Hot tents

[kroppr_77]

I’m trying to find a hot tent that’s still light enough for backpacking. Some tents that I’m looking at are the cimmaron from seek outside, a few from VIam outdoors, and I’m open to any other options. Mainly wondering if it’s practical to pack with the folding stove and chimney, with weight and size in the pack. I think I’d feel more comfortable being further off the road with a setup like this, and would extend the days I could hunt into the late season.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

It's practical and light - especially if there's 2 of you.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Take a look at Jimmy Tarps. He makes quality stuff, light with good materials.

I run a Jimmy Tarps Hudson and Lite OUtdoors 18" cylinder stove with 7 foot stove pipe. Tyvec ground cloth. Add in my 20 degree quilt and the entire set up with 8 lightweight stakes = 6.5 pounds.

Here it is laid out:



And all packed up in a Mystery Ranch large load cell. The quilt could get even smaller with a better compression sack. Beer not included ( used for sized comparison. ) Trekking pole extension will go in with the stove bag and strapped to my pack.

 

[MITCHMO]

Yup it’s doable. Not sure if the seek style of tent is better or not but I went with one from tarp tent and sewed in a jack. The seek medium stove is plenty big. I’ll have a better report after my MT rifle hunt early Nov at 8000’. Might suck but I’m going to try it.

 

[beagle001]

I just order a Luxe Hexpeak 3p with snow skirts, and my buddy bought the same Lite Outdoors stove as Pre posted above.
If you’re going solo, Luxe has lighter options, too. I don’t think you can go wrong with the companies listed. They all seem like quality companies run by good people.

 

[kroppr_77]

Yup it’s doable. Not sure if the seek style of tent is better or not but I went with one from tarp tent and sewed in a jack. The seek medium stove is plenty big. I’ll have a better report after my MT rifle hunt early Nov at 8000’. Might suck but I’m going to try it.

I've found a few tents on ebay without a stove jack, was it difficult to install one yourself? It was specifically the seek outside cimmaron, but they do not sell individual stove jacks anymore to install by yourself. So I'd have to use a different brand, which isn't a big deal but I wasn't sure.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Take a look at Jimmy Tarps. He makes quality stuff, light with good materials.

I run a Jimmy Tarps Hudson and Lite OUtdoors 18" cylinder stove with 7 foot stove pipe. Tyvec ground cloth. Add in my 20 degree quilt and the entire set up with 8 lightweight stakes = 6.5 pounds.
Here it is laid out:
And all packed up in a Mystery Ranch large load cell. The quilt could get even smaller with a better compression sack. Beer not included ( used for sized comparison. ) Trekking pole extension will go in with the stove bag and strapped to my pack.

No sleeping pad? Where you hunting (state)/have you hunted with it?

 

[RockinU]

You guys are carrying wood stoves in on your backs? How far? What does your pack weigh? Wouldn't a high end bag or quilt make more sense?

I feel like I'm missing something. I have a wall tent for trailhead camping, but I'm not sure about carrying a wood stove very far back, I've slept some pretty cold nights in a bag, never felt a need for a stove.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I’m trying to find a hot tent that’s still light enough for backpacking.

I'm highly skeptical about hot tents for solo backpack hunting, and would never rely on the stove you should always make sure that you have what you need to survive without a fire... IMHO.

 

[pre6422hornet]

You guys are carrying wood stoves in on your backs? How far? What does your pack weigh? Wouldn't a high end bag or quilt make more sense?

I feel like I'm missing something. I have a wall tent for trailhead camping, but I'm not sure about carrying a wood stove very far back, I've slept some pretty cold nights in a bag, never felt a need for a stove.

Yeah the stove I have weighs 2.5 pounds with the 7 foot stove pipe. My pack usually weighs around 70-80. This year it will be on the closer to 70 side. I upgraded my bag to a quilt, and upgraded the tent from an REI 3 man ( 5-6 pounds) to the Hudson by Jimmy Tarps.

I really don't need the stove to stay warm. I sleep very warm, but at 3.5-4 pounds total I figured what the heck. I have walked in 5.5 into the Pecos Wilderness with an 80+ pound pack.. never again.

