Anyone use a hot-tent? Like the Russian Bear tents?

A little tent designed to have a stove would be sweet. If anyone has one can you tell me what you have? What's to like and dislike about it. I'm just looking into to possibly purchasing one.

Thank you in advance.

Oh yes, there are a number of us here who hot tent. Most use them in winter for camping, and a few will take them in the BW on canoe trips in early spring or late fall. I can not comment on the tent you mentioned, but think there was a recent thread about them in the winter camping forum.

I have a Snowtrekker and love it. The first time I walked into a hot tent which was set up as a demo at a dogsled race, it blew my mind. It didn’t just change winter camping for me, it changed winter. I now have at least 100 nights in my tent, mostly in winter but some shoulder season too. In the BW in January I have no problem getting my tent up to 70-80° or warmer when it’s -20 out. This allows me to warm up and get all my gear bone dry in the evening. Like most but not all hot tenters, I do not run my stove all night. My tent is big for just me on a solo trip at 9 x 11.5 feet, and I can easily stand up in it with room to spare. This is the one downside - it’s also big and a bit heavy rolled up. My tent and stove are about 45 lbs, and take up nearly half my toboggan. Still, I just live it once set up. I am also making a lightweight silnylon hot tent which will use a smaller stove. This tent will pack small (maybe 10 lbs) and will be primarily for cold weather canoe trips.

Jaywalker,
Is that a Basecamp model? Would you buy the same model again?

MidwestFirecraft: "Jaywalker,
Is that a Basecamp model? Would you buy the same model again?"

Yes, it's the Basecamp 9x11.5. I tend to over-buy on some things. On some trips I am really happy with it, and other trips I wish I had a smaller, lighter one - which would also allow me to size down one on the stove. It is a lot of tent for one person, and a lot to set up and take down. It's great when I am either camping near my car (like at dogsled races or some fall trips) or if only going in a few miles and staying in the same spot for a few days. When I want to cover more distance and want to put up and take down the tent a few times, I wish I had either the Basecamp 8x10 (not made when I got mine), or maybe even the Crew 8x10. Maybe I just need a second one!

Photos from my setup at the Beargrease. Only 100-200 yards from my car.

Don't sparks from the stovepipe burn boles in the tent?

Beautiful setup! Thank you for the response. Tough decision when you would have 4 people half the time, and solo the other half.

Jaywalker: "


"

I'd camp with you!

Blackdogyak: "Don't sparks from the stovepipe burn boles in the tent?"

I’ve never had that happen. The stove pipe on my tent is about 7 feet total and angles away from the tent. If I set up with wind direction in mind, all the exhaust blows away or to the side. But very few sparks come out anyway, even when burning Jack pine.

MidwestFirecraft: "Beautiful setup! Thank you for the response. Tough decision when you would have 4 people half the time, and solo the other half."

Four or one - that is a bit tough but mine might work for you. It’s usually thought of as a 2-3 person but you could probably do 4, and I’ve shown i can work as a solo in many conditions.

Another option to consider is having two people sleep in the hot tent and two in a cold tent. Sleeping in a cold tent is not that bad when you have a hot tent to run to in the morning and a place in the evening to warm up and dry everything out. Most hot tenters dont keep the fire going all night anyway.

bobbernumber3: "

Jaywalker: "



"

I'd camp with you!
"

Looks like our menus would sync up very well!

Jaywalker: "Another option to consider is having two people sleep in the hot tent and two in a cold tent. Sleeping in a cold tent is not that bad when you have a hot tent to run to in the morning and a place in the evening to warm up and dry everything out. Most hot tenters dont keep the fire going all night anyway. "

That is very helpful. I would imagine like you said, if you have a group place to congregate and eat out of the cold, sleeping with high quality equipment in a cold tent won't be that bad, especially with a hot tent to enter in the morning for Breakfast and coffee!

Another approach my son uses.
He brings a "tepee" style tent made from a lightweight sil-nylon. I believe it is a OneTigris iron wall. You cannot stand in it (5 foot at the peak), but you can sit in it fine. The tent fits one person with gear and a stove. In warmer weather, he will bring the inner screen tent. With the outer and screen inner, it weighs around 4 pounds. The tiny stove he has weighs 5-6 pounds and folds up. He tries to take extreme care with sparks and has not had a hole burned in yet. It does have a fine mesh spark screen inside the stove pipe, which seems to limit the escape of the little buggers. He is able to pack it in. He has not attempted to use it is subzero temperatures, so I cannot comment on its effectiveness there. But in single digit temperatures it is comfortable sitting inside. He also does not sleep with a fire burning.

He also uses it in warmer early shoulder seasons without the stove, and enjoys its use then. It is his preferred tent for BWCA at this time.

