Back country trad elk hunt tent

KSPete · February 02, 2014, 02:24:00 PM

New bow on order, Check... Next item, a quality tent for back country in the Rockies. If we get drawn, I plan on being in an elk camp with 4-5 other guys for 7-10 days. It sounds like they have used individual tents all under a large canopy in the past with a separate cooking tent. I'm trying to decide between getting a good 4 season 3 man tent or springing for an outfitters canvas or synthetic tent. The plan is to go in with 4 wheelers and a full sized support 4x4. Foul weather is a possibility. Thoughts?

Dan bree · February 02, 2014, 03:01:00 PM

Sounds like you aren't going to far in with all the 4bys. Any way. Check out kifuru. Tipi

KSPete · February 02, 2014, 04:00:00 PM

Alas, don't have horses and the engines will get us to base camp. The rest will be all us... The Kifuru stuff looks great! I love the idea of high tech light weight and minimalism.
Thanks,

cacciatore · February 02, 2014, 04:54:00 PM

If you are hunting from a camp that you can drive in don't be frugal and buy a confortable 4 man tent,good for a single man with enough clothing changes.
Otherwise if you really make some backpack hunting choose a good 1 man ultra light tent,it will cost you more than the bigger tent but in this case weight and quality will be much more important.
I went with a Big Agnes..

lone hunter · February 02, 2014, 05:12:00 PM

Yep, Big Agnes.

DKdc · February 02, 2014, 05:20:00 PM

I back county hunt for elk every year and have found the MSR hubba 1 to be the best choice. It is a one man tent with a vestibule. it is very light, I will also take a amall 6x8 tarp from the hardware store for cooking and storing gear in bad weather.

awbowman · February 02, 2014, 05:34:00 PM

We had a 12' X 14' Kodiak Canvas tent at base camp when we went. I chose the Hubba for spike camp also.

It rained, sleated or snowed 9 days we were there. We'd run a Big Buddy for a while before we went to sleep and we were warm until the morning.

karrow · February 02, 2014, 05:40:00 PM

for base camp i have a 12x14 canvas wall tent. there is nothing better the being able to stand up in a tent. first year we took a dome style tent. we had moisture problems and very cramped. last 3 years with the wall tent we have had no problems. wall tent for base camp for sure, but you are talking some money

for spike camp i have a one man msr tent. less the 2 lbs

old_goat2 · February 02, 2014, 05:42:00 PM

Where is back country that you can take a 4 wheeler too! If it has a road to it then it's not back country yet. I'd go with a big tent and a good cot if you can drive to your camp spot. I have a pop up and sleep in a bed when my wife is along and a cowboy bedroll when she's not. Both are equally comfortable to sleep but the pop up is sure nicer in the morning trying to get dressed. My buddy has a wall tent with wood stove and cots, have to admit that was a pretty sweet set up.

Sixby · February 02, 2014, 05:52:00 PM

Since you are taking in a truck I would look into a Kodiak Tent, I researched tents pretty heavily this last year and decided to try out the Kodiak. It has turned out to be the dream tent. The best tent I have ever owned and that's a bunch of them. It is a heavy canvass tent though.

God bless, Steve

backcountrybowman · February 02, 2014, 05:58:00 PM

If I was you I'd go with a go-lite SL5, big enough to use at a basecamp for just you or another guy or two. Also, if you remove the nest it is light enough to backpack with, something like 2 lbs. 11 oz without the nest. I stayed in one last year and the ability to stand up when getting dressed and during a real bad snow storm was invaluable. The best part is, its $300 shipped

The Night Stalker · February 02, 2014, 09:56:00 PM

I had a 4 man kifaru tipi with a stove and it was nice but if it rains, it was nightmare to take down and move. It really added weight. I was probably carrying 70lbs when changeling camps. I went with a Hilliberg Akto and a tarp. The hillibergs have a built in rain fly.

njloco · February 02, 2014, 10:07:00 PM

This is a Kifaru Sawtooth, it's really a nice two man tent, a great roomy one man tent, and for emergencies it will fit 4. It weighs in at 4.8 lbs, that is with the poles pegs.

I didn't have my Ti wood stove yet, so it's not in the picture.

Good luck.

huntnmuleys · February 02, 2014, 11:10:00 PM

when im base camp hunting, i don't think anything compares to a wall tent with stove. can dry clothes, room to stand, good in weather, the list goes on.

for backpacking i use the MSR hubba. dandy set up. i do like the looks of the kifaru with stove though.

khall1 · February 02, 2014, 11:35:00 PM

X2 on the golite shangri-la 5. For $300 you can use it with or without the nest. If money is not an option, go with a quality wall tent.

Michael Pfander · February 03, 2014, 07:45:00 AM

X three on the Hubba. Sounds like a wall tent would be better since your hauling it all in a truck.
MAP

TURKEYFOOTGIRL · February 03, 2014, 02:29:00 PM

I like my Tarptent double rainbow for bivy hunting. Haven't tested it in bad weather but set up is great!

February 03, 2014, 05:14:00 PM

I have an Agnes, a strong wind broke one pole and bent an other when the tent flattened. These guys have withstood everything from snow storms to hail and near misses with a couple of tornadoes. They are both made from Egyptian sail.

Tim in Wa. · February 04, 2014, 09:02:00 AM

If I'm carrying camp on my back I use a Kifaru Super Tarp.It weighs 20 oz.
Tim

KSPete · February 04, 2014, 10:45:00 AM

Thanks all for your suggestions! For base camp hunting I'm leaning towards a Davis framed wall tent, or a Alaska Tent & Awning wall tent or Alaskan Oven. I've always wanted to be able to run a wood stove in a tent for those chilly nights. For spike camp, the Kifaru gear looks amazing and the go-lite SL5 is also on the short list. I do like the idea of running a stove in spike camp but there is always my whisperLite gas stove to heat up H20 and meals. Fun to think about while we get dumped on with 6-12" of snow today...
Best wishes,
KSPete