not work for her and if she has a poor experience to start, you might not get her out with you again. Unless that is the goal... 

[WapitiTalk1]

Unless you have a topper on your truck (as Oldguy mentioned), you'll certainly need some type of tent.  Trust me, there is no enjoyment (or peaceful rest) sleeping on truck seats.  The peninsula can be a wet mess some years (ranging anywhere from archery season on...….).  You won’t be able to dry wet clothes by sitting in a truck either.  "Ideally", a tent with some type of heat (particularly for a base camp setup) will get you and your significant other off on the right foot.  I’ll get to the tent in a second.  For the heat?  You don’t have to go all out and get a cast iron stove for a wall tent, or, a titanium backcountry stove to start out.  You can simply get one of the Mr. Heater, propane tank heaters, and pop it onto a 5 GAL propane tank and you’ll be fine and dandy for a handful of days.  As far as a tent goes, yes… something with a floor is nice for the type of camping/hunt you mentioned (base camping).  There are many manufacturers out there that sell reasonably priced tents.  For two people, base camping, I would go with at least a 4 person tent (or even larger)… that gives you room for your pads/bags (cots if you’re gonna use them), a camp chair or two, a small camp table, a heater, and your gear.  As Stein mentioned, a tent with a floor and screens is a good thing, particularly if you’re not fond of biting insects.  If you have the bug to use a Tipi, look at the Luxe Hiking Gear Megahorn Tipi (4P) with wood stove jack (you can add a stove later if you wish, but can start off with the heater on a propane tank like I mentioned).  https://luxe-hiking-gear.com/products/megahorn-tipi-tent-wood-stove-jack  They are very reasonable priced, are bombproof, are easy to set, and well… tipi’s are just cool.  Put some inexpensive plastic down for a ground cloth/floor and you’re off and running. If you go with the tipi, there is really not room for full sized cots but you’ll be fine with a couple of good sleeping pads/bags.  Happy shopping!                 

[funkmasterfresh]

I presume that you have taken Hunter Safety.   

Yup, wrapped up the virtual field day before I started posting on here. Good looking though.

Don't know about your experience camping/hiking in the fall/winter, but it is wet and cold in the mountains in the fall.  I imagine the peninsula is even more wet than the Cascades, which is what my experience is based on.

If you are looking for an on the go type of shelter, I would just keep a decent quality tarp in your pack, which can be used as a two person shelter in camp, if you didn't want the traditional tent.

Floorless would be fine, and it is more of a preference thing, really.  Having no floor is better in the fall/winter, to me, since there are fewer bugs to worry about.

Me and my Fiance are pretty avid year round hikers. We have 2 border collies that need to run at a bare minimum an hour a day, so we use hiking to burn them out. We get out almost daily rain or shine. But as far as backpacking goes, almost no experience. I'm training right now with one of my dads old packs currently to get used to carrying the weight around. My goal is to carry 40lb up Mt. Si by the end of the summer, and I haul higher weights on my daily walks.
I hear hunting the peninsula takes some grit, but that's where I really would like to hunt at so I'm willing to take a penalty my first seasons as I get into the swing of things.
Notes taken on all else. Thanks!

Do you have a canopy on your truck? I sleep in mine and it works great with a tarp rigged to the rear for rain or sun protection.

I don't even have the truck yet honestly. I'm just about to sell my car and one of my motorcycles to fund that. I've been on the fence between upgrading to a more fun car to drive or a truck for practicality, and since I'm feeling myself get so entranced with the idea of hunting that tipped the scale for a truck. A canopy will be a requirement for me to do that though. My plan with the tent was more for in the event we get caught up in the forest somehow and can't make it back to the truck that night. Trying to get a lot prepared in a short period of time so I can actually get out in the field this fall, and not be totally unprepared.

I was going to mention this. Slumberjack has a cool tarp set up that you can hook to the back of the truck to give you a dry area for a little table and place to cook.

My main advice would be not to go cheap if you want the old lady to be comfortable. What works for you might not work for her and if she has a poor experience to start, you might not get her out with you again. Unless that is the goal... 

Shes a vegetarian whos okay with hunting, she's great! Really though, I have zero issue with her being along for the ride. But I do want to do solo hunting eventually once I get my legs under me.

