Base camp/truck tent

[JNDEER]

If nice weather I usually use a 10x12 coleman pop up tent. I want my tent up and down quick so I can spend more time hunting.

If bad weather I use Alaskan guide tents 6 or 8 man depending on situation.

 

[FLAK]

Heck yeah, think I'm gonna have to have one of them Kodiaks before next season.

 

[.270]

I use the Cabelas Alaknak 10x10 for truck camping, easy to set up by myself and plenty of room for two guy with cots and gear. Could fit three if needed to be. Not too heavy and doesn't takes up a lot of room in the bed of the truck.

 

[mmcdonough]

Anyone out there re-purpose a hub-style ice shelter as your truck tent? I always thought modding one with a stove jack and maybe some extra ventilation would be the cat's pajamas. Would be up and down in seconds, w/ a lot of space.

But meanwhile my Cabelas instinct alaskan guide dome has treated me well. It will never magically be a wall tent. Otoh, it packs down small, goes up pretty fast, and it's easy to dry out back at home.

I put some serious consideration into doing this last September before ultimately backing out. There's pro's and con's just like anything else. I have an otter hub with insulated fabric. Thing is awesome for ice fishing. I've used it in -20 degree temps with blowing winds and was toasty warm inside with my buddy heater. I ended up getting scared out of using it because I read a lot of posts about how they don't hold up well in the rain. The material leaks like a sieve and you'd get soaked. It also takes up a ton of room in the bed of the truck.

Looking back I wish I would have just brought it. You can mitigate the water issue by putting it under a big tarp. I used some mid-range Coleman tent and one of the fiberglass poles broke on me halfway through our hunt. Made life miserable after that. After a ton of research for the ideal truck base camp setup, I think I'm going to just invest in a Kodiak canvas for next time. Then I can use it for base camp and a family camping tent; best of both worlds.

 

[SteveCNJ]

I see what everyone here either has or is planning to get. The thing is we may all have different requirements. My buddy and myself are applying for tags in Colorado GMU 8 for the 3rd rifle season. I was there a couple years ago and it was close to single digits and the wind was absolutely howling almost the entire time. Im looking for a tent for 2 plus gear and most likely to be able to accommodate a stove, essentially camping by the truck. We're also going to bring individual lightweight tents for a spike camp if we find it just takes too long to get up the mountain in the morning. For eastern guys even in pretty good shape not being acclimated to the altitude makes for slow going. I know there's a place in Denver that rents wall tents and stoves so we may go that route. Any other recommendations?

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[remmy120777]

Jackelope,
This is the Kodiak awning. This was awesome for the hunt. It worked great for 2 guys gave us a ton of room and functioned beautifully we could have had maybe 4 guys in the tent but the awning would have been cramped the way we were using it.

I should have taken pictures of the inside sorry. In the tent we had a set of Disc-O-Beds from Cabela's, you can buy them about anywhere now. In the awning we had a white folding table and hanging organizer I bought at Walmart, two camp chairs, and a 120 qt. igloo cooler. I modified the awning roof and installed a stove jack from Bear Paw Wilderness Designs in Ft. Collins to accommodate the stove. I did not get the best most expensive stove available. The stove I purchased was from Sportsman's Guide, I also purchased the stove accessories. I modified the stove as well by changing out the short 7" legs that come with it and put on 15" black iron pipe legs with flanges screwed to the bottom. I either used 3/4" or 1" pipe i do not remember. By putting the stove in the awning I did not have to worry about burning the tent floor as the awning does not have a floor. We cooked right on the stove as well, I did bring a Coleman stove for morning coffee. If you have not tried putting meals in a Food Saver Bag and boiling them in the bag submerged in hot water this works phenomenal. No pots and pans to clean and we burned the paper plates and plastic forks. For a guy that usually hunts in a spike camp this was very luxurious.

Odell,
I am not sure if this would work with the Flex Bow, I had one with the bat wing before I up graded to the cabin with awning. As I was doing research a thread either here on Rokslide or Bowsite came up where someone had added a stove jack to their Flex Bow.

I just recently purchased this tent and have the same idea in mind. How did the stove function in the vestibule, did it hear the entire tent, what here much heat loss? Thanks in advance.

 

[Cameron.25]

I do construction so a rooftop tent would just be in the way more than its used, i haul stuff on my rack all the time. I have a CVT tent that attaches to my awning that i tend to use as my base camp for elk season. Now i also have this lift and tent system i added to my canopy called the ez topperlift for a quick and mobile setup, i really like it!

