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To answer your question, yes, we want to hot tent camp. Winter camping is so lovely. No bugs, no bears (well, almost no bears) and, mostly, not so many people. The quiet; ahhhh. Thanks for being so informative, honest and straightforward. All you mentioned are the very things we love about camping. Like the challenge.
I have to honestly say this was a good educational thing for people that are unaware of what it takes to do outdoor winter camping with hot tents. I'm glad somebody finally addressed this because unfortunately there are people that just aren't aware. Good job, excellent video. Thank you
I only spoke the truth. I've been winter camping for years and just never seen anybody really address the issues that come up and for people that are just starting out this is great for them to see to give somewhat of an idea. You hit pretty much all the points I would have hit and that's why you got such good praise. You deserve it. Once again, great job!
@@michaelgineo3035 Thanks again. After the fact, I did think of one other thing I could have addressed which is that the nights can be very long when you camp in winter, so you might be in your tent a lot more than you expect compared to summer camping. It's dark at 4 or 5 pm and the sun doesn't come up until 8 am or later in a lot of places, even in the Lower 48. Forget about Canada or Alaska. You can get pretty bored and stir crazy if you're not prepared to sit, stay warm, and take it easy. Then again, that's one of the funnest things about a hot tent, especially with a family, is hanging out in your t-shirts, playing games, eating food, and talking all evening.
My husband and I have had a Springbar Classic Jack 140 with a Winnerwell stove for three years. We love it. We used it in southern Arizona for a month of camping in January. By day, it was 60 degrees but at night in the desert, when the sun went down and the wind came up, it got below freezing every night. It was so cozy to sit and read by the fire and sip tea. We let the fire go out at night and used 20 degree bags plus a liner to stay warm while we slept. We've used the hot tent at high elevation in early summer camping---again, it's so cozy to hang out in the tent with a cup of coffee when it's still 45 degrees outside. And we've used it along Lake Superior in the early fall when it can be 70-degrees one day---and 40 degrees the next day. If we're out in the summer and the forecast is for great summer weather, we don't set up the stove and just enjoy all the space inside the Classic Jack 140. For us, the tent is where we hang out in the morning and evening and read, play cards, etc when it's cold outside. We're retired, so we set up the tent and stay for at least 4 nights or longer. We use it as our base camp and go off on day hikes, etc. For us, if we're staying awhile, the extra set-up time isn't bad. We also have the Springbar Leisure Port, which we use as a dining and cooking area. In the cold, we zip down all the sides and between the stove, propane lantern and a Mr. Buddy heater, it's a warm and cozy place. We feel like between the Leisure Port and the Classic Jack 140, we have a mobile two-room cabin. We haul all our gear in a utility trailer-- when we get to camp, the trailer makes a great on-site water-proof, bear-proof storage locker. When we come home, we park it next to the garage and that's where we store the gear when not in use.. We pull it with our Subaru Outback, so the car isn't cluttered and there's plenty of space for the dogs, etc. We've camped in backpacking tents, nylon family tents, a VW campervan and so far, the Springbar canvas tents have been our favorite--so much more spacious than a RV or campervan; much more quiet than a nylon tent and with better ventilation that a vehicle. The hot tent option was a game changer for us. We don't use it in the dead of winter in the snow, but it's made three-season camping so comfy.
That’s a great use of the tent. I can see why you’d love it! It sounds like you’ve got a great system for your camping trips. And you're definitely getting your money's worth. I hope my wife and I are doing the same when we retire.
Nice video, thanks. Made my own hot tent teepee from a very large tarp I had. Installed a $120 stove jack. Bought cots and a wood stove and just love it. I even use it out on the lake for ice fishing. It's pretty awesome waking up and you're immediately fishing! 😂👍
I use mine all year long. Its our off grid "house" when out on the property. Stays up. In summer we put the stove outside for cooking on. But that's me. You do you. Love the information this channel give. PS.. Go watch the "seasoning" needed for canvas tents. No one wants leaks
Can I ask which tent & which State or Country? They’re expensive but I need a place to run to. As he states, they’re expensive (I cxld my purchase of Springbar/Winnerwell after spending time with an owner of one)& I’m an older gal. Thanks!
Man you are by far my favorite creator for this type of content! There are some great content creators out there but it seems like it's getting where they all do the same thing. You have minutes of just them setting up, then you have to listen to them explain what it looks like around them. They cook delicious meals then it's a clip of them in bed talking about how breathtaking it is. Then morning comes another several minutes of watching coffee brew then it's "time to pack up" people want to know about the gear and the reality of what it's like out there and you do such a good job of making all around amazing content! Keep it up!
Been running an Alaknak 12x12 (semiwall pyramid) with a Four Dog stove for about six years. Starting bringing the winter tent out for year round camping due to the room, plus the stove jack doubles as the AC exhaust vent hole! Biggest winter camping issues are hunters turning limited public land into Fallujah, state parks are closed Oct-May, lack of wood for sale, and buying your own raw land is prohibitively expensive unless you are looking to drive out 8+ hours away.
My hot tent is a 6 man modified dome with a full rain fly and a buddy heater sitting on a cookie sheet with the propane outside, a fire/CO detector, a fire extinguisher and nothing within 4 feet of it. Works for me, doing it this weekend with the winter storm blowing in.
@ I just added a second CO detector with a digital display showing the CO PPM level today so I can adjust ventilation if I see any CO registering and it will be at the same level as my head.
Having been camping in the winter/very early spring a hot tent is a no brainer for me. In 6 trip's to the steelhead river and it's psid for itself. Plus i get to camp 😊.
