Our team recently embarked on an unforgettable journey into the Maclaren River Valley, a pristine wilderness nestled off the Denali Highway in interior Alaska. To keep our expedition comfortable, we relied on the Arctic Oven Nunatak Apex, a versatile four-season hot tent that transformed our camping experience.
We accessed the rugged landscape by jet boat to navigate to the valley's crystal-clear tributaries, teeming with grayling and vast expanses of wilderness, abundant with wildlife such as caribou and moose.
In this article, we will compare hot tent accessories side by side and provide you with all the details to help you outfit your camp with the best basecamp tools.
Choosing Your Stove: Wood vs. Propane
When choosing your hot tent stove, consider many factors. You may be space-constrained or camping somewhere without fuel to burn a fire. We'll walk you through different scenarios to help you determine the right setup.
Factor 1: What is the size of the tent you are using?
If you are using a large hot tent, you will need to heat more space per square foot. If you use an Arctic Oven 12 or a tent with a similar footprint, we recommend using a wood-burning sheet metal stove such as the Kni-Co Alaskan Standard Kit or the Kni-Co Trekker Standard Kit. Suppose you use a tent such as the Arctic Oven 8, Arctic Oven 10, The Arctic Oven Igloo, or the Arctic Oven Nunatak. We recommend using the Arctic Oven Folding Titanium Stove or the NuWay Double Burner propane stove.
Factor 2: Is weight or space an issue?
If weight or size is an issue, we suggest using the Arctic Oven Folding Titanium Stove, which weighs less than 10 lbs. When fully assembled, the firebox measures 12.5" x 9.125" x 18.125", offering ample space for effective wood burning. The stove's foldable design allows it to shrink down to a compact 12.5" x 1.5" x 18.125" size for convenient storage within the accompanying Cordura storage and transport bag measuring 13" x 2" x 24".
Factor 3: Will there be wood and kindling readily available?
Sometimes, you may camp in high alpine, shrubby deserts, or coastal temperate rainforests. In this instance, consider using a propane stove to heat your hot tent. When using a single burner on a NuWay stove, we have found great performance for fuel efficiency up to 7 days with a 20 lb tank. You can also use all-natural condensed wood, such as Tacoma Fire Logs if you prefer a wood-burning stove and don't have access to readily available firewood.
Choosing Your Chair: Lightweight vs. Deluxe
When choosing your camp chair, we have various options that fit different users' needs.
Lightweight Compact Camp Chairs:
These camp chair boasts a tall backrest and spacious seat, providing durability and comfort for easy entry and exit. The aluminum frame and shock cord construction allow compact packing and effortless assembly. The curved pole design results in a wider and steadier seat, promoting improved blood circulation and overall comfort. The included carrying case doubles as a convenient storage pocket under the seat.
Specs
- Material: Oxford Cloth and 7075 Aviation Aluminum
- Chair Weight: 2.8 lbs
- Load-Bearing: 275 lbs
- Carrying Bag Included
These padded camp chair is the last camp chair you'll ever need. With a sturdy frame and comfortable padded seat, this chair will make you the envy at your Arctic Oven base camp. These chairs fit inside all Arctic Oven tents and can be used for interior or exterior use.
Specs
- Material: Steel Tube + 600D Polyester
- Chair Weight: 14 lbs
- Load-bearing: 330 lbs
- Carrying bag included.
Protecting Your Tent: Bears, Bugs, and Bad Weather
When hot tenting, you can mitigate the chance of damage to your tent and gear by choosing the right tools to help keep your shelter protected. Whether you are in bear country or facing high wind, we have additional protection to keep your tent safe and secure.
Electric Bear Fence: Keep Critters Out of Camp
The UDAP Bear Shock Ultra Lightweight Electric Fence protects you and your equipment from bears and animals by providing a surprising electrical shock if touched. It weighs only 3.7 lbs with batteries and will enclose a 27' x 27' area. It runs on two D-cell batteries (not included) for about five weeks. The package comes with a 6" x 2" storage bag and all the other parts to set up your bear fence today.
Choosing Stakes: Secure Your Shelter With HD Stake Options
Each Arctic Oven tent comes with a standard Alaska Aluminum Stake package. These stakes were designed to secure the web stakeout points to the ground tightly and will work well in dirt, rocks, and snow. If you need additional stake strength or a lightweight stake, we have options to solve your needs.
These multi-use tent stakes are an excellent choice when you need a heavy-duty tie-out point but want to keep the weight to a minimum. The lightly used stakes work on many ground conditions: rocky or sandy river beds, tundra, turf, roots, or boggy soil, and many more conditions you may face while camping with your Arctic Oven tent.
Specs
- Each 3.8 oz. Aluminum stake is 12" long and 1.25" wide.
- Each stake is 1/8" thick.
- Thirty military-issue stakes in each package.
- The package includes a heavy-duty black vinyl bag with a handle.
- Package Weight 7 lbs. (4)
These aluminum twisted stakes are anodized red for visibility and feature a corkscrew design, which increases their holding power and structural integrity while keeping them lightweight.
Specs
- Each 1.28 oz. Aluminum stake is 9.75" long.
- Package Weight Under 1 Lbs. (4)
Each HD stake package comes standard with 30 stakes, which can be used to stake out the full perimeter of your tent or as stakes for the high-wind tie-out points. These durable tent stakes are a great choice in many applications - best suited when you need extreme durability and drive-in power.
Specs
- Each 10 oz. steel nail stake is 12" long with a 1.5" diameter fender washer.
- The complete package weighs 19 lbs.
In conclusion, carefully chosen accessories can truly elevate your hot tenting experience. For all Arctic Oven hot tent accessories, click the link below.
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