Kodiak tent, is it worth it?

[MT_Chad]

I'm thinking of a last minute tent upgrade from a Cabelas 6-man geodome nylon tent to a Kodiak 6-man canvas flex bow tent. Anyone with firsthand experience with the Kodiak think they are worth it?

Looking to use it mid-Sept, in Colorado at 8000ft. Overnight temps can drop to 20s or lower.

Yes, I love mine.

 

[Fremont15]

Excellent tent. I love mine and I stay comfortable with a buddy heater.

 

[runningmt]

If you get it, look into putting a stove jack in and buying a suitably sized wood stove. I know guys put propane heaters inside, but people die every year with propane heaters in enclosed spaces. Buddy heaters give off lots of moisture as a byproduct of the combustion process, so you will have high humidity, and possible condensation inside. Unvented propane heaters inside canvas tens have been known to freeze the canvas with all of the moisture, making it lose its breathing qualities, and setting up a very dangerous situation.
Alternatively, you can get an outside vented propane heater from Nu-Way and improve the safety factor greatly. http://nuwaystove.com/

Good to mention, every year I hear of folks waking up dead with propane heaters in tents used overnight.

I know the Buddy Heaters have a low oxygen shut off sensor, but are you gonna trust your life to a cheap sensor? Not me.

The Buddy Heaters are great, I love to use one in the morning while getting ready, but it goes outside at night along with the tank.

 

[lpcoutdoors]

I absolutely love my Kodiak 10x10. I'm a wuss I guess, but I hate not being able to stand up in the tent. I've been known to set in there in a camp chair, drinking a glass of wine, listening to a Louis L'Amour western, pretending I'm Earnest Hemmingway in safari camp.

And the Buddy Heater warms it up nice pretty quickly. I don't run it during the night, old habit from back in the old army days. We couldn't run the heaters unless we had someone stay up to watch it, and we'd all rather get more sleep than have it on, we just piled on the sleeping bags. So now, I just keep the heater where I can reach it from my sleeping back, turn it on when I wake up, lay in the bag while the tent warms up and think about my days plans, then thinking its still cold get up, and realize that its only cold down low, up a few feet its plenty warm.

 

[Blueranger]

I've had my 10x14 for four years now and love it. If your planning on two people I would go with the 10x14 rather than the 10x10 unless your really really fond of the other person.

It would most likely be my brother, wife, or son. Thanks.

 

[Addicting]

Sucks in the wind. There's nowhere to guy off for support. Bent all of the flex-bows a couple weeks ago. Had to park the pickup real close to it for a wind-break.

If you can get sheltered from the wind it's a nice tent.

I had mine in in some really strong winds and it held up well. I was really surprised when we got up in the morning to find the tent next to us damaged but the flexbow was fine.

 

[Addicting]

folks waking up dead with propane heaters in tents used overnight.

Zombies or Vampires? Lol

 

[HSi-ESi]

We have a 10X14 and love using it. Easy to setup - most of the work is just staking it out.

I spent the night in one in SE MT through a storm in October. Wind gusts were 60+ that night and it held up great. I was surprised at the lack of "flapping"

 

[p_ham]

I had mine in in some really strong winds and it held up well. I was really surprised when we got up in the morning to find the tent next to us damaged but the flexbow was fine.

To be fair it was 60mph+ wind. And on the wide side of the tent.

 

[nuevo_eph]

I've ridden out 60mph storms in mine but the whole damn tent was flexing hard into us. When we woke up the rest of the campsite tents were either destroyed or magically gone.

Regarding the Buddy Heaters, don't forget these are catalytic heaters and therefore very safe to use inside. Leave a slight vent open and if you are still concerned, buy a CO2 alarm at your local store.

 

[Blueranger]

Thanks everyone for the input. I was 98% sure on buying one, but hearing actual people/hunters say its worth it pushed me over the edge.

 

[Blueranger]

Quick update, the kodiak was alot warmer and way easier the set up at muzzy camp. Not the coldest hunt, but a noticeable difference over my old Cabelas nylon dome tent. And higher ceilings, much appreciated.

 

[Missourian]

I have a 10x14 and it was great. Used for a November elk hunt in Colorado. Temps were in teens during day - at night. Big buddy heater worked great slept in shorts. Put carpet pad down on floor and also have the tarp underneath on outside. Snowed about a foot at 8600 at camp. Best thing next to a wall tent!

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

I absolutely love my Kodiak 10x10. I'm a wuss I guess, but I hate not being able to stand up in the tent. I've been known to set in there in a camp chair, drinking a glass of wine, listening to a Louis L'Amour western, pretending I'm Earnest Hemmingway in safari camp.