 

[RockinU]

Yeah, I'm just not seeing the need, I have a quilt that's rated to 0, and dang sure works in the mid teens that weighs less than 2 lbs, I'm not thinking a stove fits my needs. They are pretty bad ass that they've got them that light and all, just not my cup of tea. Would love to see pictures of your set up though, it's definitely an interesting approach.

 

[Pelican]

I’m trying to find a hot tent that’s still light enough for backpacking. Some tents that I’m looking at are the cimmaron from seek outside, a few from VIam outdoors, and I’m open to any other options. Mainly wondering if it’s practical to pack with the folding stove and chimney, with weight and size in the pack.

Check out the Seek outside silver tip instead of the cimmaron. The cimmaron + stove would be appropriate for two people. The silver tip + stove is perfect for one.

You guys are carrying wood stoves in on your backs? How far? What does your pack weigh? Wouldn't a high end bag or quilt make more sense?

My seek outside medium stove weighs about 2.5 lbs. Stove + tipi + ground cloth is about 6 lbs if I remember correctly. IMO you still need a good sleeping bag bag though. The stove is more for warming up when eating dinner, drying stuff out. I’ve never seen a backpacking wood stove that would burn for more than hour or so as they don’t seal up well. If you don’t have an appropriate sleeping bag you will either be up stoking the fire all night and/or freeze your nads off. I only take the stove when the temps will be in the single digits. My pack is around 35lb with stove. That weight doesn’t include food or water.

 

[pre6422hornet]

No sleeping pad? Where you hunting (state)/have you hunted with it?

Yeah I do run a pad. An Alps engineering one. I have used it at 11,800 feet in Southern CO, up in the Pecos Wilderness in NM, up over Edwards CO, Unit 58/57,

I currently am getting ready to break the seal on my current setup. I don't get cold, but my partner does. I have woke up some mornings when it is in the 20's and he is fully clothed ( jacket and hunting pants) inside his high dollar down mummy bag, where I am literally in my undies and a stocking cap in my bag. So when the opportunity came up to cut down some weight and possibly make our 6-7 day treks a little more comfortable I figured I might as well. I am looking forward to trying it out.

The stove is more or less going to be used for warming up the tent before lights out. We usually roll out of the tent and hit the ground running in pretty short order in the mornings.

And you are absolutely correct. Surviving without a fire is a must. Other than our cooking stoves we usually don't start a fire until an animal is down.

I can't wait... Only 23 days till I drive out.

 

[RockinU]

Check out the Seek outside silver tip instead of the cimmaron. The cimmaron + stove would be appropriate for two people. The silver tip + stove is perfect for one.

My seek outside medium stove weighs about 2.5 lbs. Stove + tipi + ground cloth is about 6 lbs if I remember correctly. IMO you still need a good sleeping bag bag though. The stove is more for warming up when eating dinner, drying stuff out. I’ve never seen a backpacking wood stove that would burn for more than hour or so as they don’t seal up well. If you don’t have an appropriate sleeping bag you will either be up stoking the fire all night and/or freeze your nads off. I only take the stove when the temps will be in the single digits. My pack is around 35lb with stove. That weight doesn’t include food or water.

Now that sounds like a pretty together set up. If you get it down to 35 lbs minus sustenance I'd like to hear the bag dump. My tent/pad/bag set up weighs in just a bit under 6 lbs total, and I don't have to sleep in layers unless it gets pretty close to single digits...I feel like I put long johns and socks on between 12-15 degrees.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Now that sounds like a pretty together set up. If you get it down to 35 lbs minus sustenance I'd like to hear the bag dump. My tent/pad/bag set up weighs in just a bit under 6 lbs total, and I don't have to sleep in layers unless it gets pretty close to single digits...I feel like I put long johns and socks on between 12-15 degrees.

Yeah a bag dump would be cool. I am still guilty of packing way to much stuff whether it is food, clothes, extra muzzleloader stuff.etc..

This year though I am hoping to put that in the past. One extra merino shirt, one extra merino undies, one extra pair of merino socks. Thats all... rest is jacket, puffy, pants, rain gear.

