Hey all-I'm a waterfowler and upland bird hunter and am planning to start doing some camping adjacent to it-mainly during the spring snowgoose season and potentially doing some hunting trips in the dakotas during fall pheasant season. It will be myself and my two dogs-potentially another person in the future. Conditions are going to be cool and potentially damp. Crua Duo GS Maxx is the tent I'm eyeing-thinking that I'll struggle to get the dogs in/under any sort of sleeping bag or blanket and it will helpfully take the edge off of the brisk nights. Does anyone have any advice as far as sleeping bags, pads, a different 3/4 season tent? I'll be car/truck camping so weight isn't a huge concern, mainly focused on sturdiness in windy weather, rainfall, and warmth.

Thanks!

No tent is much good at retaining heat so I would look into a propane heater with a deadly gas sensor and tip- over shut off. Tent needs good ventilation , I suggest a tent with a rain fly rather then a single wall tent. Turn off heater when sleeping.
Cot with good pad and bag for you. Something for your dogs to burrow down in, like a dog bed with sides or their travel crates with bedding and a blanket over the crate.
I use a piece of an old wool blanket both in the field and in the tent to protect my pup from the cold ground. I cover him up with the wool blanket but it doesn't stay on long. A closed cell mat for your dogs might help too.

I haven't tried this but a couple of hand- body warmers in the dog bed/crate sounds like a good idea. Gonna try it this fall.

An insulated pad for you and for the dogs (just a flexible foam pad for them) will make a big difference. During fall hunting trips we also put some of the Reflectix bubble wrap under our sleeping pads to help reflect more body heat.

I would look at a Kodiak Flex bow tent or a tipi tent for what your doing. I have both and use them for hunting and winter camping. The Kodiak is heavy but easy to setup and withstands wind and heavy snow. I had a stove jack put in mine and use a propane heater for fall and winter trips. I also have a Kifaru tipi that I use for fall camping and winter camping. It stands up to wind and snow but does not breath like the Kodiak so I use a tent liner in it. When I want light weight I go with the tipi and when I'm truck camping I go with the Kodiak. For what your doing I would go with the 10x12 Kodiak flex bow tent. Kodiak canvas tent Tipi

merlyn: "No tent is much good at retaining heat so I would look into a propane heater with a deadly gas sensor and tip- over shut off. Tent needs good ventilation , I suggest a tent with a rain fly rather then a single wall tent. Turn off heater when sleeping.
Cot with good pad and bag for you. Something for your dogs to burrow down in, like a dog bed with sides or their travel crates with bedding and a blanket over the crate.
I use a piece of an old wool blanket both in the field and in the tent to protect my pup from the cold ground. I cover him up with the wool blanket but it doesn't stay on long. A closed cell mat for your dogs might help too.


I haven't tried this but a couple of hand- body warmers in the dog bed/crate sounds like a good idea. Gonna try it this fall.

"

I would not bring a propane heater into a nylon tent, or even a canvas one. Too much risk of something going wrong. My advice is to bring a better sleeping bag for shoulder seasons. Also be proficient in starting and maintaining a campfire.

I do a lot of bird hunting and car camping. I usually just use my 4 man tent for me and my dog/dogs. I have a closed cell foam pad for the dogs and I usually have a simple dog bed along. I have a Nemo Puffin blanket I can throw over them. My GSPs don’t mind being under covers but my Griffon didn’t like it. If it gets colder (below 20 or so) I’ll have my dogs sleep in kennels with Mud River insulated covers.

The key to the tent and the kennel covers is to make sure you don’t zip the doors shut all the way. The condensation can be terrible. If you experiment you’ll find a balance of keeping the heat in but not accumulating much condensation.

I sleep on a Big Agnes insulated sleeping pad and a 15 degree bag. Wear a stocking cap to sleep.