And the Buddy Heater warms it up nice pretty quickly. I don't run it during the night, old habit from back in the old army days. We couldn't run the heaters unless we had someone stay up to watch it, and we'd all rather get more sleep than have it on, we just piled on the sleeping bags. So now, I just keep the heater where I can reach it from my sleeping back, turn it on when I wake up, lay in the bag while the tent warms up and think about my days plans, then thinking its still cold get up, and realize that its only cold down low, up a few feet its plenty warm.

Almost exactly my experience, except that I spend the last minutes of each day reading a chapter of whatever book I'm working on. I do the same with the heater. Off when I get in the sack and reachable so I can turn it on when I wake. Like you said, even if the lower 1/3 of the tent is chilly, just stand up and you'll be warm in no time.

 

[danielboone]

Camped in my 10 x 10 on the way to a Montana elk hunt all the way from Texas. Easy to put up and take down and warms up quickly with a buddy heater ( I do not sleep with it on). The only issue I had was that it was wet each morning from snow and dew and I was worried about it getting mildewed. When I got to my destination, we spread it out in a tack barn and it was fine. I agree with having a tarp beneath it and carpet on the tent floor, makes it much more comfortable.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

Camped in my 10 x 10 on the way to a Montana elk hunt all the way from Texas. Easy to put up and take down and warms up quickly with a buddy heater ( I do not sleep with it on). The only issue I had was that it was wet each morning from snow and dew and I was worried about it getting mildewed. When I got to my destination, we spread it out in a tack barn and it was fine. I agree with having a tarp beneath it and carpet on the tent floor, makes it much more comfortable.

The first few times I set up my 10x10, I was honestly shocked at how simple it was for just one person. I was not expecting that.

 

[jeffpg]

I used my brand new 10x14' deluxe on a recent moose hunt in NW Montana. It took on a lot of snow and some wind but nothing drastic. I got the footprint for it and also used a 10x14' tarp inside to make cleanup a breeze. I also used a 3x5' mat near my cot inside. A little buddy heater only for waking up and dressing and warming up food at night. I ordered the vestibule but it didn't come in early enough to make the trip.

I also used 3/8" x 14" lag bolts and 1 1/2" fender washers driven into the ground with a cordless impact for tent stakes. This saves a ton of time and work, although in rocky areas you'll be challenged.

I broke camp in the snow and had to clean the tent up for storage once I got home. Having the tarp as a floor covering that you can fold up and dump outside as the last step before unstaking and rolling the tent up is a must for me. 3 weeks of hard use and it's still almost clean as new inside.

It's a good tent that I would recommend.

 

[SaskHunter]

Reading all these is making me change my mind from a getting a wall tent to a Kodiak... I hunt mostly alone and don't feel like chopping wood and stoking a fire all night by myself. I like the idea of an easy set up and using a Buddy Heater in the morning/evening.

 

[Addicting]

Reading all these is making me change my mind from a getting a wall tent to a Kodiak... I hunt mostly alone and don't feel like chopping wood and stoking a fire all night by myself. I like the idea of an easy set up and using a Buddy Heater in the morning/evening.

Spend the extra money and get the 10x14 invade someone else decides to go with you. I have a 10x10 and am going to be going to a wall tent due to friends going.

 

[David58]

I will chime in, YMMV:

Since you are not backpacking the tent in, I would recommend Canvas. In my experience, far less fragile than nylon.
I like the brightness inside of a white canvas tent.
Old garage sale rugs, or a cheap rug, works well to keep the floor warm. With groundcloth, of course. I like tents with mudflaps and a waterproof groundcloth - even with a bathtub floor, picking a good spot and maybe even trenching is a good idea. I don't like to field test waterproof stuff if I don't have to. And, the tent sans floor is lighter.
Wood is a dry heat, whereas with propane you will be damper inside. Drying a wet tent, or wet clothes or boots is very good with a wood stove.
Bigger is better. The more room you have for you and your buds, the better. A big tent isn't that much more to set up than a tent that is almost big.

My wife and I do well in the summer in a 9X14 nylon tent. If we don't decide to use our trailer. Our favorite is still canvas, and have a 10' x 10' bell-backed wedge tent when we are feeling nostalgic. But since we don't have a stove for it, in cold weather we opt for the trailer. If I had all the tea in china and someone to help me set up the tent, I would certainly select a large canvas wall or centerpole tent, with a woodstove.