Excellent summary. All of what you mentioned are considerations I posed to myself, mostly AFTER acquiring the gear. But, like many 'nerds', once 'I'm in' having made, significant purchases, I've then incrementally bought other related gear. From my perspective, for true 'backpacking' carrying a hot tent is generally not viable. An exception is to carry the extra weight and bulk ashort distance, and leave it in place for days. Barring that, a hot tent and backpacking mobility just don't mix. When setting up the stove pipe, adding three guy lines to secure the upper end of the pipe seems like a requisite, at least in alpine elevations. Strong wind gusts quickly topple, or in the case of the titanium pipe roll, buckle the pipe. Another issue with backpacking is 'location', at least in the Sierra. It's a challenge trying to secure all the lines to ground because rocks are often prevalent just beneath the soil. When stake placement is ineffective., then setup takes even more time, searching for rocks and logs, trees, and possibly even relocating the tent. My 'normal' backpacking tents are self supporting and have an integral floor. Even if it's less than optimal, I can first place gear inside the tent before setting it up in order to prevent it from being blown away and then work on the setup. Their speed and simplicity of setup are a major plus.
great video. i think in the western us you can use the hot tent 6+ months especially in mountains or if you camp with a woman whom tend to be cold natured. and it’s definitely a lot of tent time in winter. I also don t love the frequent need to feed the small stoves once sleep time comes. And of course we spend money because it’s our hobby whether justified or not but it’s just what we do. even now i m considering one of those large inflatable tents such as from coody or other mfgs. thanks for taking the time to make this video.
Covered all the main concerns. I got my set up about 4 years ago for deer hunting camps in November, game changer, definitely feel safer with the woodstove burning while sleeping than I ever did with a buddy heater. If your tent has a floor, get some cheap moving blankets from harbor freight to put down in spots, makes the floor warm enough for just socks.
Ive packed a few winter trips with a 15 year old Kifaru 4 man teepee with a stove. The stove takes some time to put together. But, its definitely worth taking. It weighs like a pound and doesnt take up much space. I like being able to start a fire, heat the tent, and put some coffee on before climbing out of a warm sleeping bag. I also like being able to dry gear out.
Lugging gear... hot tents especially the big canvas sidewalls, often need you snowshoeing in with a cargo sled... more money. Worth it, especially if you are bringing wood. Many people will use propane or butane stoves to hot tent with. These can work for smaller tents. You can get big heavy stoves with 8 to 12 hours burn time. The youkon 5 stove for example, is almost 100 lbs. Has a 3.4 cf fire box, can be damped down to burn for half a day... but is over 600 dollars
@theoutdoorempire thanks. I forgot to mention, the problem with the big stoves is... they can heat you out of a tent. You need skill and experience to use them. Sometimes you can't just pack them full... especially in tents smaller then 10x14.
I will be going through the expenses for HOT/and Summer camping. Thanks for giving me pointers on what I need and don't. However, I am more convinced that this is something my husband and I can do while we are retired.
I'll have to make a video about Buddy heaters sometime. Not sure I'll share the whole story, but suffice it to say my brother's truck burned to the ground. He was ok though.
I debated getting a hot tent this year but i decided to go with the kodiak 12x14. I use a buddy heater. If i leave i just turn it off. Hot tent i wouldnt feel safe leaving. Pros and cons to both. Like you reviews. Happy new year!!
Love hot 🔥 tenting myself own thousands of dollars worth of hot 🔥 tents and stoves myself, actually watching this from my canvas frontier hot 🔥 tent while baking some biscuits in the pipe oven on my winnerwell nomad 😂
In the past ive used the Silnylon Kifaru and Ti Goat hot shelters. Im looking now to go to an more robust canvas hot shelter. Its difficult to know where to put the money for a mobile hot tent for pulling in on snowmobile or pulk sled. Snowtrekker is nice but spendy. Esker is also an option and is more affordable and lighter. Already have sever stoves but finding the right tent has been difficult
Ya, it's tricky to decide what will work best, especially long term since those are the kinds of tents that you use for your whole life. I've done a lot of videos on the Springbar style tents, including similar models from Kodiak and Teton. I'm trying to get more to test and try just so people like yourself can get a closer look at them. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference since there are a lot of great options out there. I'm hoping to review a Snowtrekker soon.
I went with a diesel heater. At $85, on clearance, at WallyWorld, I felt it couldn't be beat. I love the idea of a wood burning stove, but just cannot justify the expense living in Florida. The diesel is going to have to do it. Plus, it's a lot cleaner inside the tent. Hope you and the family had a Merry Christmas. I enjoy your videos. Thanks for making them. PS I wound up buying a Springbar CJ140 and am very happy with it.
@@theoutdoorempire I love it. Thank you for all your videos about the Springbar tents. They played a big role in my decision. Happy New Year! I'm heading to Quartzsite in a couple of weeks to give everything an extended workout!
Utah Jeff …,new stoves use wood pellets and will last 10 hours and self feed itself so you don’t have to babysit the wood stove every 2 hours. They also burn cleaner so you do not have to deal with ash buildup … which you did not mention ?
Good point on the ash build up. Gotta clean it out every day or two. I'm keen to try a pellet stove. I don't love that you always have to buy and bring pellets with you. It's nice to be able to just gather firewood where you camp when possible. But I can see the allure of the pellets. Cheers
Thank you for your commentary. Me and my wife have really been considering Hot Tent Camping. We've found it to be expensive, and to just be honest. Were Glampers! LOL.. We are searching for one of the inflatable ones.
I just have a 3 season tent, no wood stove my sleeping bag is good to - 15 C ( 5 F ) and use foam mat on bottom heard you can take hot water bottle or hot stones from campfire ( in towel or wool socks ) in with you and put them in your sleeping bag
That was a really good video. That should get people thinking. I've spent enough on camping gear, that my wife said that if I get another hobby, I'll have to get a second job to be able to afford it. She can't complain too much though, in 2021 I bought her a $40k 4 season camper. So, her camping gear cost more than mine.
Item #3, pellet stove as an option now! Side note, I have the exact same bodega 12v cooler you showed in a different video. The compressor died at almost 2 years to the day. The bluetooth was flakey anyways; switched to Iceco alp35 black friday deal.