 

[camelcluch]

Kodiak Canvas 10x14 get two guys with cots, heater and room to move. I set my up in about 20 minutes when solo. Awesome tent.

 

[Hooknbullet2]

Kodiak canvas 10x10 fits that bill very well


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Agree. Works for us.

 

[Plainsman79]

I typically hunt solo, so I went with a 10 x10 Alaknak with wood heat. It’s quick and easy to set up and tear down. Plenty of room and holds up to the elements pretty good. I believe this is my 8th season in it. It doesn’t take up a ton of room in the back of the truck or while in storage. If your camping in the cold, get the best wood stove, cot, BAG and PAD you can afford they’re worth every dime when it’s 0 degrees and your buddy is freezing his can off. We also use it during the summer for family (4 people) camping trips. They’re reasonable priced and depending on use, it’ll pay for itself fairly quickly compared to cost of hotel and extra fuel.

 

[bracer40]

Another vote for Kodiak 10x14. Solo set up is a breeze. Heat w a buddy heater. Ideal for two cots, table and 2 chairs. I mostly hunt September but have had it in high, sustained winds and 18” snow falls during late season. I was sweeping the top off, didn’t feel the need to test the tent’s limits. Had mine for over 10 years. Great tent!

 

[Loco4dux]

Echo a lot of others here - I ended up going with the kodiak canvas 10x14 and it is the perfect set up.

 

[dtrkyman]

I have been eyeballing the Gazelle tents, hub style pop up, I tend to truck camp to be mobile, so I have no interest in a wall tent type set up.

Cameron25 that looks like a sweet set up when I move to a pickup!

 

[fmyth]

I have been eyeballing the Gazelle tents, hub style pop up, I tend to truck camp to be mobile, so I have no interest in a wall tent type set up.

Cameron25 that looks like a sweet set up when I move to a pickup!

I have a Gazelle T4 and a Kodiak 10x14. I use the Gazelle when overnighting to and from my out of state hunting trips. I can set it up in with rainfly in less than 10 min. It is too small for my cot but the fast set up take down is awesome. When I get to my hunting spot I set up the Kodiak. When hunting solo I have room for my cot, a table, chair and all of my gear. If there are two of us then 2 cots and table and chair go outside under the awning. I heat it with a Little Buddy connected to a 20lb tank kept outside.

 

[Cameron.25]

I have been eyeballing the Gazelle tents, hub style pop up, I tend to truck camp to be mobile, so I have no interest in a wall tent type set up.

Cameron25 that looks like a sweet set up when I move to a pickup!

It is indeed! Even just for loading stuff in there too, makes it so nice cause im 6ft tall and can almost stand up, so i can pack the bed way more full before i lower it again. Then i can actually lift it to access stuff thats towards the front through the side zip windows if i need to

 

[TN_Guy]

We run a Davis tent. I looked at other tents but paid the money for the Davis. Have never needed anything else.

 

[Mansfield Outdoors]

 

[BCSojourner]

Check out Snowtrekker. Here is a pretty good video of one of their models. They have been around a long time, are extremely popular with the the BWCA and Canada winter hot-tent crowd (have been used a lot in extremely frigid conditions), are very lightweight for a canvas tent, breathe well, extremely stable in high winds, spacious, easily and quickly erected by one person (interior Easton aluminum frame), and are becoming more popular all the time with western elk hunters. Very durable and should last a lifetime.

Want to Camp Comfortably This Winter? Get a Canvas Tent.

Upgrade your cold-weather camping routine with a canvas tent

www.outsideonline.com

 

[Gone4Days]

Kodiak 10x14 Flexbow

 

[BackyardChemist]

Anyone out there re-purpose a hub-style ice shelter as your truck tent? I always thought modding one with a stove jack and maybe some extra ventilation would be the cat's pajamas. Would be up and down in seconds, w/ a lot of space.

But meanwhile my Cabelas instinct alaskan guide dome has treated me well. It will never magically be a wall tent. Otoh, it packs down small, goes up pretty fast, and it's easy to dry out back at home.

In the process of doing this for 2nd Rifle Colorado this year. More of a cost based decision, we already own a 6 person Eskimo Pop Insulated Shelter. Had plans to rent a trailer but that fell through, and its a bit late to buy anything else. Drooling over the Seek Courthouse though...

It will be just my wife and I, with cots and some cooking stuff. We used to camp out on the ice in ND with a buddy heater and ice fish over the weekends in -20. My only concern is carbon monoxide and condensation so we are looking to add a stove jack and buy a wood stove. Rain problem is easily solved by using a tarp over top. Will report back after season to let you guys know how it goes.