GP tents for cold and snow?

[NChunter]

Does anyone have experience with the military GP small tent? Will it work well in cold weather and snow? I need an economical tent for hunting and there is a place here in North Carolina that sells new and used military tents. The GP small is $ 375 used or $ 640 new, including poles and stakes. I would prefer a wall tent but my budget won't allow. Also, will propane heaters work well at 8,500 - 9,000 ft elevation? I was thinking about getting one with 3 burners to heat the tent.

 

[480 stu-ffer]

Propane is not dependable at high altitude for cold weather use ...make sure you have a backup.

 

[cowboy]

Be VERY CAREFUL using propane heaters in an enclosed area - you may not wake up in the morning and if you do you're more than likely going to have a very bad headache. Propane in an enclosed space is a very risky business at best.

 

[Buschy]

I would take that one step further. DON"T use propane at all as a primary heat source. Invest in a good wood stove that is properly vented. Far too many people die every year due to carbon monoxibe poisoning.

I will light up a propane heater in the morning for a few minutes to take the chill off, but there is no chance of falling asleap with it running then. I am way too excited to get out hunting!

 

[Big O]

I would take that one step further. DON"T use propane at all as a primary heat source. Invest in a good wood stove that is properly vented. Far too many people die every year due to carbon monoxibe poisoning.

I will light up a propane heater in the morning for a few minutes to take the chill off, but there is no chance of falling asleap with it running then. I am way too excited to get out hunting!

Ditto on Buschy's qoute- not worth it. I know two guys who woke up just in time. One woke up and somehow knew what was happening. Had to spend a night in the hospital, and carry the oxygen tank for a day.

 

[choc dogs]

Had the headache from a propane heater, too. Invest in a wood stove,and use propane to chase the chill. I had in a previous marriage a gp small tent, worked great if you've got more than about 3 days on site, otherwise not worth the effort to set it up. It went away in a divorce, got left on top of a tractor.

 

[NChunter]

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like I will be buying a woodstove. I am still undecided on the tent though.

 

[wgiles]

I have no experience with the military tents, but the first question that comes to my mind is how heavy are they? From what little I have seen, they appear to be quite heavy. The frames could also be pretty heavy. It may not matter to you. If you are planning to use one where you don't have to pack it in, weight may not matter to you. The small GP tent appears to be about 17' hexagonal and has a stove jack. It might be a serviceable substitute for a regular wall tent. If you can get a good used one for $375, It might be a good deal. I'd have to see one and set it up to be able to have an opinion.

 

[tarheel]

A good friend in Denver bought a 16 man squad tent with a partner, took it to a tent and awning shop and had it cut into two tents. It was plenty big for 5 guys, folding tables, equipment and a military takedown wood stove. The other half was set up nearby for three guys and a card table for some apres' hunt poker action.

 

[wgiles]

I was in Stearns, KY several years ago and ran across a company that makes military tents. They make one called the Arctic tent that is similar to the small GP and my have the same footpring, It also has snow flaps around the base. It appears to be taller than the small GP tent. The weight is given as 76 Lb.

You can find them here:

http://www.outdoorventure.com/tent_systems/arctic.html

I've seen arctic tents and liners on eBay.

 

[2rocky]

I would not over look a Cabelas Alaknak tent right now. You can get a 12x12 tent for $600 and it is new. My Experience with Military surplus has been inconsistant. I stayed in a mil surp tent and i remember a pretty heavy mildew issue, but it was bearable for one night.

I think the Cabelas tent is going to be ligher, and easier to set up. At about a 30% discount to a wall tent when I was shopping. 12x12 is 68 pounds including poles. 31 punds without stakes and poles. And it has a floor.

 

[elkfarmer]

My buddy has the gpsmall. And it has worked great. 3 cots and a table is nice and roomy but you could squeeze more into it. His had the liner and a vent hole. We used the propane but only to heat the tent up before bed and turned it on in the morning. If you want heat all night you better go with wood. But it is for a commited hunt, not a 3 day trip. in my opinion.

 

[NChunter]

Thanks for the help. I looked at the Alaknak on line and it does look pretty good, would the 12' X 12' be large enough for four hunters with cots and a wood stove?

 

[2rocky]

The 12 x12 would Sleep 4 hunters, but I would add the Vestibule to cook in at a minimum. with that many. You would sit on your cot to eat. If you want to gather around a table then go with the 12x20

In the summer my 3 kids wife and I have plenty of room in the Alaknak since there is no stove, and we cook outside. 2 guys, a woodstove, propane cooking stove and a roll up table is comfortable for a week or so in the 12x12 if you have weather.

and yes the Alaknak can take weather..

.

 

[wgiles]

I'm not wild about the stove position on the Alaknak and think that it might be better on the small GP. Another thing is the floor. I would like a floor or groundcloth, but not sewn in. If I were to get one of these tents, I might get a groundcloth made of the PVC coated canvas that truck tarps use. PVC is somewhat fire resistant. Of Cabela's tents, the one that I most like is the Montana Lodge, but I'm in no position to spend that kind of money and probably don't need one.

What about a dining fly for cooking? Probably only good for milder weather.

 

[NChunter]

The Alaknak and the GP both look like palaces compared to the Walmart tent and little buddy heater I used last year. Between worrying about the propane heater and freezing, we didn't get much sleep. After we got back I learned that the little buddy heater is not reccomended above 6000', we were above 8500'. This year I want a better tent and a much better heater.

 

[1_pointer]

NChunter- I'd worry about getting a better sleeping bag + pad first. That money, IMO/E goes alot farther. I've stayed in a regular dome tent sans heat down to well below freezing.

On a side note, I won't go to sleep with a propane heater running in any tent. Too risky for me...