Some years back I saw old army tents sold. These were sized for sixteen people and came with a stove. Now I used those tents when doing my military service. We spent up to three weeks in those tents during the winter at temperatures down under -40 degrees. Now that is cold, and yet those tents kept us warm enough. Old military equipment, when it can be had, are usually relatively cheap but it comes with some issues. You really don't want to learn how to set it up in biting cold or heavy rain. Train when the weather is fine and you have time to really learn how to set it up. A large tent like that is not something you set up yourself or with a single partner. I would say that you need to be at least four, and being a few more makes it easier. Now this kind of tents are large, and the stove and chimney is not light. Instead it will be a large bow for all the chimney parts, tent poles, the anchors for the tent, a large metal lid for the top of the tent and a set of rods for the drying rack. Add to that a tent that will weigh about 80 pounds and it's not something for backpacking. But provided you have the wood it will keep you warm in the middle of a cold winter. Do note that even if the army will stuff sixteen into that tent it's not all that large, but it should be fine for six to eight people and ten will make do without getting claustrophobic. My point is that these tents are large and heavy, and not really a good idea for a group of four or less.
Three Montana Canvas wall tents . Never heard the phrase " Hot tent " until recently . Welded my own stoves and perfected the design by trial and error . NOT back pack compatible ! Used for years , deer hunting northern Wisconsin . Found optimal size for two men plus gear is 10 X 12 . Perfect . Much larger is hard to keep warm without constant stoking . Two cots per tent , with a gap between , and a folding chair/ night stand by your head . Room at your feet for stove , a little dry wood and gear . Six man crew with a couple chainsaws can fill a 3/4 ton long box 4x4 in short time . Best to find dead , dry oak 7" diameter or less - so no splitting . Look for deadfall that is not in ground contact ! = Dry . Nicest wood set aside for heating tents . The rest is campfire wood , which is where all cooking was done . Not in your tent ! Bears aren't usually an issue in November but mice will do enormous damage . And some semblance of odor control won't hurt if you're hunting . Amazing , dry warm comfort down into below zero temps . Dry out socks and liners above stove . Keep a set of liners in rotation for warm dry feet . Enjoy !
I camp in high elevation in summer where it is not uncommon to drop into the 30s at night. A hot tent with a pellet stove with long burn time would be nice. I saw one pellet stove for hot tenting burned 10 hours without refilling.
These are good facts to consider. I never used a hot tent, but that romantic idea of having a little stove warming you up is tempting. Personally, after consideration, it is not for me. I believe hot tents are particularly useful for someone that plans on staying on the same spot for a longer term winter camping in cold weather conditions. For example, if you go hunting for a week or even two.
Pellet stove? I love running pellets in my wood-gas burner, one cup of hardwood pellets burns for 90 mins, 35 mins active flame, and then 55 mins of useable heat, leaving nothing but ash.
I think the Coleman white gas catalytic heaters are better than the propane ones unless you're going to pipe in the propane from an outside bulk tank. They will run for around 18 hours on a tank. They are only rated to 5K BTUs, and you can't get a new one, and you'll ruin it with regular gas.
As I understand it, you're not supposed to use artificial fire logs in an enclosed wood stove. I do use Pres-to logs and some other compressed sawdust logs, just not the ones with all the added wax, or resin, or whatever it is that those Duraflame type fire logs have.
Sorry but no. The last several years elk hunting in a camper that had limited mobility and an untrustworthy heater, a buddy heater that by itself couldn’t keep up with dropping temperatures, and morning temps around 0 F, all I could do is dream of having a little wood stove. Having frost caked onto your top blanket sucks and I can’t sleep confined/trapped in mummy sleeping bags. And I’m used to wood stoves. I grew up using them as my sole heating source. It’s not a novelty to me. I will definitely take my chances next year in a hot tent
Sounds like a good choice. I love hot tents as well, especially on hunting trips. I hope you caught the whole video to see that. I just see a lot of videos about hot tents that only show the cozy vibes and no one talks about the work and effort involved. So I wanted to give folks a fair warning.
my only purpose to use a hot tent would be for hunting and have realized that for the time of year and work involved a desal heater would probe be better. I will have enough to do with out tending a fire all the time.
Most campers and especially backpackers don't spend much time in the tent except to sleep. After all, they go camping to be outdoors. After a day of hiking or fishing, they build a campfire outside. With a good winter sleeping bag your body will keep you warm. If it's really cold, bring in some hot stones from the campfire to jump start your sleeping bag 😊
I take precautions with a wood stove, but the fire hazard is contained inside the stove. With a Buddy heater the heating element is exposed and can ignite stuff that may come in contact with it. I've seen one start a fire that burned down an entire truck. That's where my concern comes from, but I know a lot of folks use Buddy heaters and like them, and that's fine too. They're just not for me.
It's a common concern, but highly unlikely given the airflow you have in a tent. They're not airtight so it would be difficult for that much CO to build up. I use a detector anyway so I don't worry about it at all.
You've convinced me not to hot camp! In truth, the work involved is simply beyond my ability at this point. I feel cooped up in the wintertime enough as it is in my home (I live in a lake effect snow belt region) and to think about being cooped up in less space in cold weather has no attraction. A cabin in the woods during winter I would love, though.
🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️. Dude, do not listen to this video. He pigeon holes you into following “his” rules of “hot tenting”. If I followed his way, I would not do it either.
5 Reasons You Should NOT Buy a Hot Tent for Camping..........what are the other options, don't camp in the cold, or just be cold as hell when you camp? Horrible video.
I appreciate the feedback. The other options for winter camping would be to not mess with a wood stove or extra heat source at all. Rather, wear layers and use heavy winter sleeping gear. I do that too, but the hot tent takes the edge off and makes things like meal prep comfortable and not miserably cold.
I agree. Dude makes up his own problems in this video, without any sensible solutions that a reasonable person would figure out. Following his pattern, people could be talked out of anything. He could make breathing sound like an impossible endeavor 🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️ Do you breathe without assistance? How many breaths do you take a day? How tiring! Just lay down, and climb into this lung machine. 😂
... If you only car camp ,, use an overland 4x4 or backcountry ATV ,, or snow machine ,, a quality canvas tent is the best way to go .. and in todays world are NOT any more expensive than a high quality named brand backpack tent (some BP tents are even way more) and usually way more room ... It's more of a buy once ,, cry once .........I've used a canvas hot tent for almost 60 years (since early Boy Scout days) and never seen a $2000.00 tent ,, they must have seen you coming .. A good 2-3 man or woman canvas tent is around $500.00-$800.00 and a canvas tent large enough for twice as many usually around $1000.00-$1500.00 .... Get the proper size stove for the tent of choice ,, bigger tents need bigger stoves .... the small stoves like you showed here won't heat the space of a large tent and keeping it stoked will be a full time job ,, not so with a full size stove ... If you don't want to use the stove in summer conditions ,, Don't ,, still a tent big enough for the whole family or group for all conditions and big enough to stand up and move around .. If you shop around a good quality Hot tent set up will be around $1000.00- $2000.00 total , depending on size/needs ....... and with reasonable care ,, will last a lifetime .. .. Even to get in the back country in snow covered treks on foot ,, just use a Pulk sled or Toboggan ,,, winter gear is going to be heavier anyway ,, Hiking in with snow shoes or skis is a workout ,, but might be the adventure you desire .. you are not going to carry a needed full loadout on your back ....
