Backpack Hot Tent or Basecamp Outfitter Tent?

[RoadHunter91]

Discussion point to see what folks prefer.

Scenario:

Late Season Rifle Elk Hunt. Let’s use Colorado 2nd or 3rd season as the example.

Would you rather have a light hot tent for 2-3 people and sleep higher on the mountain or have a base camp with a large outfitter tent and a big stove but have to hike back and forth daily?

 

[Carrot Farmer]

Hot tent up on the mountain!


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[sneaky]

Late season, comfort is king. Long long nights that time of year

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[RCB]

Personally, I prioritize mobility if I'm hunting an area I don't know well. So, for me, neither . Backpacking into the backcountry is a big time and energy investment that might not be wise if you don't know that elk are back there. You might lose a full day getting out and moving somewhere else, if it ends up being a bad decision. Alternatively, setting up a big comfy basecamp is also a big (multi-hour?) time investment that might discourage you from packing up and trying another spot (e.g. to a new drainage; up or down elevation).

So when I'm starting out in a new area, I'm usually doing a small, almost backcountry-like base camp. Do a day trip or two into the area, covering lots of ground, looking for elk and sign. If it looks dead, pack up and move to your next spot. Once it looks good, then you can invest more heavily in the area.

Take with a grain of salt, as I'm no expert. Perhaps I move camp too readily. In fact I'd like to hear if folks disagree. I'm sure lots of strategies work.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

Wall tent near the central part of all my access points. Weather can be a factor that time of year. I'd rather be a 30 minute drive from 3 different spots where the elk can be than 2 miles in to where elk could be. Just my thoughts.

 

[wapitiwilly]

For me it depends on how long the hunt is. If it's a few days, I will just use a backpacking hot tent. If it's a week or more I will set up a base camp with a wall tent and then do spike camps from there. It is nice to have a big tent to come back to and re-group on those long hunts.

 

[RoadHunter91]

Appreciate the comments from everyone. Here is my dilemma and more detail.


I’ve got a Cimarron and medium stove and I’ve got a large 12x12 canvas tent with stove.

Ive hunted Colorado, 2nd season, many times over. The comfort of a big base camp tent is nice and a hike away from home. Yet l, like being mobile. In the archery seasons, I move camp every 1-2 days until I find the elk or follow the elk.

I’m used to experiencing some pretty cold/rough weather in those later seasons so I’m really up in the air of which route to take. I’m likely going to bring the big base camp and then have the Cimarron in the truck in case I want to head deeper in for a day or 2.

Total crap shoot.

I figured seeing what ya’ll have to say is good feedback as everyone’s experience is great to hear.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Appreciate the comments from everyone. Here is my dilemma and more detail.


I’ve got a Cimarron and medium stove and I’ve got a large 12x12 canvas tent with stove.

Ive hunted Colorado, 2nd season, many times over. The comfort of a big base camp tent is nice and a hike away from home. Yet l, like being mobile. In the archery seasons, I move camp every 1-2 days until I find the elk or follow the elk.

I’m used to experiencing some pretty cold/rough weather in those later seasons so I’m really up in the air of which route to take. I’m likely going to bring the big base camp and then have the Cimarron in the truck in case I want to head deeper in for a day or 2.

Total crap shoot.

I figured seeing what ya’ll have to say is good feedback as everyone’s experience is great to hear.

I’d agree with you and some of the folks who are happy to backpack in but initially want mobility to locate the elk.

I’m investing in a WRTL light canvas tent in the hopes of maintaining a comfortable truck base camp or backcountry mule camp, but maintain ease of setup. The quickness of setup was a real deciding factor and their being so much less weight and space than my old Kodiak flexbow.

The flexbow was relatively fast to Setup when using a drill/impact and lag screws, but with the weight and bulk still didn’t feel “nimble/mobile”.

A buddy heater was great for truck camp for ease of setup (no wood collection) so might help with mobility. The WRTL tents are not cheap but everyone who has one raves about them. Figure it should last for a generation or two so I’m going for it.

Enjoy the process

 

[Ross]

Nothing like a wall tent in the late season. Nights are long and comfort goes a long ways to success in the late season. So many more variables than early season. I’ve often moved my 8x10 wall tent if the area did not produce 30 minutes and on the road

 

[Night_owl]

If possible I would bring both. Set up a centrally located wall tent camp but still have the option to spike out if need be.

 

[Bobbyboe]

I’ve hunted both ways and to me, comfort is king. In fact I sold my entire tipi setup.

I enjoy coming back to a large camp where I can sit in a chair, cook food on a propane stove (with actual pans), drink something other than water, have a warm tent all night long, etc. I don’t care if I have to drive 30-40 minutes to my hunting spot and then hike in, I’m camping in luxury.

Thinking back, some of my worst nights of sleep came in a tipi.

 

[RoadHunter91]

If possible I would bring both. Set up a centrally located wall tent camp but still have the option to spike out if need be.

Definitely leaning this way myself.

 

[Gotcha_]

Definitely leaning this way myself.

Does setting up the stove over and over again hinder your mobility? I would think so? Chiming in, I'm in a similar boat.

 

[Jason Snyder]

Nothing like a wall tent in the late season. Nights are long and comfort goes a long ways to success in the late season. So many more variables than early season. I’ve often moved my 8x10 wall tent if the area did not produce 30 minutes and on the road

This. I can tear down my camp in about an hour and have it loaded in the back of my pickup. Setup is about an hour, not including firewood.

It’s nice having that comfort for the long nights. Even if I have to drive an hour or more to a trailhead.

 

[RoadHunter91]

Does setting up the stove over and over again hinder your mobility? I would think so? Chiming in, I'm in a similar boat.

Are you referencing the small stove in a small spike tent such as the Cimarron or in regard to a basecamp?

 

[Gotcha_]

Are you referencing the small stove in a small spike tent such as the Cimarron or in regard to a basecamp?

Cimmaron + ti stove

 

[RoadHunter91]

Does setting up the stove over and over again hinder your mobility? I would think so? Chiming in, I'm in a similar boat.

Not really. Breaking down camp and moving isn’t ideal but it’s way more mobile when it’s light and not so cumbersome to pack it with the backpack and move. Especially if I can split it with a hunting buddy.

 

[Vadimbrutskiy]

Fallowing