Tent for a big hunting party
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: Sharpe
27-Feb-20
Searched through the archives and decided to start a new topic instead. I was looking at the 3-4 man tents for next season for our party. Any recommendations? Need plenty of room for party members + gear, bows and such. Stand height preferably.
additional info: 4 season option won't be reliable I guess, so for summer+autumn, so good rain protection would be great. Truck base camping, usually it's 3 men (me, my dad, my uncle and his BIL occasionally), no weight restrictions this time. After reading your comments decided that 4 men tent would be way to small for all of us, so looking at 6 tent options now.
From: Carcajou
27-Feb-20
Ive got a Sweet Cabelas 12 x 12 Alaknak , itll sleep 4 with gear, and a woodstove. Its for sale,,, cheap. PM me for details.
From: fisherick
27-Feb-20
More info please. Will you be truck base camping, backpacking or horse-packing to your hunt area? Weight restrictions? Location and time of year? Number of hunters? Cots and heat? etc. The more info provided the better the recommendations?
From: WV Mountaineer
27-Feb-20
If it’s truck camping a wall tent can’t be beat
From: TrapperKayak
27-Feb-20
I associate wall tent hunting with a backcountry hunt on horseback for several days or weeks. Mules, etc., and lots of gear, with a few good hardened outdoor-experienced horse handling seasoned hunters. No jokers, just the real deal. That to me is the ideal wall tent hunt.. Truck would be okay - its all good.
From: cnelk
27-Feb-20
This photo is from Davis Tent - Facebook page. They have you covered. Literally
From: Ermine
27-Feb-20
Kifaru tipi
From: tradi-doerr
27-Feb-20
+2 on a wall tent, I have a 10x12 that's great for 2/3 and all gear stored inside, can be used either packing in on horse or truck camping with the internal frame. For 4/6 hunters and gear a 12x16 or 14x20 will be best. I also have the Kodiak 10x14, good for up to 4 adults and some gear, great mild season tent but not great for colder/snowy weather as the roof isn't designed for heavy snow loads, and it has no flu jack so has to be heated via propane heater. The thing to think about is the foot print/area needed to set up.
From: elknailer
27-Feb-20
our group has a 14x20 and the most we've had in it is 10. kitchen outside.
From: bowonly
27-Feb-20
Just a suggestion to consider. For many years our group used a 12x14 wall tent, but not for sleeping. People brought their own sleeping tents in whatever size suited them. That way eliminated the mess, smells, and rude noises involved when sleeping in the big tent (especially those world class snorers). The main tent was for eating, socializing, and drying clothes. Cooking was done at entrance where the tarp extended to make a porch. Group size varied widely and the main tent added the flexibility to handle it.
From: TrapperKayak
27-Feb-20
Tradi, no flu jack and propane heater. Be careful with that one......
From: Pop-r
27-Feb-20
I have a couple 16' x 16' heavy Army tents still in the case if you are camping near your truck.
From: dafish
27-Feb-20
A friend has a tipi with walls, it holds 4 and gear...
From: tradi-doerr
27-Feb-20
TrapperKayak, For sure, but with the Mister Heater there is a built in O2 sensor shut off, plus keeping a cross draft from windows cracked keeps from any issues, and the Kodiak is made of 100% cotton canvas so it breaths very well to, been using it this way for 3yrs now without any issues. Being in the HVAC industry I know all to well the dangers, plus during mild season in Colorado I've only had to run heater just before bed and first getting up.
From: Mule Power
27-Feb-20
3-4 guys and all that....14x16 wall tent from the Wall Tent Shop.
From: elknailer
27-Feb-20
cnelk, that tent is almost as big as the veder tent at Comptons. Just kidding!
