Lookin for the Ultimate Elk Camp Set-Up!

[HOGHUNTER714]

I'm looking to buy a "Wall Tent" set-up this year. The tent has to be a true four season set-up and be able to withstand high winds, rain and snow. Looking for something very durable and will last for years to come. I will be using a wood stove and need something that sleeps 3-4 guys with gear.


Been looking at the Davis Tent company (12x14 Wall Tent) they offer. Also, been looking at the Cabela's Big Horn III 12x14 and Tent and the Cabela's Ultimate Alaknak 12x12. I'm open for suggestions and just need something that can be packed in on horses and can be thrown out of my truck. Appreciate any info I can get...

HH714

 

[humbletaxi86]

I have an old "montana canvas" tent that is about 25 years old I got from a guy I work with and it works great, you can even use just the canvas and cut a bunch of saplings and a couple trees for the lodge pole with an a-frame, if you want to pack it in rather than lug around the heavy stake poles. They are a little pricey but if taken care of it should last your lifetime.

 

[FTTPOW]

About 5 or 6 years ago I found one on ebay, new for around $400. It's a 12x14. I can't remember what kind it is, but it's good quality canvas. It will be CROWDED to hold 3 guys on cots, gear, stove and using it for living quarters. It's best to have a second tent for eating/socalizing in the evenings and one just for sleeping. Another thing to deem critical is a floor and a fly. We used visqueen for a fly and couldn't believe the difference it made. It kept the tent dry from the snowfall plus provided an air space above the canvas for additional protection and heat retention. We extended it down far enough to store gear, tack, etc. When the snow melted, it pooled up enough water to provide drinking water for us and more than enough for the horses as well. I'm guessing a canvas fly will add even more protection.
If you're trucking in and room isn't critical, you can take more than if you're packing in. We cut our own poles on-site. Learn how to lash and make furniture in camp. The table and chairs can be burnt in the stove on your last night.

 

[Litch]

I have a Davis that I bought over 10 years ago and it's still in great shape. The buddies i hunt with bought them as well, we now have 3 sleep tents and a cook tent. Makes a nice camp. I bought the cylinder stove for it, it works great and all the parts fit back into the fire box for transport.
A friend of mine got the Alaknak from Cabelas and it doesn't breath well, it gets like a sauna in there especially with the wood stove going.
PM me if you want some more info on the Davis

 

[Sniper Chuck]

I have an Alaknak 12x12 tent, floor liner, vestibule, roof panel protector, Alaskan stove (12x12x24), SS water tank and stove side table. I used it only once and need to sell it because of health issues. I'll let it go for $700.00. Whoever buys it will need to come & get it, though. I need to clear out the garage so the wife's not burdened with my stuff.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

I have an Alaknak 12x12 tent, floor liner, vestibule, roof panel protector, Alaskan stove (12x12x24), SS water tank and stove side table. I used it only once and need to sell it because of health issues. I'll let it go for $700.00. Whoever buys it will need to come & get it, though. I need to clear out the garage so the wife's not burdened with my stuff.

Thats a GREAT DEAL. If I lived closer, I might conisder taking it off ur hands...

 

[Orygun]

I would start as close to home as possible for a wall tent. One that has been in business for a while and can do repairs. The ones in our area also do full dryouts and refolding for you for a reasonable price to ensure the mold and stuff doesn't form.

If your looking for ultimate, I'd look to a pellet campstove instead of wood. They'll do a bag a day if your running 24/7. they are pretty popular up here.

 

[Kentuck]

I have the 14X16 from Davis and a buddy of mine bought his from them as well. Very happy with it. Like camping in a cabin. Love being able to walk around and still be nice and comfy with the wood stove. I would also look at getting one of those Mr. Heart Buddy heaters to take the chill out in the early morning while someone stokes the wood stove.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

I have the 14X16 from Davis and a buddy of mine bought his from them as well. Very happy with it. Like camping in a cabin. Love being able to walk around and still be nice and comfy with the wood stove. I would also look at getting one of those Mr. Heart Buddy heaters to take the chill out in the early morning while someone stokes the wood stove.

Kentuck,

How many guys can you sleep "comfortably" with Stove, Cots, Personal Gear, Etc in the 14x16?

 

[warren nelson]

2 with cots and table for eating.
Davis usually has a spring sale so check out there website for a deal.

 

[sancho]

ultimate? if i were no holds barred looking for an extreme setup..i wouldnt use a wall tent.

i would look at the TIPI from KIFARU or a tent from alaska tent and tarp. both have stove options, are huge..and easy to set up. wall tent are beast huge and heavy..and take up alot of truck space. i like them but there are more modern options. get the pocketbook ready..

 

[bobby7321]

I have the 14x16 from Davis, and we sleep 4 comfortably. (with the cableas XL cots too) we just line them up on one half of the tent, then use the other for all of our gear. keep in mind, no stove or eating area when we go with 4. we have a seperate area for eating outside. We do use a mr heater though, and its worked great for us.

 

[mtnsammy]

I'm a little confused on this one. It sounds like two different camps getting set up. The tents all sound great but the pellet stoves and propane heaters with horses has me going. My bro used the Cabellas 12x12 and it was great for 2 with a Mr Buddy heater hooked up to a 5 gallon propane bottle. I slept in my truck and used a carport for the kitchen. It was great but we used trucks to get to the campsite not horses. Most tent/ horse combos I saw pics of had stoves left behind during summer.

