Wall tent purchase

[Russell M.]

So my hunting party and I have decided to all chip in on a good wall tent. We're looking at one from Montana Canvas and need it to be big enough to sleep about 4 people with cots and everything. We want a sleeping area in the back and a big enough area in the front to put up a small table that a good 5-7 guys can hang out inside plus a wood stove. We're planning on just going all out on this thing, sewn in floor, aluminum frame and also the "cook shack" with the frame up front. So my question for someone who has one or has experience with them is how big? We were thinking maybe the 14x17 with the 14x12 cook shack but not sure. Also, where's the cheapest place to buy them? Any advice would go a long ways, thanks!

 

[libidilatimmy]

When it comes to wall tents, it's been my experience that floor-less is the way to go. It'll cut out some weight and they are WAY easier to set up and WAY easier to keep clean. If you want portions to be "clean floor", you can just take along a ground cloth or tarp. The sizes you're talking about should be sufficient for your needs with the cook shack. We'll run a 12x14 (sleep) and a 10x14 (cook) tent for 6 people and everyone stay's comfortable. Honestly, you just don't spend that much time inside of the tents unless the weather turns to crap on you.

 

[buckbull]

If cost or weight are a concern, give the Cabela's Alaknak a look.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Ultimate-Alaknak-Tent-x/732548.uts

 

[arwaterfowler]

I'd go with the 12'x20' Alaknak


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[tttoadman]

We have a 15x20 from Bussards in Albany. They are a great bunch down there. We drop it off every year and they dry it and pack it for $50 (+/-). We through it out of the pickup with ice still covering most of it. Their system is truly modular unlike some of the others. You buy the connectors and then just buy your own steel conduit pipe. We have a wood stove, but we are considering a kerosene heater. Quicker to deal with, and a space saver as well.

 

[nv-hunter]

I would check out davis tent and awning especially their scratch and dent sales.
I would go with 2 tents 12 by 14 set end to end with a 10 gap between them and a half roof and one wall for a fire area. 2 tents can be useful if your party all doesn't go or somehow get tags in 2 different places

 

[Russell M.]

Yeah still haven't decided on the floor or not, I have heard that it makes them much more difficult to set up. As for as weight savings not all that concerned about it being heavy. We're pretty set on a canvas tent. I've never seen the Alaknaks in person but I was sort of curious about them, whats the material like on them?

 

[nv-hunter]

forget the floor just take a roll of heavy plastic like the knida that they put in crawl spaces it works great and cheap too

 

[Don K]

Im with the others go without the floor. I bought a 14X16 from Davis tent and went with their traditional pole set up. I was going to go with the internal frame (more money) but they talked me out of it and I'm happy they did. I also got the awning for the tent and it helps protect the roof from embers with the stove and gets me a place to store stuff out of the weather. I had mine made with doors on both ends, screens in the doors and windows with screens on both sides. The floor I bought from them lays on the ground and has a zip out area for the stove. I have been folding the floor in half and only covering half the floor where we sleep. I found this much easier to keep clean as everyone walks in and out of the front door with their boots on and not dragging mud and stuff inside.

Other things to keep around is some outdoor carpet as you can use that in or outside the tent. Also a large tarp to put down under the floor helps if the ground is frozen or you have shoveled snow out of the way for your tent.

Lots of things to consider when you buy one but I took the time and money and bought what I wanted the first time.

 

[BillH]

I have a 12x12 Alaknak with a wood stove. I've used it for 4 total weeks in the CO high country over the last couple of years; it really works great.

It sleeps 4 easily on cots with the wood stove, but more would be pushing the comfort zone; it is absolutely perfect for 3 with the wood stove.

It has a floor, but I can see how the floorless wall tents would often be the way to go...

