While there are many ways to keep warm, choosing one of the following best tents for cold weather camping is going to kick start your decision to chill out this season.
Winter 2019 is not too far from our shores and believe it or not, me and my Family love camping during the chilly season. Winter camping is an experience everyone should simply try at least once, and then continue doing so year after year.
Home is where the heart is and when camping, home is inside the tent. What good is a heart if it’s frozen. So to truly enjoy the benefits of camping in freezing temperatures, playing around in the snow and taking in the breathtaking sights you need to stay warm. Staying warm all starts at base camp.
What Tent Should You Chose For Extreme Weather
Choosing a tent that has more insulation, is better designed to deflect snow and high winds while also being waterproof is critical to a successful Winter expedition. Air flow in the form of air vents is also important when camping in extreme conditions. Moisture and condensation can occur from your breathing and general outdoors weather, which can in turn, turn to frost.
When daybreak hits, this frost can melt and wet the inside of your tent, along with any valuables. So be sure to utilize a tents air vent to allow some airflow every once in a while. By all means, keep it closed during the peak freezing times.
When it comes time to choosing the best winter tents for camping, you have to first understand the circumstances in which you will be camping. Some tents may be better suited to high winds while car camping, and other tents may be better suited to hiking high in the Alps for example. Buy what you think will suit your expedition.
So with that said, me and my team have gathered as much information from around the web, forums, talking to other campers and our own experience to come up with a few of the best cold weather tents for camping that will suit the vast majority of folks.
The Best Extreme Winter Camping Tents
Arctic Oven Tent Review 12 Foot Wonderland
This is the tent for extreme weather camping. If you are even considering the idea of camping when several feet of snow could deploy on you during the night, this is the tent for you. The Arctic an American made camping tent sets the bar for the best cold weather camping, especially in extreme snow conditions.
The first thing worth mentioning is the ventilation system. The Arctic Oven tent has two tube vents that can be opened and closed from inside the tent. Other than for air flow, the ventilation system combined with the screened windows allow for the propane stove to be used inside the tent.
That’s correct, you can use a stove inside this tent safely to keep you nice and warm. Ventilation is required for carbon monoxide build up, so having this brilliant system built into the tent is phenomenal.
Combating The Cool Weather With The Arctic Tent
What makes the outside of this tent very weather proof is the large storm flap that comes out about 2 feet from the tent. What this does is stops and horizontal windy rain from entering in up under the rain fly. In snowy conditions, the snow will settle on top of this flap and make the tent a wind free zone. Nice and snug not too mention warm and toasty.
Combating against rain and melting snow, are the seamless corners at the bottom of the tent. What this does is keeps any water or snow from entering in the seems where with traditional tents have seams that can leak water and cool air. Just another one of the small features that adds quality and weatherproof to this tent.
Moving onto the doors/entry, it’s exceptionally wide. This is an excellent feature, because to really enjoy the open space inside the tent, you’re going to need to transport cots, air mattresses etc inside. Having the larger size door with heavy duty double sided zippers makes packing and unpacking the tent super easy.
The most unique feature of the Alaskan Arctic Oven is of course the ability to have an oven inside the tent. At the ceiling is a stove jack with a cover if not needed to keep the snow and rain out. The stove does not come with the tent, but its a handy feature to have, especially if you are camping in Alaska.
The only downside to the Arctic Oven Tent is well how expensive it is. Being the perfect Winter tent does come at a price tho. So while expensive, if you want the best, you simply have to pay for it.
- Sleeps 4 With Oven, 5-6 without oven
- About 12×13 and 8 feet high
- Insulated Nylon/latex Walls
More Affordable Winter Camping Tent
The 8 x 9 Glacier By Browning Review
When it comes to extreme camping, it’s absolutely essential that the tent you buy has as many tie down locations as possible. Having extra tie downs on the rain fly and extra on the tent are just one of the reasons the Browning Glacier tent is on our list for cold weather camping tents.
Made by Alps Mountaineering, Browning have respectfully put their name to this tent. Browning only put their brand on the highest quality equipment which says a lot about this quality extreme weather camping tent. In comparison to the Arctic, the Glacier is a much more affordable cold weather camping tent. But the glacier is not in the same Antarctic/Alaska tent category so to speak.
In terms of ventilation, the Glacier by Browning offers a great range of options. It especially important to have good ventilation on a double wall tent like this. This Glacier has huge ventilation pockets on the bottom half while large triangle mesh like vents on the roof of the tent. Just below these vents are 4 big triangle mesh storage pockets. Out of reach of bad weather and up high to avoid damage. Great storage locations.
Something the Glacier is missing in comparison to the arctic (Besides the unique oven feature) is the four corner hooks. The glacier really needs something like this so that setting up a clothesline inside the tent is possible. This is more important for long term campers.
- Good quality steel tent pegs which feel like they are seriously bullet proof. This is highly important to the longevity of your stay. Long enough to drive in on an angle in Alaska, while can be pinned straight in dryer states.
- About half the weight of the Arctic Oven weighing just 20 pounds
- Extra large zippers (Size 10) which are great for extreme winter conditions.
- Straight up and down walls allow for greater space to park cots in, however also are not the best for wind storms.
- The storage bag is not the best. It feels as tho it’s impossible to fit everything back into one bag. This could be quite the issue in freezing windy conditions.
- The glacier has 2 vestibules compared to the one of the arctic, which allows for greater storage outside the living quarters.
- Can be used straight out of the box. All seams are sealed and waterproof.
The Best Winter Snow Proof 2 Person Tent
Hilleburg Jannu 2 Person Winter Tent Review
This tent I consider the ‘serious’ tent. It has all the callings of a professional hiker/adventurer with the price tag to match. If premium weather proofing is what you are after and don’t paying top dollar for it. Then the Hilleburg Jannu may be the right fit for you.
While the Jannu may take a little longer to set up then other 2 person tents, the reason being that has the extra elements to protect you from the elements. Being a 4 season tent, I find the Hilleburg to be very well engineered and designed flawlessly.
Every detail is covered right down to the yellow inner lining. It’s positive and uplifting to be trapped inside a yellow room which feels like it is filled with sunshine when in reality its either a snow or wind storm on the exterior.
Whats To Love About This 4 Season Tent
- Free standing tent (Bar the vestibule) with an abundance of guy lines.
- Hilleberg’s Kerlon fabrics used inside the tent is amazing to say the least. This is luxury winter camping for 1-2 people at its best.
- Lightweight at 7.5 pounds
- Great ventilation for a one entry four season tent
- Unique design lets snow and rain slide away from the tent. Part of the great engineering behind this tent
- Well waterproofed base of the tent keeps water out in up to about 6 inches of flooding water.
Need More Tents To Brave Cold Conditions
When all is said and done, there are many 4 season tents available on amazon.com which aren’t listed here. Do your due diligence to read through the reviews and take notes. After all, this tent is your home away from home.
Also remember their are other ways to keep warm in a tent. It’s best to sleep raised higher off the ground so that the earth doesn’t cool down your body heat. Winter camping can be the most adventurous thing you could ever do. However, their are associated dangers in camping in extreme conditions. So I urge you to thoroughly map out your route and plan accordingly. Safety first.