Hot tent vs not

[Ghillieman]

I'm really wrestling with my shelter. Dyneema, Nylon etc. Hot vs not, cook inside and not..Likely early/late season and see many with and with out hot tents with stoves. Likely 7-10 day hunts and can definately see the usefulness of a hot tent when cold and then can also see the cons. Go with a Seek or another comparable shelter and a stove and you have alot of creature comforts yet I have seen ZERO on the effects of cooking which I've seen some do in a Dyneema shelter. Does grease smoke from cooking cause a long term issue? The weight savings on Dyneema mitigates the stove weight yet are both worth it? Some practical experience besides you tube vids would be helpful.

 

[Scott85]

Where are you hunting at? Are you planning to be in bear country?

 

[elkduds]

If your cooking is limited to boiling water it is a lot less of a problem. Makin' bacon? Cook outside the tent.

 

[thusby]

If you are backpacking, you should just be rehydrating your food. I’ve camped in hot tents and cold tented in the snow. Hot tent makes zero difference if you are in a very insulated bag. It might keep your face warm until it burns out 20 minutes later. If you need to dry out socks and etc. a stove can be handy.
I’ve made it on a 4 dayer without needing to dry anything in the snow.

 

[Alpine01]

I backpack hunt from mid-Oct through mid-Nov., typically for 6-8 days to cover scouting, hunting, and packing out. Always with a hot tent. I have had completely dry trips and trips where it snowed 3-4 inches every night. Trips where it never dropped below 25-deg at night and trips where it never got above 5-deg. Doesn't matter, I hot tent for each one. I can make it through 0-deg nights with a 15-deg bag that is half the weight of a 0-deg bag by banking the fire. It will burn out but that is over the course of several hours, not minutes. Drying out gear every night makes those long trips a lot more bearable as does a quick heatup of the boots and outer gear before heading out each morning. And gear will get wet whether it snows, rains, or you just have to hike through what dropped two days before you got there. Agree with thusby that if you are backpacking, you should just be rehydrating your food. Much better calorie/lb ratio that way and every calorie counts as does every ounce.

 

[Redman]

I have 2 hot tents from Seek, the Cimmeron and 8 man. I can put 2 full size cots in the 8 man, chairs and a table. The Cimmeron truck hunting by by myself I can put one full size cot in it. I use them during firearms season when it can snow. I usea tarp during archery or a smaller tent. Gone are the days of putting on frozen boot! I don't like the idea of bears tearing my tent apart so the only thing I heat up is water and all food and waste from it is bagged and put in a tree away from my camp.

 

[Sytes]

Hot, all the way. As mentioned, for the length of treks you're referencing, rehydrating is the ideal setting. Even griz (cooking away from camp) country, the option to warm the tent is heaven.

Hot tents today make tent weight an issue of the past.

 

[Ghillieman]

Where are you hunting at? Are you planning to be in bear country?

Area in Fl. Is liaded with bears

 

[Ghillieman]

Any feedback on Argali tents?

 

[BackofBeyond]

Area in Fl. Is liaded with bears

Fl as in Florida?

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I can make it through 0-deg nights with a 15-deg bag that is half the weight of a 0-deg bag by banking the fire.

What does the stove weigh lol

 

[Alpine01]

What does the stove weigh lol

LoL, the stove is 68 oz, so yes, it is more than the weight difference between a 0-deg bag and a 15-deg bag. But that 0-deg bag can't heat up my water and dry out my boots. And it doesn't heat the tent up to 80-deg at night. Bank the fire, add some rocks underneath while I have the stove running, and nights stay pretty comfy.

 

[Nunyacreek]

Sleeping is not why Ihave a hot tent. I have a hot tent for the hours that you are in a tent NOT completely in your bag.. and there is nothing better. I’m sure Alpine01 is correct, but regardless, hanging out is why I like it.

 

[Ghillieman]

Fl as in Florida?

Yes

 

[Ghillieman]

Area in Fl. Is liaded with bears

Florida is home turf..but hunting Ohio, Georgia and planning a western hunt.

 

[glass eye]

I have considered a hot tent and stove but I mostly hunt Southeast Alaska, Kodiak, and the Aleutians and finding dry wood is impossible. Last year on Kodiak I couldn't start a fire even with gasoline.

 

[thusby]

I have considered a hot tent and stove but I mostly hunt Southeast Alaska, Kodiak, and the Aleutians and finding dry wood is impossible. Last year on Kodiak I couldn't start a fire even with gasoline.

My idealizations of Alaska hunting die a little bit more every time I read posts about it.

 

[Sytes]

This was a late August rain pour dump in the Bob Marshall and a reason my packable hot tent made this hunt continue w/ a means to resolve the insta-weather the Bob can and frequently will throw. Wet dog smell aside, the hot tent is premium though as w/ any opinions shared, ymmv.

 

[802flyfish]

I have SO tent with a stove. Your better off investing in a high quality sleeping bag. It’s nice to boil some water and hang out before bed. I have their large stove and you might get an hour or so burn if your lucky. I wouldn’t count on that little stove to keep yourself warm through out the night unless you like waking up every hour of the night.

 

[glass eye]