Pellet stoves would be great but I haven't seen many out here less than $1500?

I too want a tent setup for using my quad to get back further. Quad and trailer can get pretty far back. I can go alt further than with just a truck and trailer. I would even hike in another mile or two but definitely no propane or wood stoves. So how do you convince the horse and the horses owner to carry them stoves and propane bottles in??

 

[sancho]

exactly. if i were to buy a huge shelter..i want it not only limited to truck camping. the kifaru TIPIS are very light, and the wood stove is aluminum and folds down flat. you are not backpacking it in, but a mule wont kick you either.

the kifaru tipi is expensive, but so are wall tents!! when i helped my friend take is down, hit was a mini construction project. it took up most of his tacoma bed. it was huge. i wore workgloves.

 

[mtnsammy]

ahhhhhh i see. I have made some folding metal stoves back in the day. They don't last forever but did give out heat. It was the pellet stove that got me. Never thought about disposable or light weight stoves. The tents also come both light and heavy. My brothers and soon to be mine too is a light weight from Cabelas. 12x12 and sets up in an hour by an engineer, so it must be easy for everyone else. With the little buddy heater it was doable but not as warm as the canvas cabins down the road.

Photos of some of these setups might be helpful too? I still get laughs when I talk about my carport kitchen. It worked great for me and with brown tarps in place of the silver tarps it almost blends in. Here in Big Bear I have had 2 foot of snow fall over night and not loose the carport. cutting it down to 12 foot made it even better.

This year in Colorado I will be using a 21 foot hauler and the carport for the quad/ ice chests. I also have the awning for light rain. I may need to setup a base camp and hunt camp depending on how bad the roads get this summer/fall. With the quads I can ride in within 2-3 miles of the hunt leaving better camp sites with a trailer. Ideally I would like to have the canvas cabins with a wood stove and the trailer for warming up mid season.

 

[sancho]

i want a tipi!! stove weighs less than five lbs..

i would buy an 8-man, and live like a king.

http://www.coastandkayak.com/2006/as06glockb.html

 

[Bubblehide]

I have a couple wall tents, a 10x12 and a 14x17. When camping out for several days to a week or longer, comfort becomes a major concern; and when you add age to the mix,comfort and being able to stand and walk around in a tent is paramount, throw some extended weather into the mix and it's a must. Since you didn't mention if you'll be setting up camp from a truck or packing in, I'll try and cover those areas.

Canvas tents are heavy, and most of the other products don't breath well enough to keep condensation inside the tent at acceptable levels (this is exactly why canvas is/has been so popular); granted Cabela's makes an excellent blend wall tent, based on reviews. With that said, if your setting up from a truck and not packing in (on horses and mules, because you'd have to be crazy to pack a canvas tent in any other way), the weight of the tent shouldn't be an issue. Yet canvas tents are bulky, i.e., they take up lots of room, so if your going with a group of guys, and only taking one truck, the bulk might be an issue. If your planning on packing in with horses and mules, weight and bulk can be an issue with larger tents, but can generally be managed by simply adding pack animals. If I were to buy another canvas tent, I would go with the Magnum line by Western Wall Tents, just my NSHO.

When it comes to serious bull Elk hunting, a lot of guys like to go with a fire-less camp, to cut down the possibility of being winded from the smoke smell. Since your asking about wall tents, I'll assume this is not an issue, and leave this at what I've already written.

Now for non canvas tents:
The Cabela's Outback Lodge might be a good choice for cutting bulk and weight, but you would likely want more than one with more than 2 people, even with their largest tent. As for heating the tent, you can always add a stove jack and use your choice of stove (wood, pellet, or propane).

Sancho mentioned Alaska Tent and Tarp (http://www.alaskatent.com/walltents/vapex.html), and they make affordable wall tents out of Vapex, a water resistant light weight material (compared to canvas) that is very breathable, so condensation is not an issue, granted features that you would want are options, but even with the options there still affordable, a bit less bulky, and much lighter than canvas (but you still need a frame, you can go with EMT, or aluminum). With the Vapex, you"ll want a rain fly (or use a heavy duty tarp), sod cloth, a stove jack, the zippered door, and a window. If I were to buy another wall tent, this is what I would get

As for Kafiru, they make quality products, plain and simple.

Now once you got the tent, you still have to make it's interior comfortable, granted you can throw a pad on the ground and your sleeping bag on top, but I prefer a cot to be elevated off the cold, hard, lumpy ground. I also prefer to have a table or two (as I get older, not having to bend over for everything is becoming more and more important), if your packing in, you'll want something light, Cabela's has you covered there, as do some other suppliers. Here is a picture of the Man Cave with one of two Cabelas aluminum folding tables; This is the 10x12 with 2 cots, 2 tables and a wood burning stove inside. We packed in for a whole week, only the 2 of us, but it was still undoubtedly cluttered (we like to be comfortable, what else can I say)

 

[sancho]

Sick! That is palatial!

 

[Bubblehide]

Sick! That is palatial!

Hijole Sancho, such a fancy word, fur us common huntin folk no less.

 

[Mel Carter]

I just bought the 12x12 cabelas outback lodge last year and love it. It had great reviews, it will sleep 3 with gear and still have room to spare. It sets up easy and folds down very small.