Quote:
Originally Posted by DoubleF
With my existing gear, I am not actively considering winter camping. Not designed for that at all. I was thinking that with a tent that has the stove option, it opens up the option to do winter camping along with reducing misery relating to inclement weather for spring/summer/fall camping. I normally wouldn't use the stove, but like the idea of potentially having a stove option for additional comfort and to ensure a camping trip doesn't get derailed. Thinking if we had gear that could handle a mild winter type camping, the other seasons would be a breeze.
Do you have a recommendation of what you were using for winter camping? Budget dependent, but I was thinking of maybe a higher quality tent with camping cots vs 6 person tent and mattresses.
My current 6 person tent is a design from like 10-20 years ago and completely ####e. The only way to redeem it is buy an extremely large tarp that can cover the whole thing to make it work, but then it'll look like something out of a tent city, and the tent did poorly last weekend and sagged/twisted a lot when a smaller tarp was pulled taut but not tight against it.
However, looking at 6 person tents, I'm already looking around the $400+ ish range, so I was thinking whether to get something better for a few hundred bucks more. That's how I ended up running into these stove inflatable and yurt tent rabbit hole. Also seemed more luxurious than a typical tent plus if the reviews said people were using them for winter, then other seasons is a total breeze.
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I have a "hot tent" with a wood stove. Been camping in colder weather in fall/spring to trial it and this year will be taking it winter camping for the first time. Can see pics here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZBFdGvBoAeReDRhy9
IMO, if you aren't going to do winter camping, and if you goal is to heat the tent prior to going to sleep, a wood stove is overkill. There are some downsides to it, one is that it takes up a LOT of room in a tent, so if you get a 6 person tent, you can now only fit maybe 3. Another is fueling it, of course it takes wood, but if you do intend on running it during the night, be prepared to wake up every 3-4 hours to put more wood in. You can alleviate this by getting a bigger stove, but then you will bake yourself out of the tent and takes up even more space. The mid-size one I have, I have to put more wood in every 3 hours, and keeps the tent at about 26C when it's -5C out. I put up with it because I just love the ambiance.
With kids as well, a wood stove can get dangerous. I think a diesel heater would be what you are looking for, easy to use, and all you have to do is get the tent modified with a hole and velcro flap to seal up when not in use. It can suit any type of tent as well.
If you aren't camping in very cold temps, and just want to take chill off a bit, then looking at the sleep systems alone may be enough. Use cots to get off the ground, and buy some quilts or thermal liners for when you want to extend the season a little bit.
