tents vs campers

[huntinhick]

So after reading a ton of posts in my search for tents it seems like most people here tent camp vs using a campers is this due to cost, portablity or just because?  also when you are setting a tent up in the snow what do you do dig down to the groud or just sit it up on the snow?

thanks
carl

[Recurve-Elk]

My family and I are a die hard tent family.  For a few main reasons, fresh air, and mobility.  Our whole hunting group had used tents for over 20 years.  Then one year 3 of the crew got campers.  Now its a debate to where we go to camp because they don't want to take them down the rough roads.  Also I find we spend most of the time couped up in the campers instead of outside around the campfire, or around the BBQ.  Dad and I still use our tents, and still set up the army tent for cooking and hanging out, because it gets real tight when you got 8 guys in a little camper    The other thing I noticed is that the guys with the campers tend to sleep in longer and hunt less. 

That said, I don't mind campers at all.  I just wish we spent more time outside, and could get deeper in the woods like we used to. (this is all speaking about elk country so its pretty rough for the campers.)

[let.it.fly]

neither, a tarp strung up when weathe is bad, a bed roll and a sleeping bag.

[GoldTip]

Went to a camper about 4 years ago.  Certainly some drawbacks, and we still have all our tents, so we use them when it is easier to get closer to where we want to hunt by using tents than to use a camper.  Used my 26' toyhauler last year when Moose hunting, got it where I wanted it without any problems, will use it again this fall when we hunt the Dayton unit for my buddies rifle cow tag.  Definitely nicer to have a camper if the weather is rainy and windy.  But we still spend most our time around the campfire if the weather is conducive to that. 

[Skyvalhunter]

Hammock

[MikeWalking]

Snow Camping.   When I find my spot I measure off, by eye, the size of a "pad" I want and with my pack & snowshoes still on spend a least 20 minutes walking back and forth over it packing it down real good. Then walk off to the side a bit, maybe pack down a trail to a pee spot. I'll then drop the pack, pull out the tent set it up, set it aside, change layers as needed, kill some time if the weather is OK. The idea being to let the spot you just tramped down settle and harden a bit.  Put the tent in place, stakes it out and then dig a ramp down to the door. At least knee deep. That way you can walk up to the tent, turn and sit in the door, get in and out without crawling and kicking snow into it.

Then you can get creative, carving a spot to rest your feet on.  If I'll be there long enough I'll A-Frame a large tarp real low with my tent just under it on end. Then dig a pit under it using the snow to make a wall around the edges. Carve out a cook spot, ramp out, benches etc...spent weeks and months that way

A camper is out  of my $$ reach, have a few tents, a Hennesy Hammock, best sleep ever if you can block the draft underneath. And one of the benes of my Grand Cherokee over my old Cherokee is I can stretch out fully and sleep in that. Which I'll be doing tonight if I get away from here and start packing for a quick overnighter on a nearby ridge top...

[JackOfAllTrades]

Base camp is a 29' Jayco LGT. Sometimes even if I'm alone. Definately with the famdamily.

Scouting trips might be a speed run with truck/canopy and/or basecamp tent, and/or backpack with Bivy bag and hammock.

For the last 20 years, I've had some sort of hard walled camper/trailer at all times. (4 trailers/1 camper) I've always had a canopy for my trucks. I have hunted for a week at a time out of canopy and never set up a tent. Other times, a tent was a basecamp. It all depended on where I was going and what weather I expected to encounter.

Each has it's dis/advantages. Someday I'd like to pick up a wall tent.

-Steve

[NWBREW]

Cabin 

[gasman]

I have a wall tent, but when the hunting party gets smaller or i have to pack up by my self, for get it. I bought a camper.

I spend a lot of days in the woods alone. i tow my jeep to where i decide to camp, park the truck and i am golden. If i decide to camp off teh beaten path, then i have a tent for that, but most time i am happy with my camper. I added a motorcycle carrier to my accesories and now leave the jeep at home and ride around to places i want to go, but come hunting season i will probably have a trailer to haul both jeep and bike at the same time., i could probably fit the quad on it to. Better to be over prepaired then under......


I still spend most my time by the fire, if teh weather is crappy, i will break out the pop-up canopy and sit under it next to a fire. It's great to have a warm dry camper to excape to but the love of the camp fire is far none......

Besides, my camper (freezer) makes ice for my drinks 

[alecvg]

I use tents because I can't pack a camper in on my back.

[HoofsandWings]

Tents do have this small disadvantage.

http://www.ktvq.com/news/update-bear-attack-leaves-one-dead-and-injures-two-at-campground-near-cooke-city/

[rasbo]

love tents,but after elk hunting out of our trailer,ah its great,i can tow it just about anywhere I need to be.we still spend the same amount of time around the fire,just dont get those monkey ass smells anymore with a shower everyday,and hearing the heater kick on makes life so nice.Big plus here..my wife loves it,if shes a happy camper thats all it to me..

