I have looked at the seek outside 12 man tipi and like the weight and ease of set up etc. However not sure it is big enough for a family of 4 with gears etc. I also have looked at the Alaknak tents from Cabelas. While they look nice there seems to be many stories about excessive condensations that can only be solved by opening vents, when vents get opened the stove is pointless and etc...
I should also point out that we jeep a lot and have spent the last 8 years in a cheap coleman tent. but with bigger kids, we do not have the ability to all cram into a jack and jill sleeping bag. Also it does not do well on late October early November hunts.
I am stuck between the comfort and size of the wall tent and the convience of a smaller tent. Maybe I just go with a wall tent and build a trailer to tow behind the jeep? Also as my kids grow we have planned a couple back packing trips as a family....
Mule Power's Link
Canvas insulates. What more do you need to know? If you aren't packing it anywhere weight isn't an issue. For 4 people I'd say a 14 by 16 is sufficient. Go 15X18 if you really want some room. I've owned and used so many brands it's not funny. Big Sky, Davis, Colorado Tent Co, Montana Canvas etc. I've settled on one. it is the best price and I love the quality. free screened window on the backwall. Double reinforced canvas in all the wear areas and ridge. Reasonably priced angle kits of you want to make a conduit frame. They come from The Wall Tent Shop in Moscow Idaho. Last year in Wyoming I took a mid day drive down the road the day before the season and noticed several of his tents so I must not be the only one who likes them. Plus he is a really nice guy and backs his product. And... no sales tax plus free shipping! Go with his Wilderness Tent model. See the link. Good luck to you!
The only issue is getting to someone :-)
Those tipis dont have any room in them. Half the footprint is wasted space.
I also own a 16' by 20" Canvas wall tent. It is sturdy in the wind, doesn't leak with the rain fly, very roomy, and while easy to set up as far as technical aspects goes, it is heavier than the Cabela's tent. It however, can be set up alone with the interior 1 inch conduit frame. It will get moist when it is very damp outside but, in no way beads condensation like the Alaknak tent. Much better in all climates actually. It is a much better insulator and light conductor too.
Between the two, the canvas is much warmer. I know because I use the same Warm Morning 414A coal stove to heat them both. In the canvas tent, that little stove running on a 5 gallon bucket of coal will get the tent so warm you'll walk around in your underwear and sandals for hours between fixing up the fire. I've dome that completely comfortable in zero degree weather in the wall tent three to four hours after fixing up the fire. You'll not get those run times on wood in any stove. And, it is true the coal is a big factor in how long it puts out heat but, the canvas tent really holds it in and the cold out when comparing the two. Just as comfortable as if I were at home. You won't do that in the Alaknak in temps 30 to 50 degrees warmer because it is drafty and not nearly the insulator.
The canvas also blocks the wind better. And with no floor, much better suited for my needs. I just spread straw. Real nice in my opinion not to have a floor in any tent. They tend to get holes and once damp, make for a damp environment. Not good. And, even with the liner in the Alaknak, water will seep through. The canvas is just a better environment in all conditions. And it is cooler in sun shine when it is hot out side.
I like them both really well but the canvas is just better in my opinion. More comfortable. The Alaknak is not more convenient or less trouble either. Both will require being hung out and dried after a trip so there are no advantages the Alaknak offers.
I've stayed in tipi's before and, they are in no way the set up either of the two tents in my opinion. I'm not sure how you intend to haul those ln lodge poles either that come with a tipi but, they can't be convenient. Actually, if there is one advantage to the Alaknak, it is the fact that it all packs up no longer than 5 feet. The conduit frame for the wall tent is long for some angles and if hauling gear only in a truck, could hamper transporting it. I use an 8 foot by 5 foot trailer too so it is no big deal for me. Honestly, while the Alaknak is good, there really is no comparison between the two. Get the canvas, you won't regret it.
If you choose a wall tent, I too highly recommend the Wall Tent shop. The wilderness tent Mule refers to is the same model I have and I love it. I hope this helped. God Bless
I like the hay idea. We used to cut bear grass to line the floors. But I really do like the mesh floors. They are cheap and light and they let the moisture drop through while keeping dust and dirt down. Easier to transport than hay too. They both work the same way though.
Our annual trip makes my F150 towing that trailer look like the Beverly hillbillies. Hard to get that big tent and two weeks of gear in a short truck bed and short trailer. But, I'd give up the 3 bales of straw in a hurry if there was a better or, at least another alternative option that worked well and saved room. God bless
The big Alaknaks have less condensation than the smaller ones- but still a canvas wall tent is better.
Tipis- yep had one and sold it. Good option if weight is the first 3 criteria- for a base camp tent, there are 20 better options.
