Wall tent vs Alaknak/Similar tents

[JeffRaines]

This coming year I'm thinking about grabbing another tent. Currently I have an Alaskan Guide 8 for a basecamp tent. So far its been working, however it would be nice to have a wood stove for drying out clothes and the ability to have heat through the night when it gets cold.

Not one to dump this kind of coin without doing research, I started looking into your conventional canvas wall tents as well as the alaknak/nylon style. One thing I really want is a sewn in floor. I feel like its going to do better at keeping out rodents/bugs... notice I said "I feel like"... I have no direct experience with these styles of tent so these are just mildly educated guesses. I also hear they're harder to set up/take down, as well as drying it after using it(I have no idea where I would do this) and cleaning it... the canvas route seems really daunting.

The Nylon tents also have their downfalls... seems like they don't hold heat as well, there are people complaining about condensation(maybe some of them are using propane heaters?), durability(although Im not hard on my gear), and their ability to handle snow. Now theres also the Instinct Outfitter dual-wall style as well and its all pretty daunting looking down that road as well...

I'm leaning toward nylon just for the ease of set up/take down and I could find a place to dry out that style of tent for a day or two. Are there any other nylon-stove compatible options I should be looking into? Am I on the right track as far as canvas being more upkeep/etc?

My budget is around $1k.

 

[huntsman22]

A canvas wall tent is the way I'd roll..... Floorless, because I want to live instead of cleaning house and sweeping floors the whole time. A carpet scrap to stand on while dressing is all a guy needs. And no taking wet/muddy boots off outside, or sweeping. A stove jack in a wall instead of roof, for tarping ease and no burn holes. Doors at both ends. Internal frame.

 

[huntsman22]

and if you're worried about rodents and bugs, a can of permethrin and a couple mousetraps beat caring for a floor.....

 

[Ross]

Recommend no floor as well just less work and lighter. If want something like nylon check out relite walls with Montana canvas. For the stove I’ve done both and out the roof works better for me. I’ve never tarped my tent and have recoated once in just over a decade.always dry it well before storing and will last decades. The Alanaks sweat bad from experience.

 

[cnelk]

You dont want a canvas floor in a canvas tent.
They are nice, keeps tent warmer but makes the tent really, really heavy.

I roll out a piece of astro turf when I want a floor system, or like mentioned a piece of scrap carpet.

I put a tarp over my wall tents to protect the canvas and keep the heat in better.

Ive left mine up for a few weeks with no problems

I can put up my 10x12 by myself in about 10 mins using the A frame method

I also made my own internal frame and that works slick too

Upkeep is a breeze, just make sure the tent is dry for storage - which applies to both nylon and canvas

$1000 will get you a dandy tent set up

 

[cnelk]

I had this 8x10 canvas tent for almost 30yrs and it was old when I got it.
Just sold it this fall. Treated it every couple years and mad sure it was dry before storing

It has a sewn in floor and it was heavy even as small as it was!

 

[JeffRaines]

I guess I should've mentioned that being rodent proof isn't negotiable due to my wife sometimes taking trips with me. I'm not sure how she'd react to waking up to a mouse or a rat.

I have heard that if you do get a floor with the canvas tents to stay away from canvas flooring due to it absorbing water and rotting out/mildewing faster than the rest of the tent and it makes sense.

 

[RosinBag]

I have had the Alaknak for over ten years and love it. I use the vestibule in mine to do all the dirty stuff so the inside stays pretty clean.

 

[Steve O]

I had a 12x12 Alaknak. I got rid of it for a 10x14 Kodiak Canvas and couldn’t be happier. Between your two choices I would go wall tent. Every canvas wall tent I have stayed in, in any weather has been better than the Alaknak. No floor is a bonus.

 

[huntsman22]

I guess I should've mentioned that being rodent proof isn't negotiable due to my wife sometimes taking trips with me. I'm not sure how she'd react to waking

Why don't you ask her? If the advantages of floorless were explained, and YOUR willingness to dump the mousetraps(if you even get any) would probably sway her female sensibilities. Elsewise, make her do the housekeeping.....grin

 

[cnelk]

I guess I should've mentioned that being rodent proof isn't negotiable due to my wife sometimes taking trips with me. I'm not sure how she'd react to waking up to a mouse or a rat.