When I looked up the specifications for his tent I noted the company also has a 9x5 size cabin style tent also. It weighs in at 7 pounds, but is 6 foot tall in the center. I believe it is designed for winter hammock use. I have no idea if it works. But it is interesting.

Love the information. Nice setup Jaywalker, looks toasty and looks to be high quality. I'll be looking at their products for sure.

The onetigris intrigues me too. That might be a good tent for spring and fall trips maybe?

Snowtrekkers are popular among winter campers and for good reason, but there are also several other and different options (hopefully some of their owners will chime in). I’m not familiar with the OneTigres, but I’ve been impressed by the Seek Outside tents. CCS also makes some winter tents - I have not seen them personally but nothing they make isn’t top quality.

I don't have any photos of a setup available, but I have an Esker Classic 2.

I like the looks of the Esker. The frame and higher sidewall looks appealing to me. I'm 6'2" and a little height to a tent would be nice.

How many people could you fit in that tent comfortably? Also how many people would be the max?

FenMarsh: "I like the looks of the Esker. The frame and higher sidewall looks appealing to me. I'm 6'2" and a little height to a tent would be nice.


How many people could you fit in that tent comfortably? Also how many people would be the max?"

Not sure what you mean by "frame" as the Esker has no frame. It is held up by a single center pole and guylines. With a stove and firewood taking up some space in the Esker, 3 people with winter gear will fit--*maybe* 4 if being crowded is OK. Without a stove, 4 easily fit.

If you like Esker, look at Atuk tents as well. I got my Esker because it was a good used deal. Had I purchased something new, I'd have gotten an Atuk Kanguk.

I have the russain bear up 2 mini. Great tent everything they say it is. Would fit
2 fine with stove.. Just not what I'm looking for. May sell it. Used once with a danchel outdoors folding stove.. if interested email me

I see now. I got confused by the one diagram. It looked like a frame.


Not sure what you mean by "frame" as the Esker has no frame. It is held up by a single center pole and guylines. With a stove and firewood taking up some space in the Esker, 3 people with winter gear will fit--*maybe* 4 if being crowded is OK. Without a stove, 4 easily fit.


If you like Esker, look at Atuk tents as well. I got my Esker because it was a good used deal. Had I purchased something new, I'd have gotten an Atuk Kanguk."

N3673A: " "

That’s one tiny and rather transparent hot tent. More details please!

I decided since I make a trip once a year in the spring. I don't need a heavy tent and I'm not in a place to buy the most expensive tent system out there. So I went with a Luxe octopeak and titanium 3w stove. It's a packable teepee tent at a price point that makes sense for the amount of use I'll get out of it.

https://luxe-hiking-gear.com/products/octopeak-4p-tent-system

FenMarsh: "I decided since I make a trip once a year in the spring. I don't need a heavy tent and I'm not in a place to buy the most expensive tent system out there. So I went with a Luxe octopeak and titanium 3w stove. It's a packable teepee tent at a price point that makes sense for the amount of use I'll get out of it.
Luxe-Hiking-Gear.com
"

That looks like a nice and light set up. Be sure to post photos when of it in action when you can. One suggestion I have for the foldable stove - find the size of the wing nuts needed and get several spares to bring along on a trip. Nothing worse than dropping a needed screw or nut in deep snow and having to fish around for it.

Moot point now for you but there is an old Eureka igloo-shaped Equinox tent that has a height of 6.6 ft. (sure is nice to stand up) and has a sturdy 6 pole frame that is easy to set up. They are occasionally for sale in used camping gear. I'm currently sewing a large heat shield stove jack in the tent and a canvas flap in the fly. I'll be using a couple 1/4" plywood pieces and a large kevlar blanket under the stove because of the nylon floor, plus throw some firewood against the inside wall to keep the nylon wall well away from the stove. From experience I know setting the stove side and stove jack side on the lee side of the usual winds and using a tall and angled pipe secured with wire 2-3 directions plus a spark arrestor is common sense. I know there are detractors of nylon and perhaps I'll accidentally burn up my shelter and everything, then freeze to death. Hadn't really thought about that until asked and it was pointed out Wendell Beckwith had a cabin fire and then built a backup cabin. Danger lurks and life is hard whether you're smart or dumb. Maybe keep an extra bag and tarp outside the tent? But setting up an old Cabelas similar to the Atuk Kanguk tent with a lot of guylines takes awhile, esp. if using the fly, so I'm ready to try easy and lighter and go with nylon. Guylines were appreciated when re-setting tautness in wind and snow and I will miss the tall center pole that is great to dry and hang boots and stuff. There are versions of that tent looking like a good deal price-wise.