I also own the Davis herder- pictured.....its Ok but if I was doing it again I would get a small wall tent.
Mule Power's Link
If you want one in a custom size to fit your tent call Kahn at Big Sky Tents in Missoula Montana. He will make anything you want.
After my tent is up I stake the 4 corners of the mesh floor. Inevitably I get a few burn holes in the spot where the stove sit so then I just make sure I always position the floor so that spot is always the stove corner. God Bless. :-)
I also have the Smith cylinder stove to make it comfortable heat and condensation wise.
orionsbrother's Link
I have no experience with either of these tents, but I am very happy with the quality of their Tundra tarps.
My concern would be managing condensation in low temps, but they're pretty light for the amount of space. If I ever bite, I'll share any first hand experience.
Haven't used it in really cold temps yet but had it with my whole family (My wife and I, two teenage boys and our baby) on a late spring campout in AZ where the night temps were in the 30's with cold rain. We had my daughter with us who was a year old at the time and she slept well. We had 5 in there total but with winter gear for hunting 3 guys for an extended period would be a little better. 4 would probably be OK too.
I almost went the Springbar style tent route with a stove jack sewn in, but figured it was safer and easier to get a floorless tent designed to run with a stove. If you catch the scratch and dent sale that Davis runs you might save yourself a bit if you aren't in a hurry to buy a tent. Keep an eye on their monthly specials. They really make a quality product for an outstanding value and their customer service is great as well.
BP
I also have another 8x10 and a 10x12. When I set them up for elk camp, 3-4 guys have all the room we need.
But even with all these tents, a tipi tent is on my radar
I like the Kifaru if I'm "going in" somewhere ... It's a Taj Mahal for my wife and I (and several dogs) and the floorless shelter is great. Never had a bug problem in several of the "Bug-Hell"s that we've camped in.
It really depends on how long I'm staying, if I'm driving or walking (or riding) ... but I wonder what one of the "Big" tipis, like a 16 or 24 man would be like.
Perfect, I guess.
I have thought about getting a wall tent thou.
If you have a stove and (not) using Liquid propane of any sort I don't see where you would have a condensation issue if your burning wood.
Setup is easy with one person, Two guys can have the entire camp setup in an hour or so. No complaints from me for a truck based camp.
Those guys run a great shop and their customer service is top notch and I love the custom-ability of their gear.
Davis Tent & Awning
I recently decided to upgrade my old Army Command Post tent to a newer canvas outfitters tent. While the Command post was functional, serving us well for years it definitely had a few drawbacks. One, it was a HEAVY! Weighing in at 130lbs the Command Post took a small platoon to move around, or a lot of ingenuity. Two, I always hated not being able to see inside the tent in the middle of the day. The dark green heavy canvas, which let next to zero light inside just made you feel gloomy. You about had to have a lantern and a headlamp running concurrently to find you way around at high noon! And lastly, the overall layout lacked a lot of functionality with the two columns right in the center.
I knew the name Davis tent from years of seeing their products in the field so that’s where I started my search. After doing my due diligence and turning up various online reviews (Bowsite – Wall tent, the good the bad & the ugly) I was happy to find out they make their tents locally here in Denver which was a nice plus. They have a first class website that provides plenty of detail for the intricacies of ordering a semi-custom product. However, what really sold me on their tents was there sales/support staff. Talking with Rick Davis, he convinced me to downgrade on several items, I always appreciate a salesperson who is honest and sincere and maybe more importantly knows their product inside and out, what works and what doesn’t. He was a wealth of information and a great resource.
We spend a lot of time in the backcountry in either small backpacking tents or bivies, but there are times we enjoy the creature comforts a car camp provides. Most notably a wood stove that gives you the ability to hang wet gear out to dry. It also gives us the flexibility of getting into places where you wouldn’t get a camper/trailer, whether it’s a little two-track 4×4 road, ATV into your favorite spot or of course horseback/mule. What appealed to me in the Davis design is their internal frame which make setup a snap and the flexibility to leave the frame behind if setting up deeper in the woods. The other consideration I appreciated (always the frugal shopper) they actually suggest purchasing the frame material locally (1" EMT) and cutting your own poles (they provide the angle kit and cut list). I’m always up for saving a couple bucks so this made good sense to me.
I ended up going with their 14'x16' model, the peak wood stove, awning sleeves and rear window. I was going to pass on the window thinking I’d mainly be using the tent during fall and winter month but the more I thought about all the trips I could use the tent on, including spring/summer family outings I opted for the window. Both to keep things cool and to help ventilate in case you have someone who doesn’t know how to operate the wood stove.
So far I've been happy as could be adding this piece of gear to my toy-box.