Tent recommendations

[jingalls]

Another vote for Kuiu. Cant imagine being on the tundra with pouring down rain and no floor. But to each his own?

 

[Zig4648]

I vote kuiu, I have the summit refuge 3 person. You can only fit two people with gun and packs but it’s bomb proof in wind and weather. I use my tent and bug net tub. Tipi tents in alaska wind turn into wind sails. Kuiu tents are lite and sturdy. Extra tent for gear, cooking, waiting out weather would be ideal.

 

[HuntPrepared]

What ever tent you decide on make sure it is seam sealed. Some manufacturers seal them, some use cooled needles to make the holes smaller but many are shipped out without. A bad seam can make it rain inside your tent.

 

[Zig4648]

The only tipi tent I know that holds up
To high winds is the Kifaru sawtooth, but it’s price I think $1300

 

[thayerp81]

Am I courting disaster if I'm considering some of the Eureka and Cabelas 4 season-rated tents?

 

[MJW]

I’m going up this year, three of us. We are taking 3 Kuiu storm star tents and a SO Redcliff. This is a float hunt so weight is not super critical. The Redcliff will be for cooking and hanging out. Personally in that environment and for comfort I prefer a two man tent, per person, with a floor, for sleeping. That’s not to say you couldn’t get away with a floor-less tent but as mention you would want a tarp to cover enough area to keep your sleeping bag and equipment off the soggy ground.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

Bugs and rain.
Get something everyone can sit in to get out of rain, and definitely add a bug screen. And a liner if single wall or it will rain on your head inside the tent.

Depending on where you go, plan on no trees to tie things to and no decent wood to burn.

 

[JLeeC10]

I've been in an SO Redcliff, SO Cimarron, Kifaru Sawtooth and a couple canvas wall tents. All of them work great in the Snow and or Rain, if you can stay out of the heavy wind. If you can't stay out of heavy wind, I agree with IBen on what to use.

Do you have a preference between the Sawtooth and Cimarron? Any specific experience you have with them would be helpful. Setup, performance in wet or windy conditions, comfort, useable space, anything like that would help. I’m leaning Cimarron right now

 

[OlPappyB]

Do you have a preference between the Sawtooth and Cimarron? Any specific experience you have with them would be helpful. Setup, performance in wet or windy conditions, comfort, useable space, anything like that would help. I’m leaning Cimarron right now

If I had to pick between the 2 it'd be the SO Cimarron 7 days a week and twice on Sundays. The ONLY thing in my opinion the sawtooth was better at was shedding wind. But not by much. Both tents did pretty well in rain, hail and snow. I highly recommend a nest though. Condensation builds up quickly when the stove isn't going. So when you wake up the tent is soaked. Reach out of the nest dry and fire up the stove again, 10-15 mins later, tents dry. 1 hunting season in the sawtooth, 7 in the SO tents. 40-50 mph winds, storms, hail, nasty shit. We learned real quick the SO tents were like packable motels compared to the sawtooth. I'd 100% rather ride out a shitty storm in the SO than the sawtooth. Cimarron and Redcliff both had more headspace, room to move, usable space, stove jack location for the stove setup, comfort was great, easy setup. My buddy and I are 6' tall 200lbs. Redcliff fit us, gear, stove, nests, sleeping pads, firewood. Cimarron is more for 2 people n stove, no gear, you can take a tarp. Or do like we did and get 2 Cimarrons to shed some weight a piece and wind. Each of us had their own Cimarron with all of our own gear, stove, firewood, nest, sleeping pad, packable chair etc...

 

[JLeeC10]

If I had to pick between the 2 it'd be the SO Cimarron 7 days a week and twice on Sundays. The ONLY thing in my opinion the sawtooth was better at was shedding wind. But not by much. Both tents did pretty well in rain, hail and snow. I highly recommend a nest though. Condensation builds up quickly when the stove isn't going. So when you wake up the tent is soaked. Reach out of the nest dry and fire up the stove again, 10-15 mins later, tents dry. 1 hunting season in the sawtooth, 7 in the SO tents. 40-50 mph winds, storms, hail, nasty shit. We learned real quick the SO tents were like packable motels compared to the sawtooth. I'd 100% rather ride out a shitty storm in the SO than the sawtooth. Cimarron and Redcliff both had more headspace, room to move, usable space, stove jack location for the stove setup, comfort was great, easy setup. My buddy and I are 6' tall 200lbs. Redcliff fit us, gear, stove, nests, sleeping pads, firewood. Cimarron is more for 2 people n stove, no gear, you can take a tarp. Or do like we did and get 2 Cimarrons to shed some weight a piece and wind. Each of us had their own Cimarron with all of our own gear, stove, firewood, nest, sleeping pad, packable chair etc...

