Cabelas Alaknak II 12x12

[Backpack Hunter]

Looking at picking up a family car camping tent, and have had my eye on this for a little while. The reviews seem to be good on it, but would like to hear from anyone out there that has one. How has it handled bad weather? Wind? Ease of setup? etc. Thanks!

 

[SHTF]

Id encourage you to check out the Kodiak Canvas Flex bow tents, They are a home away from from home.

 

[conhawa]

I agree. I have a kodiak 10x14. It is unbelievably easy to put up.

 

[colonel00]

We have a 12x12 that we use on occasion. Paired with the vestibule, it is a castle for 4 guys. You can setup 4 large cots and still have quite a bit of space in the middle. Ours is older, 10 years at least so it isn't the II. I have a bunch of other photos around if that helps at all.

As far as setup, one person can do it but it takes a while. Lots of stakes and those perimeter poles. Then a lot more guy lines. However, two people that know what they are doing can probably have it up in the same amount of time as it takes to setup a Cabela's dome tent.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

The flex tents are nice, but no stove option so they have been ruled out.
Colonel00; maybe one person could set it up in 30 min? More photos would be great. Thanks!

 

[colonel00]

Yeah, one person could do it. It's essentially just a big tipi tent with high side walls. I know I've broken it down by myself but I can't say I've actually pitched it alone though. Still, I don't see why you couldn't. Just stake out the perimeter, put int the middle pole, install and guy out side wall poles, run the rest of the guy lines.

Here is the space in the vestibule. I highly recommend getting one if you are getting the Alaknak.

Some interior photos. The black cots are the Cabela's XL Outfitter cots which are huge.

The fourth cot kind of sticks in front of the door but it wasn't that bad. You can see the stove jack so running 4 cots and a stove would have been a little tighter. That is the one downfall of a tipi style shelter with that center pole in the middle.

 

[huntinrod]

I have the same tent and vestibule love it....great for 3 guys and a stove or four guts w no stove....I've been in bad weather with no problems at all....the corners will collect snow so kinda have to shake the corners once or twice a night... some condensation in certain climates but with verical walls and a nice pitched roof I get very little "rain". I set mine up alone plenty. Takes 20 mins or so....not bad. Nice stuff bag for it that fits the tent, vestibule and poles/stakes not much bad to say about it

 

[lchavez]

Check out your local craigslist for deals. I missed a smoking setup myself that included the tent, vestibule, floor saver and fly for 900.00. Seems like the get scarce around hunting season though.

 

[go4thegusto]

I have tow Kodiak's. They can be setup alone and withstood 50MPH winds on an elk hunt. I just bought a stove jack panel and glued it on with Tear Mender adhesive. Worked great. I put a non-combustable mat on the floor. This is a great tent. The awning is a joke however....

 

[steveo]

I have one and agree with the other comments. This tent is great for three or four people and with the stove a palace for 2 guys. It will condensate if it rains for 3 or more days but it drys up in the day. I have the annex, floor protector, and roof protector.

 

[DRP]

i have the 12x12 and have set it up by myself multiple times, takes about 20-30 min alone. i use a pop up canopy on the front instead of the vestibule. the dry heat from the wood stove keeps the condensation away during cold weather but i do notice condensation during hotter weather when im not running the stove. have not used it this year as i purchased a travel trailer.

 

[5MilesBack]

Unless you're getting one heck of a deal on one, I'd get the canvas wall tent from Davis Tent.

 

[PJG]

^^^ I would also suggest this, ours is going on 12 years old now, and it still looks like new

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I would be getting one heck of a deal so that does play into the thought process.
While I agree a full canvas tent will be substantially more robust and have better longevity (I have one that is 35yrs old) I am trying to balance size, weight and ease of setup for our uses.
It will be car camping, but I'm packing for the whole family so space is still a premium.

 

[LaHunter]

I have the 12 X 20 Alaknak II. I have used mine for the past 3 seasons and it has performed well. The Alaknak will not hold heat as well as a canvas wall tent, it has several vents in the top area. Mine has seen hard rain and wind in the 40 mph range. It has never leaked at all. I use 3 ft sticks of 3/8" rebar as my guy out stakes, and this has kept my tent in place in some very high winds. Get a larger wood burning stove than you think you will need, and you should be good. I am pleased with mine and would buy it again if I had it to do over again.
Hope this helps.

 

[Bulldawg]

I have the 13x27 and like it a lot. I got it because we had a nasty wind storm come through our town and messed some things up, pontoon boats at the Cabelas were flipped over people's campers were rolled over, a section of a train got flipped over because of the ridiculous winds, but the 12x12 alaknak in front of the Cabelas was still standing without a tear or a stake missing.

 

[Luked]

in our family we have 3 of the alkanak tents. me and both of my brothers have them. one of the tents is about 8 years old and has seen many a storm and still works great and does not leak.
we all just got the vestibule and that in my opinion is a must. in ours we use a propane Warm Morning stoves and they work well. have a friend of ours that has one of the Montana canvas tents and they are nice but are a little harder to set up and more things to pack. I can set my alkanak up in less than 30 min by myself so it's not hard at all. best money in a tent I have spent yet

 

[Mosby]

We used our 12x12 Alaknak in Montana for Spring Bear and this summer scouting in Colorado. Money well spent. I haven't used it in Winter yet but I am buying a Four Dog stove for it for when I do. It is pretty easy to set up for two guys. I haven't done it by myself yet but I don't think it would be a big deal. I bought two bunk cots for mine which is great for two guys to have storage on the bottom and sleep on the top. If I was getting a bigger tent for more guys, I would probably get a Bravo canvas tent but for two or three guys, the 12x12 has been great. I got my vestibule for free when I bought mine.

 

[NJDiverDan]

I have the 12X12 as well. I will echo that the vestibule is an essential for the extra space. I put a section of outdoor carpet in there for a place to take off boots before going into main tent as well as for gear storage. I have had my tent for almost 10 years. Several of those years the tent remained set up for the entire month of September as well as several week long family camping trips. One thing I love to use with it are my XL bunk cots. I think they are Disc-O Cots. Got them on sale at Cabelas years ago and it quickly increased how many guys you can comfortably sleep in the 12X12.