Elk Hunting/ Family Camping Tent Suggestions?

[CalebClick]

I am in the market for a tent that I can use for both family camping trips (mainly in warmer weather, some in colder weather. 2 adults and 2 kids) and for September and October elk hunts. A fast setup time is of the most importance. In addition, I’d like to have stove capabilities but that isn’t a make or break feature. I’ve looked heavily into the Kodiak VX 10x14. Looked at the Alakanak a bit. Looked at the white duck regattas. And looked into the Kodiak Canvas Cabins. What am I missing here? And what other tents do yall recommend for a reasonably quick set up tent that is good in both the summer and fall/winter months?

Also, is a stove in a tent the way to go? Or would running a propane heater be equally as efficient. We always car camp. We have always had a camper until this year and I’ve always camped in a 1 man polyester tent for hunts. Finally talked the wife into ditching the camper to make us more mobile and less overhead so trying to get this decision right and hoping to find a tent to kill two birds with 1 stone. Thanks in advance!

 

[Matt5266]

If it were me, I'd opt for a wall tent with a stove and you can always use a propane heater as a backup. Keep the family cozy and give them plenty of room. It will keep the complaining to a minimum

Sorry I dont have a specific brand to recommend..lots of good options though.

 

[CalebClick]

If it were me, I'd opt for a wall tent with a stove and you can always use a propane heater as a backup. Keep the family cozy and give them plenty of room. It will keep the complaining to a minimum

Sorry I dont have a specific brand to recommend..lots of good options though.

Thanks for the suggestion! I know there is an initial learning curve on learning how to set up your wall tents but after that is handled, what can I expect as a reasonable set up time for say a 10x14 ish wall tent?

 

[Matt5266]

Thanks for the suggestion! I know there is an initial learning curve on learning how to set up your wall tents but after that is handled, what can I expect as a reasonable set up time for say a 10x14 ish wall tent?

Depends..... wall tent, a second set of hands is almost a necessity. After setting up my buddies a couple times. We can get it all pitched and staked out in probably 15 minutes. Of course that includes configuring all the poles and such.

 

[mtnrunner260]

We have the Kodiak 10x14 without stove.
Lots of room and easy to set up solo.
Dad has cabelas alakanak with stove which is awesome. Takes longer to set up but can be done solo.
Bro has wall tent and does let you live like a king but it only gets set up when staying longer than a weekend.
We run a buddy heater in Kodiak just to take off chill. Have good pads and bags for everyone.

 

[bigmoose]

I'm a wall tent guy too. For what you want though it may not be the way to go. It just takes too long to setup and take down. That said, there's nothing like a wall tent with a wood stove.

 

[IDVortex]

I've got a 10x14 wall tent, haven't used it in 10 years? I set it up alone in about a hourish time alone. Could do it a lot faster, once knowing how to do it. Trying on deciding on selling it now, or keeping jt. Style of hunting has changed, and not sure I'll really use it anymore.

 

[CalebClick]

I'm a wall tent guy too. For what you want though it may not be the way to go. It just takes too long to setup and take down. That said, there's nothing like a wall tent with a wood stove.

I expected that. Wood stoves just make every room feel much more homey. Just not sure if it’s a necessity yet.

 

[TomJoad]

So it sounds like you are looking for a truck camping setup? Family summer truck camping (4) We have used an Nemo wagon top 6 and it is palatial and super fast to setup. Similar read on the REI kingdom with friends. We mostly backpack now that the kids can hike (6 & 9) and exclusively use seek outside floorless shelters. Mostly without stoves but we have a stove for one of them we leverage for full on winter camping. These are the shelters I exclusively hunt in. I never bring a stove for that, too much additional work when hunting. If I was trying to dual purpose, I’d get a large floorless teepee.

 

[CalebClick]

We have the Kodiak 10x14 without stove.
Lots of room and easy to set up solo.
Dad has cabelas alakanak with stove which is awesome. Takes longer to set up but can be done solo.
Bro has wall tent and does let you live like a king but it only gets set up when staying longer than a weekend.
We run a buddy heater in Kodiak just to take off chill. Have good pads and bags for everyone.

What’s your average set up time on your Kodiak? And I’ve heard some guys post about being able to use a fan to dry out the alakanaks much easier than the canvas. With canvas, I know it molds quickly. So is it one of those things where, if wet, I’ll just have to reset it back up once I get home or can you use any similar tactics such as the fans?

 

[Pony Soldier]

I found my wall tent was a little hot during the summer. I lived in a dome tent with and without my wife and two kids for 20 years. On the really hot days , I left the rain fly off. It was light and I could set it up anywhere in about 15 minutes.

I used my wall tent for the colder time of the year. I usually took the extra time to cover it with a heavy canvas rain fly. I also built a kitchen covered by tarps on three sides and the roof.

Every time we set it up for two months, it got more complete with more fringe benefits. That included a stove and a half a chord of wood.

It usually took me a couple hours to set up a wall tent and kitchen and that included cutting the poles for the tent, leveling the ground, and building the sleeping area. It usually took me longer to load the horses.

 

[mtnrunner260]

What’s your average set up time on your Kodiak? And I’ve heard some guys post about being able to use a fan to dry out the alakanaks much easier than the canvas. With canvas, I know it molds quickly. So is it one of those things where, if wet, I’ll just have to reset it back up once I get home or can you use any similar tactics such as the fans?

10 minutes.
Unfold and roll out. Stake 4 corners. Top bar and 2 poles. Rest of stakes.
The current alakanaks are a lighter fabric than what my dad has. I'm sure a fan would dry it well.
I set it up in backyard if taken down wet. Easy and kids like it.
Kodiak recommends a wet then dry process to break in that I did. No complaints on it drying out.

