Is a hot tent needed for second season rifle Colorado?

Right now i'm trying to decide between 3 options:

1 - A jeep/truck with a roof tent which has a propane heater. My concerns with this option is, no real standing room in the tent although the vehicle will have an awning which is nice for cover, although that part obviously won't be heated. Also if we get crushed with a random snowstorm, not sure how well the roof tent holds up in that situation.
2 - Rent a canvas tent with stove and cots; probably the best overall option comfort wise, but lots of work to put up and not a lot of flexibility if we want to move to a different area.
3 - Get a hot tent and go that route; kind of somewhere between the first 2 in terms of comfort and flexibility/ease of setup.

FWIW there will be 2 hunters and we will be around 8500-9000 feet

The last few years on 2nd/3rd season hunts, I've been using a 10x14 Kodiak Flex-bow and it has been awesome. Way faster setup and tear down than a traditional canvas wall tent, and plenty of room for two guys. Comfy cots, you can stand up, and just run a buddy heater on a 20 lb propane tank or two. Just make sure to crack a window to vent if using overnight. I also pack a CO detector for peace of mind.
 
Even for archery I take a walk tent and stove. I pack some laundry detergent, so after a week I can hand wash my clothes. Use the wood stove to dry em out in the tent.

Just be mindful of burn bans, especially early season.
 
Right now i'm trying to decide between 3 options:

If you are camping at the trailhead and not packing in you may want to consider a diesel heater over a Propane heater. Diesel heaters can be had pretty cheap now and have some advantages over a Propane heater such as they don't put extra condensation in the tent and are generally safer as they aren't consuming oxygen and putting combustion by-products in the tent. Most diesel heaters have a thermostatic temperature control which is nice too

For packing in, I use a tent with woodstove but for "car camping" the diesel heater is pretty nice primarily because it will run all night without needing to get up to add wood.

I do also have a Big Buddy propane heater and have used it a good bit over the years. It's the easiest thing to just buy and use, but if I were starting from scratch I think I would go with the diesel heater over a propane heater.

You would want to set up a diesel heater and know how to use it before your trip, they aren't overly complex, but something you would want to mess with in advance. One other down side to the diesel heater is it will also require a deep cycle battery or portable power station to run.
 
I'm considering the hot tent option more and more. At this point i'm mostly concerned with sleeping on the ground for 8 nights straight. I have an old lightweight sleeping pad which i've never really loved. Any recommendations? It would be awesome if there was a super lightweight cot, but i'm not sure i've ever seen or heard of such a thing.
 
I'm considering the hot tent option more and more. At this point i'm mostly concerned with sleeping on the ground for 8 nights straight. I have an old lightweight sleeping pad which i've never really loved. Any recommendations? It would be awesome if there was a super lightweight cot, but i'm not sure i've ever seen or heard of such a thing.
Cots are pretty cold with the air coming underneath unless you have a pad. Just be aware of that.
 
I'm considering the hot tent option more and more. At this point i'm mostly concerned with sleeping on the ground for 8 nights straight. I have an old lightweight sleeping pad which i've never really loved. Any recommendations? It would be awesome if there was a super lightweight cot, but i'm not sure i've ever seen or heard of such a thing.
One Word: Zenbivy
 
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