4 Season Tents

Hi ALL,
Looking to purchase a 2 or 3 person, 4 season tent.. Anyone have any advise.. I have been strongly attracted to purchasing the Eureka Alpinelite 2xt.. Thanks for any help with this.

KevinD.

Unfortunately I have no advice at all to give. I only have a tiny (1 person, or 2 very friendly people) Bibler 4-season, and it's been great to me but is a royal pain with it's "put up the poles from inside the tent to avoid any issues with wind" concept.

I would recommend a 4-season tent that has a chimney/exhaust port so that you can utilize a small portable heater. This comes in very handy during nights below zero.

Also, opting for a 3-person instead of a two-person will give you extra room to store your outerwear and boots. If the tent has a way to string across a clothes line, you can hang up your wet gear to dry and still have a bit of room to breath.

czimborbryan said:

I would recommend a 4-season tent that has a chimney/exhaust port so that you can utilize a small portable heater. This comes in very handy during nights below zero.

Also, opting for a 3-person instead of a two-person will give you extra room to store your outerwear and boots. If the tent has a way to string across a clothes line, you can hang up your wet gear to dry and still have a bit of room to breath.

Click to expand...

You bring a "small portable heater" on backpacking trips in the winter? Man you must like weight....just get a warmer bag..

For a four season look to either Mtn Hardware or Bibler...BD has some nice selections as well....

M

I have camped out plenty in the winter time using my 3-season tent. Unless you're worried about snowloading the tent and plan on camping above treeline where the winds are furious (or really like your warmth and plan on taking a portable heater with you), I'd just save the money and use your 3-season (if you have one). I only wouldn't use a 3-season if yours has a copious amount of mesh as walls.

I'm assuming you have a sleeping bag that is plenty warm...

I have no experience with the Eureka tents but know folks who have them and had no problems - and I'm sure if there ever was a problem they'd stand by their product and replace/fix it.


BTW, Bibler is owned by BD, so they're basically in the same category

I'd opt for at least a three person as the manufacturers usually figure we are all either 5'8" and 160 pounds or really really REALLY like our tent mates.

Now if it's always you & your SO & you will be zipping your bags together, being cozy is a good thing, otherwise some space is a good thing.

Seeing you are looking at alpinelite, I'd gather you are looking at backpacking so a portable heater seems pretty much out of the question. (Ventilation & flat surfaces, etc. required with any type of heater) No experience with the tents mentioned.

Just an FYI on the portable heater: it's not quite so rare to find lantern-sized heaters on extended winter backpacking trips or in base camps for high altitude mountaineering. This is why some 4-season tents have an exhaust/chimney. Immagine when temps drop below -50 with a stiff wind. Plus, carrying an extra 5 pounds is sometimes worth it to be able to enjoy the trip and not count toes.

I have a 1997 Walrus Warp II Four Season Tent (2-person) and love it. Have not used it too much. I doubt that they make it anymore....but maybe Sierra Trading Post?

I use a sheet of VisQueen and some twist ties. Works for me.

Seriously, though, you're going to pay a premium for a tent labled "4 Season", and it's going to give you capabilities you don't actually need. I'm assuming you're not going on an Arctic expidition here, and you're not going to spend a month on top of Mt Washington. Go with a 3-season, like cbcbd said. just be sure to limit the amount of mesh.

If you opt for a three season, you will want one with more poles than some of the newer lightweight threes. In the mountains 2-4 inches of wet snow might fall on a day where they call just for a passing snow shower.

I bought a 4 season years ago with the idea I can use that in all seasons & if I opt for a lighter tent I'd get one of almost all mesh. (when I bought the 4 season I was getting a hefty discount so better to get a 1/2 price 4 season tent & then pay sale price for a summer tent)

I think all of this boils down to what kind of camping you will be doing.

For a short winter hike of one or two nights in low elevation, a 3-season will probobly be ok. You probobly won't be that far from your ride anyway. Just be sure to use a very warm sleeping bag - remember the temp ratings only refer to survival, not comfort. Bringing a few hand-warmers may also be a good idea.

Even if going into high elevation on a short one or two night trip, I would recomend a 4-season tent. The wind alone could compromise a 3-season tent and if there's lots of snowing, the roof will near collapse.

If journeying far into the wilderness on an extended trip longer than two nights, I would highly recomend the 4-season tent with a chimney/exhaust port as well as a small lantern-sized heater. Clothing may eventually become wet and frozen; having a small heater will help to dry things out over night. It will also help the recovery of hypothermia. You wouldn't have to use it if you don't want to, but having it along could save your life or your toes.