When to bring a hot tent

[waldo9190]

Curious for those of you who have way more experience with later season hunts when you decide to ditch your early/three season tent and bring say...a cimmaron or similar and a stove? Curious if you make a pre-trip gametime decision or bring the hot tent to be prepared for the worst? Planning a solo rifle deer hunt in WY next year and will be my first time in the area in mid/late October. Historical data for the area is all over the place. Everything from 60s to even 70s for highs down to single digits, and plan on backpacking in at least a couple miles off the road to get away.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

I'm guessing you'll be driving from MN to WY? Why not just bring both and keep an eye on the weather and make a decision when you're out there instead of 14 months in advance?

FYI: last october during our WY rifle hunt we got 30" of snow

 

[TX_Diver]

Are you flying? If not bring both? If you're hiking in I'd probably be checking the forecast the day before I left.

 

[prm]

Always bring stove! Even if just using it to dry clothes I find it valuable. Only time I do not bring is when there are fire restrictions.

 

[Poser]

I’ve never used a hot tent in Sept in CO.
October can be weather dependent. I’ll err on the side of not bringing it unless we’re getting real cold or have a big storm. 3rd rifle, I always use it. It’s much easier to deal with a hot tent when the days are long and the mornings cold.

The idea of “always” brining a hot tent seems laughable to me. I get that WY and MT can be much colder than SW CO, but it’s hitting 60 degrees every day with lows in the upper 20s and not fronts in sight, it’s way too much trouble.

 

[waldo9190]

I'm guessing you'll be driving from MN to WY? Why not just bring both and keep an eye on the weather and make a decision when you're out there instead of 14 months in advance?

FYI: last october during our WY rifle hunt we got 30" of snow

Yeah I'll be driving for sure and this is most likely how I will go about it. I've only ever hunted out of a base camp setup later in the year so this will be my first time packing in camp this late.

 

[Ross]

If the area receives substantial rain &or temps below freezing at night the stove is with me….nights are long and the ability to dry things goes along ways mentally and physically……come October Mother Nature can throw many surprises at you.

 

[11boo]

No way I would leave the stove at home. Anything could happen with the weather.

 

[LongWayAround]

At that time last year, where we hunted in Wyoming it was basically summer at the bottom and winter at the top.

 

[Jimss]

I have a hilliberg nallo 4 season tent. I go ultralight using just the fly during early season. If the weather looks rough I can add the tent body or tent body plus footprint in deep snow. Good to have flexibility.

 

[wyojdubya]

If the area receives substantial rain &or temps below freezing at night the stove is with me….nights are long and the ability to dry things goes along ways mentally and physically……come October Mother Nature can throw many surprises at you.

I follow the same rule--if wet or frosty, and especially if both, the stove goes in the pack. For close calls it depends on how likely it is I'll move my camp and, if so, how far and how many times. I'll also admit I'm more likely to take it when rolling solo for the the extra comfort, both physical and mental.

 

[Clovis]

You don't need a stove under most realistic hunting conditions, but a few factors in favor of choosing to bring one are not changing camp location every day, wetness, and cold long nights. I don't think anyone has described it better than Patrick Smith in the old essays that used to be on the Kifaru site---paraphrasing, but when it is cold or wet, the chance to dry out and warm up allows you to thrive rather than just survive. Or it may just be a part of the fun for you to have and use a stove even if you don't need it. If you don't need it and are changing locations a lot, the hassle of breaking it down and setting it up start to eat into the fun for me. It is a delight to be solo in the western backcountry on a long dark night in your snug shelter w/ a fire going before bed. Downside is that it is like a tv in a way and pulls your focus inward towards camp rather than outwards towards the hunt and all that is going on.

 

[PA Hunter]

I was in the Wyoming Thorofare elk hunting in September few years ago had 3 ft of snow dumped and massive winds, probobly in the 20s at night. Yes weather could be all over.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

If it's cold enough for me to see my breath, I want a stove.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Stove goes out during the coldest part of the night anyway. Always bring enough sleeping bag and pad to be comfortable at night. A stove does NOT replace good quality temp rated sleep setup.

Only reason to bring stove for me is if it’s forecasted to be wet. It’s great for drying clothes, gloves, boots, etc. other than that it stays in the truck.

 

[Gotcha_]

Stove goes out during the coldest part of the night anyway. Always bring enough sleeping bag and pad to be comfortable at night. A stove does NOT replace good quality temp rated sleep setup.

Only reason to bring stove for me is if it’s forecasted to be wet. It’s great for drying clothes, gloves, boots, etc. other than that it stays in the truck.

Hello,

Catching up, but seems like a backpacking hot tent is only good for wet weather when youre spike camping? otherwise a lighter 3 season tent could be used? Thinking this since the stove wont run all night and you gotta pack for the min temp nomatter what.