If thats the case, better give Tom Bodett at Motel 6 a call

I woke up to a rocky Mtn Spotted skunk in my wall tent once.
Makes for a good story

 

[5MilesBack]

I have heard that if you do get a floor with the canvas tents to stay away from canvas flooring due to it absorbing water and rotting out/mildewing faster than the rest of the tent and it makes sense.

It doesn't matter what kind of flooring it is if it's sewn in. Being able to dry the entire tent for storage would be much more difficult with a sewn in floor. The bottom is always going to be wet after use, and will need extensive drying for storage. Flipping the tent around to make sure the bottom, and the sides, and the top is all dry is going to be more difficult and will get old real quick.

Also, rodents can and will chew right through your walls and/or floor if they want in. I use tarps as a floor, and the underside of them is always a mess when I break down camp. I keep them separate and hose them down and dry them before storing them. Much easier to do when they aren't sewn into the rest of the tent.

 

[Hopper-dropper]

I would go with canvas. Get good quality, with 5 foot walls, a sod cloth. and a Window for cross ventilation. Get both you and the wife large cots with good pads and you will sleep better than you do at home.

I put an old piece of indoor/outdoor carpet across the back where the cots go, and the the front stays no floor. You can put some dirt on the sod cloth to seal out drafts and my wife thinks it keeps out mice as well!

Unless it's raining when you take it down, the wood stove keeps it pretty dry. I just hang mine in the rafters of the garage for a day or two and then store in round plastic trash can.

Canvas wall tents and wood stoves just feel right

 

[Michiganhunter]

Army surplus wall tents are always an option too. We use a medium gp it’s 16x32 even half of that would be fine for 3-4 guys. I don’t know how pricing is on surplus tents though. But they are pretty durable

 

[mk_v]

This pushes your budget a god amount but, you
might want to check out arctic oven tents. That’s what we use. I had similar circumstances that you have with needing it sealed from rodents. We really like it, the only downfall would be it can get pretty darn warm on hot days. If you watch Craigslist you might find a good deal.

Just an idea, I was looking at wall tents and went this route instead.


Mk

 

[semperfidelis97]

I have about eight years on my Alaknak. The tent has been through extreme wind, snow, and deluges that were so heavy you couldn't hear the guy next to you talking. The biggest complaint people have is condensation which will be an issue with multiple days of propane heat. I always use a barrel stove, and try to only use gas to warm the tent first thing in the morning. If you do go Alaknak buy a tarp to use as a footprint to save on cleanup. Another good purchase would be a roll of carpet for the inside, it really makes it comfortable.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

 

[TheTone]

You can still get rodents in the alaknak style tents when having the wood stove in and the floor rolled back to accommodate it. Had a "great" time listening to the darn things run around this fall and trying to smash them under the floor. Condensation in them also occurs with the wood stove and not just using propane if its really wet.

I love both styles personally, but when I make the plunge on one it will almost certainly be for a canvas wall tent. As others have said there are a ton of ways to do floors in one, plus the ability to go floorless when you want.

 

[Michiganhunter]

Before we got the actual liner for our canvas wall tent we used white painters drop cloths as a liner. It really helped with condensation and made it brighter inside. We stopped using propane because of the condensation and just got the burleyst wood stove we could find.

 

[huntsman22]

If a feller was to spend just one full fall season in a floored wall/alaknak tent. I guarantold you he'd crap-can any (and all) ideas about floors, whether sealed or toss-in tarps/carpet. Even at the expense of (maybe)having mices. Bugs don't come in much if you sprinkle permethrin around the outside, and some bait (stale crackers, grain, bread and such) tossed some yards away from camp usually solve rodent problems. But a couple mousetraps never don't work......

 

[elkduds]

Surprised nobody has yet mentioned the Springbar/Kodiak canvas option. I switched last year from wall tent to Kodiak Canvas. Easier for 1 guy to pitch, more liveable space w near-vertical walls, solid floor attached. Lighter and easier to store than wall tent w internal frame. Can be had for less than your budgeted amount. 10x10 for 2 people w stove, 10x14 is better. Kodiak Tents