Tent Choice

rost495 · 03-07-2005, 09:51 AM

HI All

Hope I'm posting this in the best place. I've been searching for tents for 6 months. I'm doing final polls on a couple of places.

Down to

Alaska Tent and Tarp -Arctic Oven
Barneys Sport Chalet - Bomb Shelter

They will not be backpack tents. They will be used in Alaska under conditions and elsewhere. These 2 look much better built than other lighter tents.

Any input is welcome. I had considered a bunch of others but these 2 popped up in my last poll and changed my choices once again.

Thanks, Jeff

AlaskaMagnum · 03-07-2005, 06:29 PM

Rost,

I am familair with both tents. If I may, I suggest you also contact 6th Ave. Outfitters up here. They have the same tent as the Bombshelter (same manufactorer), but offer it a little cheaper.

Either of these tents will do the job, however, if I may. Both of these tents are high profile tents, and are NOT ideal for a caribou hunt, but are excellent for a moose hunt. Especially one on the Pennisula. They are very very heavy (over 30 lbs), and are high profile. They will catch the wind. 100 m.p.h. winds are not uncommon in caribou country.
No tent can withstand winds like that if they are staked out in the open. Finding wind breaks on a caribou hunt is very hard to do. Of course, proper guying and staking of the tent help immensely.

My caribou tent is the MSR Storm King. Just right for two people and gear, weighs in at 18 lbs, and is bombproof. It is a much lower profile tent, so a little brush will act as an adequate wind break.

My moose tent is the 6th Ave. Outfitter tent (Bombshelter). It is very roomy and comfortble. I feel safe with it on a moose hunt because there are always trees to set it up in.

rost495 · 03-07-2005, 06:38 PM

AM

Thanks for the punctual advice. I was hoping to spend the money on one good universal tent. Luckily I've always had some trees when we hunted bou.

I had looked at the MSR Storm King also. Not sure exactly which way to go but you can rest assured your advice is appreciated and considered. Appreciate the weight info. Am aware of that. Have a couple of tiny Keltys for backpacking type tents etc...

I'll go to the net and see if I can find 6th Ave outfitters on the web. Less price is more. Like trying to find a dealer cost on MSR. I sell this type of stuff to our out of state hunters in my small town as no one else is familiar with good gear. But I could not even find a break on MSR either.

Thanks again, Jeff

AlaskaMagnum · 03-07-2005, 07:34 PM

If you are looking for a deal, you might try Boondockers in Eagle River. They have the Sportsman's show prices on MSR tents. I got my Storm King from them a few years ago for $600. That tent retails in Cabela's (or did anyway) for over $800.

DDC · 03-09-2005, 02:00 AM

Take a look at Patrick Smith's "Kifaru" line of tipis. These are lightweight, rugged, and nearly impossible to blow over in a wind. Best of all, they come with lightweight stainless steel stoves that warm the tent up fast. There are no floors sewn into the tent, so you don't end up with mud and water ponding inside. You can cook on the stove if the weather is lousy.

These are unconventional, but consider that the plains indians used them as their homes, they knew there were major advantages. I have the 12 man version. Practically speaking, this tent would be very comfortable for 4 if you are sleeping on a cot.

Check out his web site at www.kifaru.net. Patrick is the original founder of Moutainsmith backpacks. He now devotes himself to products specifically designed for the hunter, and particullarly the backpack hunter.

rost495 · 03-09-2005, 06:08 PM

DDC

Thanks. Looked at Kifaru for packs and was going that way till I found the Eberlestock pack. I like the tents too but others in my group don't feel comfortable with them having no floor. And concerned on bugs too. I dont think either would be a problem BUT I'm not the only one involved.

But they are very well worth looking into for folks.

Jeff