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

Might check out the wilderness ridge trail llama canvas tents. They look pretty quick to set up. I have a 12x14 wall tent and it takes 45 min to set up solo. Finding a space for a12x14 tent takes a bit more. Also it’s a beast so I usually don’t take it out on weekends. It’s not the setup time, it’s the fact that everything is heavy. The frame is over 100lbs (mines older with electrical conduit. Some of the aluminum frames are lighter) the canvas is around 50lbs I’d guess and the stove is around 50lbs.

 

[Gone4Days]

I own 5 tents. My Kodiak 10x14 is my favorite. i’ll be spending 4 weeks in it this fall.

 

[Longleaf]

Those inflatable wall tents look tempting for the family

https://www.amazon.com/RBM-OUTDOORS-Inflatable-Camping-Person/dp/B0BSH97VMZ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3HHD2HUGED9WH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VJESH1vMzz-C-y7vlwc_y9ADiOe-j-pM8sKmQUb3-4AZDoHWE-a6E1-ArlfRLXUjI5fwDrZCcC4H--wkrHExnfqp8B-Z9SjPR3ZLuznGiJ3e7y97BNy6tXoaqc7vBghCzrWEPBzRJR-sYZ7tzcAwvwtsQCdkyulDF92NbLJBCH-_Lg0AJfTgeSoHih7JbQAwb4yQEw_wx5dHG1AGoWp2ReFPcUMuDT5PPfpY06u7RZg.dwU79tCfNatrGKlrFel8OIgqt1ze3dwlfCUnnpf4XsU&dib_tag=se&keywords=infLATABLE%2BWALL%2BTENT&qid=1708954414&sprefix=inflatable%2Bwall%2Btent%2Caps%2C319&sr=8-3&th=1

 

[DmrbigEshotT]

10x14 Kodiak will be very, very tight with 2 adults and 2 kids (unless you have a double bunk cot for the kids). With the slanted walls, you have less room than the 10x14 footprint.

For situations like yours, I just bought an extra Kodiak 10x10 to use as our kitchen/gear storage and the 10x14 for sleeping.

It takes about 15 minutes to set up each tent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wheels]

Maybe look at the Kodiak 12x12 cabin tent, it has a stove jack and you can add a vestibule if needed. I have the 10x14 Kodiak and really like it, looked at the cabin tent but it is harder to set up solo.
The 10x14 deluxe has a lot of windows as does the cabin tent, great for airflow if warm and also to dry it out.

 

[5MilesBack]

Thanks for the suggestion! I know there is an initial learning curve on learning how to set up your wall tents but after that is handled, what can I expect as a reasonable set up time for say a 10x14 ish wall tent?

Davis Tent used to have a video on their website showing a 10 year old girl setting up one of their wall tents very quickly with the traditional pole setup by herself.

I have two Davis 14x16 wall tents, one with the traditional poles, and the other with a full internal frame. I prefer the traditional pole setup when solo. I've set that tent up and taken it down solo dozens of times. Took it down in a pouring rain a few years ago. I tried to wait for it to stop, but it just kept pouring. This is my base camp tent in September, because I'm up there solo most the time.

With the pole pieces out and ready to go, along with the stakes, etc, I can have that tent standing in 5 minutes. However, with that setup there are a total of 37 stakes to pound or drill in, and setting all the side wall poles as well. That all generally takes longer than getting the tent standing, especially in rocky ground. The rest of the setup is just what you decide to put in it, but that goes for any tent. I also have an awning that extends 7-8 feet out the front. That takes a little time to set up as well, and is more difficult solo.

With a family of four and a stove, I wouldn't want anything smaller. It can get cramped in a hurry, and I want everyone to be as comfortable as possible.

As for the stove, I prefer a two-burner tank top propane heater for archery season and warmer months. It's quick and easy and will heat up that tent in a hurry. However, I don't spend an extended amount of time in the tent with it on. If you want heat all night, or for several hours during the day, you'd want a stove.

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

Davis Tent used to have a video on their website showing a 10 year old girl setting up one of their wall tents very quickly with the traditional pole setup by herself.

I have two Davis 14x16 wall tents, one with the traditional poles, and the other with a full internal frame. I prefer the traditional pole setup when solo. I've set that tent up and taken it down solo dozens of times. Took it down in a pouring rain a few years ago. I tried to wait for it to stop, but it just kept pouring. This is my base camp tent in September, because I'm up there solo most the time.

With the pole pieces out and ready to go, along with the stakes, etc, I can have that tent standing in 5 minutes. However, with that setup there are a total of 37 stakes to pound or drill in, and setting all the side wall poles as well. That all generally takes longer than getting the tent standing, especially in rocky ground. The rest of the setup is just what you decide to put in it, but that goes for any tent. I also have an awning that extends 7-8 feet out the front. That takes a little time to set up as well, and is more difficult solo.

With a family of four and a stove, I wouldn't want anything smaller. It can get cramped in a hurry, and I want everyone to be as comfortable as possible.

As for the stove, I prefer a two-burner tank top propane heater for archery season and warmer months. It's quick and easy and will heat up that tent in a hurry. However, I don't spend an extended amount of time in the tent with it on. If you want heat all night, or for several hours during the day, you'd want a stove.

I’ll be using my Chinese diesel heater this year. It’s quick and easy and lasts all night

 

[Chazz440]

Davis wall tent 12x16 with emt frame. Sleeps three adults with huge cots no problem with large wood stove, can sleep 4 but you lose the “living area”. I’m upgrading our cots this year with a bunk setup for my 3 boys.