😂. Pretty much another silly dopey dumb dumb stove video with the premise of loaded questions. Same Questions can be applied to anything making it sound silly. You remind me of the old “Ronco” commercials 😂. Example: do you really want to go camping? Do you know you will actually have to purchase camping equipment AND carry it? You will have to learn critical placement of your tent, learn how to install stakes and don’t get me started on knot tying! And for what? All to camp a few times a year! Absurd! The ONLY thing we have that is similar is we both use a portable stove. Pretty much everything else is different, ESPECIALLY “processing “ wood 🤦🏻♂️. Please for the love of all that is holy can we drop that term from outdoor camp life. As a person who had to cut, buck, stack , dry, carry, 9 to 12 cords a year for nearly two decades - proc- almost said it 😂 “fiddling” with wood when I am trying to relax in nature is the very LAST thing I do. Yet somehow I am able to have a fire 85% of the time when I am out in the woods. You are right up with the sellers who push the 5 & 10 c’s of “survivalbility “( if that’s a word 😂) and the nonsense of two is one, one is none, and three is better death trap. I suppose if one is totally ignorant about EVERYTHING outdoors would find something from this video. What is a tent, winter is actually colder than non winter months, a tent is portable, wood burns. I’m definitely saving this video to make sure I have someone proofread my work because I may fall into a vacuum myself and not realize I’m writing about nonsense. Dude…😂
Agreed on the cost. Winter camping gear is expensive to get a comfortable experience. Agreed with a cot. Forget an air mattress, cut down a 4" memory foam mattress topper to fit your cot. As far as collecting wood, I bought a wood pellet stove for my hot tent. For 2 night, I take 3 50lb. bags of wood pellets. Never came close to using three bags, but I tend to be more cautious. As far a s a sleeping bag, if you purchase one that says it is good to -30 F, that is survivable temps for the bag, not comfort. Cheat your butts off. Buy a cloth bag rated for that, but bring along a goose down blanket. Getting close to the -30 rating for your bag? Buy some over sized hand warmers and throw them in about 45 minutes before you go to bed. DO NOT do this if you have a nylon winter bag. None of this is cheap, and it is heavy gear. The upside is that even if you go to a state recreation area, there will be few if any people there with barking dogs, bawling kids, or bugs to contend with.
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To answer your question, yes, we want to hot tent camp. Winter camping is so lovely. No bugs, no bears (well, almost no bears) and, mostly, not so many people. The quiet; ahhhh. Thanks for being so informative, honest and straightforward. All you mentioned are the very things we love about camping. Like the challenge.
I’m glad you find the challenges of winter camping so rewarding!
I have to honestly say this was a good educational thing for people that are unaware of what it takes to do outdoor winter camping with hot tents. I'm glad somebody finally addressed this because unfortunately there are people that just aren't aware. Good job, excellent video. Thank you
Thank you for saying that, very kind of you. I do love winter camping, but there are definitely some things that are left unsaid in a lot of videos.
I only spoke the truth. I've been winter camping for years and just never seen anybody really address the issues that come up and for people that are just starting out this is great for them to see to give somewhat of an idea. You hit pretty much all the points I would have hit and that's why you got such good praise. You deserve it. Once again, great job!
@@michaelgineo3035 Thanks again. After the fact, I did think of one other thing I could have addressed which is that the nights can be very long when you camp in winter, so you might be in your tent a lot more than you expect compared to summer camping. It's dark at 4 or 5 pm and the sun doesn't come up until 8 am or later in a lot of places, even in the Lower 48. Forget about Canada or Alaska. You can get pretty bored and stir crazy if you're not prepared to sit, stay warm, and take it easy. Then again, that's one of the funnest things about a hot tent, especially with a family, is hanging out in your t-shirts, playing games, eating food, and talking all evening.
@@theoutdoorempire good point that is true but expected in my book I've done the Alaska winter camping and it's a ball
My husband and I have had a Springbar Classic Jack 140 with a Winnerwell stove for three years. We love it. We used it in southern Arizona for a month of camping in January. By day, it was 60 degrees but at night in the desert, when the sun went down and the wind came up, it got below freezing every night. It was so cozy to sit and read by the fire and sip tea. We let the fire go out at night and used 20 degree bags plus a liner to stay warm while we slept.
We've used the hot tent at high elevation in early summer camping---again, it's so cozy to hang out in the tent with a cup of coffee when it's still 45 degrees outside.
And we've used it along Lake Superior in the early fall when it can be 70-degrees one day---and 40 degrees the next day.
If we're out in the summer and the forecast is for great summer weather, we don't set up the stove and just enjoy all the space inside the Classic Jack 140.
For us, the tent is where we hang out in the morning and evening and read, play cards, etc when it's cold outside. We're retired, so we set up the tent and stay for at least 4 nights or longer. We use it as our base camp and go off on day hikes, etc. For us, if we're staying awhile, the extra set-up time isn't bad.
We also have the Springbar Leisure Port, which we use as a dining and cooking area. In the cold, we zip down all the sides and between the stove, propane lantern and a Mr. Buddy heater, it's a warm and cozy place.
We feel like between the Leisure Port and the Classic Jack 140, we have a mobile two-room cabin. We haul all our gear in a utility trailer-- when we get to camp, the trailer makes a great on-site water-proof, bear-proof storage locker. When we come home, we park it next to the garage and that's where we store the gear when not in use.. We pull it with our Subaru Outback, so the car isn't cluttered and there's plenty of space for the dogs, etc.