 

[RockinU]

I don't scrimp on socks. I have a pair on my feet and 3 in my pack. It's been my experience that if I keep my feet happy, I can endure most anything, and happy feet means dry feet, which in the mountains often means having plenty of spares, whether it be from getting some wet putting them back on wet feet after a stream crossing, or just needing plenty of extras because conditions aren't conducive to getting them dried out hanging. Socks are a must go for me.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Yeah I do run a pad. An Alps engineering one. I have used it at 11,800 feet in Southern CO, up in the Pecos Wilderness in NM, up over Edwards CO, Unit 58/57,

I currently am getting ready to break the seal on my current setup. I don't get cold, but my partner does. I have woke up some mornings when it is in the 20's and he is fully clothed ( jacket and hunting pants) inside his high dollar down mummy bag, where I am literally in my undies and a stocking cap in my bag. So when the opportunity came up to cut down some weight and possibly make our 6-7 day treks a little more comfortable I figured I might as well. I am looking forward to trying it out.

The stove is more or less going to be used for warming up the tent before lights out. We usually roll out of the tent and hit the ground running in pretty short order in the mornings.

And you are absolutely correct. Surviving without a fire is a must. Other than our cooking stoves we usually don't start a fire until an animal is down.

I can't wait... Only 23 days till I drive out.

Interesting... I like the idea of a hot tent, especially on say a AK float trip or something, or if you had to weather a storm for a bit. I grew in Eagle, CO. Might have to invest in one on the next tent.

I don't scrimp on socks. I have a pair on my feet and 3 in my pack. It's been my experience that if I keep my feet happy, I can endure most anything, and happy feet means dry feet, which in the mountains often means having plenty of spares, whether it be from getting some wet putting them back on wet feet after a stream crossing, or just needing plenty of extras because conditions aren't conducive to getting them dried out hanging. Socks are a must go for me.

They were for me until my first AK hunt... after that I'm like wet feet for a week... shitty but not a trip killer for me. Although wet feet still blow.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Interesting... I like the idea of a hot tent, especially on say a AK float trip or something, or if you had to weather a storm for a bit. I grew in Eagle, CO. Might have to invest in one on the next tent.


They were for me until my first AK hunt... after that I'm like wet feet for a week... shitty but not a trip killer for me. Although wet feet still blow.

Nice. I took my first western hunting trip in 1998 at the ripe old age of 24, driving out from Ohio, in unit 57/58. Took a cow elk home with me. Then started hunting above Edwards in 1999 and took my first Mule deer buck in 2000 ( 28" 5x5) and my biggest ( 32.5" wide 3x5) in 2002. Beautiful country up there. Back then you could put in for PP first choice and then draw the hunt of your choice.

We even got sent home off the mountain in 2002 if I remember correctly. Game and Fish or Forest Service came up on the last day and pretty much told us to head to town unless we had snow mobiles...

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Nice. I took my first western hunting trip in 1998 at the ripe old age of 24, driving out from Ohio, in unit 57/58. Took a cow elk home with me. Then started hunting above Edwards in 1999 and took my first Mule deer buck in 2000 ( 28" 5x5) and my biggest ( 32.5" wide 3x5) in 2002. Beautiful country up there. Back then you could put in for PP first choice and then draw the hunt of your choice.

We even got sent home off the mountain in 2002 if I remember correctly. Game and Fish or Forest Service came up on the last day and pretty much told us to head to town unless we had snow mobiles...

Lol now good luck finding critters in that country, that herd had been decimated.

 

[grizzly_]

I love having a hot tent when its cold. This is our Cimmaron with a Titanium Goat 'Small Wifi' stove. The tent with stakes, bag, and center pole come in at 60oz (my actual scale weight, SO says 55oz). The stove weighs 30oz including stove, chimney, damper, spark arrestor, etc...

Obviously I'm not as tough as some guys, but my wife and I love having a hot tent when it is cold and wet - it gets so hot we have to open the door in 0F weather sometimes. Being able to get that chill out of your skin and dry out your clothes while preheating a cold, wet sleeping bag is worth every ounce to us. Plus there is something comforting on a long cold night about tending a fire and boiling your water while you feed sticks into the flames.

PS. This pic was on a hunt in Idaho where we could use ATVs to pack in gear, but then were required to not use the ATV once there due to their Motorized Vehicle Rule. We wouldn't normally take the stove in this mild weather, but it is so pleasant that when weight doesn't matter it is just a nicety to have along.