 

[Team Kabob]

I camped next to some guys in Alaska that had the arctic ovens. I was very jealous of their set up.
http://www.alaskatent.com

 

[buckbull]

Yeah still haven't decided on the floor or not, I have heard that it makes them much more difficult to set up. As for as weight savings not all that concerned about it being heavy. We're pretty set on a canvas tent. I've never seen the Alaknaks in person but I was sort of curious about them, whats the material like on them?

They are made from heavy duty polyester. Weight and cost were important to me so I went with the alaknak. I wrote a comprehensive review of the alaknak here on eastmans. You can probably find it by searching for it if interested.

 

[bigmoose]

I think you are on the right track. Go with the sizes you mentioned and do not get a sewed in floor. You can get the floor for the sleep tent from Montana Canvas and stake it in. It has a cut out for the wood burning stove. I would not want any floor in the cook tent. We also put carpet runners on the floor of the sleep tent. Makes it nice. Boots come off at the door. The best wood stove we've found is the Cylinder Stove. Everything fits inside and it will keep you toasty. We have had this set up for 30+ years. Great way to camp. One other thing we do is to put a tarp over the tent to aid with snow. Also, it hangs down far enough on the sides to stack wood under.

 

[OregonJim]

Russell,
Being that you are in Oregon I was going to point you toward Canvas Cabins in Hillsboro.

Turns out the company was purchased by a couple of gentlemen in MT.

I purchased one about 14 years ago and I spend about a month a year in mine.
My advice, go into it just like a gun safe purchase. "Add about 20% to the size you think you want".
If weight is not an issue go with a good canvas one IMO.

 

[Eberle]

You don't want a sewn-in floor, trust me on this one. They are a pain in the butt! Hard to clean & keep clean. We stake down a tarp & have a canvas tent.

 

[gypsumreaper]

I have an old canvas tent my dad bought 20 some years ago and it's still going strong, I believe it's a 16x18, he bought the connectors and built our own frame, we put a tarp under half of it for the floor and sleep 6 people pretty comfortable., then I have a cheap green canvas tent with an external frame that I will use if I'm packing in cause all the poles and tent I can fit on a horse easy. We have had them set up many different ways but this past year found a way that we like. They are door to door with a 6 foot gap in between them. In my picture the one on the left is all cooking and the one on right is sleeping, we use the 30 gal wood stove in the sleeping one and jus use the stoves in the cook shack to take the chill off. Since we only use our heavy canvas tent when we can drive to camp my dad is working on getting a heater out of a camper with a thermostat instead of having to stoke a fire all night. We go through tarps every year cause we usually end up using them for other things after hunting season. But even last year when we showed up with 2 inches of snow on the ground out floor was dry by end of night. Get a cheap pair I camp shoes and don't worry bout a floor. One good thing about the internal frame is hanging stuff off the side poles at night to save on floor space. Then get some of the roll up tables so when you don't need them they roll and fold an can be out of ur way

If you get meat from the store then dont criticize me for having the courage to go out and kill my own meat

 

[Musket Man]

When it comes to wall tents, it's been my experience that floor-less is the way to go. It'll cut out some weight and they are WAY easier to set up and WAY easier to keep clean. If you want portions to be "clean floor", you can just take along a ground cloth or tarp. The sizes you're talking about should be sufficient for your needs with the cook shack. We'll run a 12x14 (sleep) and a 10x14 (cook) tent for 6 people and everyone stay's comfortable. Honestly, you just don't spend that much time inside of the tents unless the weather turns to crap on you.

+1 on no floor. I have used both. A floor is not bad in a smaller tent with 1-2 guys but in a bigger one with more guys in it I would rather not have the floor.

 

[Russell M.]

Thanks for all the tips everyone, we're getting close to figuring it out I think and are going floorless.

 

[mattdeere]

Lots of good advice in this conversation. I bought a wall tent from Davis in colorado. 10x12 no floor.

 

[MOHunter]

I was going to go with the internal frame (more money) but they talked me out of it and I'm happy they did.

Any reason other than weight? I've heard so many guys like the internal for lack of a center pole and the ability to hang stuff from it.