We've camped in backpacking tents, nylon family tents, a VW campervan and so far, the Springbar canvas tents have been our favorite--so much more spacious than a RV or campervan; much more quiet than a nylon tent and with better ventilation that a vehicle. The hot tent option was a game changer for us. We don't use it in the dead of winter in the snow, but it's made three-season camping so comfy.
That’s a great use of the tent. I can see why you’d love it! It sounds like you’ve got a great system for your camping trips. And you're definitely getting your money's worth. I hope my wife and I are doing the same when we retire.
Nice video, thanks.
Made my own hot tent teepee from a very large tarp I had. Installed a $120 stove jack. Bought cots and a wood stove and just love it. I even use it out on the lake for ice fishing. It's pretty awesome waking up and you're immediately fishing! 😂👍
I like the sound of that!
I use mine all year long. Its our off grid "house" when out on the property. Stays up. In summer we put the stove outside for cooking on. But that's me. You do you. Love the information this channel give. PS.. Go watch the "seasoning" needed for canvas tents. No one wants leaks
I like the sound of your setup!
Can I ask which tent & which State or Country? They’re expensive but I need a place to run to. As he states, they’re expensive (I cxld my purchase of Springbar/Winnerwell after spending time with an owner of one)& I’m an older gal. Thanks!
@@stanbyme7874 I have a white duck and upstate NY. The tent is set up on sand we put down. As well as tree line break for wind.
It's a lot of work but it's worth the reward. Best thing about winter camping. No bugs.
You got that right!
Man you are by far my favorite creator for this type of content! There are some great content creators out there but it seems like it's getting where they all do the same thing. You have minutes of just them setting up, then you have to listen to them explain what it looks like around them. They cook delicious meals then it's a clip of them in bed talking about how breathtaking it is. Then morning comes another several minutes of watching coffee brew then it's "time to pack up" people want to know about the gear and the reality of what it's like out there and you do such a good job of making all around amazing content! Keep it up!
Wow, thank you! I really appreciate that. I've been trying a lot of different things and some of it doesn't work, but I'm glad you've enjoyed it.
Been running an Alaknak 12x12 (semiwall pyramid) with a Four Dog stove for about six years. Starting bringing the winter tent out for year round camping due to the room, plus the stove jack doubles as the AC exhaust vent hole! Biggest winter camping issues are hunters turning limited public land into Fallujah, state parks are closed Oct-May, lack of wood for sale, and buying your own raw land is prohibitively expensive unless you are looking to drive out 8+ hours away.
King level advice, very nice video. I'm trying to wrap this idea around my head and figure out what I need to do!
Glad you liked it. I still love a hot tent, it's just good to know what you're getting into.
My hot tent is a 6 man modified dome with a full rain fly and a buddy heater sitting on a cookie sheet with the propane outside, a fire/CO detector, a fire extinguisher and nothing within 4 feet of it. Works for me, doing it this weekend with the winter storm blowing in.
That’s a great setup for safety.
@ I just added a second CO detector with a digital display showing the CO PPM level today so I can adjust ventilation if I see any CO registering and it will be at the same level as my head.
Having been camping in the winter/very early spring a hot tent is a no brainer for me. In 6 trip's to the steelhead river and it's psid for itself. Plus i get to camp 😊.
Awesome! Sounds like a good fit for you.
Excellent summary. All of what you mentioned are considerations I posed to myself, mostly AFTER acquiring the gear. But, like many 'nerds', once 'I'm in' having made, significant purchases, I've then incrementally bought other related gear. From my perspective, for true 'backpacking' carrying a hot tent is generally not viable. An exception is to carry the extra weight and bulk ashort distance, and leave it in place for days. Barring that, a hot tent and backpacking mobility just don't mix.
When setting up the stove pipe, adding three guy lines to secure the upper end of the pipe seems like a requisite, at least in alpine elevations. Strong wind gusts quickly topple, or in the case of the titanium pipe roll, buckle the pipe.
Another issue with backpacking is 'location', at least in the Sierra. It's a challenge trying to secure all the lines to ground because rocks are often prevalent just beneath the soil. When stake placement is ineffective., then setup takes even more time, searching for rocks and logs, trees, and possibly even relocating the tent. My 'normal' backpacking tents are self supporting and have an integral floor. Even if it's less than optimal, I can first place gear inside the tent before setting it up in order to prevent it from being blown away and then work on the setup. Their speed and simplicity of setup are a major plus.
Yeah, you're spot on about the wind and setup, those are real challenges.
great video. i think in the western us you can use the hot tent 6+ months especially in mountains or if you camp with a woman whom tend to be cold natured. and it’s definitely a lot of tent time in winter. I also don t love the frequent need to feed the small stoves once sleep time comes. And of course we spend money because it’s our hobby whether justified or not but it’s just what we do. even now i m considering one of those large inflatable tents such as from coody or other mfgs. thanks for taking the time to make this video.
Yeah, those inflatable tents are pretty cool! I'm looking at one too. Good comments, thanks for sharing.
Covered all the main concerns. I got my set up about 4 years ago for deer hunting camps in November, game changer, definitely feel safer with the woodstove burning while sleeping than I ever did with a buddy heater. If your tent has a floor, get some cheap moving blankets from harbor freight to put down in spots, makes the floor warm enough for just socks.
I hear ya in the Buddy heater. And great tip on the moving blankets.
Ive packed a few winter trips with a 15 year old Kifaru 4 man teepee with a stove. The stove takes some time to put together. But, its definitely worth taking. It weighs like a pound and doesnt take up much space. I like being able to start a fire, heat the tent, and put some coffee on before climbing out of a warm sleeping bag. I also like being able to dry gear out.
That’s a great setup!
Weighs “like a pound”? You mean you own a camping stove, that has a stove pipe, and weighs 16oz? Really.
Lugging gear... hot tents especially the big canvas sidewalls, often need you snowshoeing in with a cargo sled... more money. Worth it, especially if you are bringing wood.
Many people will use propane or butane stoves to hot tent with. These can work for smaller tents.