From: sharp stick slinger
28-Feb-20
I had a 12x12 Cabela's alaknak, honestly it was a decent tent with a large stove, 99lbs total. But 3 men for ten days with gear and stove was a maximum. The next size larger would be a great tent. We rode out several seasons of extremely nasty storms tough in that alaknak. Our new setup is a 15man kifaru tipi with stove, it's like 14 pounds total. Lots of space, beautiful structure. Long story short, if you're truck camping, do a large (12x14 or 14x17) wall tent with a heavy barrel stove. If this will ever get packed on livestock or your back, invest in the kifaru tipi and kifaru stove. Bear in mind, these better structures require a little cleaning and maintenance, but will last many years if properly maintained. I would also consider the Cabela's bighorn if I bought another tent from them, nice layout.
From: Stryker
29-Feb-20
I have a Montana Canvas 12x14 with 4 1/2 foot side walls, 6” stove jack with back window and zippered front with flap across door. This tent is brand new and has never been set up. It is made with their Duralite material and weighs in at 27.5 lbs. I bought it to replace my heavy canvas tent and just got away from packing in with horses. If interested send me a message.
From: Ermine
29-Feb-20
Kifaru. Light weight and very portable. Awesome heated shelter
From: JLeMieux
01-Mar-20
We used an 8 man Luxe Megahorn XL last season. A ton of room for 2 guys with cots, gear and could have easily used the stove. Plenty of room to stand. With 3 or 4 guys (it's intended purpose) the cots or gear would be too much. We also have a 10 x 14 Kodiak Canvas and slept 4 with cots in it one year. The only extra room was under the cots. I wanted to get a little more room but also reduce our weight and bulk so we tried the tipi. If there are no weight, space, or mobility concerns, I don't think you can beat a wall tent.
From: Sharpe
02-Mar-20
Sharpe's Link
Thanks for your replies and recommendations, gents.
> More info please. Will you be truck base camping, backpacking or horse-packing to your hunt area? Weight restrictions? Location and time of year? Number of hunters? Cots and heat? etc. The more info provided the better the recommendations?
fisherick, my mistake: three of us (BIL is under question for now), truck base (so almost no problems with weight), location - we will be changing them, mostly Kansas (private lands), would like a proper tent for late spring, summer and autumn.
I've already realised that 3-4 men tent would be way too small for us, so I'm looking at 6 and more people tents now. Looking at Coleman WeatherMaster 6. Pretty surprised that no one mentioned it. Are these so crappy? Hmmm. Never considered wall tents. Sounds like a good solution.
From: Tlhbow
02-Mar-20
The group I hunt with use one of them tents seen at outdoor events 10'×20' a around $350.00. 6' side walls and the frame is1 1/2" tube. We were in some oak brush and winds above 30 mph one night and temperature hit -11 this season in Utah . Two guys can set one up in 30 minutes or so. Slept in it around twenty days past season . Good tent for the money .
From: fisherick
03-Mar-20
This is the Cabela's tent my buddy bought for Sept. Colorado bow hunts. It is a 6 man tent, which is very roomy for two, a bit tight for three and is waterproof and storm proof. It is 10' x 10' x 75" and has been used in 5 trips.
From: PO Cedar
04-Mar-20
Here is one of Pop-r's type tents, run them end to end, 16'x32', has stove jacks...
From: DanaC
04-Mar-20
If weight is not a factor you'll never have a tent 'too big'. Are you sleeping on cots? Air mattresses?
From: Trial153
04-Mar-20
Kifaru or Seek Outside Teepee
From: JLeMieux
04-Mar-20
Sharpe, that changes things a little. The majority of these responses were probably based on camping in harsher or more unpredictable conditions than what you're planning. With that being said, you can expect some nasty storms in Ks, including very high winds. I do not have experience with that specific model of Coleman tent, but do not think that Coleman in general is as durable as many of the others listed here. We had a couple (inexpensive) tents set up in Ks a couple years ago in Apr. We left camp for a few hours the first afternoon. It was windy but not by Ks standards. When we returned, one of them was flattened with broken poles. In the long run, I think you will be better off with something a little more robust. We've had great results with our Kodiak Canvas over the years in Ks in Nov.
From: JLeMieux
04-Mar-20
Also, if you expect 4, go with an 8 person minimum.
From: ashash
09-Apr-20
ashash's Link
You should probably go with an 8 person tent. The more room the better. But here's some good 4 person tents I found. They're cheaper.