[huntinhick]

the reason I am asking is that I have a small SUV, a suzuki sidekick sport.  I love it, goes anywhere at 25-35 miles a gallon but will only pull a max of 1500lbs.  I am trying to decide if I want to keep it and go tents (cheaper all the way around) or pony up and get a bigger ride and a camper I am really leaning towards the tent route for most stuff.  However I plan on some quick weekend trips over to the east side for coyotes, turkey and ducks in the winter and I am worried about comfort in the snow.  I don't want to spend hours digging a 12x12 hole to put a tent up in the snow!  sounds like the tent is going to be the way to go though,  I tend to go places that a camper would not follow well.  maybe I will get one of these little slide in campers for a pickup and drop it in my utility trailer for the quick hunts http://www.livinlite.com/camper-overview.php

[gasman]

How about a Tent Trailer 
Light weight, roomy, heater, stove, sink, water, some even come with a shower. It just depends on how much you want to spend.

Huntlakewood uses one and likes it.
I borrowed one once, and took a trip to Yellowstone, it worked out great for us. No sleeping on the ground 

[Buckmark]

I have a wall tent, but when the hunting party gets smaller or i have to pack up by my self, for get it. I bought a camper.

I spend a lot of days in the woods alone. i tow my jeep to where i decide to camp, park the truck and i am golden. If i decide to camp off teh beaten path, then i have a tent for that, but most time i am happy with my camper. I added a motorcycle carrier to my accesories and now leave the jeep at home and ride around to places i want to go, but come hunting season i will probably have a trailer to haul both jeep and bike at the same time., i could probably fit the quad on it to. Better to be over prepaired then under......


I still spend most my time by the fire, if teh weather is crappy, i will break out the pop-up canopy and sit under it next to a fire. It's great to have a warm dry camper to excape to but the love of the camp fire is far none......

Besides, my camper (freezer) makes ice for my drinks  
*

And microwave popcorn for the movie 

[br8kitoff]

I done both.  I switched back and forth...If I'm hunting late with my dad(70), I pull the 5th wheel over the last few years and drive a little further in the am.  Other than that it's tent...I can and have taken it anywhere a quad will reach, where you can.

[winston2789]

aww man....who started this topic???  So close to getting my wall tent.......now i'm not sure again which way I wanna go      ,

[br8kitoff]

oh yea,  http://www.kwikkamp.com/ american made great product out of oregon.  I have one 14x20 with porch and a 14x20 that we cook out of.  both have stoves.

[Bscman]

Lately, it's just been a tarp strung over the headack rack and down to the tailgate of the pickup.   

$6 tarp and $4 worth of cheap bungee cords turns my pickup into a camper.
I'm high enough off the ground (6" lift and '35s on a fullsize chevy) to avoid the damp ground and *most* of the forests critters...and I'm sealed off from the rain/snow/wind.

When the weather gets really nasty, I cinch that tarp down TIGHT...and we crawl over the bench seat and through the slider to get to the sleeping bags. If it gets really bad we can fire up the truck, open the slider back up, and turn the heat on high. 

It's probably look pretty goofy at a formal "campground" but 20miles back in the sticks it's pretty sweet...

[coachcw]

tent trailers are a good cost effective option and work well with two hunters . you each get a side . off loading a camper in the mountains can be a bitch . I had a jack blow in my driveway and dumped one . electric jacks are the only way to go on a camper.

[dad98684]

last year i went from a 10' camper to a 10'X12' tent. my only regret is i did not do it sooner. i camp alone and this is a good tent for one, and it has much more room then the camper.

[ICEMAN]

Huntinhick, here are two threads on tent camping on snow.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,20877.0.html

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,20844.0.html

I recommend tent camping until you are too old to do it!    Then you can wuss out and get the camper.

[huntinhick]

ICEMAN,

     I have been leaning that way.  I have a bivy bag and nice sleeping bag that I have used several time, however I am gearing up to bring my boys with me soon so I think I am going with a tent be it a wall tent or one of the cabelas tents.  I am thinking a couple tent cots will work for the quicky hunts (one to two days) in the bad weather,  will not have to clear alot of snow just set them up maybe throw and extra tarp over them and climb in a heavy bag.  I do those type of hunts alot, take off after work on friday drive 1/2 the night hunt/fish saturday and sunday morning then head home.  less to set up the better.  plus I like the 30+ miles a gallon that I get out of my wee SUV so tents it is!  btw, dad98684 I almost printed that pic out to hang next to my bunk here,  it makes me smell wood smoke and dream of late camping!!!   thanks for all the inputs guys!!

carl

[ICEMAN]

Only problem with snow is that you cant set chairs or anything with legs on the tent floor for risk of punching thru...