That is awesome feedback - thanks a bunch. I’ll have to look at the Redcliff too because I’ll definitely have situations where I need to fit 2 guys and gear … I just also need something light enough for backpacking if it’s just me.

 

[OlPappyB]

That is awesome feedback - thanks a bunch. I’ll have to look at the Redcliff too because I’ll definitely have situations where I need to fit 2 guys and gear … I just also need something light enough for backpacking if it’s justme.

Get the Redcliff, you'll be happy. It's really light and worth it, especially for 2 guys with gear.

 

[soggybtmboys]

Am I courting disaster if I'm considering some of the Eureka and Cabelas 4 season-rated tents?

Cabelas 4 season tents are just fine, I am not familiar with Eureka tents as far as durability. I've been on the north side of the Brooks twice now, and my cabelas 4 man, xpg 4 season tent performed excellent. Rule of thumb, a tent rating, cut it in half for comfortable occupancy. I like a 4 season tent for extra peace of mind. Friends on our first trip used some 3 season tents and were fine. We saw temp swings from 65 degrees down to 22 degrees and sustained winds to 50 mph and just to 60 mph. Longer cyclone style stakes are a must, cover with rocks too. Alaska is a different animal all unto itself, and you need to be prepared to ride out anything. Your being dropped off, this isn't the lower 48.
Our camp in 22', 6 people, we ran 3- 4 man tens for sleeping and 1 6 man tent for surplus gear and relaxing in poor weather.

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[MTHokie]

Cabelas 4 season tents are just fine, I am not familiar with Eureka tents as far as durability. I've been on the north side of the Brooks twice now, and my cabelas 4 man, xpg 4 season tent performed excellent. Rule of thumb, a tent rating, cut it in half for comfortable occupancy. I like a 4 season tent for extra peace of mind. Friends on our first trip used some 3 season tents and were fine. We saw temp swings from 65 degrees down to 22 degrees and sustained winds to 50 mph and just to 60 mph. Longer cyclone style stakes are a must, cover with rocks too. Alaska is a different animal all unto itself, and you need to be prepared to ride out anything. Your being dropped off, this isn't the lower 48.
Our camp in 22', 6 people, we ran 3- 4 man tens for sleeping and 1 6 man tent for surplus gear and relaxing in poor weather.

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Not familiar with the Cabela's XPGs. Realize we're talking a different category of tents, here, but I have a Eureka family tent and am not impressed with it's durability even when you account for the fact that it is a lower-class tent. IMO, the Eureka punched BELOW it's weight class.

 

[soggybtmboys]

Not familiar with the Cabela's XPGs. Realize we're talking a different category of tents, here, but I have a Eureka family tent and am not impressed with it's durability even when you account for the fact that it is a lower-class tent. IMO, the Eureka punched BELOW it's weight class.

Cabelas XPG is an expedition class tent, it's pretty solid.


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[MTHokie]

Cabelas XPG is an expedition class tent, it's pretty solid.


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Copy. When I said I wasn't familiar, I just meant I had never used one or owned one.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Cabelas Alaskan Guide (8 person is my experience) is solid, handles wind/snow in spades, At 8300' with a small propane heater, (tent vented with windows/main door) keeps the edge off at 0 deg F in the Colorado high country to where it is easily above freezing in the AM for getting ready for the day. A great tent for staying dry/safe from any elements you will encounter. Easy to stand up, sit on edge of cots and get ready for the day.

Earplugs take snoring out of the picture.

I do like the idea of single tents, but it's not a lie when I say from experience that 3 guys in an 8 man double wall tent (tent body and full coverage fly) create an atmosphere both temperature-wise to an extent and comraderie-wise that kicks the balls off single tents, IMO.

 

[406flyfish]

Am I courting disaster if I'm considering some of the Eureka and Cabelas 4 season-rated tents?

I’ve seen AK sheep guides running Eureka & Cabelas..

 

[35WhelenAI]

With that said, there's two or three tent threads active right now. And an unknown number of them already. Opportunity for tent guys getting together and share some ideas.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I'm assuming you'll be on the Sag? Are you looking at camping on a gravel bar, or backpacking in a bit and camping? If you weren't planning on packing in, and you're looking for the absolute most bomber tent made, there's a guy in Eagle River that has/rents multiple models of Arctic Oven tents. I think he charges $40/day, and you wouldn't have to worry about bringing your own tent up here. Anyway, just some food for thought.