You can get big heavy stoves with 8 to 12 hours burn time. The youkon 5 stove for example, is almost 100 lbs. Has a 3.4 cf fire box, can be damped down to burn for half a day... but is over 600 dollars
Great tips thanks.
@theoutdoorempire thanks. I forgot to mention, the problem with the big stoves is... they can heat you out of a tent. You need skill and experience to use them. Sometimes you can't just pack them full... especially in tents smaller then 10x14.
I will be going through the expenses for HOT/and Summer camping. Thanks for giving me pointers on what I need and don't. However, I am more convinced that this is something my husband and I can do while we are retired.
Sounds like you're making the right plans for retirement!
The firewood size!! Something I didn’t think about until I watched your video. Happy Holidays
It's a thing!
Curious to hear more about the safety issue you had with the propane heater buddy.
I'll have to make a video about Buddy heaters sometime. Not sure I'll share the whole story, but suffice it to say my brother's truck burned to the ground. He was ok though.
@@theoutdoorempireYikes!! I’ve chosen not to use. Propane/SUV living with dog? Hard no.
I debated getting a hot tent this year but i decided to go with the kodiak 12x14. I use a buddy heater. If i leave i just turn it off. Hot tent i wouldnt feel safe leaving. Pros and cons to both. Like you reviews. Happy new year!!
Love hot 🔥 tenting myself own thousands of dollars worth of hot 🔥 tents and stoves myself, actually watching this from my canvas frontier hot 🔥 tent while baking some biscuits in the pipe oven on my winnerwell nomad 😂
Oh man, I wish I were doing what you're doing right now!
@@theoutdoorempire well y'all ever get to Ranshaw Pennsylvania look us up your more than welcome to come with
In the past ive used the Silnylon Kifaru and Ti Goat hot shelters. Im looking now to go to an more robust canvas hot shelter. Its difficult to know where to put the money for a mobile hot tent for pulling in on snowmobile or pulk sled. Snowtrekker is nice but spendy. Esker is also an option and is more affordable and lighter. Already have sever stoves but finding the right tent has been difficult
Ya, it's tricky to decide what will work best, especially long term since those are the kinds of tents that you use for your whole life. I've done a lot of videos on the Springbar style tents, including similar models from Kodiak and Teton. I'm trying to get more to test and try just so people like yourself can get a closer look at them. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference since there are a lot of great options out there. I'm hoping to review a Snowtrekker soon.
I went with a diesel heater. At $85, on clearance, at WallyWorld, I felt it couldn't be beat. I love the idea of a wood burning stove, but just cannot justify the expense living in Florida. The diesel is going to have to do it. Plus, it's a lot cleaner inside the tent. Hope you and the family had a Merry Christmas. I enjoy your videos. Thanks for making them. PS I wound up buying a Springbar CJ140 and am very happy with it.
I’m glad you found something that works for you! And I hope you enjoy your CJ as much as I have.
@@theoutdoorempire I love it. Thank you for all your videos about the Springbar tents. They played a big role in my decision. Happy New Year! I'm heading to Quartzsite in a couple of weeks to give everything an extended workout!
What do you think about the new stoves that burn Pellets for 8-10 hrs?
I'm very curious about them. I don't love that you have to buy and bring pellets, but they sound pretty efficient. Gonna have to try one.
Utah Jeff …,new stoves use wood pellets and will last 10 hours and self feed itself so you don’t have to babysit the wood stove every 2 hours. They also burn cleaner so you do not have to deal with ash buildup … which you did not mention ?
Good point on the ash build up. Gotta clean it out every day or two. I'm keen to try a pellet stove. I don't love that you always have to buy and bring pellets with you. It's nice to be able to just gather firewood where you camp when possible. But I can see the allure of the pellets. Cheers
Thank you for your commentary. Me and my wife have really been considering Hot Tent Camping. We've found it to be expensive, and to just be honest. Were Glampers! LOL.. We are searching for one of the inflatable ones.
Yeah, it's not cheap, but it is fun! Good luck.
I just have a 3 season tent, no wood stove my sleeping bag is good to - 15 C ( 5 F ) and use foam mat on bottom heard you can take hot water bottle or hot stones from campfire ( in towel or wool socks ) in with you and put them in your sleeping bag
That was a really good video. That should get people thinking. I've spent enough on camping gear, that my wife said that if I get another hobby, I'll have to get a second job to be able to afford it. She can't complain too much though, in 2021 I bought her a $40k 4 season camper. So, her camping gear cost more than mine.
That's pretty awesome, she deserves it!
Item #3, pellet stove as an option now!
Side note, I have the exact same bodega 12v cooler you showed in a different video. The compressor died at almost 2 years to the day. The bluetooth was flakey anyways; switched to Iceco alp35 black friday deal.
I'm seeing a lot of pellet stoves pop up. And good to know on the Bodega. It's my garage soda fridge now so I'll see how long mine lasts.
Some years back I saw old army tents sold. These were sized for sixteen people and came with a stove. Now I used those tents when doing my military service. We spent up to three weeks in those tents during the winter at temperatures down under -40 degrees. Now that is cold, and yet those tents kept us warm enough. Old military equipment, when it can be had, are usually relatively cheap but it comes with some issues. You really don't want to learn how to set it up in biting cold or heavy rain. Train when the weather is fine and you have time to really learn how to set it up. A large tent like that is not something you set up yourself or with a single partner. I would say that you need to be at least four, and being a few more makes it easier. Now this kind of tents are large, and the stove and chimney is not light. Instead it will be a large bow for all the chimney parts, tent poles, the anchors for the tent, a large metal lid for the top of the tent and a set of rods for the drying rack. Add to that a tent that will weigh about 80 pounds and it's not something for backpacking. But provided you have the wood it will keep you warm in the middle of a cold winter. Do note that even if the army will stuff sixteen into that tent it's not all that large, but it should be fine for six to eight people and ten will make do without getting claustrophobic. My point is that these tents are large and heavy, and not really a good idea for a group of four or less.
Great insight, thanks for sharing.
