Cabelas Alaknak Tent?

[New Hampshire]

Has anyone here any experience with the Cabelas Alaknak Delux outfitter tents?  Im looking at picking up the 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 footer with their outfitter stove.  Looking to sleep 4 guys in the North woods of New Hampshire for hunting season.
Anyone used these tents?
Brian

[EsoxLucius]

Be sure to get a fly for it to minimize the condensation raining down on you.  You may think that the Cabelas Alaknak looks like a deal, but if you are looking for a serious proposition in cold weather you should look elsewhere. A canvas tent is much more comfortable.  Check out the Kodiak from Reliable Tent in Billings, MT.  Four guys in a 10'x10' tent for six days is not my idea of comfort, whereas four guys can LIVE in a 12'x12' or 12'x15' tent.

If you are stuck on a 10'x10' look at their Teton or a 4' wall Mountain Spike Tent.

http://www.reliabletent.com/eTrans/showdetl.cfm?&DID=29&Product_ID=223&CATID=9

http://www.elkcamp.com/html/gear_archives_1.html

For a stove I would look at the Empire Snowtrekker stoves.

http://www.empirecanvasworks.com/bcstore/stoves/empirestoves/index.html

[hunting1]

I will second his opinion! I have a Cabelas tent similar to the one you ask about and when you run a heater or just breath it rains! Canvas is much better! Reliable or Davis are great company's!

[bilmac]

The 10 x 10 is about right for two people for one or two nights, for a longer stay you will want the vestibule, it has room to be a fair kitchen and is floorless, so spills are not a tragedy. Hunting 1 is right about condensation. The tent has vents that are supposed to be open all the time, but in windy Wyo, I put thin cotton material over them to slow down drafts. I open the windows in the day and most of the condensation goes away.

[NitroSteel]

I don't own one of the tents, but this year we drove to Wyoming to hunt and stopped at a Cabelas store along the way.  They had a larger version of the Alaknak (which I had also debated on buying at one point), setup near the front of the store outside.  I think without question the 9.5x9.5 would be big enough for two people and gear for a week, BUT like everyone else has said, condensation would be an issue.  A canvas wall tent, although heavier and more expensive looks like a much higher quality item and it will keep the "morning rain" off of you.  After looking at this tent, I was glad that I decided on the 6 man Alaskan Guide tent that I bought.  I would on at least some occasions like to have a REAL wall tent with a wood burning stove/heater in it, but realized that I couldn't afford it at the time of purchasing the Alaskan Guide tent.

I think I was probably right in my decision to buy the highest quality tent that I could afford, as opposed to buying something that had some qualities that I really like (wood burning stove option), but lacked the other things that really count when it really matters - - - like it did on our hunt this year when we had a very heavy snow load and lots of wind.  Maybe the Alaknak would've kept standing, but I'm SURE we would've gotten "rained on" with the wind due to the condensation that would've been built up inside.

I'd save the money and buy a real wall tent if that's what I wanted.  That's what we're going to do when the time comes.  We bear hunted out of a Montana wall tent in BC and there was no comparison between the Montana wall tent and the Alaknak.  This is just my opinion, but I have actually seen the tent and am happy that I didn't buy one.

NitroSteel

[rockymtn eagle]

I know this is an old post but I wanted to give some reader, who may be looking for reviews of this tent, at least one mans experience with this tent. 

I've been using this tent for the past 3 years in a windy high altitidude environment. One guy in our hunting group ended up buying it for hunting and camping with his family. It's been used a lot in the past 3 years. To this day there isn't any damage from the high winds shaking the tent. It's a very well thought out design from Cabelas. The 12x12 will fit 4 men just right with the wood burning stove in it. We have never had any condensation problem inside the tent at all. We are in dry Colorado air but I've had other tents form condensation while camping in Colorado. The Alaknak is designed with small vents at the peak and vents on all 4 sides to create a crosswind if you need it. The wood burning stove that it comes with is a low end model and will be replaced down the road. We have the vestibule attached to the front with all our food and that where we do all our cooking. I would highly reccomend getting the vestible for this tent. It's been real handy for our bunch and I have no complaints about this tent at all.

[kctibs]

I know this is very old topic but to help anyone else out looking for a Alaknak Deluxe. I have had one for 10 years now used it every year but two. Been use sometimes more than once in some seasons. I think it is great I have had no problems and would recommend it. I usually have two to four guys in mine, it is little crowded with 4 but we always manage.  The tent sets up in about 20 minutes after you do it a couple of times. I have had it in wind, heavy snow and lots of rain here in Colorado with no leaks or damage. I never have bought the fly. I do have the woodburning stove it works well but you better have a lot of wood piled up. Also the spark arrestor has to go it will plug up and smoke you out just after a small amount of use. Hope this may help somebody.

[bilmac]

The Alaknak is probably one of the most wind firm tents I have ever seen. You have guys going everywhere and lots of heavy duty poles. You get that sturdiness at the cost of lots of weight for the size. I have thought about replacing all the short ridge poles with plastic pipe but haven't done it yet. The tent has a lot of versetility. If it were raining when you wanted to set up you could get out of the weather by just setting up the center pole. For a quick one night stop if the weather wasn't stormy it could be set up with just the corner ridge poles.

Being all artificial fabric means that mildew is not such a problem.

It is far easier for one person to set up than any wall tent. I have set up a smallish wall tent by myself and it ain't easy.

[Dand]

I'm glad this thread keeps perking. Cabelas offers a good deal on this tent now and then and its nice to see the accumulated comments.  I got the impression it wasn't a hot seller tho and wondered why.  I might be more interested if I heard that someone in real wet climates liked it. In my part of AK it rains a lot during moose season and everything gets really really damp if not soaked. The comments about condensation problems have caused me to avoid this tent. But having a tent I could heat with wood sure appeals as the damp is often real chilly too.

[bilmac]

That's the only real way to drive out the moisture, heat it up and ventilate. And, the heater should exhaust to the outside, catalic heaters and the like only add more moisture inside. I see the new Analaks have a better ventilation system than my early one, the new ones have flaps that can be shut down. I think it would be a pretty good tent for Alaska.