Unless you have a topper on your truck (as Oldguy mentioned), you'll certainly need some type of tent.  Trust me, there is no enjoyment (or peaceful rest) sleeping on truck seats.  The peninsula can be a wet mess some years (ranging anywhere from archery season on...….).  You won’t be able to dry wet clothes by sitting in a truck either.  "Ideally", a tent with some type of heat (particularly for a base camp setup) will get you and your significant other off on the right foot.  I’ll get to the tent in a second.  For the heat?  You don’t have to go all out and get a cast iron stove for a wall tent, or, a titanium backcountry stove to start out.  You can simply get one of the Mr. Heater, propane tank heaters, and pop it onto a 5 GAL propane tank and you’ll be fine and dandy for a handful of days.  As far as a tent goes, yes… something with a floor is nice for the type of camping/hunt you mentioned (base camping).  There are many manufacturers out there that sell reasonably priced tents.  For two people, base camping, I would go with at least a 4 person tent (or even larger)… that gives you room for your pads/bags (cots if you’re gonna use them), a camp chair or two, a small camp table, a heater, and your gear.  As Stein mentioned, a tent with a floor and screens is a good thing, particularly if you’re not fond of biting insects.  If you have the bug to use a Tipi, look at the Luxe Hiking Gear Megahorn Tipi (4P) with wood stove jack (you can add a stove later if you wish, but can start off with the heater on a propane tank like I mentioned).  https://luxe-hiking-gear.com/products/megahorn-tipi-tent-wood-stove-jack  They are very reasonable priced, are bombproof, are easy to set, and well… tipi’s are just cool.  Put some inexpensive plastic down for a ground cloth/floor and you’re off and running. If you go with the tipi, there is really not room for full sized cots but you’ll be fine with a couple of good sleeping pads/bags.  Happy shopping!                 

I'm not trying to go too far that kind of camping. A table and whatnot is a great quality of life increaser, but I don't want to treat myself too nicely 
I already have an old 3 person (I think) swiss army tent that will work for by the truck, it's just heavy is all. My hope was to have something that I'm packing around whatfer a backup plan in case we can't make it back to the truck.

[Angry Perch]

If you are truck hunting, and carrying a tent just in case, I'd say you are over-prepared. my opinion is that your money and space in your pack would be better spent on good clothes, rain gear and GPS.

[ridgefire]

Look at the Kifaru Sawtooth or something similar. It is obviously heavier with the stove and whatnot but having a stove might make it a better experience for the two of you. For a just in case shelter I would recommend something like the Kifaru Supertarp.

[huntnnw]

truck camping Id buy a large dome tent or something similar with more room for you 2 and gear

[GoldenOscar]

If your truck camping its hard to beat a nice canopy on the truck and sleeping in there as long as the bed of your truck is long enough.....Just get up and no and no soggy tent to pack up

[Magnum_Willys]

Go with a 2 person done like mentioned anove.  With girls a floors a must.    And with a girl you don’t need heat.   

[birddogdad]

so lots of helpful info in this thread.. if you are on a budget, i would consider something else. Again, just an option.

no doubt you will get wet and having a way to dry your gear or have sets to change into are important. This year, my father came turkey hunting (last minute) and i was not prepared for 3. i rigged a mc enclosed trailer for  2 bunks, heat, power ect.  For this audible, i took an EZ up and backed my pickup under it at night and slept dry and warm there. Let dad stay in the heated trailer. Having a pad under and maybe an extra layer cover or heavy bivy would help retain heat as well. I brought towels to wipe down truck bed after a day of hunting, worked great for a 4 day excursion. Rained 3 of 4 nights and i stayed completely dry too!

Other point is if you are moving a lot, an EZ up is fast and not much work vs a tent...

[Magnum_Willys]

A good 2 person dome tent can go up in under 2 minutes. 

[Night goat]

Get a Luxe minipeak XL with a Lite outdoors titanium stove. Make sure you get the inner tent liner.

It can be 30 deg and snow rain mix in a dropping snowline and you will be 85 deg inside your nice warm bed

Best entry level tent for the $ IMHO

Then upgrade to an Alaknak 12x12 and a bigger stove if you plan to truck hunt or get a bigger luxe for 1/2 the cost

Nothing is worse than being cold wet sore and tired and havjng to crawl into a cold bed.

Im totally ruined, i cant camp without a woodstove anymore. I think with my sleeping bag, luxe tent and titanium stove im just under 5 lbs.... So you can get out and stay out, even for weekend hiking trips you can still live like a king

[Night goat]

https://luxe-hiking-gear.com/ awesome tents. Not the best quality compared to kifaru or Seek or other higher end American made stuff, but IMHO best bang for the buck on the market.

https://www.liteoutdoors.com/

And that stove is WELL worth the $$. It will literally save your life if you get wet and caught in freezing conditions.

Part of the reason why I went with this setup is cuz 1) I own a sailboat and am planning an Alaska trip so if anybody falls in while transiting from the boat to shore in the dinghy it provides a warm shelter to stave off hypothermia and 2) allows extended season camping mushroom picking and hunting in a package that fits in a backpack that is comfortable enough for quick one night car camps or a week long hike