At my elk and deer camps, we usually do not have much snow so we set up on soil. If a bit of snow, I clear it to set the tent...

[huntinhick]

pretty much what I thought also,  almost all of the big game hunts should be okay for tents or at least not alot of snow.  what i was worried about were late season varmit trips over to the east side, last time I did that I ended up sleeping in the back of my suzuki let me tell you small is an understatement!!  my buddy picked up a tent cot and used it last season and loved it.  I could see it for a day or two but more than that would be rough.  I like those eureka tents you have iceman, I have checked them out many times, love the heavy duty frames.  Might just give up and get a large wall tent for all camping something big enough for my whole litter!!

[ICEMAN]

I hear ya' on the wall tent. I have been toying with the idea too. So far I have been able to pull it off with this tent. For a one or two hunter trip, the equinox is great, enought room for a few chairs, sleep pads, whatever.... Now that my two kids hunt with me, with the three of us, it was getting crowded and I had to do something different...  I have had my first equinox for many many years and it is getting a bit beat up so I bought another. I use the beater for chairs and hanging out in, the new tent for sleeping in. This method works great for us. The tents set up in minutes. I finish tearing down my setup at deer camp by enough time to help my buddies with their tents....

[huntinhick]

sounds like you have it down!  I was just checking the 12x12 alanak thinking 2 double cots for the 4 kids and a pair of singles for the wife and I.  sounds like that might be a good all around tent.  however I still have my eye on that outback too.  and I see that campmor has a good price an the equinox!  good thing I dont have to buy today!  The wife is leaning towards a wall tent I might just this once just agree with her and go for it!   don't anyone let her know I don't want her to start expecting it or anything

[dawei]

Huntinhick, here are two threads on tent camping on snow.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,20877.0.html

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,20844.0.html

I recommend tent camping until you are too old to do it!    Then you can wuss out and get the camper.

I guess that I'm an old (60) wuss then. I tow my 28 ft travel trailer to deer and elk camp every fall. I had enough of sleeping on the ground during my 22 years in the Army. When I deer hunt I camp in Rainbow Falls State Park & drive 4 miles to my hunting area. Elk Season usually finds me camping at Ike Kinswa or Seaquest State Parks. I can be out in the rain and wind all day hunting, but come nightfall I want to get warm, dry, and clean. Usually there are four of us in camp.

[ICEMAN]

Wuss is what all us tent campers call you guys with the heaters and insulated walls.... (I have a camper in the yard... I am a wuss at times...) 

[br8kitoff]

I never said before, I bring 2 bales of straw for the floor then put down a roll of outdoor carpet ontop of that.  I can say that I've never had to set it up with snow on the ground.  That usually comes a day or two after we get set up

This trip I did without the wife and my 16 y/o boy helped me put it up in about 20 minutes

[AWS]

Here's a few pics 

Coyote hunting in January, temps got below zero stayed toasty with a small electric heater(I get off season senior rates at the state parks $6.00/night ) a Buddy heater works well also.  We spent a week, very comfortable.



Spent a week in MT hunting pheasants, had three dogs and kennels in a Honda Element(no room for camping gear) so we took the tent trailer with The add a room, like staying at the Ritz.



Spent three years living in a 9x12 wall tent in NW WI  got a few strange looks went I brought a date "Back to my place for a drink".

AWS

[PolarBear]

I spent a lot of nights sleeping in a horse trailer or on the ground miles away from anything in just a sleeping bag and tarp. Tents took up too much room.

[MHWASH]

huntinhick, If you go the tent route, I highly recomend a wall tent. The area inside is almost 100% usable, as long as you get atleast 5' walls. I much prefer hunting out of a wall to a camper, you just don't get that cramped up feeling.

[Special T]

I like tenting but have a small trailer 1970 prowler, older than i am... I got it for $400including tax and tabs off craigs list... Its great for weekend outings when the weather is marginal... I cant tow it be hind my hunting truck a S10 with the craptastic 2.8... So i kinda wish i had bought an even smaller one like those tear drop trailers or the Fiberglass airstream lookalikes the Casi ta or burro with out all the bathrooms and such... I think just a warm dry place to sleep is what i would like... I'm like many tent folk i like to spend time next to the fire outside because that is camping... Just like a little comfort when sleeping for the next days activities...

[HoofsandWings]

Only problem with snow is that you cant set chairs or anything with legs on the tent floor for risk of punching thru...

At my elk and deer camps, we usually do not have much snow so we set up on soil. If a bit of snow, I clear it to set the tent...

I use that green outdoor carpet. No problems with holes.