Three Montana Canvas wall tents . Never heard the phrase " Hot tent " until recently . Welded my own stoves and perfected the design by trial and error . NOT back pack compatible ! Used for years , deer hunting northern Wisconsin . Found optimal size for two men plus gear is 10 X 12 . Perfect . Much larger is hard to keep warm without constant stoking . Two cots per tent , with a gap between , and a folding chair/ night stand by your head . Room at your feet for stove , a little dry wood and gear . Six man crew with a couple chainsaws can fill a 3/4 ton long box 4x4 in short time . Best to find dead , dry oak 7" diameter or less - so no splitting . Look for deadfall that is not in ground contact ! = Dry . Nicest wood set aside for heating tents . The rest is campfire wood , which is where all cooking was done . Not in your tent ! Bears aren't usually an issue in November but mice will do enormous damage . And some semblance of odor control won't hurt if you're hunting . Amazing , dry warm comfort down into below zero temps . Dry out socks and liners above stove . Keep a set of liners in rotation for warm dry feet . Enjoy !
I camp in high elevation in summer where it is not uncommon to drop into the 30s at night. A hot tent with a pellet stove with long burn time would be nice. I saw one pellet stove for hot tenting burned 10 hours without refilling.
I like the sound of that!
These are good facts to consider. I never used a hot tent, but that romantic idea of having a little stove warming you up is tempting. Personally, after consideration, it is not for me. I believe hot tents are particularly useful for someone that plans on staying on the same spot for a longer term winter camping in cold weather conditions. For example, if you go hunting for a week or even two.
That's a great point, they're definitely not for everyone.
IHaven't ever seen one before but it looks cozy
Get a wood pellet stove for your tent 10-11 hr burn without the hopper extension no electricity needed, and it even has an oven built-in
I’ve heard good things about those, I might have to try one!
Excellent video, thanks for posting!
Glad you enjoyed it!
very informative. Thank you.
Good information. I ususlly buy something and use it only a few times. Now I will only waste $1000 on a tent and heater instead of $3500.
please do a video on how much it sucks packing all this wet muddy stuff back in the truck with a wet dog, and then dealing with it when you get home?
Hahaha. Isn't that the truth. Sounds like you've been there too.
Pellet stove? I love running pellets in my wood-gas burner, one cup of hardwood pellets burns for 90 mins, 35 mins active flame, and then 55 mins of useable heat, leaving nothing but ash.
I haven’t tried those yet, but that sounds super efficient!
I got a hot tent backpack set up i use it all 4 seasons
Awesome!
my portabel woodstove takes over 16inch wood so i guess thats good!
Tent in the summer. Home in the winter!😊
I used my woodstove on my deck
When I camped as a kid in the 60s, guy lines and adjusting poles were the only options.
I think the Coleman white gas catalytic heaters are better than the propane ones unless you're going to pipe in the propane from an outside bulk tank. They will run for around 18 hours on a tank. They are only rated to 5K BTUs, and you can't get a new one, and you'll ruin it with regular gas.
Good points 👍
Glad you found it helpful!
i wonder, could you use a 4 hr log in your stove and just add a second one halfway thru the night?
As I understand it, you're not supposed to use artificial fire logs in an enclosed wood stove. I do use Pres-to logs and some other compressed sawdust logs, just not the ones with all the added wax, or resin, or whatever it is that those Duraflame type fire logs have.
They have wood pallet camping stove burn for eight to 10 hours it's just they're fairly expensive
I'd love to see you check out a hot tent pellet stove.
That's a great idea, I've been curious about those!
@@theoutdoorempire if you can find one that works with a Skyliner, that's the one I'd ask you to vccheck out! For completely selfish reasoins, lol
Sorry but no. The last several years elk hunting in a camper that had limited mobility and an untrustworthy heater, a buddy heater that by itself couldn’t keep up with dropping temperatures, and morning temps around 0 F, all I could do is dream of having a little wood stove. Having frost caked onto your top blanket sucks and I can’t sleep confined/trapped in mummy sleeping bags. And I’m used to wood stoves. I grew up using them as my sole heating source. It’s not a novelty to me. I will definitely take my chances next year in a hot tent
Sounds like a good choice. I love hot tents as well, especially on hunting trips. I hope you caught the whole video to see that. I just see a lot of videos about hot tents that only show the cozy vibes and no one talks about the work and effort involved. So I wanted to give folks a fair warning.
I just switched from Roof top tent camping to hot tent camping and I'm never going back!
Nice! Rooftop tents seem like they've gotta be freezing in the winter.
Love camping ❤
This is the exact video I needed
my only purpose to use a hot tent would be for hunting and have realized that for the time of year and work involved a desal heater would probe be better. I will have enough to do with out tending a fire all the time.
Yeah, you gotta pick what works best for you.
Most campers and especially backpackers don't spend much time in the tent except to sleep. After all, they go camping to be outdoors. After a day of hiking or fishing, they build a campfire outside. With a good winter sleeping bag your body will keep you warm. If it's really cold, bring in some hot stones from the campfire to jump start your sleeping bag 😊
I have an alaknak 1,000$ and a woodstove 300$ cabela's but I stay days at a time if it was an overnight I'd buy a one Tigris
Good picks..how do you like the Alaknak? I was thinking about doing a video on it.
@theoutdoorempire I personally like it
Well it’s not like you use the equipment once and toss it smh . This video sounds like you don’t enjoy winter camping at all
I definitely enjoy it, but wanted to address the downsides that don't usually get talked about on TH-cam.
Nothing he said was wrong. It is a lot of time effort and expense for something with limited use.
Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it
Is this click bait??
Maybe a better title is needed...
"CONCERNS FOR HOT TENT CAMPING"...
Good points, bad title
I personally have used a Buddy heater indoors safely for years. Just need to be careful and use common sense.
I know a lot of people use them and like them. I choose not to use them.
Having a fire inside a tent always make me wonder what melted nylon would feel like on my skin.
He says he doesn't trust Mr. Buddy heaters because of safety then says you need ventilation and a CO detector for a wood stove? I don't get that.
I take precautions with a wood stove, but the fire hazard is contained inside the stove. With a Buddy heater the heating element is exposed and can ignite stuff that may come in contact with it. I've seen one start a fire that burned down an entire truck. That's where my concern comes from, but I know a lot of folks use Buddy heaters and like them, and that's fine too. They're just not for me.
Use a pellet stove that will also burn wood
I'm curious about those and will have to give one a try.
So a “buddy” heater is “unsafe” but a wood burning stove is fine.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
$2200 for a tent, sheeeeeeeet your crazy!!!
Dream is not equal to reality 😂😂
I worry that the potential for carbon monoxide build up could make it unsafe or deadly.
It's a common concern, but highly unlikely given the airflow you have in a tent. They're not airtight so it would be difficult for that much CO to build up. I use a detector anyway so I don't worry about it at all.
You've convinced me not to hot camp! In truth, the work involved is simply beyond my ability at this point. I feel cooped up in the wintertime enough as it is in my home (I live in a lake effect snow belt region) and to think about being cooped up in less space in cold weather has no attraction. A cabin in the woods during winter I would love, though.
Yeah, it's not for everyone! Glad you got your answer.
🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️. Dude, do not listen to this video. He pigeon holes you into following “his” rules of “hot tenting”. If I followed his way, I would not do it either.
@@ulbushcrafting6592 So what is your way of hot tenting???
@ I should post a video. And I don’t use a tent. 🤯
5 Reasons You Should NOT Buy a Hot Tent for Camping..........what are the other options, don't camp in the cold, or just be cold as hell when you camp? Horrible video.
Disagree, it’s just information, reality vs romance. We have all purchased stuff we don’t use in the end. I enjoyed it! Maybe saved a few bucks too!
I appreciate the feedback. The other options for winter camping would be to not mess with a wood stove or extra heat source at all. Rather, wear layers and use heavy winter sleeping gear. I do that too, but the hot tent takes the edge off and makes things like meal prep comfortable and not miserably cold.
I agree. Dude makes up his own problems in this video, without any sensible solutions that a reasonable person would figure out. Following his pattern, people could be talked out of anything. He could make breathing sound like an impossible endeavor 🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
Do you breathe without assistance? How many breaths do you take a day? How tiring! Just lay down, and climb into this lung machine. 😂
I use a Mr. Buddy propane heater instead of a wood stove. Works all night, but you need some ventilation to avoid condensation.
I’ve winter camped many times at -20° to -40° F never used a tent. The right bag and bivy sack makes the difference.
My Buddy is clean safe no work
... If you only car camp ,, use an overland 4x4 or backcountry ATV ,, or snow machine ,, a quality canvas tent is the best way to go .. and in todays world are NOT any more expensive than a high quality named brand backpack tent (some BP tents are even way more) and usually way more room ... It's more of a buy once ,, cry once .........I've used a canvas hot tent for almost 60 years (since early Boy Scout days) and never seen a $2000.00 tent ,, they must have seen you coming .. A good 2-3 man or woman canvas tent is around $500.00-$800.00 and a canvas tent large enough for twice as many usually around $1000.00-$1500.00 .... Get the proper size stove for the tent of choice ,, bigger tents need bigger stoves .... the small stoves like you showed here won't heat the space of a large tent and keeping it stoked will be a full time job ,, not so with a full size stove ... If you don't want to use the stove in summer conditions ,, Don't ,, still a tent big enough for the whole family or group for all conditions and big enough to stand up and move around .. If you shop around a good quality Hot tent set up will be around $1000.00- $2000.00 total , depending on size/needs ....... and with reasonable care ,, will last a lifetime ..
.. Even to get in the back country in snow covered treks on foot ,, just use a Pulk sled or Toboggan ,,, winter gear is going to be heavier anyway ,, Hiking in with snow shoes or skis is a workout ,, but might be the adventure you desire .. you are not going to carry a needed full loadout on your back ....
You're speaking with no pauses and so monotonous. it's tough to listen. 2 out of 10
You paid 2200$ for that?? Lmao sucker
😂. Pretty much another silly dopey dumb dumb stove video with the premise of loaded questions. Same Questions can be applied to anything making it sound silly. You remind me of the old “Ronco” commercials 😂. Example: do you really want to go camping? Do you know you will actually have to purchase camping equipment AND carry it? You will have to learn critical placement of your tent, learn how to install stakes and don’t get me started on knot tying! And for what? All to camp a few times a year! Absurd!
The ONLY thing we have that is similar is we both use a portable stove. Pretty much everything else is different, ESPECIALLY “processing “ wood 🤦🏻♂️. Please for the love of all that is holy can we drop that term from outdoor camp life. As a person who had to cut, buck, stack , dry, carry, 9 to 12 cords a year for nearly two decades - proc- almost said it 😂 “fiddling” with wood when I am trying to relax in nature is the very LAST thing I do. Yet somehow I am able to have a fire 85% of the time when I am out in the woods.
You are right up with the sellers who push the 5 & 10 c’s of “survivalbility “( if that’s a word 😂) and the nonsense of two is one, one is none, and three is better death trap.
I suppose if one is totally ignorant about EVERYTHING outdoors would find something from this video. What is a tent, winter is actually colder than non winter months, a tent is portable, wood burns. I’m definitely saving this video to make sure I have someone proofread my work because I may fall into a vacuum myself and not realize I’m writing about nonsense. Dude…😂
Algorithm gratification...
Agreed on the cost. Winter camping gear is expensive to get a comfortable experience. Agreed with a cot. Forget an air mattress, cut down a 4" memory foam mattress topper to fit your cot. As far as collecting wood, I bought a wood pellet stove for my hot tent. For 2 night, I take 3 50lb. bags of wood pellets. Never came close to using three bags, but I tend to be more cautious. As far a s a sleeping bag, if you purchase one that says it is good to -30 F, that is survivable temps for the bag, not comfort. Cheat your butts off. Buy a cloth bag rated for that, but bring along a goose down blanket. Getting close to the -30 rating for your bag? Buy some over sized hand warmers and throw them in about 45 minutes before you go to bed. DO NOT do this if you have a nylon winter bag. None of this is cheap, and it is heavy gear. The upside is that even if you go to a state recreation area, there will be few if any people there with barking dogs, bawling kids, or bugs to contend with.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing.