The solution? A cooler with wheels.

Hunting for the top wheeled cooler isn’t about just picking any cooler that rolls. You need one that glides over beach sand, dock steps, and bumpy trails with ease. Yet, some wheel designs are flimsy and others might cost you your paycheck.

So, I dove deep into cooler research, sampled a bunch, and tested them like a relentless airport security guard. Finally, I found the crème de la crème, the BEST wheeled coolers.

Here’s our list of of our top picks. Stick around to see how we tested them and what you need to look for.

More of a visual learner? Watch our Best Coolers with Wheels video review here!

DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links in this article are affiliate links. If you click on a link we may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

The 6 Best Wheeled Coolers of 2023: Outdoor Empire Reviews

The YETI Tundra Haul is our top pick for the best wheeled cooler, scoring high on ice retention, durability, and mobility. If you’re seeking a budget-friendly option, consider the RTIC Ultra-Light Wheeled or the Coleman Xtreme Roller, both offering solid performance.

1. Best Overall: YETI Tundra Haul
2. Best for the Money: RTIC Ultra-Light Wheeled
3. Budget Pick: Coleman Xtreme or 316 Series Rolling 62 Qt
4. Beach Pick:  Igloo Trailmate
5. Also Great: Lifetime High Performance Wheeled
6. Best of the Rest: Monoprice Pure Outdoor Wheeled Emperor

	Best Overall	Best Value	Budget Pick	Best for Beach	Also Great
Product	YETI Tundra Haul	RTIC Ultra-Light Wheeled	Coleman Xtreme or 316 Series Rolling 62 Qt	Igloo Trailmate	Lifetime High Performance Wheeled
Outdoor Empire Score	4.4	4.1	3.0	3.5	3.9
Portability	Best	Best	Good	Better	Good
Ice Retention (Our Test)	7 days	6 days	6 days	5 days	7 days
Benefits	+ Excellent build quality and rugged so it will last a long time + Smooth wheels roll well on all surfaces + Easy to tow + Holds ice longer than other wheeled coolers	+ High-quality build for a lower cost + Loaded with useful features + Best wheels and tow handle out of all we tested + Lighter than most competitors + Excellent customer service	+ Affordable for nearly any budget + Holds up well to abuse and impacts + Excellent ice retention for the price + Extremely lightweight for easy portability + Great customer service gives confidence in purchase	+ Large wheels and clearance for use on rough terrain or sand + Excellent beach and fishing accessories included + Telescoping handle with built-in butler tray that includes self-draining cup holders + 70-quart capacity allows for storage of up to 112 cans and ice	+ Reasonable price point + Built like a rotomolded cooler + Good warranty and customer service + Great ice retention + Bear-certified
Drawbacks	- Lid prone to warping in extreme heat - Lid leaks when towing which can reduce ice retention - 50% more expensive than next best alternative	- Leaks considerably when towing - Short warranty - No bear certification	- Wheels only function well on hard surfaces - Lid doesn't clamp down - Basic wheels with limited off-road ability	- Bulky and difficult to get in smaller vehicles - Build quality falls short for the price point - Design less versatile than other coolers on this list	- Underbuilt wheels are bad on sand and dirt - Tow handle can rust - Heavy and awkward to lift - Prone to warping
Price Range	$$$ Check Price	$$ Check Price	$ Check Price	$$ Check Price	$$ Check Price

The author of this review, Chase Fly, has had his garage full of coolers for the past year. He takes a different ice chest each time he goes fishing, camping, hunting, or on a Costco run. Chase’s real-world use of these coolers combined with rigorous testing provides Chase with unique insight about how good they really are.

1. Best All-Around Wheeled Cooler

Best Overall

YETI Tundra Haul

4.4

Portability Rank: 2

Approx. Price: $450

Volume: 62 quarts

Weight: 37.8 pounds

Construction Type: Rotomolded

Where Made: Philippines

Warranty: 5 years

Variations: Roadie 48 & 60, 6 colors

View on Amazon View at YETI

Compare prices: Bass Pro Shops, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cabela’s, Moosejaw, Scheels, Dick’s Sporting Goods

As much as I was kinda hoping to prove otherwise in favor of an underdog, the YETI Tundra Haul emerged as our preferred wheeled cooler. Its robust construction, marked by a dense foam-injected rotomolded design, strong wheel assembly, and rigid handle, set it apart. This quality construction ensures the Tundra Haul can withstand considerable abuse, like falling out of your pickup, without debilitating damage.

The cooler’s durability is demonstrated in part by an IGBC bear-resistant certification, which you need to camp in some places including select National Parks in the Western US. However, the Tundra Haul isn’t invincible, with reports of lid warping in extreme heat, which could affect cooling efficiency.

Despite this, the Tundra Haul excelled in ice retention, maintaining cool temperatures for 7 days in our tests. The compact design of its wheels makes it easier to pack and transport than many alternatives, and their never-flat wheels enable a smooth ride over diverse terrain. Plus, the tow handle is designed to to provide a comfortable walk and pull experience.

The Tundra Haul isn’t without flaws. When your ice melts to water, it leaks when towed, which in turn makes the remaining ice melt faster. Also, the wheels rattle, but that’s not a big deal. It’s heavier than its rivals, so you might need help lifting it. Although it’s the most expensive cooler we tested, it lacks some simple frills like a bottle opener.

Customer service was inconsistent, with the chat function repeatedly failing, but their extensive online support materials and a solid 5-year warranty give peace of mind. Despite its shortcomings, the YETI Tundra Haul’s rugged quality and superior ice retention make it a top choice for outdoor enthusiasts.

2. Best Wheeled Cooler for the Money

Best Value

RTIC 52 QT Ultra-Light Wheeled

4.1

Portability Rank: 1

Approx. Price: $300

Volume: 52 quarts

Weight: 30 pounds

Construction Type: Injection molded

Where Made: Cambodia

Warranty: 1 year

Variations: 3 colors

View on Amazon View at RTIC

The RTIC 52 Quart Ultra-Light Wheeled is a real winner in value-for-money. Its build quality is impressive considering its lower cost, courtesy of smart design choices like injection molding. That makes it cheaper and lighter than rotomolded coolers like the Yeti, but it still feels sturdy and well-made.

And while it’s not bear-certified, it remains tough as manifested in my over-the top durability test where I towed it around behind a side-by-side and tossed it off a roof just to see what would happen. Check out my YouTube video on that below!

This cooler boasts several handy features, including an air-sealing freezer-style gasket that helps it hold ice longer. Convenient tie-down slots and grippy feet ensure stability during transportation, while a standard lock hole protects your adult beverages from little ones. Easy-to-handle grips allow effortless movement, and kid-friendly latches ensure smooth access. Anglers will appreciate the hose-compatible drain plug with a tethered cap for easy drainage off boats. A unique addition is the silicone net in the lid, perfect for quick access items like snacks. And yes, it also includes a built-in bottle opener.

Challenging YETI, this cooler excels with wheels and a tow handle that produce the smoothest overall ride out of all the wheeled coolers we experienced whether on sand, grass, or gravel. Its ice retention stands strong at 6 days in our test, making it an all-round performer.

While it’s lighter than most competitors, at 30 pounds, “ultra-light” is marketing buzzword bologna. And it does leak considerably when towing if there’s a lot of water inside. Customer service responds swiftly, but a 1-year warranty is limiting.

Yet, its portability, durability, and functionality make the RTIC Ultra-Light Wheeled Cooler a great value pick.

3. Best Cheap Wheeled Cooler

Budget Pick

Coleman 316 or Xtreme Series 62 Qt Wheeled

3.0

Portability Rank: 6

Approx. Price: $80

Volume: 62 quarts

Weight: 13.6 pounds

Construction Type: Blow molded

Where Made: USA

Warranty: None

Variations: 50 quart

View on Amazon View at Bass Pro Shops

Compare prices: Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cabela’s

Our best budget pick is the Coleman Xtreme Rolling or its equivalent, the Coleman 316 Series, both 62-quart wheeled coolers. At an affordable price and made in America, these coolers prove that a reliable wheeled cooler need not cost a small fortune.

Constructed from basic plastic, they won’t stun you with premium quality, but they certainly do the job. The 316 Series is practically identical to the Xtreme, and might be easier to find. We tested a non-wheeled 316 and it performed just like the Xtreme. And it appears they upgrade the wheels on the 316 compared to the Xtreme. These unsophisticated coolers are a whole lot less likely to get stolen out of the back of your truck, which is a thing with fancy Yeti coolers.

Lightweight and sturdy, these Colemans can withstand some rough handling. During our drop test, the Xtreme just bounced, showing it won’t easily break. They live up to their promise: simple, functional coolers with good capacity. Their handles make lifting or towing easy, and usable cup holders on the Xtreme are a neat bonus.

Coleman’s customer service is top-tier. When I inquired about a potential issue, they offered a replacement despite the lack of a warranty.

Where they excel is ice retention, keeping ice for 6 days in our test, one day more than advertised, and a match for pricier options.

The downside? Their wheels only work well on solid ground, struggling on sand or dirt. However, their narrow, lightweight design allows for easy dragging in such circumstances. I would advise against the smaller 50-quart versions with retractable handles. While I haven’t tested them myself, past experiences with weak sauce telescopic handles on other coolers leave me skeptical.

In summary, Coleman’s wheeled coolers are a cost-effective choice that delivers on functionality and ice retention.

4. Best Beach Cooler with Wheels

Best for Beach

Igloo Trailmate

3.5

Portability Rank: 5

Approx. Price: $250

Volume: 70 quarts

Weight: 34.4 pounds

Construction Type: Injection and blow molded

Where Made: USA

Warranty: 1 year

Variations: 10+ colors

View on Amazon View at Sportsman's Warehouse

Compare prices: Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Scheels, Dick’s Sporting Goods

The Igloo Trailmate is our top choice for beach and fishing coolers, brimming with features for beach days and surf fishing. However, its build quality and durability are average given the price.

With the largest wheels of any cooler we tested, it’s specifically designed for beach use. Despite being made of basic plastic, they easily overcome obstacles due to its SUV-like ground clearance. The functional telescoping tow handle allows for both wheelbarrow-like pushing or handcart towing.

It’s loaded with accessories: a basket, tray, fishing rod holders, and dry box are included for beach convenience and concealing of valuables. The tethered drain plug is a smart touch to avoid losing it, and the bungee hooks are perfect for loading it up with extra gear.

Customer service responded within 48 hours, but the warranty is only for one year. Ice retention lasted 5 days for me, which is better than advertised.

Its main drawbacks are its bulky size and less-than-premium materials. Occupying 2/3 of an SUV cargo area, it’s not suitable for smaller vehicles but perfect for pickups. Despite these issues, its beach-friendly features, easy towability, large capacity, and good customer service make it a great choice for beach and fishing trips.

5. Also Great

Also Great

Lifetime 65 Quart High Performance

3.9

Portability Rank: 8

Approx. Price: $250

Volume: 65 quarts

Weight: 29.4 pounds

Construction Type: Blow molded

Where Made: USA

Warranty: 5 years

Variations: 55 quart

View on Amazon (without wheels) View at Lifetime

The Lifetime 65 Quart High Performance Wheeled Cooler, while not topping any category, is a worthwhile contender. The blow-molded plastic and budget-friendly components may not seem premium, but it’s built like a rotomolded cooler. Certain features, like the latches, show thoughtful engineering. While it may be mid-grade quality overall, it delivers on its high performance promise, especially in terms of ice retention.

Ice retention is impressive, lasting seven days in our ice challenge, on par with the Yeti Tundra Haul. And it leaks less when towing. It boasts a good feature set for the price, including a gasket, lock holes, and grippy feet. Lifetime’s customer service is laudable with a 72-hour response time and a 5-year warranty.

The cooler is durable and bear-resistant, but the wheels and tow handle could be stronger. The wheels are similar to the budget Coleman coolers and struggle on sand and trails, getting easily gummed up. The metal tow handle, while sturdy, has basic welds and shows early signs of rusting. I’ve also seen some reports of lid warping on Lifetime coolers.

The cooler’s size makes it bulky and hard to maneuver, with the tow handle adding to the difficulty due to its inability to lock in place. Despite these flaws, its good price, reliable warranty, large capacity, and excellent ice retention make it a solid choice, especially in a Lifetime store where they’re even cheaper.

If you don’t need wheels, I think the non-wheeled version of this cooler is a bargain. But since this review is about the top coolers with wheels, it didn’t rank higher simply because portability is its weak point.

6. Best of the Rest

Good Deal

Monoprice Pure Outdoor Wheeled Emperor 50

3.5

Portability Rank: 3

Approx. Price: $200

Volume: 50 quarts

Weight: 33.4 pounds

Construction Type: Rotomolded

Where Made: China

Warranty: 1 year

Variations: None

View on Amazon No Wheels Option

While it may be a generic brand, Monoprice’s Pure Outdoor Wheeled Emperor 50 Cooler offers considerable value for its price. Though its build quality has room for improvement, with rough-cut latches and the like, its rotomolded construction promises decent toughness and ice retention.

The cooler’s durability is commendable, though the tow handle lacks the robustness of models like the YETI or RTIC. Notably, the handle’s welds were not strong enough to prevent bending during our truck toss. And I’m afraid to bend it back as it appears it would break.

For its price, the cooler comes with a nice set of features, including a bottle opener, grippy feet, and a ruler on top. Its wheels, while not top-tier, offer smoother rolling than most, and its ice retention competes with the YETI Tundra Haul, lasting up to 7 days.

Monoprice’s customer service leaves much to be desired. They never responded to my inquiry. However, the cooler’s price, good rolling capabilities, and impressive ice retention make it a compelling budget-friendly choice.

The Emperor 50, despite its cheaper parts and disappointing customer service, remains a strong contender for those looking for affordability without sacrificing functionality. It’s also available without wheels at an even better deal.

3 Coolers With Wheels We Don’t Recommend

The first couple of coolers I don’t recommend may not sit well with a lot of die-hard fans, and you may even find them on the Best Wheeled Cooler lists on other websites. But my guess is the people who wrote those reviews have not used or tested these coolers to the extent I have.

I have nothing against the companies who make them. These companies make other coolers and products I really like and there are some things I like about these ice chests too.

There are specific reasons I don’t recommend these wheeled coolers based on actually using them myself. You’ll see why below.

1. Pelican Elite 45QW

The US-made Pelican Elite 45QW Cooler’s build and durability are commendable, with its robust rotomolded design, bear certification, and impressive lifetime warranty. However, it disappoints in its overall user experience.

Better Without Wheels

Pelican Elite 45QW

3.6

Portability Rank: 7

Approx. Price: $450

Volume: 45 quarts

Weight: 38.6 pounds

Construction Type: Rotomolded

Where Made: USA

Warranty: Lifetime

Variations: 65 qt, 80 qt, 3 colors

View on Amazon View at Pelican

Key issues I found include an exposed axle and wheels that often jam under regular use making transportation difficult, especially on sand.  The tow handle’s hand grip is too narrow which causes the cooler to hit your calves when towing. And it’s far more bulky than other coolers of the same size making it hard to move around. Additionally, customer service never responded to my written inquiry, which might cause concern for customers needing support.

Although the cooler boasts a watertight lid and the Pelican brand name, its high cost, merely average ice retention, and especially cumbersome portability make it a less-than-ideal rolling cooler option. It would be better without wheels in its current design.

2. RovR RollR 45

Despite the RovR RollR 45’s feature-rich and versatile design, with bicycle towing option, its enhancements often create problems.

Dealbreaker Handle

RovR RollR 45

3.7

Portability Rank: 4

Approx. Price: $440

Volume: 45 quarts

Weight: 38.9 pounds

Construction Type: Rotomolded

Where Made: USA

Warranty: 5 years

Variations: 60 qt, 7+ colors

View on Amazon View at Moosejaw

The tow handle is a major issue to the point that it’s a dealbreaker for me. You really have to yank on it to make it extend, then it won’t retract easily either. And it feels more flimsy than my cheap rolling suitcase handle when fully extended.

Although the pneumatic wheels ensure a smooth ride, the risk of puncture and handle problems hinder its portability. Disappointingly, the ice retention falls short of what the company claims, and customer service never responded to my message. Given its price, the cooler’s flaws overshadow its innovations. If drawn to RovR, the larger RollR 60 may be a better choice, with a superior handle design.

3. Igloo MaxCold Latitude 62 Roller

The Igloo MaxCold Latitude 62 Roller is a popular model in large part because it has gone on sale at Costco the past couple years in the Spring and Summer. That’s where I got mine. But this cooler fails to deliver quality, with a particularly dangerous and unreliable telescoping tow handle.

Do NOT Buy!

Igloo MaxCold Latitude 62 Roller

1.7

Portability Rank: Last

Approx. Price: $65

Volume: 62 quarts

Weight: 14.6 pounds

Construction Type: Blow molded

Where Made: USA

Warranty: 1 year

Variations: 40, 70, 100 qt, color varies

View on Amazon

The first time we used this cooler the plastic tow handle broke on one side when my daughter was towing it empty from the house into the backyard. Later, when I filled it half way with water to tow it around and compare it to the other coolers on this list, the other side of the handle broke. A remaining shard of plastic sliced a nearly 3-inch cut in the palm of my hand.

See what happened to the handle in the short video below.

Its poor ice retention, flimsy construction, and underwhelming features make it an option to avoid. While it’s cheap and lightweight, the negatives far outweigh the positives.

How to Choose the Best Cooler with Wheels

When selecting a cooler with wheels, there are a few important factors to consider. We used the following criteria for testing and evaluating the wheeled coolers on this list.

1. Construction Quality

Coolers are not just for backyard barbecues – they’re designed to withstand rugged outdoor conditions. Rotomolded coolers typically provide the most durability, with high-quality polyethylene plastics and dense internal foam insulation materials. Non-rotomolded options, while often less expensive, should also be made of robust components and materials to ensure longevity.

There is also a close association with value when it comes to quality. You shouldn’t expect the same build quality in a $100 cooler compared to a $400 cooler. But if you find a $200 cooler that’s as good as other $300 coolers, then it’s a great deal. I looked at this closely when researching and testing these coolers.

By researching specs, visually inspecting more than 30 different coolers, and finally using them for real outdoor activities, I was able to clearly recognize quality based on firsthand experience.

2. Durability

Rotomolded cooler tend to be the most rugged, but they are prone to warping or damage from extreme heat. Injection molded coolers are often a close second in terms of durability, but even cheaper blow molded coolers are tougher than they look when it comes to everyday accidents like rolling down some stairs.

Scuffs and scrapes should be anticipated with any cooler, but rusty or bent handles, mucked up wheel axles, and breakage from minor tumbles are red flags.

Bonus points if a cooler is certified as bear-resistant by the International Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC). This means the company invested extra effort and money into product development and had the cooler tossed in a pen of real live hungry grizzly bears who attempt to break into the cooler to eat what’s inside.

One fun durability test I did involved chucking each cooler off the tailgate of my pickup. While no cooler rolled away unscathed, some took the asphalt better than others.

3. Ice Retention

Ice retention is crucial for a cooler’s effectiveness and is arguably the most important feature a cooler can offer. The longer the ice lasts, the longer your food and drinks stay cold. Some companies advertise some pretty unbelievable claims about how long their coolers retain ice, while others (ahem, Yeti) don’t make promises since there can be so many variables, including how you pack it.

In the end it comes down to insulation and air tightness. So a plastic outer shell with thicker injected foam insulation in the sides and lid make all the difference. The best insulated coolers also have a freezer-style gasket that creates an air tight seal around the lid to keep cool air inside from being displaced by warmer outside air.

In order to test the ice retention on these coolers, I filled each cooler with ice and monitored them over a week outdoors in the heat of summer. I checked ice levels daily, noting when each cooler no longer had any ice left and the food inside was no longer at a safe temperature.

4. Features

Additional features can add convenience and functionality, but not all features offer a real benefit. Things like bottle openers, cup holders, accessories, and tie-down capabilities can all enhance the user experience, or not, depending on how you want to use it. So look for the things that matter to you and don’t be oversold on gimmicks.

I considered overall ease of use of each cooler’s features whether unique like the silicone net in the RTIC or universal like the drain. But the most useful testing was in the form of real-world use. I have had most of these coolers for months as of the time of writing and I have used them on campouts, hunting trips, weddings, and lake days. That’s where I discover what’s really useful and what I don’t care about.

5. Customer Service and Warranty

Coolers have become one of the most expensive pieces of gear in an outdoor goers kit, so expect great service and a satisfaction guarantee from premium cooler brands. A company’s responsiveness and the warranty it provides can also be indicative of a cooler’s quality. If something goes wrong, it’s important to know that the company will back its product.

Customer service was tested by contacting each company directly in writing either by email or by submitting an online form. I submitted the same general inquiry about a hypothetical warranty issue and I recorded their response time and helpfulness. Some responded right away like RTIC and Coleman while others never did like RovR, Pelican, and Monoprice. I found Yeti impossible to contact in writing, but maybe I was looking in the wrong place.

6. Portability

While the above criteria are important to consider for any cooler, portability is paramount for a cooler with wheels. And a cooler’s portability is significantly influenced by its wheels and handles.

I filled each cooler up about half way with water to simulate being packed for an outing. Then I towed them through a “terrain gauntlet”, rolling them across different surfaces including asphalt, steps, grass, sand, and gravel. During this process, I evaluated how well the wheels handled various terrains and how comfortable and efficient the tow handles were. I also noted which coolers leaked from water sloshing inside.

The top wheeled coolers have sturdy wheels that are low maintenance, roll smoothly over a variety of surface types (not just asphalt). They also sport a tow handle that’s sturdy and comfortable to use over long-ish distances. Ideally they’re easy to push as well as pull, which is often not the case, so keep an eye out for that.

Bulky designs can be unwieldy, especially when trying to load, unload, and fit them in a vehicle. The grab handles should make it easy to lift without straining. Size and weight also factor in here. Heavy coolers can be a pain if it takes two people to move them all the time, so they better have some great benefits to make up for that.

Why Trust Us

At Outdoor Empire, we pride ourselves on offering trustworthy gear advice, backed by rigorous, hands-on testing. We didn’t just ‘borrow’ information from the web for this review. Instead, we invested our own money, acquired each wheeled cooler featured in this article, and put them through their paces in real-world situations. We even went the extra mile and used them extensively in our own lives, because we believe in ‘walking the talk’ before recommending any gear.

Although we occasionally accept product samples to enrich our gear guides, we never do paid or sponsored reviews. Our views in this article are as authentic, unbiased, and personal as it gets. After all, we wouldn’t recommend something we wouldn’t use ourselves or suggest to our loved ones.

Finding the Perfect Wheeled Cooler

Choosing the best cooler depends on what you do most. Campers and anglers should get durable coolers with top-notch ice retention. For picnics or tailgates, a light, simple cooler will do.

Check the wheels and handle carefully.

Good wheels are tough, roll smoothly on different surfaces, and give the cooler enough ground clearance to prevent dragging. The RTIC, YETI, and Igloo Trailmate are great at this. On the other hand, the Coleman, Lifetime, and Pelican fail in sand where it feels like you’re dragging dead weight. Good wheels can make the difference between breaking a sweat or not.

A top-notch tow handle lets you stroll upright next to your cooler, not crouched down right in front of it as it bumps you in the calves with every step. The best ones, like on the Yeti and RTIC, let you both push and pull the cooler without collapsing.

Think about extra features. Handy things like bottle openers, cup holders, or storage spaces can make your cooler even cooler. But if you don’t need it or won’t use it, don’t mind it!

Lastly, consider the company’s reputation and warranty. This can keep your cooler protected and you stress-free. Pelican has the best warranty, but they were hard to reach. Coleman doesn’t offer a warranty but was willing to replace a cooler quickly when I reached out.

In the end, the perfect cooler blends durability, cooling, convenience, your needs, and your budget.

Wheeled Cooler FAQs

The post 6 Best Wheeled Coolers of 2023 and 3 to Avoid appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

As an eager hunter, I’m always on the lookout for gear that enhances my outdoor experience. And I’m okay with spending more money for quality gear that serves multiple purposes and will last a long time. But does Sitka Gear stand up to the hype?

In this Sitka camo review, I’ll share my hands-on experience with six different Sitka Gear products, focusing on the three that I now regret not buying sooner: the Sitka Mountain Pant, the Sitka Core Lightweight Long Sleeved Crew, and the Sitka Jetstream Jacket.

If you just want to know what the best Sitka gear is and what’s worth getting vs leaving behind, keep reading because I won’t waste your time with fluffy opinions about junk.

And if you’re more of a visual person, check out my Sitka Gear video review on YouTube!

DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links in this article are affiliate links. If you click on a link we may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Why Trust Our Sitka Camo Review

I got a whole new set of Sitka camouflage clothing gear last fall and put it to the test. I wore it all season long on multiple hunts, some successful and some not. From warm days in the early season to late season mornings in near zero degree temps, I formed a few opinions about what I was wearing all that time.

I evaluated each item based on features, camo pattern effectiveness, noise levels, weather resistance, durability, versatility, and comfort (including fit, sizing, and mobility).

In short, I have used all the gear I talk about extensively and I test gear for a living. My only objective here is to provide firsthand insight based on my own experience. I hope it helps you make a decision to buy or not to buy, either way is fine with me.

Sitka Mountain Pant

The Sitka Mountain Pant is a true jack-of-all-hunts. Although it’s not waterproof, I found it comfortable in both the heat of late summer and the cold of winter.

Best Pants

SITKA Gear Mountain Pant

Why We Like It: It's versatile and works for almost any hunt.

Pros:

• Comfortable with some stretch
• Two-way zipper on fly is brilliant
• Works in warm and cold weather
• Durable and abrasion resistant
• Quiet when rubbing against brush

Cons:

• Not waterproof
• Kneepads are annoying to put in
• Belt loops too small

View on Amazon View at SITKA Gear

Compare prices at: Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Black Ovis, Sportsman’s Warehouse

My favorite feature of this pant is that it has two zippers on the fly. The top zipper tucks underneath the button, providing a secure fit and preventing you from getting ribbed by your hunting buddies for having your fly down. There’s a second zipper at the bottom that you can open upwards, allowing you to answer nature’s call without unbuckling your belt or your backpack. I think every pant should have this feature.

The fabric feels excellent both inside and out. It’s smooth, yet durable. Most importantly, it’s quiet! Accidentally spooking a deer when brushing against some alder is far less likely in this pant than others I’ve worn, including those from Pnuma or generic brands.

The pockets are well-positioned with good closures, including low-profile zippers that are quiet and don’t dig into your leg. The cargo pockets, in particular, are spacious. They have plenty of room for gloves or snacks. They even have an outer zipper pocket that’s suitable for your tags or wallet. There’s only one back pocket, but I think that’s smart since I dislike sitting on bulky items during all-day spotting and stalking.

The Sitka Mountain pant is not waterproof or insulated, but I didn’t miss that feature. A light sprinkle sheds off the pant well enough, but a downpour will undoubtedly leave you wet.

Ultimate Comfort and Mobility

The Mountain pant doesn’t restrict movement at all like a stiffer pant would. The fit is relaxed but not loose. It has somewhat of an athletic fit, yet I still found them extremely comfortable, even with a bit of a belly these days. They stay up and in place, which can be hard to find, thanks to the numerous belt loops.

Speaking of belt loops, some of them have MOLLE loops to attach gear, which is a neat feature. However, one drawback of this pant is that the belt loops are rather narrow. It makes it difficult to run my belt through them (I suppose it’s thicker than some). That’s a bit annoying, but not a dealbreaker.

These pants fit true to size in my experience. At 6’1″ and 220 lbs, I ordered a 36R, which is what I normally get, and they fit perfectly.

The pant has kneepads if you like those. I don’t use them, but they are functional, albeit a bit of a hassle to get in and out. You pretty much have to take your pants off to do so.

Sitka Core Lightweight Crew LS: Breathable and Silent

The second piece of Sitka Gear that I would definitely recommend is the Core Lightweight Crew Long-Sleeved shirt. This is a very simple piece of clothing. Admittedly, my first impression was that it was overpriced – a simple polyester long-sleeve shirt for 80 bucks?!

However, there are a few key aspects I love about it that I think make it worth the price.

Best Shirt

SITKA Gear Core Lightweight Crew Long Sleeve Shirt

Why We Like It: It's useful from the hot early season through the cold winter season.

Pros:

• Functional year-round
• Lightweight and breathable
• Thumb loops
• Long tail in back

Cons:

• Fabric catches on rough surfaces
• Pricey for a polyester shirt

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Compare prices at: Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Black Ovis, Sportsman’s Warehouse

Firstly, the main reason I wear camouflage when hunting is to try and conceal myself from game. If I were a highly skilled hunter, I probably wouldn’t need camo. But I’m not, so I do. The Sitka Core Lightweight LS covers my entire upper body while remaining comfortable, even in hot weather.

When it’s cooler, I wear this shirt as a base layer.

The fabric is nothing remarkable. In fact, it can get caught on rough surfaces like wood, which can pull threads and cause wear. But it truly is lightweight and comfortable while still maintaining a consistent appearance of the camo pattern.

Even after wearing it several days in a row it didn’t smell funky. It does an admirable job at scent control.

I got a size XL, and it fits snug, but not too tight. In my opinion, it’s between a relaxed and an athletic fit. I’d probably get an XL-Tall next time. It’s nice that they even offer tall sizes, and I have a long torso.

The tail of the shirt is longer than the front, which is great for covering up a well-fed man’s backside like mine.

The little thumb loops at the end of the sleeves make it easy to keep from bunching up when adding layers on top.

Despite not being fancy or ultra-technical, the Core Lightweight Crew is so comfy and practical that I found myself putting it on every day I went hunting, even though I had alternatives.

Sitka Jetstream Jacket

The final item I would definitely recommend is the Sitka Jetstream Jacket. Just like the other two items I recommended, I find the Jetstream jacket to be highly versatile. Ultimately, that’s why I’d be willing to fork out the substantial sum it takes to buy it.

This is not a single-purpose piece of gear like a rain jacket or a waterfowl jacket. This jacket can be taken on every hunt you go on, all year round.

Best Jacket

SITKA Jetstream Jacket

Why We Like It: Quiet, versatile outer shell for all-season use.

Pros:

• Makes almost no noise
• Water and wind resistant
• Uses real Gore-Tex
• Comfortable with max mobility
• Great for layering

Cons:

• Pricey for a softshell jacket
• Not as durable as first gen Jetstream
• Not warm enough on its own in cold

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Features I appreciate include:

• Waterproof taped zippers (also camouflaged themselves)
• Soft bill inside the hood for shedding water and sun
• Numerous adjustments on the hood and waist for the right fitment
• Well-positioned pockets with quiet zippers (including an inside pocket)
• Effective pit zip vents that are in the right place and do the job well, and even zip from either end

Perhaps my favorite aspect of this jacket compared to others I have used in the past, like the Pnuma Waypoint, is that this jacket is incredibly quiet. It makes it easier to sneak up when you’re stalking a deer. There’s no jacket-on-jacket noise, and the jacket-on-vegetation noise is minimal. Plus, the fabric is soft and comfortable inside and out, ensuring maximum mobility.

The Jetstream jacket has a relaxed athletic fit like the Mountain pant and Core Lightweight Crew. It also has a longer cut tail like the latter. I got an XL and find it true to size. They have tall sizes available too.

Washing the Jetstream jacket was no issue. Not much dirt really even stuck to the material, but even blood came off easily in the washing machine after a hunt.

Weather-Resistant Protection

This jacket is quite popular, and I have the second-generation version. Many of the original fans are not happy that they slimmed it down with newer, thinner materials and claim that it is not as weather-worthy, wind-resistant, or waterproof as the old version. I can’t speak to that directly, but in my experience, this hunting jacket does everything I require.

I always had this in my pack this year, even on warmer days. It was just right to fend of the chill of early mornings out West in early fall, and I could add a puffy jacket or layers underneath in winter. I found that it kept the wind and rain out sufficiently well. It does have a real Gore-Tex membrane, after all. I didn’t feel a need to carry another shell all year. This was always my outer layer.

Despite what some advertisements say, one thing this jacket is not is super warm. It’s warm enough for cool weather, but not for cold weather. It’s a soft shell, not an insulating layer. If you use it like that, you’ll be happy. However, I would have been freezing my tail off if I didn’t add layers underneath when temperatures dropped below about 40 degrees.

Take It or Leave It on This Sitka Gear

Of all the Sitka Gear I acquired, here are a few items I found a bit underwhelming.

Sitka Traverse Cap

I actually really liked how this cap fits. It’s comfortable with a bit of stretch to it. It’s cool enough when it’s hot out and doesn’t get that salty sweat band that a lot of hats do. And unlike most of Sitka’s products, it’s relatively inexpensive.

SITKA Gear Traverse Cap

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However, one thing that irritated me was the Velcro strap at the back. The “hook” part of the hook and loop strap faces outward. When you put on a hood with a fleece or soft material inside (like the Jetstream jacket hood), the hat sticks to the hood. It’ll stick and unstick, making an unpleasant noise right by your head. And when you turn your head, your hat doesn’t always turn with it because it’s stuck to your hood. Dumb.

Sitka Traverse Gloves

The Sitka Traverse Gloves are nothing to get excited about. They are also one of the cheapest items on the Sitka menu, but there’s a reason for that. They have no frills and really only put camo on your hands.

SITKA Gear Traverse Glove

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I may still use them for that during spring turkey season, but I find them inadequate for big game season. They’re not warm, the seams at the ends of the fingers are a bit uncomfortable, they have little to no grip, and they’re not durable. Next time I’ll either opt for an off-brand at the same price point to get something better, or just save up a bit more money for a more versatile glove.

Sitka Mountain 2700 Backpack

The Sitka Mountain 2700 is a worthy hunting pack, but it’s as noisy on a hunt as my kids are at church. All kinds of heads are twisting around to see what’s making a racket when everything else is dead silent.

SITKA Mountain 2700 Hunting Pack

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The design is simple enough, with a big main compartment, a hydration bladder pouch, a top pocket, and two optics pockets. It has the necessary features like a waist belt, chest strap, and lightweight frame. But it’s pretty lackluster for the price point and the first thing I thought of after using it was, “I need a different pack.”

It would be fine for a long weekend backpacking or scouting trip, but it’s too underbuilt to pack out game and it’s too bulky and loud for day hunts. Something like a KUIU Pro Bag might be a bit more versatile than the Sitka Mountain 2700 pack.

Go With the Subalpine Camo Pattern

Selecting the right Sitka camo pattern can be overwhelming, but if you’re unsure, the Gore Optifade Subalpine pattern is a versatile choice. It blends well in both deserts and forests throughout the year.

While it’s difficult to objectively test camouflage patterns, I have anecdotal evidence of the Sitka Subalpine pattern’s effectiveness.

Just after sunset, but during legal shooting hours, I found myself with both a fall turkey and deer tag, carrying a rifle and shotgun.

I was positioned against a tree on a hill near a turkey roost. Hearing movement behind me, I stood up to see two does browsing, unaware of my presence. Within seconds, a group of turkeys appeared 60 yards ahead, and a mature 4-point whitetail buck stood 120 yards in front of me. I was standing up like a prairie dog with my shotgun in hand.

Frozen, I decided to go for the buck who was staring right at me. Despite my lack of stealth, he continued browsing, unaware of my presence!

I crouched, put the shotgun down, and reached for my rifle. Adrenaline surged, and I made a hasty, shaky shot.

The buck jumped and escaped, the turkeys flew to their roost, and I was left alone with my regret.

My camo did its job, but I didn’t do mine.

Price Considerations and Recommendations

Sitka Gear makes great hunting camo clothing, but it comes at a steep price. The three items I recommend have a combined cost of almost $700. For about half the price you could set yourself up with a good quality camo outfit from TrueTimber, MossyOak, or RealTree.

You don’t have to spend that kind of money to get out and hunt. But if Sitka Gear fits your budget, I’d start with the Mountain Pant, the Core Lightweight Crew LS, and the Jetstream Jacket, all in Optifade Subalpine camo. That covers your whole body in comfortable, capable camo gear that can be used in pretty much every season, any environment, and for any game.

The post Sitka Camo Review (3 Items I Regret Not Buying Sooner) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

Luckily, I’ve had the opportunity to take it out camping in the real world and give it a thorough examination.

The Springbar Skyliner is a versatile canvas tent that’s able to withstand high winds, rain, and bad weather. It improves upon the classic Springbar design with a more voluminous interior and key structural reinforcements. It’s a great choice for families, car campers, and outfitters.

Let’s dive into the details!

Hands-on Springbar Skyliner Canvas Tent Review

If you’re more of a visual learner, you can watch our detailed review of the Springbar Skyliner tent on YouTube instead!

PROS: Spacious and comfortable, easy to move around in, key reinforcements for bad weather and winter camping, hot tent ready, made in USA

CONS: Pricey, requires careful pitching in sustained rain, limited availability

Outdoor Empire Score: 4.5

Workmanship & Durability 5 | Ease of Use 4 | Comfort 5 | Features 5 | Versatility 4 | Value 4

Made in USA

Springbar Skyliner Tent

View at Springbar

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We evaluate tents based on six criteria: workmanship and durability, ease of use and setup, overall comfort, features, versatility, and value. Each tent is rated from 1 to 5 (worst to best) in each category, and the overall Outdoor Empire Score is the average of these ratings.

Check out our comprehensive comparison of the Best Canvas Tents!

Disclaimer: While the tent was donated to us by Springbar for the purpose of this review, this post is not sponsored, and our opinions are our own. We do not earn any commission if you purchase a Springbar. The links to Springbar.com are not affiliate links, but some others may be included. We wrote this article because we believe the product is of high quality.

Exceptional Workmanship Made in America

Springbar produces the Skyliner tent in a modest factory in Salt Lake City, Utah. They even manufacture some of the poles on-site.

The company works hard to source as many components as possible from American suppliers. The screen mesh, stake loops, stakes, poles and more are all made in the US. The canvas is dyed and treated in Georgia.

Materials and Components

The Skyliner is constructed from a sturdy cotton duck canvas (8.5 oz walls, 10 oz roof) that has been treated with a waterproofing agent before being cut and sewn into a tent. The panel surrounding the stove jack is a heavier 12 oz canvas that has been treated with a fire retardant for safety.

The floor is made of a seamless, light green 12 oz laminated vinyl material. It tends to get dirty easily, but it’s also simple to clean. It’s also tough enough that you don’t really need a groundsheet, unless you’re camping on sharp rocks.

The steel tent stakes that come with the Skyliner are the best I’ve ever used. They have a wedge shape that doesn’t come loose easily, even in sandy terrain, like where I camped with this tent for the first time in Moab, Utah. The nail-style stakes included with competing tents like Springbar’s Classic Jack or Kodiak’s Flex-Bow don’t hold up as well. Additionally, the Skyliner has more stakes and stake loops securing the tent to the ground than these other tents, making it even more weather-worthy.

The poles are made of aluminum, which is lighter and more corrosion-resistant than galvanized steel poles. However, some of them have steel reinforcements in areas that are under the most tension, like the roof ridge pole. I appreciate how adjustable they are on both the tent and the awnings, compared to the fixed pole lengths on comparable tents.

Durability

The stitching inside is flawless, and there is no plastic to be found. It’s clear that Springbar follows strict quality control protocols.

One of the standout features of the Skyliner is its exceptional durability when compared to a low-cost polyester or a lightweight technical nylon camping tent. You don’t have to be ginger with it. And if something rips, you can repair canvas quite easily. This tent is built to last for decades.

Easy Setup but May Require Some Fine Tuning

Setting up the Skyliner is a breeze, taking me only about 10 minutes to do it myself. It’s no more difficult than any other tent and much simpler than a wall or bell tent. Here are the steps I take:

1. Lay the tent out on flat ground.
2. Stake the tent down as it is not freestanding.
3. Insert four flexible “spring bars” into the sleeves on either end.
4. Connect the spring bars to the ridge pole at the T-joint.
5. Touch the ends of two ridge poles over the roof and press down to tension the roof.
6. Slide the pole sleeve over the ridge pole joint.
7. Insert the two end poles into the T-joint and plant the ground end on the stake loop below.

During my first time using the Skyliner, we experienced some wild weather. I learned that you have to pay close attention to how you pitch it. Since the roof is quite large, you need to make sure you use those guy lines and tie them out to stakes at a wide angle from the awning poles to get the roof as taut as possible in order to shed water properly.

Although setting up the Skyliner in bad weather is a bit finicky, the end result is a more robust tent than the Teton Mesa, Kodiak, or Classic Jack.

An Upgrade to the Classic Springbar Design

The Springbar design was originally invented by Jack Kirkham Sr., and his company held a patent for it from the 1960s until it expired in the early 2000s. Other companies, like Kodiak Canvas, Teton Sports, and White Duck Outdoors, started using the same design after the patent expired.

Jack Sr.’s son, Jack Kirkham Jr., who still works for the company, designed the Skyliner tent. He added key reinforcements to the original design, such as the ability to secure the awning poles directly to the tent wall and run guy lines out to stakes, which adds more structural integrity to the near-vertical walls in a windstorm.

Voluminous Space for Ultimate Comfort

What’s great about the Skyliner is its voluminous interior.

The walls stand nearly vertical like a wall tent. So even at 6 ft 1 in tall, I can walk around the whole tent inside without rubbing my head on the roof. It also means your cots and gear don’t rub up against the sidewalls so easily, which can draw in moisture or drive claustrophobic people nuts.

At 10 ft by 14 ft (140 sq. ft) the Skyliner can sleep up to eight people. Though I’d say that’s without cots and leaving most or all the gear outside. It is, however, very comfortable for my family of five and Huck, the dog. If you’re only two, this will feel luxuriously large.

Recommended: How To Select the Right Tent Size

During our very rainy campout near Arches National Park, we were hunkered down inside the Skyliner for about 18 hours straight. But we didn’t mind at all. The kids read books, we watched a movie, and played cards. We cooked dinner on the tent stove and baked chocolate chip cookies in the Winnerwell Fastfold oven. That night, my wife said to me,

“I don’t think we can ever go back to the way we used to camp!”

Overall, the Skyliner is a very livable tent, even for families and extended camping trips. My family fits in there comfortably with one entire end reserved for gear and the wood stove for when we are hot tenting.

Feature-Packed Design: Stay Cool (or Warm) and Organized

The Springbar Skyliner tent provides excellent ventilation, thanks to the breathable canvas and large windows.

I absolutely love the giant door on this tent. It’s easy to move things in and out, including an assembled cot. And unlike most other tents in its class, it has with a solid exterior door and a separate interior mesh door. The unused door can be zipped up (solid YKK zippers, BTW), or tied back when not in use.

The included organizers are useful and thoughtfully designed. Especially the unique loft which doesn’t get in the way of your head as much as on the Kodiak or Teton tents. There are no built-in pockets, but this isn’t an issue for me personally.

Additionally, there’s a small zippered access port for running an electrical cord or propane hose.

The best feature of the Skyliner is its hot tent readiness, with a stove jack flap that doubles as a small window when the stove is not in use. The tent comes with the stove jack material and an easy-to-follow pattern to cut a hole in the right spot for a Winnerwell stove. This system is smooth, easy, and worry-free. I can attest to its convenience after using it myself.

On a White Duck, Teton or Kodiak tent you’ll have to come up with a DIY solution to add a stove jack and use a wood stove inside your tent. This will likely void your warranty and I’d be nervous about leaks or other problems.

Versatility for Winter Camping to Backcountry Trips

All these features, along with the durability of the Skyliner, make it worthy of true four-season camping. It will keep snow and cold at bay for winter camping and make a comfortable outpost for extended stays in remote backcountry.

Outfitters, hunters, families, and car campers will all appreciate the utility of this tent. The hot tent feature allows you to not only stay warm but also prepare meals and relax inside, no matter the weather outside.

So far, I have only had a few camping nights in this tent, but my impression of it is positive. I don’t think heavy snow, scattered rain showers, hail, or thunderstorms are a concern for this tent at all.

My First Experience in Heavy Rain

One issue I noticed on my first night out was that you have to pay attention during sustained rain. After about 7-10 hours of straight rain, some droplets formed on the interior roof and began to drip. It was slow and unalarming but required attention.

When it gets really soaked and wet the roof fabric seems to sort of contract and ripple. This can lead to water pooling up and eventually seeping through.

I figured out that how you pitch the tent is important. After adjusting the awnings and guy lines so the roof was more taut, this was no longer an issue.

I contacted Springbar about this and found out that I had one of the first samples of the Skyliner that was produced for field testing. They had identified the issue and made some changes to the production units.

When I received my brand new production unit and seasoned it in my backyard, I noticed some rippling on the roof material. But it’s hard to tell if that will be an issue. Only long-term use and testing will determine how well it holds up to intense rainstorms. I’ll update this review as I learn more, but this is likely not a major concern. And if you’re a fair-weather only camper, it doesn’t matter at all.

Is the Springbar Skyliner Worth It?

At a list price of $2,099 at the time of writing, the Springbar Skyliner is among the most expensive tents available.

This is about $900 more than the Classic Jack 140 and more than double what a Kodiak Flex-Bow in the same size costs.

However, the Skyliner is also a buy once, cry once sort of deal.

What you get for the money includes:

• A rare Made in the USA outdoor product
• A quality, lifetime tent that can be repaired when something goes wrong
• More interior volume and space than any other tent in its class
• A purpose-built hot tent that can sleep a whole family
• Superior adverse weather reinforcements like the awnings, sidewall supports, and staking system
• Lifetime satisfaction guarantee with top-notch customer service (I checked)

I cannot say if this price point is reasonable for you. But if your budget allows for it, you are getting a unique and high-quality product.

If the price point is too high, consider the Springbar Classic Jack 140. It shares many of the same features and benefits, but at a significantly lower price. It is still hot tent ready, but does not have the same weather-resistant features and spacious feel as the Skyliner.

Made in USA

Springbar Skyliner Tent

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The post Hands-on Springbar Skyliner Tent Review appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

Unlike camping in the heat of summer, cold weather camping offers some pleasant surprises. No bugs, fewer people, and more peace and quiet, to name a few.

In the summer, you are limited in what you can do to control your body temperature because you can only strip off so many layers. And you can’t exactly air condition your tent or the great outdoors to be more comfortable. But in winter, you can always do things to manage your body temperature by adding layers of the right clothing, beefing up your sleeping bag, or heating your tent.

I found some of the best winter camping gear I’ve ever known this year. With the right wood stove, hot tent, and sleeping system, camping in the cold, snowy winter is one of my favorite ways to experience nature.

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The Best Cold Weather Camping Gear of 2023

Rather watch than read? Check out our YouTube video on the topic!

This is the best gear for camping in cold temperatures, winter, and snow:

1. Hot Tent: Springbar Classic Jack 140
2. Wood Stove: Winnerwell Woodlander Medium
3. Canvas Tarp: White Duck 18 oz Cotton Canvas Tarp
4. Cot: Coleman Trailhead Easy Step
5. Sleeping Pad: HeyTrip 4″ Self-inflating Foam
6. Sleeping Bag: Coleman Heritage Flannel
7. Down Quilt: ZenBivy Bed 25°
8. Fire Starters: Duraflame Firestart Cubes
9. Kettle: GSI Outdoors Enamel Tea Kettle
10. Firewood Carrier: White Duck Tote Log Carrier
11. Just For Fun: Party Flames

Obviously this list doesn’t include the clothing and other camping gear you’ll need, but it covers the most important items you’ll specifically need for cold weather camping.

Why Trust Us?

I have personally spent countless hours researching and testing camping gear that makes cold weather camping comfortable. I own every piece of gear on this list and have used it for multiple nights in the woods in all kinds of weather including deep snow and below zero temperatures.

This gear is not just a bunch of fancy brand names. While there are certainly many other great products from reputable outdoor brands and retailers, many of those products cost an arm and a leg. I have used much of that gear as well in my testing, but in many cases found less expensive alternatives that were just as good or nearly so.

The products that I recommend in this article are all reasonably priced, high quality, and easy to purchase either online or at a local retail store.

1. Canvas Hot Tent

The first essential piece of gear you’ll need to camp in cold weather is a four-season tent. If you’re car camping and have the space, canvas is the best material for winter camping because of it’s ability to regulate temperature so well. The Springbar Classic Jack 140 has been my favorite tent over the past year because it fits my family of five comfortably, and it’s so versatile.

Best Hot Tent

Springbar Classic Jack 140 Canvas Tent

Pros:

• Hot tent ready kit
• Spacious for families
• True 4-season worthy
• Durable, breathable canvas

Cons:

• Heavy and bulky to transport
• Not budget friendly

Check Price Our Review

The reason it makes such a great tent for camping in the cold is because it is hot tent ready. By this I mean that it is wood stove compatible without having to jerry rig a crude DIY solution. You can purchase the Springbar ready hot tent kit from Winnerwell which includes all the components you need to add a wood stove.

While many canvas tents like the popular Kodiak Flex-Bow could potentially be used with a wood stove, that requires you to manually cut a hole in the canvas roof and insert a homemade or third-party stove jack. This is a bunch of extra work and too risky for my taste. I don’t want to void warranties or have leaks of my own making. The Springbar Classic Jack 140 removes those risks, is super convenient, and works like a charm.

2. Portable Wood Stove

The next obvious piece of gear you’ll need in order to actually have a hot tent is a portable wood stove. The options for these are growing every year, but the Winnerwell Woodlander medium size tent stove is out choice for comfortable hot tent camping in cold temperatures.

Best Tent Stove

Winnerwell Woodlander Medium Tent Stove

Pros:

• Stainless steel doesn't rust
• Lightweight and compact
• Directly compatible with Springbar tent

Cons:

• Doesn't fit 16" long firewood
• Only burns for about 60-90 minutes

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The best part of this stove is how well it pairs with the Springbar Classic Jack 140 thanks to the complete Springbar Hot Tent Bundle they offer directly on their website. There doesn’t really exist another such collaboration between a hot tent and a tent stove company, and it just makes it so easy to put together and use time and time again without cutting, sewing, or patching.

This stove is simple and convenient, but there are a couple things that are less ideal. It’s pretty small so it doesn’t burn for much more than an hour which means if you want to keep the fire burning al night, you’ll have to get up several times to add more wood. And it’s not quite 16 inches deep inside, which means a US standard 16-inch cut piece of firewood won’t quite fit inside.

To remedy that you can either plan ahead and cut your pieces smaller, and maybe use some hardwood to extend your burntime. Or you can upgrade to the large size Woodlander or Nomad stove from Winnerwell which will make things even easier.

3. Canvas Tarp

I didn’t know I needed a canvas tarp until I got one. But boy howdy! I love my 18 ounce cotton canvas tarp from White Duck Outdoors, especially for snow camping. It’s now a staple in my car camping kit both in winter and in summer.

Best Canvas Tarp

White Duck 18 oz. Canvas Tarp

Pros:

• Helps prepare tent pad in snow
• Helps keep tent floor clean
• Waterproof and super durable

Cons:

• Heavy and bulky

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I use this canvas tarp to prepare my tent pad in the snow. I lay it right on the snow where I want to set up my tent, then I lay down and roll back and forth like a steam roller and stomp on it to pack down the snow. My kids think this part is pretty fun. And it helps prevent big pot holes and unlevel ground underneath your tent from sinking your foot in too deep.

I also use it inside the tent as a rug to help protect the vinyl floor of the tent, keep things tidy, and provide an extra layer of insulation. There are dozens of uses for a canvas tarp when camping in cold weather.

4. Camping Cot

A cot is a smart thing to have in a hot tent because, as you know, heat rises. So instead of sleeping right on the ground, a cot will put you right in the middle of that warm thermal zone inside a hot tent. The Coleman Trailhead Easy Step cot is relatively inexpensive and I find it does trick just fine.

Best Cot

Coleman Trailhead Easy Step Cot

Pros:

• Relatively inexpensive
• Supports an extra wide long pad
• Has a little side pouch and table

Cons:

• Annoying to set up (all cots are though)
• Heavy and bulky to transport

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Not only do cots help you sleep more soundly by getting you off the cold bumpy ground, but they are also super nice to sit on like a bench. When camping in cold temperatures, and especially in the winter, you are going to spend more time in the tent than in the summertime. Days are shorter and we find ourselves in the tent from sunset to sunrise. The cots make it more comfy to sit and chat, play cards, or eat dinner as a family. Plus they’re great to stow your gear under so you have more floor space to move about.

5. THICK Sleeping Pad

When it comes to a sleeping pad for winter camping you want an R-value of at least 5. This HeyTrip 4-inch foam camping mat has an 9.5 R-value! Plus, the fabric is stretchy and it’s super comfortable.

Best Sleeping Pad

HeyTrip 4-Inch Thick Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad

Pros:

• Super plush and comfortable
• Oversized with room to roll
• 9.5 R-value means very warm

Cons:

• Takes a while to self-inflate unassisted
• Not compact when rolled up

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I have many nights of sleep on this pad now, including several in below freezing temperatures, and I have never noticed any cold from below. It’s oversized so even as a 6′ 1″ side sleeping tosser-turner, I am comfortable on this camp mat.

It’s a generic version of the very popular, yet expensive, Exped MegaMat. I have slept on both, and I dare say I sleep just as well on this one at a third the price.

I do recommend you pick up a mini USB-rechargeable air pump to inflate this thing faster. It will self-inflate, but it takes a long time, especially when that foam inside is cold in the winter. Plus, those mini air pumps are awesome for stoking your fire in your tent stove!

6. Flannel Sleeping Bag

Don’t mind the synthetic-loving naysayers, flannel, canvas, and cotton sleeping bags have their place too. And cold weather winter camping is it. While I’m still using the Coleman flannel sleeping bags my wife and I received as wedding gifts from our college buddies, the Coleman Heritage Big & Tall sleeping bag is even better than my classics.

Best Winter Sleeping Bag

Coleman Heritage Big and Tall Sleeping Bag

Pros:

• Rated for 0°F temps
• Ultra soft and comfortable
• Lots of room to sprawl out
• Inexpensive compared to alternatives

Cons:

• Big, heavy and bulky
• Hard to dry out, so gotta keep it dry

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Cotton and flannel do run the risk of not drying out quickly if wet, but as long as they stay dry during transport, I’ve never had a problem using them in the winter. And boy is it nice to climb into a soft, warm-to-the-touch flannel-lined bag at the end of a cold winter night in a tent. No cold slippery nylon or polyester here, although the outer shell of the Coleman Heritage is polyester which is not a bad thing.

Hunting outfitters and mountain men have used heavy-duty bedrolls for eons, and they’ll keep you warm too. Plus you can sprawl out and take full advantage of the thick pad and cot mentioned above. Unless you want to go backpacking, these bags are worth the weight in winter.

7. Down Quilt

Now here synthetic lovers can rejoice because my next recommendation for the best cold weather camping gear is a down quilt. I love my Zenbivy Bed 25°. These are normally used for backpacking, but even when I am car camping in the winter, this extra layer gives me reassurance that I’ll stay warm even if my fire goes out in my hot tent.

Best Down Quilt

Zenbivy Bed 25°

Pros:

• Lightweight and compact
• Down loft insulates super well
• Can use it for both backpacking and winter camping

Cons:

• Not cheap
• Synthetic material vulnerable to water and fire

Check Price Our Review

When I camp in cold temperatures, the down quilt completes my four layer sleeping system (cot, pad, sleeping bag, quilt) that will get me through even the coldest of nights. And the quilt doesn’t necessarily need to have a super cold rating if you use it to supplement your main sleeping bag like I do.

I love the fact that I can get more use out of my quilt, not just for summer backpacking trips, but also for snow camping. This helps me justify the price tag as well since its one of the more expensive items on this list.

8. Fire Starters

There are many different types of fire starters at all price points, including super cheap or even free DIY solutions. I found these Duraflame Firestart Cubes at my local supermarket for less than three bucks one day so I nabbed ’em and I loved ’em.

Best Fire Starters

Duraflame Firestart Cubes

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Last plenty long to get the wood burning
• Fast fire starting

Cons:

• Not the smallest fire starters
• DIY solutions are cheaper or free

Check Price

Really, any fire starter will do and you’ll be grateful for the convenience they provide in a hot tent, or any cold weather campfire situation. Especially if you have kiddos losing their marbles over cold hands while you try to get the fire going.

9. Camp Kettle

When you have a hot tent, you’ll use a kettle for all kinds of things in the winter. There are fancy ones and coffee percolators, but I think a basic kettle like this blue enamel one from GSI Outdoors is the most versatile.

Best Car Camping Kettle

GSI Outdoors Tea Kettle

Pros:

• Lightweight but durable
• Multi-purpose (see description)
• Simple classic design

Cons:

• Enamel prone to chipping over time
• Lid sometimes falls off when pouring

Check Price Compare Price

I use my kettle not only to boil water for dinner and hot drinks, but also to make “hotties”. Just before bed I take fill up my Nalgene bottle full of near boiling water, put the bottle in a sock, and stick it in my sleeping bag. This will stay warm almost all night and my toes thank me for it.

10. Firewood Tote

One of the last pieces of gear I like to have for cold weather camping is a firewood carrier. Brand doesn’t really matter here, but I like the White Duck canvas firewood tote that I have.

Best Firewood Carrier

White Duck Firewood Carrier Canvas Tote

Pros:

• Inexpensive but high quality
• Keeps inside hot tent clean
• Simplifies carrying firewood to tent

Cons:

• Hard to carry when overstuffed
• Wood not included

Check Price Compare Price

When it’s cold, and definitely when it’s snowy, you’ll need a fire to stay warm. And I usually don’t count on finding firewood on site when everything is covered in snow, so I bring it from home. That’s when you’ll want something to carry it between your truck and your tent. A tote will make sure it stays dry so you can easily get your fire going, and it keeps things clean in the tent.

11. Party Flames

This is the farthest thing from a necessity, but if you’re winter camping with kids, party flames are a real hoot. I found these at Sportsman’s Warehouse, but you can also find them on Amazon and elsewhere.

Just for Fun

Magical Flames Fire Color Changing Packets

Pros:

• Kids love them
• No mess and easy to use

Cons:

• Flames aren't always as colorful as you imagine

Check Price Compare Price

Spice up your hot tent life a little and throw some magic party flame packets in the wood stove. Flames turn blue and green. It’s like a disco ball in your hot tent!

Winter Camping Gear Advice

Like the Boy Scouts say, Be Prepared. Camping in cold weather can be a true adventure. Snow camping will bring you to some of the most peaceful landscapes you will ever find since the snow dampens sound.

Start with your clothing and make sure you have moisture-wicking base layers, mid-layers for insulation, and outer shell layers to repel the elements. Then ensure you have adequate shelter, followed by a multilayer, well-insulated sleeping system. If you can add to that a heat source like a wood stove or an electric heater, you’re even better off.

Finally, go prepared with adequate water, food, and emergency supplies in case you are stranded longer than expected.

The winter camping and hot tent gear recommendations on this last are excellent for car camping in cold weather. But if you’re backpacking, skiing, or snowshoeing into the backcountry, keep looking for lighter weight gear.

Cold Weather Camping Gear FAQs

1. What supplies do I need for camping in cold weather?

At a minimum you need a four-season tent, an insulated sleeping pad with an R-value of 5 or greater, a sleeping bag rated for 0 degrees or better, and multiple layers of moisture-wicking clothing and footwear. You will also need water, food, and a stove of some sort for cooking, boiling water, and providing heat in case of emergency.

In case of emergency you will also want to take a first aid kit, an emergency blanket, fire starters, and a satellite communication device like a Zoleo or similar so you can call for help in case of an emergency.

2. How cold is too cold for tent camping?

There isn’t really a limit that applies to everyone, but you should not camp in colder conditions than your skill level permits. Temperatures down to about 40 degrees should not pose a huge risk to most tent campers. Right around freezing temps are generally feasible for most so long as you are well equipped, while below zero temperatures will require more robust gear and knowhow.

A hot tent with a wood stove inside can raise the interior temperature in a tent to nearly room temperature, which makes it cold weather more bearable.

3. Is sleeping in a car warmer than a tent?

Sleeping in a car may be warmer than in a tent, so long as the car is warm to start. Cars have enough mass to provide decent insulation, and they are generally very good at protecting from the elements like rain and wind compared to a tent. However, if the temperature inside a car is already below freezing, body heat may not be enough to warm up the car interior to a comfortable level. Whereas body heat can warm up a small tent rather quickly.

4. How can I heat my tent without electricity?

If you do not have access to electricity or to a portable electric heater for your camping tent, a wod stove compatible hot tent is an excellent way to stay warm. For this, the tent must have a stove jack that allows you to run a chimney outside. Portable tent stoves are widely available to burn a wood-fueled fire inside your tent for heat.

The post Best Cold Weather Camping Gear (Hot Tent Winter Camping) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

What makes it different from Kodiak or Springbar? Who is White Duck anyway?

I got a 10 ft x 10 ft Deluxe Prota Deluxe tent along with some other goodies from White Duck Outdoors this past summer. After seasoning the tent in my backyard, I took it on a camping trip with my family in the mountains of Idaho.

I know it can be hard to find trustworthy gear advice online. But as I write this I am not yet a robot and, hopefully, my firsthand human experience helps inform the fulfillment of all your wildest tent dreams.

Rather watch than read? Check out our video review on YouTube!

Disclosure: Links in this article are affiliate links. We may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking on one of our links. This post was not sponsored, but the tent was donated to us in order for us to complete the review.

Hands-on White Duck Tent Review: The Prota

The White Duck Outdoors Prota is a well-made canvas tent that will keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the cold. The workmanship and materials are quality from the zippers to the seams. While it takes a little organization, five people can sleep comfortably in the 10’x10′ size.

WHITEDUCK PROTA Canvas Tent

4.2

$846.99

Pros:

• Quality built, tall roof, bathtub style floor, breathable, four-season worthy

Cons:

• Heavy and bulky, must use stakes, no zipper at the base of doors

View on Amazon

08/15/2023 01:58 pm GMT

Workmanship & Durability 5 | Ease of Use 4 | Comfort 5 | Features 4 | Versatility 4 | Value 3

When we evaluate tents at Outdoor Empire we look at six main criteria: workmanship and durability, ease of use and setup, overall comfort, features, versatility, and value. Each tent is given a score between 1 and 5 (worst to best) for each criterion, then the average of those scores is the overall Outdoor Empire Score. This helps us maintain some objectivity when comparing different pieces of gear against each other.

Quality Workmanship and Durable

The tent is made of 10.10 oz cotton canvas. While so far we’ve had fair weather when using it, I’m not at all worried about rain or snow getting in.

Canvas has all kinds of advantages for a camping tent including better airflow, no condensation build-up overnight, and better temperature management whether it is hot or cold outside.

All seams are at least double-stitched and the quality on mine was superb. Though I did have one of the plastic door ties break after very little use. So some of the plastic parts are on the cheap side.

The floor is tough! It’s made of 16 oz polyvinyl and it’s bathtub style so the floor comes up a bit around the edges to help shed water. It’s thick enough to stand up to rocks and sticks underneath. We had plenty of those under the tent, but I didn’t feel a need to have a groundsheet, and the floor still looks brand new.

I expect that this tent will last for decades, as long as I store it dry and don’t let mold rot it away.

Where are White Duck tents made?

White Duck tents are made overseas. The Prota tent is made in Pakistan as are most of their other models. In an effort to keep costs as low as possible, foreign manufacturing seems to be the norm among canvas tentmakers.

Not a Pop-up, but Easy to Use

If you’ve never used this style of tent before, you need to know that the Prota is not a freestanding tent. You have to stake it down well in order to raise it up. This is a bit different from most nylon family tents, but it’s not difficult.

In fact, I can set this up by myself in about 10 minutes. I know this because as per usual, as soon as our family arrives at a campsite, the kids bust a move out of sight exploring while Mom and Dad do all the work. I’m the tent guy.

Setup

Everything you need to set up the Prota tent is included, even the mallet for the stakes which has its own slot in the stake bag. I thought that was a nice touch since you don’t find that in competitors’ tent packages.

Once you find a nice level spot, you stick 16 heavy-duty metal stakes through the grommets attached to the thick floor material. This takes the longest of the whole process, especially if the ground is hard.

Once your stakes are set there are only a few poles you have to work with. You’re not threading nearly as many poles through pesky sleeves as you would with a typical nylon dome tent.

First, you connect the roof poles together. I kick off my shoes when doing this so as not to get the tent unnecessarily dirty. Then, it’s just a matter of propping the whole thing up with a single pole on either end.

I found it easiest to do this if I first unzipped a couple of windows or doors. Otherwise, you’re working pretty hard to lift the roof upward because the tent is trying to suck in air through the canvas instead of a big opening.

From there you can go inside and get organized, or you can drive a couple more stakes to set up the attached awning.

You also have the option to drive the additional 16 smaller stakes that are included through the elastic loops on the base of the canvas walls. These pull the walls taught to shed water away from the floor of the tent. I thought this was a clever feature that you don’t find on similar tents like the Kodiak Flex-bow or Springbar Classic Jack.

Size and Weight

One of the bigger downsides of a canvas tent is that they are heavy. The 10 x 10 Prota Deluxe weighs in at 81 pounds (37 kg) with everything that’s included. So moving it around is most comfortable with a couple of people.

I really like that the canvas carry bag it comes in is oversized and you can also fit the stakes and poles inside. This was handy when I put the whole kit on my hitch-mounted cargo carrier. However, I found it much easier to get from the car to the tent site when I took the poles out.

You’ll never get it to pack down as tight as it came from the factory, so plan on using up a sizeable portion of your trunk or cargo area in your SUV. Or do what I did with a cargo carrier. People with pickups need not be concerned with this.

Comfortable for Our Family of 5

My family of five managed to sleep comfortably in the 10 x 10 Prota, including some basic gear.

The way we make this size work for us is by using cots. This allows you to store your bags of clothes or miscellaneous gear underneath the cots leaving all the floor space for sleeping.

Even the dog had his own spot on his super durable canvas dog bed (from White Duck Outdoors as well).

By the way, I loved this dog bed because it’s super easy to clean. Even though my dog came in at night muddy from playing in the river, the next morning I was able to just sweep off the dirt and grime. It doesn’t seep into the fabric like it would with other materials. A canvas dog bed is brilliant!

If we wanted to be really comfortable, the 10 ft x 14 ft Prota tent would be extremely roomy for us.

A bonus is that the roof is relatively flat with a slight arch. At 6 ft 1 in, I can stand up straight throughout the tent. That’s not possible in dome, tunnel, teepee, or even most cabin-style tents.

White Duck says you can sleep six people in this tent. Maybe if at least some are kids or canines. Six people will only fit in a 10 x 10 if no one is over five feet tall and no one wants a bag with them.

The Prota is available in the following sizes:

• 7′ x 9′ – Roomy for 2, comfortable for 3, tight for 4
• 10′ x 10′ – Comfortable for 4, doable for 5, tight for 6
• 10′ x 14′ – Spacious for 4, comfortable for 6, cozy for 8

Not sure what size tent to get? Check out our Camping Tent Size Chart and Guide.

Decent Features

Features are one thing that can set one tent apart from another. The Prota has a few that are noteworthy.

• Big side windows (Deluxe version)
• Awning
• Sewn-in pockets for flashlights and gear
• Small zipped access point for cords for a generator or heater
• Rings along interior roof for organizers or clothesline
• Mallet and extra stakes included in a convenient pouch

A few features that are functional, but not a perfect design (in my opinion) are:

• Two juxtapositioned doors are not entirely necessary, one would be fine
• Bottom of doors attach only by Velcro (easy entry for snakes and vermin)
• Poles don’t break down to the same length as rolled-up tent

Year-round Car Camping

With the White Duck Prota tent, you can count on being able to camp year-round in most places.

During winter in the Rocky Mountain West or Northern US, you’ll need some supplementary heat or massive sleeping bags to stay comfortable. But the tent is built for four seasons.

That’s what makes this tent so versatile. It will hold up to the elements far better than most lightweight nylon tents.

Where it lacks a bit in versatility is in its packability. It is not small and could easily take up the entire trunk of a small car. So it’s nowhere in the running for backpacking.

This tent is good for either car camping or extended backcountry trips on stock animals like horses, mules, or llamas. If that’s not you, or you’re tight on space, look elsewhere.

Are White Duck Tents Worth It?

You may have noticed there are a handful of canvas tents with an awfully similar (ahem, near identical) design to the White Duck Canvas Prota tent. Springbar was the original, and then there is Kodiak Canvas and Teton Sports.

Be sure to check out our detailed comparison of the Best Canvas Tents to figure out which one you like most.

Overall, you get decent value out of the White Duck Prota tent. Both the standard and Deluxe models are more expensive than their counterparts from Kodiak or Teton. But it is cheaper than an original USA-made Springbar.

It has a few unique features like the extra stakes, loops, and a bathtub-style floor to run water away from the base of the tent. And the quality of the materials and workmanship are excellent.

I even did a customer service test and got a response back within three business days. Not the quickest, but acceptable. The tent is also backed by a lifetime guarantee.

If you are seriously considering buying a canvas tent, I don’t think you will regret buying a White Duck Prota Tent.

WHITEDUCK PROTA Canvas Tent

4.2

$846.99

Pros:

• Quality built, tall roof, bathtub style floor, breathable, four-season worthy

Cons:

• Heavy and bulky, must use stakes, no zipper at the base of doors

View on Amazon

08/15/2023 01:58 pm GMT

The post White Duck Outdoors Prota Canvas Tent Review (Hands-on) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

Though I can’t say that I am any more rustic now than before, I have purchased a Teton Sports Mesa Canvas Tent and it definitely feels like I should only be wearing flannel when I use it.

There are plenty of tents to choose from nowadays and knowing what you’re getting into before you swipe that card can make one anxious.

But never fear! I have thoroughly examined the Teton Mesa inside and out and even compared it to its peers. Let me inform you of both the good and the bad of this little dandy.

Check out our video review of the Teton Mesa tent!

Hands-on Review of the Teton Sports Mesa Canvas Tent

The Teton Mesa canvas tent is a good option for frequent family campers, scout troops, and backcountry woodsmen. This capable 4-season tent is made of sturdy materials, but the workmanship can be inconsistent with frequent quality control issues such as split seams.

PROS: Reasonably priced, convenient big doors, lots of gear organizers included, compact when packed up, 4-season capable

CONS: Sewing quality issues on seams, wonky roof bar, must be staked down

Outdoor Empire Score: 4.0

Workmanship & Durability 3 | Ease of Use 4 | Comfort 5 | Features 4 | Versatility 4 | Value 4

Compare Prices at:

AMAZON | CABELA’S | SPORTSMAN’S WAREHOUSE | BASS PRO SHOPS

We look at six attributes when rating tents: workmanship and durability, ease of use and setup, overall comfort, features, versatility, and value. Each tent is given between 1 and 5 points (worst to best) per attribute. Then the average value is the overall Outdoor Empire Score. This way we are comparing apples to apples and weed out some of our own biases.

Durable but Less Than Perfect Workmanship

While the treated, waterproof, cotton canvas walls and the thick PVC floor are durable materials, the stitching on my Mesa tent had some flaws. And some raw cut fabric edges were exposed around the door.

On the interior, there were a few spots where the material wasn’t folded over completely along the double-stitched seams, which made the material pucker a bit. Over time those spots may fray or come undone.

Of greater concern was a poorly stitched seam on the roof along the sleeve where one of the spring rods is inserted. There was about a two-inch hole where the stitches completely missed the top layer of fabric and another spot where the stitching went off the seam. These could lead to leaks or the roof tearing in the future.

Apparently, I’m not the only one to see this sort of thing. There are a few reviewers on Amazon who have seen similar issues.

These sorts of flaws indicate to me what might be a lack of quality control in the manufacturing process. That’s not what you’d expect from a pricier tent like this.

That said, the nice thing about these is they come with a lifetime warranty and they are repairable. I should be able to get these issues taken care of one way or another.

And I do love how the webbing used throughout the tent (stake loops, carry bag, etc.) is a high-quality nylon webbing. This material stands up to dirt, sun, and wear over time way better than the cheaper polyester webbing you find on some tents.

Easy to Use but Watch Your Fingers

Despite what you might think the Teton Mesa tent is easy to set up. It is not freestanding so you do have to find solid ground to stake it down on. But it only takes me about 10-15 minutes to set up by myself.

The stakes are a little different, like big nails painted black with a hook on the side to catch the stake loops. They are functional, but I already saw a bit of rust forming on some when I was just seasoning the tent in my backyard. So you’ll have to make sure they are extra dry when you pack them or else corrosion will set in. Too bad they’re not just stainless steel.

One part that I don’t love about setting the Mesa up is the crossbar along the roof. It functions sort of like a cam where you use cotter pins to lock the bar straight (see photo). It functions, but it’s a little tricky to hold the bar straight under tension, line up the holes, and insert the pin. It’s only a matter of time before my fingers wind up pinched.

The Mesa weighs in at 71 pounds total split up over the carry bag, a stake bag, and a pole bag. It’s not light, but I can easily carry the whole thing by myself at once.

Comfortable Outdoor Livin’

The 10 x 10 ft Teton Mesa tent I have is said to sleep six people. It can do that, albeit a little tight. This size does, however, fit my family of five plus a dog and a little gear quite comfortably. Especially if we use cots so we can stow our bags underneath them.

For four people or fewer, it will feel like you’re livin’ large.

The 10 x 14 ft Mesa will sleep a party of eight. It’s very comfortable for a family of 4-6 and would be super roomy for 2-3 hunters with cots and all their gear inside.

For advice on what size tent to get, check out our tent size chart here.

The tall roof makes it easy for me to stand up straight throughout the interior and I am 6 ft 1 in.

The two big windows in the doors combined with two zippable vents up in the eves allow for ample ventilation. Canvas is naturally breathable as well so this is a great tent for airflow.

Big Doors and Extra Storage

I find the big doors on either side of the Teton Mesa to be very handy. I prefer it over designs with two smaller doors and windows. The big doors make it easy to pack big gear like cots and screaming toddlers in and out.

A no-see-um mesh window in each door allows you to let in a lot of air or daylight when needed.

The canvas color is darker than some alternatives, which is nice if you have trouble sleeping while camping. But I prefer a lighter fabric at least on the roof to let in more ambient light, like on the Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow.

As a bonus, Teton Sports includes a bunch of storage and organization accessories with the tent. There are no pockets sewn into the walls for things like flashlights and books. But they do include two multi-pocket organizers, two single big pocket organizers, and two screen lofts.

All of these can be attached to the sturdy metal rings along the roof. This makes it easy to keep things tidy. Though, the lofts will cut into your head space and I have to duck down if they’re up.

Electrical cord access points are near the doors. This is a convenient way to route an electrical cord to a heater inside during the winter, or maybe a CPAP machine if you need one. It keeps the cord out of the way of people stepping in and out of the tent. Though, I’m not sure two are necessary.

The awning is a handy feature and can be rolled up when not in use. Rain does pool up on it, so it’s almost better to stow it in heavy rain or snow. But it’s great for a bit of shade or to leave gear outside overnight, but be sure to keep frost from building up on it.

Goes Almost Anywhere

No need to fear the weather with this tent. Rain, wind, snow, bring it on!

The heavier components create a more robust structure on these canvas tents compared to something like an inexpensive nylon dome tent.

Being able to camp year-round makes this a highly versatile option as a car camping or family tent.

However, you’re not gonna take it backpacking and if you have a tiny car you might want to opt for something more compact.

The carry bags are probably my favorite of any tent I’ve seen. Once down, you fold the tent in half, then half again, and then you roll it up.

The carry bag lays out flat like a big T-shirt. You simply set the rolled-up tent on it, flap the sides over it and attach all the solid buckles and cinch it down.

It’s like a tight little burrito and no swear words escape my mouth in the process.

Plus, it has multiple handles and a shoulder strap that make it easy to chuck in and out of the car.

The pole and stake bags are simple and functional, made of canvas and vinyl. I like how the poles break down into thirds instead of halves like on the Kodiak Flex-Bow or White Duck Prota. This makes them break down a bit smaller.

All packed up, the Teton Mesa is the most compact of any canvas tent I’ve seen, making it easier to fit in the trunk of a car.

Great Value for Families and Hunters

Hunters and outfitters who spend extended periods of time in the woods, especially in the spring and fall when the weather is iffy, will definitely benefit from the Teton Sports Mesa Canvas Tent.

At this stage in my life, most of the camping I do is car camping with my family on weekends and during school breaks. This tent is great for that kind of use.

The price of the Teton Mesa is on par with the Kodiak Flex-Bow. And it’s a bit cheaper than a White Duck Prota or a Springbar. While still not cheap, it is on par with nicer nylon family tents from reputable brands like REI or Nemo.

I did run a customer service test where I sent an inquiry to see how long it would take to respond. They got back to me within two business days, which is acceptable.

Despite some quality issues in the sewing on my Teton Mesa, I suspect that is not the norm. Hopefully the lifetime guarantee will help me out there.

The Teton Mesa offers decent value for the price and is sure to make your camping trips more reminiscent of the good ole days. Especially if you grow a mustache, sip bad coffee from a dented steel mug, and mill about in your flannels grunting frequently.

Compare Prices at:

AMAZON | CABELA’S | SPORTSMAN’S WAREHOUSE | BASS PRO SHOPS

Wanna’ keep looking? Check out our Buyer’s Guide for the Best Canvas Tents!

Disclosure: This post is not sponsored. We purchase the Teton Mesa tent so we could do this review. The links in this article are affiliate links which means we might earn a small commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. This costs you nothing.

The post Teton Sports Mesa Canvas Tent Review appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

The nostalgic wild western vibes of a cotton-clad shelter will definitely rub off on you. Your mustache might even start to involuntarily hang over your lower lip. You’ll frequently find yourself staring off at the mountains longingly with Clint Eastwood-like expressions of consternation on your face.

Besides making you feel worthy of that flannel shirt you’re wearing, canvas tents will last forever if you take good care of them.

That’s not the only benefit they have over polyester and nylon tents. They’re 4-season worthy and breathe better too.

But with all the styles and brands out there, it’s hard to sort out the best canvas tents from those you should avoid.

It can be hard to find gear advice you can trust online. We have actually used all the tents on this list. We own them. So this buyer’s guide isn’t based on reading reviews on Amazon, it’s the real deal.

See each of these tents in detail in our side-by-side video review!

Recommendations at a Glance

The best canvas tent for year-round use is the Springbar Classic Jack 140 thanks to its ample space, excellent ventilation, and wood stove compatibility. But the Kodiak Flex-Bow offers the best balance of quality and functionality for the price.

You’ll likely be happy with any of these canvas tents. If you’re in a hurry, here’s how we’d categorize the ones we tested:

DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links in this article are affiliate links. If you click on a link we may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

1. Best overall for use in any weather: Springbar Classic Jack 140
2. Best bang for your buck: Kodiak Flex-Bow Deluxe
3. High-quality with lots of accessories: White Duck Outdoors Prota Deluxe
4. Simple and functional: Teton Sports Mesa

Best Canvas Tents: Outdoor Empire Reviews

We focused on the most portable and versatile style of canvas tents for this review article. It’s a flat-roof design originally developed by Springbar that is super portable and easy to set up.

This style canvas tent is now made by multiple manufacturers and we tried them all.

There are six attributes we evaluate when testing and rating tents. These include: workmanship and durability, ease of use and setup, overall comfort, features, versatility, and value. Each tent receives between 1 and 5 points (worst to best) per criterion. Then the average of those points becomes the overall Outdoor Empire Score. This results in a more apples-to-apples comparison.

Disclosure: This post is not sponsored, but Springbar and White Duck Outdoors donated tents to us and Kodiak gave us a discount so that we could have what we needed to complete this review. We purchased the Teton tent at full price. The opinions expressed are our own and we do not accept incentives to rank any product above another. Most of the links in this article are affiliate links which means we may earn a small commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. This costs you nothing.

1. Top Pick

Springbar Classic Jack

Pros:

• Original design, top-notch customer service, lots of ambient light, smart door and window configuration, hot tent-ready, truly winter-worthy

Cons:

• More expensive than others on this list, light color canvas shows dirt easily

View at Springbar

• Outdoor Empire Score: 4.7
• MSRP: $749-$1,199
• Sizes Available: 10 x 14 ft, 10 x 10 ft
• Variations: Highline (less expensive, fewer features), Skyliner (Made in USA)
• Detailed Springbar Classic Jack 140 Review

The Springbar Classic Jack 140 has an extremely well thought out and functional design. The beauty is in the details. We love the way the stainless steel stake rings cleanly slope the walls outward to shed water well. And the well-placed loft and gear organizers inside are useful without being cumbersome.

A single door with two separate panels that zip down the middle and at the bottom to open in a classic triangle shape was our favorite type of door. The huge window on the back and smaller triangle windows on the sides let in tons of air and light. We really loved this arrangement as well as how the linen-colored canvas lets in a ton of ambient light from dawn until dusk.

High-quality components from zippers, to treated cotton duck canvas, to a single-piece, polyvinyl floor matched the quality of the workmanship. We found no flaws on our Springbar.

What really sets the Classic Jack 140 apart, however, is the stove jack option so you can have yourself a hot tent. Springbar has created a complete and clean woodstove integration that will keep you toasty warm even in the dead of winter. While all the tents on this list are 4-season, this one provides the greatest versatility for year-round use. Take note that the Classic Jack 100 (10 x 10 ft) is not woodstove compatible, however.

The cherry on top is their customer service and lifetime warranty. Springbar responded to our customer service inquiry within 10 minutes!

This is the tent we will be bunking in during hunting season this fall.

Check out our comparison of the Classic Jack 140 with Springbar’s newest hot tent made in the USA, the Skyliner!

2. Best For the Money

Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe

$699.99

Pros:

• High-quality materials and workmanship, responsive customer service, track record of reliability

Cons:

• No frills and limited accessories

View on Amazon View at Bass Pro Shops

08/16/2023 10:20 am GMT

Compare prices at: Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cabela’s

• Outdoor Empire Score: 4.5
• MSRP: $550-$700
• Sizes Available: 9 x 8 ft, 10 x 10 ft (tested), 10 x 14 ft
• Variations: Basic (less expensive, fewer windows), VX (more expensive, more windows)
• Detailed Kodiak Flex-Bow Deluxe Review

Besides Springbar, Kodiak Canvas just might be the next most reputable canvas tent manufacturer. They’ve been making quality tents at great prices for many years and have a lot of happy customers around the world.

The Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe is no exception and the workmanship is sound. It offers everything you need in a canvas tent and a couple nice-to-haves like gear organizers and an overhead loft.

It is a similar design and sets up the same as the Springbar, but the PVC floor feels thicker and it’s significantly cheaper. While you don’t have the turnkey woodstove compatibility, this is still a worthy four-season tent. We have experienced it in sun, rain, and snow and have never found ourselves damp or uncomfortable inside.

If we wanted a hearty family tent that we could take car camping for the rest of our lives, but didn’t care about having a woodstove inside, we’d get the Kodiak Flex-Bow. You can’t beat the price for anything like it.

3. Also Great

White Duck Outdoors Prota Deluxe

$736.99

Pros:

• Excellent build quality, super water-resistant, bathtub style floor, lots of accessory options, stake mallet included

Cons:

• No zipper at base of doors, priced higher than similar

View on Amazon

08/15/2023 01:20 pm GMT

• Outdoor Empire Score: 4.2
• MSRP: $737-$957
• Sizes Available: 7 x 9 ft, 10 x 10 ft (tested), 10 x 14 ft
• Variations: Standard (less expensive, no side windows)
• Detailed White Duck Outdoors Prota Review

The extra-large side windows on the White Duck Outdoors Prota Deluxe canvas tent allow for a lot of airflow and 360-degree views in the mountains.

They really thought hard about keeping water out and built in a bathtub-style PVC floor to keep snow campers and those of you in wetter climates dry. The Prota also has extra stake loops (and stakes) at the base so you can keep the walls taut and sloping outward to better shed water away from the tent.

The doors on the Prota are rectangular with a zipper opening on both sides. This allows you to tie the whole door panel up above the door for a nice big opening, but there is no zipper along the bottom, just velcro. We found that grass and debris would stick to that velcro and you never got a clean seal along the bottom of the door. It’s not a dealbreaker, but this might look like an invitation to snakes and vermin if that’s an issue where you camp.

The darker color of the canvas walls and roof make it quite a bit darker inside compared to the Springbar and Kodiak. If you like to sleep in a nice dark room, you’ll probably appreciate this. But if you like a lot of ambient light inside, you may not.

We also got to try out some of the accessories that White Duck offers and the quality is top-of-line.

4. Simple and Functional

Teton Sports Mesa

$599.99

Pros:

• Good price, big doors are convenient, organizers and lofts included, most compact when packed up

Cons:

• Some quality issues, roof bar can pinch fingers

View on Amazon View at Bass Pro Shops

08/16/2023 10:20 am GMT

Compare prices at: Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cabela’s

• Outdoor Empire Score: 4.0
• MSRP: $650-$750
• Sizes Available: 10 x 10 ft (tested), 14 x 10 ft
• Variations: None
• Detailed Teton Sports Mesa Review

The Teton Sports Mesa is another great option, especially for budget-conscious folks who want a 4-season canvas tent. It often goes on sale too.

The canvas and the PVC floor materials are thick and high-quality and the colors are handsome. But somewhat disappointingly, the tent we tested had a handful of sewing flaws along the seams both inside and out. Looking deeper, it appears we are not alone, but it’s also not the norm.

The ventilation on the Mesa is excellent with roof vents on either side and two extra-large D-shaped doors with windows. The big doors make it super easy to get gear in and out, especially larger items like cots.

The fact that the poles broke down in thirds instead of halves, combined with the burrito-style carry bag for the tent, made it the most compact and easy to carry of all the tents we tested. If you have a small car, the Mesa is a great option.

Which Style Canvas Tent to Choose

There are several different design styles when it comes to canvas tents. While different styles have different strengths and weaknesses, they generally share the following common attributes and advantages:

• Not freestanding
• Stakes are required
• Easy to setup
• 4-season
• Good in wind
• Rain and water resistant
• Good in snow (as long as you sweep off the roof occasionally)
• Tall roofs so you can stand
• Breathable with good ventilation

The main canvas tent design styles are as follows.

Springbar Style Tents

This design was originally invented by Springbar out of Salt Lake City, Utah in the 1960s, but has since been produced by other companies including the ones that appear in this article.

These tents have a flat-arched roof that allows you to stand up throughout the interior. They set up quickly and have very few poles, but they remain stable in bad weather.

Four short, flexible steel rods go into the sleeves, two on each end of the roof. Then a long crossbar connects to the rods to make a “T” on each side. Once you connect the top bar, the roof is nice and taut.

Then you raise each side with a single pole that connects into the “T” at the top and is planted on the ground at the bottom. This provides all the tension necessary to keep the tent upright. Just make sure the stakes are solidly planted, else the whole thing could come down on you in the middle of the night!

We think Springbar style canvas tents are the best option for family camping, hunting trips, extended backcountry trips, and frequent car campers who like to be comfortable. While not as compact as some polyester tents, these tents will fit in a car or SUV just fine, no truck required.

These tents are not as bulky or cumbersome to set up as other styles. You don’t have a center post inside that you have to maneuver around and you don’t have to tie out the exterior walls for stability. So no tripping on those guy lines at night either.

These are generally the most affordable, portable, versatile, and popular canvas tents you can find. They’re great for both quick weekend trips and three weeks of hunting camp.

This is why all the tents we evaluated and put on this list are Springbar style canvas tents.

Wall Tents

If Daniel Boone had a house, it would be a wall tent.

Wall tents are best for outfitters, large groups, extended stays, and use in the summer or shoulder seasons.

They are bulky with lots of poles and material, take a long time to set up, and need to be transported in a pickup bed or trailer.

Nearly all wall tents have stove jacks and they can be used year-round. But they generally have no built-in floor so you’ll need cots to sleep on and they are prone to leaks.

These tents have evolved very little in the past century and they are popular among backcountry hunters who travel on horseback or with pack animals.

Cabin Tents

Cabin tents generally have traditional A-shaped, high roofs with corner posts and multiple crossbars. Sometimes there is a center post inside you need to work your way around.

Whoever designed the first cabin tent wasn’t terribly creative. They looked at their house, then they built a frame shaped the same way and sewed some canvas around it.

Cabin tents are good for shedding water, have a built-in floor, and most have a stove jack. They’re great for extended stays and are usually less bulk and work than a wall tent, but they can be cumbersome to set up and secure.

Bell Tents

Bell tents are named after their shape. They look like a bell made of canvas.

They are best for semi-permanent installations or comfort-seeking couples. But they’re a real favorite among those who wear full-brimmed hats and eat at nice restaurants before returning to “camp” for the night. The next morning you’ll find them at Starbucks in town filling their Stanley tumbler with a hot, creamy, no-longer-Italian caffeinated beverage.

A favorite for glamping and rustic Airbnbs, this attractive style canvas tent holds in heat well and stands up to wind and storms like a champ. The downside is they require a lot of staking and guy lines to secure the tent in place.

Bell tents provide a lot of floor space, but in a circle shape that makes it hard to use the space efficiently. They have limited interior standing room so you often have to hunch down to move about.

Swag Tents or Bivys

If the Lone Ranger’s doctor insisted he sleep under a roof at night instead of on the bare ground, he might consider a bivy. But I wouldn’t count on it.

A swag tent (a.k.a. bivy) is a one-person shelter the size of a single oversize bed roll with a roof suspended only a foot or two above your face. They often have a cushy sleeping pad built in. They’re basically like a soft, waterproof, escapable coffin.

You can use one on the ground or on top of a cot and they do a fine job at keeping the elements off of you. They set up and take down extremely quickly too.

You can thank the Aussies for their growing popularity.

Swag tents are best for solo camping, road tripping, and maintaining a strict code of abstinence.

How to Choose the Best Canvas Tent

In the same way that we evaluated these tents by factoring in how each performed according to different criteria, you need to choose what is most important to you.

Below we’ll explain our analysis and reasoning for each category and highlight the best canvas tents based on individual factors.

In any case, hopefully these ideas will help you make a more informed buying decision so you can camp like a royal.

Workmanship and Durability

Springbar 5 | Kodiak 5 | White Duck 5 | Teton 3

All four tents in this review are made of Army Cotton Duck Canvas that is treated with a silicone-based additive for increased water repellency. They use 8.5 oz canvas for the walls and 10 oz for the roof, except for WhiteDuck who puts thicker 10 oz canvas throughout.

Soild YKK or SBS zippers are found on all tents and run smoothly.

The workmanship was generally excellent, except on the Teton Mesa which appeared to have been more hastily sewn together, or perhaps by a less-experienced worker. We found four distinct sewing flaws along the seams of our Mesa, two inside and two on the roof. We found reports of others seeing this as well, so there may be less-stringent quality control with Teton than with the other brands. But it doesn’t appear to impact the functionality as of yet and we expect this is the exception, not the rule.

The floors are all made of 16 oz PVC material, except for Springbar which is slightly thinner, but it’s a single piece as opposed to glued together pieces to make the whole floor. This poly-coated vinyl floor is tough and in most cases, you can go without a ground sheet. But if you’re on really rocky ground or you want to save yourself some hassle of letting the bottom dry before packing up, a ground sheet underneath might be a good idea with any of them.

All the tents tested use heavy-duty 12-in long stainless steel stakes except for the Teton Mesa which uses painted nail-style stakes with a J-hook. They work, but we suspect rust will get the better of them sooner rather than later. We already saw spots of rust on them when seasoning the canvas tent in the backyard.

Only the White Duck Prota had aluminum poles while the others had galvanized steel. The aluminum White Duck poles were a larger diameter and heavier in the end.

All of these canvas tents are built to last for years and we expect they will.

• Toughest canvas tents: Kodiak Flex-Bow and White Duck Prota

Ease of Use

Springbar 4 | Kodiak 4 | White Duck 4 | Teton 4

Despite what others may lead you to believe, Springbar-style canvas tents are easy to set up and use. There are not nearly as many poles, stakes, or guy lines as a wall tent, a bell tent, or even a cabin tent.

Compared to a pop-up tent or small dome tent, there is a bit more to it, but it is no more complicated than setting up a tunnel tent from REI or Nemo.

One person can set any of these tents up in about 10-15 minutes. The most time-consuming part is driving the stakes, which you must do since these are not freestanding tents.

Since there is really no significant difference in the ease of use among the tents evaluated, they all scored the same.

You can expect the same for maintenance as well. Most tears or defects can be repaired at home or under warranty, but sun and water are your enemies with canvas (just as in other aspects of life).

If packed up wet, canvas can grow mildew and mold that will eventually rot the canvas, rendering it useless. So dry your canvas tent thoroughly before packing it up for long-term storage.

The UV rays of the sun can degrade any of these tents’ canvas over time if left standing long-term. But if you just take it camping for days at a time and don’t set it up permanently, this is of no real concern.

• Easiest canvas tent to set up: Any of the Springbar style tents

Comfort

Springbar 5 | Kodiak 5 | White Duck 5 | Teton 5

The factors that impact comfort when it comes to tents include airflow, temperature regulation, space, layout, and light.

Since the four tents evaluated are so similar in design, there is not a noteworthy difference among them. But when you compare them to other types of tents like a classic cabin, dome, or synthetic family tent, these canvas tents are as comfortable as it gets.

Size and Space

It starts with space. Ideally, you will have around 20 square feet per person if everyone is just sleeping on the ground in sleeping bags and you keep little to no gear inside.

By that count, the 10 x 10 ft tents we tried were very comfortable for four, but pretty tight for six which is what they’re rated for. If you want to squeeze in six, you’ll need some short people or kids in the mix.

That said, we camped in these 10 x 10 tents as a family of five plus a dog and it was just fine. But the 10 x 14 ft Springbar Classic Jack 140 was luxuriously spacious for five, and that size is available from all these manufacturers.

The key to maximizing space for gear and humans? Cots!

Strategically used cots, such as one for each parent while kids sleep on the ground, will allow you to stow bags of clothes and gear underneath. This saves a ton of space and helps keep things tidy. We highly recommend it.

If you’re not sure what size tent to get, be sure and check out our tent size chart here.

At 6 ft 1 in tall, I really appreciate the tall ceilings in these tents. I can stand up tall all throughout each one, something I’ve never had in any other style tent I’ve been in.

Ventilation and Temperature Regulation

Airflow and ventilation were excellent in all the tents sampled. The Kodiak and Teton have air vents in the eves, but you won’t find those on the Kodiak Flex-Bow Basic, FYI. The Prota and Classic Jack have big no-see-um mesh windows on every side and no shortage of airflow.

Compared to a synthetic tent, these canvas tents will simply breathe more and you get a lot less, if any, condensation on the inner walls of the tent. This prevents that muggy feeling you get in a lot of tents.

The breathability of the canvas, while still being a sturdy and relatively thick material enables canvas tents to regulate temperature exceptionally well. These tents stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter relative to their polyester cousins.

The Springbar does have an edge on the others when it comes to temperature thanks to the wood stove compatibility. In the dead of winter, a hot tent is full of happy campers.

Ambient Light

We didn’t know this was an interesting factor until we tried every one of these tents on both hot sunny days and cold dark nights. This is largely a matter of personal preference, however.

The color of the canvas has a significant impact on how well you can or cannot see inside the tents.

The light color of the Springbar Classic Jack allowed the most ambient light in, which made for pleasant, natural awakenings in the morning as dawn broke. It was our favorite for light. It also seemed to stay the coolest inside on hot days and warmed up quickly when the sun hit it in the mornings.

The Kodiak Flex-Bow was the next brightest inside, then the Teton Mesa, and finally the White Duck Prota which had the darkest canvas material of all of them on both the roof and the walls.

• Brightest and coziest:Springbar Classic Jack 140
• Best for dark room sleepers:White Duck Prota

Features

Springbar 5 | Kodiak 4 | White Duck 4 | Teton 4

The features you want or need might differ from what we like. So this assessment is based primarily on how many features are available on each tent and how similar features compare from one tent to another.

Doors and Windows

The Teton Mesa had the biggest doors which we found convenient for packing gear, cots, and small children in and out of. These doors also contain the only windows in the Mesa.

The Kodiak Flex-Bow Deluxe has similar D-shaped doors that are half the size while the White Duck Prota has rectangle doors with zippers on both sides. Both of these have windows in the doors and right next to the doors. Though the standard Flex-Bow does not have a window in the door (only two total) and the Prota Deluxe has big bonus windows on the ends (six total).

The offset doors on either side of the Kodiak and White Duck seemed a bit redundant to us. At least one always gets blocked by a cot or sleeping human anyway so we found the back door a bit unnecessary.

Our favorite door and window arrangement is on the Springbar. The door is simple and functional with a zipper down the middle. When you enter it flaps closed on its own for the most part, which helps keep some bugs out. And there are two panels, the solid canvas and the screen door. You tie the one you’re not using back and it just makes a lot of sense. Plus it is the only door in the whole tent, which we think is smart.

The Springbar has a massive picture window on the back side, so set it up where you have a view. The triangle windows on either end both look cool and let in all the extra air or light you need. They were also super quick to open and close when you needed privacy for just a minute.

All doors zipped along the bottom except for the White Duck Prota, which we weren’t thrilled about.

Awnings

The awning on the Kodiak Flex-Bow was the most basic with no attachment points for side panels and somewhat flimsy plastic rope tensioners.

Teton’s Mesa awning had nice polycord and aluminum tensioners as well as grommets on the side to fix a tarp or similar.

The White Duck had decent rope and metal tensioners along with velcro for attaching optional side panels.

Finally, the Springbar had rustic old-school wood tensioners that looked good and functioned well, along with half a zipper in case you want their optional side panels.

All of these awnings will sag a lot under heavy rain as water pools up on top, so you’ll want to roll them up in heavy rain anyway. Interestingly, the Springbar is the only one with adjustable height poles that make it easy to lower and change the pitch of the awning, a thoughtful feature.

Organization and Storage

The only tent that did not include some sort of interior organization accessory was the White Duck Prota. It has a couple of sewn-in pouches near the floor for books or flashlights, as well as loops along the roof to attach clotheslines, lofts, or gear organizers. But the others not only had those loops, but also included the accessories to attach to them.

The Teton Mesa has no built-in pockets, but it does come with not one, but two sets of organizers. That’s two lofts (with clever drawstrings that keep them from sagging too much), two big screen bags, and two multi-pocket organizers. Applause!

The Kodiak Flex-Bow comes with half that much, but also has a couple of built-in pockets. While the Springbar Classic Jack has a big loft and several very nice sewn-in pockets on the walls.

Note that tall people will need to hunch over when lofts are in use.

Packability

After multiple unpackings and packings, we came to appreciate the burrito-style bags of the Teton Mesa and the Kodiak Flex-Bow Deluxe. Heads-up, that same burrito bag does not come with the Flex-Bow Basic.

This burrito bag made it easy to pack the tent up as tight as possible without blurting out expletives. And the Teton Mesa packs down even more compact because the poles break down into thirds and not halves. Ooos and ahhhs.

The Springbar Classic Jack came with an oversized, army-style duffle with lots of handles around. We really liked this style as well. It made it easy to chuck the tent around like a bale of hay.

The White Duck came with a functional oversize bag that wasn’t much to get excited about.

All included separate stake and pole bags that did the job.

Available Accessories

While most of these companies offer add-ons and accessories of some sort, White Duck seems to have the most. We loved their canvas dog bed because it was so easy to sweep the mud from our dirty dogs off of it once it dried. The heavy-duty canvas tarps make great tent rugs or cargo covers for the trailer. Plus, they’ve got everything from organizers to log carriers to make your tent feel like home.

Ports for Cords

If you just can’t leave your GameBoy at home and you brought your rechargeable battery charge station to camp, then the Kodiak Flex-Bow might not be for you. The other three tents have convenient little zippered ports through which you can run an extension cord to keep those AAs for your GameBoy and Ds for your boom box juicing up all night long.

Maybe you’re not a gamer. But if you want to run a cord out to a generator or solar array for a space heater or CPAP machine, this little feature might be a bonus.

• Most feature-filled with the best windows and doors: Springbar Classic Jack 140
• Tidiest and best to pack into a car: Teton Sports Mesa

Versatility 

Springbar 4 | Kodiak 4 | White Duck 4 | Teton 4

Similar scores were awarded across the board on versatility because these similar tents can be used in similar situations.

They are all highly versatile in that you can use them in all four seasons, rain, snow, or shine. Their resistance to wind and rain makes them stand out compared to lightweight synthetic tents built mainly for fair weather.

Canvas tents are great for car camping, family reunions, hunting trips, Boy Scout shenanigans, festivals, Burning Man, trekking through the backcountry with llamas, or even squatting under an overpass.

But they are not going to be fun on a backpacking trip, a quick impromptu couples weekend campout in the summer, spending the night in a Walmart parking lot, or stuffing into a Smart car. Alas, they cannot quite do it all.

The candidate that stands half a head taller than the others here is, again, the Springbar Classic Jack 140 on account of its ability to be rapidly transformed into a hot tent. That stove jack just gives it a toasty edge.

• Best for cold weather: Springbar Classic Jack 140

Value

Springbar 5 | Kodiak 5 | White Duck 3 | Teton 4

Value is where benefits meet price. The greater the benefits for the same price, the better the value. And in that context, the Kodiak Flex-Bow really is the best canvas tent for the money.

While it doesn’t have any wow factors, the Flex-Bow Deluxe does pretty much what all the others do, but for a lower price. And that is hard to argue with.

The Teton Mesa comes in at nearly the same price as the Kodiak, but the quality just wasn’t quite there in our assessment.

The Springbar Classic Jack 140 also offers good value for your money. While it is a bit more expensive than the others, it has greater utility thanks to that wood stove system. At the end of the day, this is the tent that we like the most for our own personal use.

The White Duck Outdoors Prota Deluxe, on the other hand, seems slightly overpriced. Especially if you compare it to the Mesa and the Flex-Bow. It’s a great tent with some clever features and quality manufacturing, but it lacks some nice little features of the others, like including gear organizers and a more carry-worthy bag.

Warranty and Customer Service

All of these companies offer limited lifetime warranties with similar terms and exceptions. So we looked deeper to try and decipher which one offers the best customer service.

Without warning, we made independent, identical inquiries to the customer service teams of each company. We submitted a warranty-related question either to the email or through the designated form on their website. Here are the results:

• Springbar: received a pleasant response within 10 MINUTES! = Excellent
• Kodiak Canvas: received a thorough reply within 45 minutes, and it even had a happy face emoji! = Excellent
• Teton Sports: received an automated response immediately saying they were short-staffed and would get back to me soon, then a satisfactory response within two business days. = Acceptable
• White Duck Outdoors: received a satisfactory response in three business days. = Fine

Take that as you will, but we’re suckers for good customer service.

• Best value: Kodiak Flex-Bow Deluxe
• Greatest utility: Springbar Classic Jack 140

Final Thoughts on the Best Canvas Tents

When it comes time to buy a new family camping tent, or perhaps one for your fishing, hunting, or backcountry trips, you would be remiss to not at least consider a canvas tent.

If you do, you may even find yourself wearing cowboy boots often and calling everyone “pardner.”

Truth be told, you’ll be happy with any of these tents. They are well-made and backed by reputable companies. Canvas is hard to beat when it comes to comfort in the woods.

Take our experience and analysis under advisement, and make a more informed decision. You now know our favorites.

We hope this information was helpful to you. If it was, please share it with a friend or on social media.

And consider using our links to make your purchase. That helps us produce more legit gear reviews like this one!

Why Trust Us?

We know it’s hard to find gear advice you can trust. At Outdoor Empire we aim to provide honest, objective, hands-on reviews rather than just regurgitating information found somewhere else on the internet. Our process is continuously evolving and improving.

Here are a few reasons you can trust our advice in this article:

• We actually acquired every product mentioned in this article.
• We objectively tested and ranked each product listed here.
• Besides “testing”, we use this gear in real life for an extended period of time.
• We spent our own money on products and expenses related to this article.
• While we occasionally accept product samples or discounts to help stretch our gear budget further so we can produce more gear guides, we do not accept paid or sponsored reviews.
• The opinions, experiences, and results expressed in this article are our own, authentic, and unbiased. Nobody paid us for our favorable opinion.
• We recommend the same products to you that we do to our friends and family.

Got questions about canvas tents? Feel free to drop us a line or check out our FAQs About Canvas Tents for answers.

The post Best Canvas Tents (Hands-on Tested Buyer’s Guide) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

Not only were they my daily drivers around town, but I took them on some amazing outdoor adventures as well. From turkey hunting to bowfishing, I got extensive firsthand experience with these fat tire electric bikes both on and off-road.

Both the QuietKat Apex and the Ranger are fun, capable ebikes that were designed for hunting. They both have a smooth ride, a comfortable upright position, and dozens of utilitarian accessory options. While the Apex has better components and tech upgrades, the Ranger provides a similar experience.

In this comparative review, I’ll break down the similarities and differences between the two. I’ll help you make sense of the significant price difference and decide which one makes the most sense for how you want to ride.

If you’re more of a visual learner, check out our video on the topic!

Similarities

There are many aspects of the QuietKat Apex and Ranger ebikes that are the same.

• Frame: Both electric bikes have the same general hardtail frame design with a heavy-duty integrated gear rack. The only real difference is that the Apex frame is built to accommodate the mid-drive motor.
• Handlebar: The Ranger and Apex come with a nice, wide mountain bike style flat bar with good rubber grips. This makes for a comfortable and secure grip while also providing enough bar real estate to mount accessories like a light, gun rack, and GPS or phone mount.
• Cable routing: While cables running to the rear are routed through the frame, both bikes have a bit of a rat’s nest in front of the handlebar. It’s not the best, but it’s not a big deal.
• Battery chargers
• Saddle
• Thumb throttle
• Accessories from QuietKat are compatible with either bike.

Differences

I won’t dive deep into specifications that you can find on QuietKat’s website, but I will point out some specific differences in components that I could see on the bikes.

Performance Comparison

To my surprise, the difference in riding experience between the Ranger and the Apex was not very dramatic.

Assembly and Maintenance

Assembly was a similar process for the Apex as it was for the Ranger with the exception of the front wheel installation. Both were easy to put together out of the box.

While I didn’t run into any major issues with either bike over the two months that I had them, I suspect the Ranger will require slightly less maintenance over the life of the bike. That’s primarily because the mid-drive motor on the Apex will likely result in a broken chain or two along the way.

Since the power on mid-drive systems comes from the crank, the chain is always engaged and I found you even have to think about what mechanical gear the bike is in before you start off. That’s because if you’re in the highest gear, for example, the chain is not directly aligned with the crank sprocket and the side tension could put extra stress or even break a chain in some cases.

Both the Ranger and the Apex are heavy bikes that are a challenge to transport. If you have a pickup, you’ll be good. But if you plan on using a bike rack, there are very few that will securely hold a 70+ pound electric bike. Either get the one from QuietKat, or you can do like me and use an inexpensive motorcycle hitch carrier from Harbor Freight.

Ride, Handling, and Stealth

The riding position and overall comfort were also similar on both bikes. Sitting upright turned out to be ideal for hunting because I could easily scan the hillslopes for game as I putted along logging roads.

I was able to reach the same top speeds on both bikes, which was about 25 mph on flat pavement and 30 mph with a downslope. The Apex had a slight edge on the Ranger when it came to power at takeoff. In a drag race with my brother-in-law he pulled ahead on the Apex off the line but only got about 10 yards ahead before we basically matched speeds.

The Apex also had a leg up on braking and control. The better components, larger wheels and tires, and better air suspension made the Apex extremely smooth to ride. So much so that on my turkey hunt I could be looking around and just roll through ruts, potholes, and mud without being bothered to manhandle the handlebar. The ride was super stable.

The Ranger wasn’t substantially less smooth or stable than the Apex, but the Apex wins on handling.

When it comes to look and feel, the Apex definitely has an edge as well. I can’t quite pinpoint it, but I think it was a combination of the bigger, meatier tires and the Veil Caza camo pattern. It just looks a hair tougher.

The Ranger, however, takes the prize for the least amount of noise. You mainly just hear road noise, especially on gravel. Both are quiet, as the brand name suggests.

However, when you’re coasting without pedaling on the Apex you hear a clicking sound that only stops when you actively pedal.

This is not a problem, per se. But when you’re trying to be stealthy on a hunt and move as quietly as possible, you notice every little sound. The Ranger didn’t make the same sound.

Range and Battery Performance

The big surprise to me was that I got better range on a single battery charge with the Ranger than I did with the Apex. Reminder: both had 1000-watt motors.

Supposedly the Apex battery is bigger, but the best range I ever got with it was about 18 miles on a charge and that was around town.

On my turkey hunt with the Apex, I got 16 miles on varied terrain with the electric motor on level 3 (out of 5) and pedaling 95% of the time. Granted I’m a bigger guy and with all my gear there must have been at least 250 pounds on the bike.

QuietKat advertises 24-48 miles of range on the Apex, but I never came close to that and the bike I had was basically brand new. Now, I have seen a few reports online of people getting 24-30 miles in good conditions, so maybe there’s a chance. But if you have any hills, heat, cold, portliness, or bad omens in your wake, don’t count on taking any long trips without a spare battery for the Apex.

On the other hand, the Ranger met the low end of the advertised range of 19-38 miles on a single charge. In my experience, 20 miles was reliable. Within that distance, I wouldn’t fret about not being able to make it home as long as I wasn’t just going full-thumb throttle at top speed without ever pedaling.

How to Choose Between the 750 and 1000 Watt Motor

If you’ve dialed in on the QuietKat Ranger or Apex, you’ll have to choose the color, the frame size, and the motor. The first two options are a matter of personal preference, but the motor size might bring you pause.

In order to decide whether to get the 750 or 1000-watt motor for your electric hunting bike, I would consider the following questions:

• Will you use it on public land (e.g. US Forest Service, BLM)?
• Will you use it in a town or an area with electric bike regulations?

If you answer yes to either of those, you’re probably best off getting the 750-watt motor. This is considered a classified electric bicycle and will most likely fit into either existing regulations or pending regulations imposed by certain government agencies.

While most federal land management agencies have not yet declared an official rule, the trend is to put a cap at 750 watts as the max motor size allowed to be considered an electric bike. Above that and you may be lumped in with motorbikes and restricted to even fewer trails.

That said, if you stay primarily on private land or you’re not concerned about electric bike regulation, then you’ll probably appreciate the extra boost you get from the 1000-watt version. That is what I had on both the Apex and Ranger that I tested, and I definitely liked it.

However, contrary to what I assumed beforehand, I still had to pedal in most instances. So it’s not like an ebike with a 1000-watt motor is going to feel like a motorcycle. I confirm it does not.

Personally, I’ll be going with a 750-watt motor on my next hunting ebike. I want to be sure to be able to use it in as many situations as possible both in town and on public land.

Tradeoffs and Conclusions

Like any decision, there are tradeoffs whether you go with the QuietKat Apex or the Ranger.

So what do you really get in the Apex for 60% more money than the Ranger?

Basically, you’re paying more for better components, a smoother ride, slightly better looks, and a technology upgrade in the motor and computer. Perhaps the Apex will be a smidge better at climbing hills too.

If you want more durable high-end components or you’re set on a mid-drive motor, you should seriously consider the QuietKat Apex. It’s a super fun ride that will enhance your hunting trips.

But if you’re pragmatic and usually pick the middle option when it comes to cost and quality, the Ranger is the way to go.

Consider this: QuietKat offers a wide range of accessories which, for the most part, are compatible with any of their ebikes. This is great for the Ranger because it means you can get a cheaper bike, but still have the option to add on high-quality bags, racks, trailers, and more.

In fact, for the same price as the fancier QuietKat Apex, you could get a Ranger AND the following add-ons:

• Heavy-duty bike rack
• Cargo trailer
• 2 pannier bags
• Fenders
• Phone/GPS mount
• Rhino Grip XLR gun rack
• Extra battery
• You could also quite easily upgrade some of the bike components on the Ranger over time and end up with a bike that is nearly the same as the Apex. The only thing that cannot be easily changed is moving to a mid-drive motor.

No matter the direction you go, both the QuietKat Apex and the Ranger are excellent, fun machines.

Be sure to check out our detailed individual reviews for the Apex and Ranger, as well as our other articles on electric bikes for hunting:

QuietKat Ranger Electric Bike Review

QuietKat Apex Electric Bike Review

Are eBikes Worth It For Hunting?

The post QuietKat Apex vs Ranger: Hunting eBike Hands-on Comparison appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

As it turns out, the QuietKat Apex electric bike helped me out this past spring. Thanks to the Apex, I was able to cover a lot of ground way quicker than I could on foot, but without the noise of a combustion engine.

The QuietKat Apex is a high-end electric bike designed for utilitarian outdoor pursuits like hunting. It offers a smooth mid-drive motor and high-quality components that can be relied upon in the woods. While the range is not as expected, its value is on par or better than that of similar ebikes.

In this detailed review of the QuietKat Apex, I’ll tell you how it enhanced my turkey hunt as well.

Benefits

• High-quality components
• Super smooth ride with air suspension
• Excellent control even over rough terrain
• Durable frame with a high weight and gear capacity
• Lots of customization options that appeal to hunters

Drawbacks

• Battery range did not meet expectations
• Plastic parts will break
• High price may not be justifiable for everyone

Hands-on Review of the QuietKat Apex Hunting eBike

I spent a lot of time in the saddle of the QuietKat Apex this spring. Whether it was commuting to the office, running errands, or going for a joy ride I put a lot of miles on it during the two months it was in my garage.

I even rode it to my 20-year high school reunion as if it was some sort of status symbol.

Truth be told, the Apex is worth more than my daily driver Hyundai. Sigh.

Who cares about status?! I won’t think about or see those people for another decade anyway.

Of all the pedaling (and button pressing en lieu of pedaling) that I did on the Apex, the most enjoyable of all was a multi-day turkey hunt in North Idaho. It was during this trip that the actual usefulness of all the features, specs, bells, and whistles really manifested. And while the experience was a delight, I see some room for improvement.

Check out the video below for a real-time review of the QuietKat Apex while I was on that turkey hunt!

A Purpose-Built Design

Unlike a lot of less expensive fat tire electric bikes, the QuietKat Apex was not built simply to include a list of minimum specs at the lowest cost. The Apex was built with a purpose in mind, and that purpose was hunting.

This doesn’t mean it’s a one-trick pony, however. Au contraire! It does many things well as long as those things involve a variety of terrain, a desire for a smooth ride, and an occasional need to carry a heavy load.

Assembly

The Apex arrived at my house in a single large box and was partially assembled. Before I realized QuietKat had a convenient YouTube tutorial on assembly, I put the whole kit together pretty easily. It would have been easier with a bike maintenance stand or a buddy, but I managed to do it myself on the garage floor.

Look and Feel

The Apex definitely has a tough look and feel to it. When I rode it through town, people would often stare and ask questions when they got the chance. It’s a looker.

The pretty face has a purpose too. The Veil Caza camouflage is an effective pattern and just so happened to match the exact print of the Pnuma camo gear I wear hunting. My whole ensemble was more coordinated on that turkey hunt than it has ever been in my life.

The meaty tires provide a smooth ride and excellent traction while the gnarly frame can carry a heavy load of man, gear, and, with any luck, game.

I really liked the comfortable upright riding position compared to a more downward, performance-focused mountain biking position. Sitting upright allowed me to constantly scan the clearcuts and treelines as I eased along logging roads looking for turkeys.

Frame

The Apex frame is a hardtail design made of aluminum with an incorporated gear rack. This is largely where the “purpose-built” factor plays in because you know you’ll be hauling extra gear in, and hopefully game out, on a hunt.

Plus, the geometry of the frame is what makes it so comfortable to ride all day long even if you’re not a regular cyclist. Even after a full day of hopping on and off the Apex while hunting I wasn’t sore at all.

Respectable Components

While there are almost always higher-grade bicycle components, those used in the Apex are very respectable and suit the needs of the bike well.

There were a few plastic parts like the brush guards on the forks, the add-on fenders, and the throttle lever that felt cheap and prone to breakage compared to the rest of the kit. But apart from those, everything was sound.

Motor Considerations

The Apex features a mid-drive Bafang motor that comes in either a 750-watt or a 1000-watt configuration. Mine was the 1000-watt, which is great if you’re using it on roads, private land, or OHV trails where you are free to take advantage of a bit more power.

But if you’ll ride primarily on public land, especially federal lands like those managed by the US Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management, you might be best off sticking to the 750-watt motor.

While there are very few fixed rules and regulations about eBikes on public lands in the US at this point, the trend appears to be moving toward a motor limit of 750 watts to be permitted on the widest range of trails. This is considered a classified electric bike and it is also more likely to be legal in cities and on bike paths where there is currently a lot of concern about ebikes cruising down bike lanes at speeds that match cars and motorcycles.

In fact, the first area I hunted for Mountain Merriams was on National Forest land. I wanted to take the Apex down a road that was closed seasonally to vehicles and OHVs. I called the Ranger District to see if it was ok to take my ebike since it was ok to take a mountain bike. But the answer was, no. At least in that National Forest, until there is an official rule created, electric bikes are considered motorcycles, not mountain bikes.

Besides that, the mid-drive motors are considered to be an upgrade from a hub-drive motor. Though they still have their downsides. They put more stress on the chain and if (or when) it breaks, you’re dead in the water. They can also put more wear and tear on your sprocket.

Finally, they require a bit more thinking when it comes to shifting the mechanical gears, especially when starting from a stop. I found that I had to be in middle or low gear to start off without hearing the chain jerk or pop with tension. Too much of that and the chain will surely break.

Suspension

An inverted fork with air suspension looks like a dirt bike and feels like you’re riding on a cloud. The Apex’s front suspension combined with the cushy fat tires made it glide smoothly over rocks and ruts without issue.

I was extremely impressed by the stability on uneven terrain and when I got sucked into a 10-inch-deep muddy wheel track in the woods. I never fell on this bike and it was tons of fun cruising over curbs and stairs around town.

No rear suspension was no big deal since I think having it would compromise the load you could carry.

Drivetrain

While not top-of-the-line, the QuietKat Apex uses a SRAM 9-speed drivetrain with a SRAM X5 trigger shifter and rear derailleur. The shifters shift smoothly and are made of aluminum which should hold up well to abuse. They held alignment and never required adjustment despite a lot of cajoling on my turkey hunt and elsewhere.

Brakes

The Apex has hydraulic disk brakes that give you excellent stopping power and control. They are the Tektro Dorado E-23 series which is a component specifically designed for ebikes which are heavier and reach potentially higher speeds than normal mountain bikes.

Wheels and Tires

Kenda 26-inch diameter by 4.5-inch wide fatties make for a smooth and stable ride. The wheels roll over almost anything, even small downed trees on a trail. Having tubeless tires is awesome and I never had any trouble with punctures or flats over the course of a couple of months on all types of surfaces.

Computer

The bike computer and electric motor controller has a nice, bright, color LED display that is easy to see both day and night. While it’s not a touchscreen, it’s pretty intuitive with only a few buttons to control it and you can customize all kinds of settings. You can also set your time, trip meters, what shows up on the display, and your preferred units.

Accessories

A strong suit of QuietKat is their range of accessories designed for hunters. From trailers to waterproof saddle bags, to heavy-duty bike racks QuietKat has its own line of utilitarian accessories. Besides that, there are endless third-party accessories like gun racks that you could use to deck out the Apex into something amazing.

Performance Was Good, Not Perfect

I had the chance to compare it head-to-head with QuietKat’s less-expensive Ranger and the pricetag of the Apex alone seemed more in line with a Suzuki trail bike than an electric bicycle.

Suffice it to say, my expectations were pretty high for the Apex’s overall performance. Sadly, it fell a bit short in a couple of aspects, especially range.

Battery Endurance and Range

The Apex has a 16 amp-hour, 48-volt battery that stores 768 watt hours of energy. QuietKat advertises a range of 24-48 miles on a single charge with the disclaimer that range will vary depending on conditions, rider weight, gear load, battery age, etc.

At 220 pounds, I’m not a small guy. But truthfully, I never came close to getting even 24 miles on a single charge under any conditions. That includes commuting between my house and my office which is all flat pavement, and doing that in eco mode while pedaling a whole lot.

On the low end, I only got about 10 miles of range. This happened when I cruised around town, never pedaled, only used the throttle, and kept the motor at max output.

A realistic average range for the QuietKat Apex, based on my own experience, is between 15-18 miles before you’re running on reserve power.

I have read a report or two online of users who got as much as 24 or even 30 miles on a single charge, so perhaps it can be done.

The Impact of Range on a Hunt

I had hoped to use the Apex all three days of my turkey hunt. Since I was camping I didn’t have any power to recharge overnight, so I only had one full battery. As it turned out, that wasn’t enough.

I got through day one which started around noon and was mostly scouting. Then I put in a full day on day two from dawn until dark. By the time I made it back to camp my power meter read 5% and I had traveled 16 miles on that charge.

Once the battery hits 10%, the output decreases dramatically to where the electric motor is basically useless, by the way.

That whole trip I kept the bike in eco mode and was on power level three or lower (of five) 95% of the time. I pedaled-assisted 90% of the time in middle gear, though I wasn’t working hard. That is sort of the sweet spot for a pleasant ride without burning too much battery or calories. The terrain was pretty typical for a hunt with a variety of ups, downs, and flats on gravel, dirt, grass, and mud trails.

I would caution you not to expect the advertised range unless you are doing most of the work, riding really slowly, and leaving the electric output on power level one or two. But with those constraints, you may as well ride a regular mountain bike.

Speed, Takeoff, and Power

The QuietKat Apex left me wanting when it came to speed, takeoff, and power, but I admit my expectations were rather lofty and unrealistic.

I was hoping that the torque would make the front wheel pop up when you laid on the throttle, but in reality, you have to ease into the throttle to avoid breaking a chain.

The 1000-watt version I had did reach speeds of 30 mph downhill and 25 mph on the flats, and that is pretty fast for an e-bike.

I guess my visions of popping a wheelie after dropping my son off at elementary school only to make all the other eight-year-old boys think I’m the coolest dad ever were a hair off the mark of reality. But that blame cannot be placed solely on the back of the Apex, I concede.

Sport vs Eco Mode

One feature the Apex has that some other QuietKats do not is Eco and Sport modes. I thought Sport mode would throw up gravel and dirt behind me, but not so.

The main difference is that Sport mode will give up to maximum battery output depending on how much throttle you give it while Eco mode limits the max output to 80% to conserve battery.

Honestly, I noticed little to no difference between the two modes, so I always left it in Eco mode.

Forget about sport mode or max output if you want to conserve battery.

Ride and Comfort

This is where the QuietKat Apex delivered handily. It rides so smooth and comfortable that you forget you’re on a bicycle going through potholes, puddles, and stobs on a skid trail. You can keep your head up gazing at the scenery without white-knuckling the handlebar for dear life.

The ride is smooth and I never felt sore after a day of riding.

Silence Makes Me Happy

As the brand name suggests, the QuietKat Apex is indeed quiet. This feature instantly became more valuable to me when I was out hunting and realized how non-intrusive it is as a vehicle.

Even though I’m a fan of ATVs, side-by-sides, and motorcycles myself, I get irritated when other OHV-riding hunters buzz by within a mile of me. It either scares game off or makes them shut up so you have to wait another half hour to locate them again. That simply doesn’t happen with an electric bike.

That’s not to say the Apex is completely silent. You still hear the tire-to-road noise, especially on gravel. And when not pedaling you hear the clicking of the drivetrain. But it is quiet enough that I once rolled up within shooting range of a bunch of turkeys foraging roadside and I only busted them because they saw me before I saw them. There were at least two shootable gobblers and, despite my best efforts, I couldn’t get ahead of them again.

From then on I slowed things down as I moved around the trails. And sure enough, I got that close more than once. One time I even flushed a nesting hen ten feet away.

The point is, you won’t annoy other hunters riding an ebike and you stand a better chance at spotting game from one than you do from an OHV.

Braking and Control

The big tires, air shocks, and wide handlebars make the Apex very easy to control on all surface types and terrain. It rolls over almost anything and even at 35 mph, downhill on a gravel road, I didn’t get the speed wobbles.

When you brake, you stop. The hydraulic brakes are highly responsive and don’t lock up unless you want them to.

Ruggedly Handsome

The QuietKat Apex is as rugged as it is handsome. But beware that plastic parts are unlikely to withstand the abuse you’ll find yourself putting the Apex through.

Within a couple months I had busted the brush guard on the fork, a fender, and plastic parts on the pannier bags. I’m a little surprised that the throttle lever never broke.

Everything else takes a beating and pretty much everything is serviceable. The paint was wearing through a bit on the gear rack and had a few superficial scratches, but I wasn’t worried about rust since it’s an aluminum frame. Since very few of the main bicycle components are proprietary, you can replace them yourself or at a local bike shop.

Compared to other electric bikes, the QuietKat is noticeably more durable.

Is it Worth the Price Compared to the Competition?

While I think the Apex is competitively priced compared to the next closest alternative, I also think you can get better bang for your buck with a different electric bike. However, value is in the eyes of the beholder and your needs and wants may not be the same as mine.

For example, the QuietKat Ranger is a couple thousand dollars less than the Apex. While it features lower-end components and a hub-drive motor, I believe it would have afforded me the same turkey hunting experience. So I’m inclined to go for the less expensive alternative from the same brand.

Read more: QuietKat Apex vs Ranger Comparison

The Apex is very similar to the Bakcou Mule and the Rambo Rebel in build quality, specifications, and price. However, the Apex beats both in its weight capacity and has better suspension than the Mule. But both the Mule and the Rebel beat the Apex on battery performance. The Mule also has a smart motor that allows you to set a max speed so you can comply with regulations when you need to. But you can then turn on full power when you want. The Rebel has higher-end bike components than the Apex.

QuietKat offers one of the best electric bike warranties including lifetime coverage on the frame, one year on components, and a 30-day (10 mile) risk-free guarantee. If you don’t like it within the first month, you can send it back for a full refund, shipping included.

Rambo offers a nearly identical warranty and Bakcou is pretty close, minus the lifetime frame guarantee.

QuietKat Apex Bottom Line

The QuietKat Apex is for avid hunters or outdoor enthusiasts who don’t mind spending some extra cash for higher quality components and a little more flare. You’re not necessarily getting a big performance leap when going from a mid-level option to the Apex, it’s more about the tech upgrades.

The Apex is not really for downhill or technical trail riding. It’s a utility vehicle, not a rally car. If you want an ebike that rips down single track, look at the QuietKat Ibex instead.

But if you want to buy an electric hunting bike that will last for years to come and be serviceable when something wears out, the Apex is a good bet.

Despite the letdown on range and battery performance, I loved the QuietKat Apex. It’s an excellent hill climber and would serve anyone well who rides in steep or hilly terrain.

Chasing mountain turkeys around thick young forests and steep terrain in Idaho late in the season is no joke. It’s a major physical challenge. With the Apex I was able to cruise down a logging road while stopping to listen and glass every now and again. Every mile or so I’d hop off the bike and hike or sit on a pinch point for an hour. Then I’d get back on and do the same thing over and over again until dark.

While I may not have harvested a gobbler on that trip, I got into plenty of them and had a world of fun. The Apex made it so I could cover a whole lot more area in a day than I would have otherwise.

Be sure to check out our other articles about hunting ebikes:

Are eBikes Worth It For Hunting?

QuietKat Ranger Electric Bike Review

The post QuietKat Apex Electric Hunting Bike Hands-on Review appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

I had the chance to test the QuietKat Ranger over a period of a couple months and I rode it a ton.

The QuietKat Ranger is a well-built utility ebike with a mid-range price and feature set. While it lacks some of the high-end components of more expensive models, it functions just as well.

In this article, I’ll walk you through what I liked and disliked about the Ranger based on my own experience.

Benefits

• Reasonable price for a heavy-duty offroad electric bike
• Comfortable upright riding position
• Built-in pannier rack can hold a ton of gear
• Lots of accessory and upgrade options

Drawbacks

• Some plastic components may be prone to breaking
• Too heavy to carry on most bike racks

Watch our QuietKat Ranger video review on YouTube!

Hands-on Review of the QuietKat Ranger Hunting eBike

This review is not based on a single test drive or other online reviews of this bike. I had the good fortune to be able to get a QuietKat Ranger on loan for two full months which was plenty of time to do some thorough testing and fun having.

The Ranger and I went on dirt trails and pavement doing everything from daily in-town commutes to bowfishing adventures.

Utilitarian Design

There is no doubt that the QuietKat Ranger is a heavy-duty, all-terrain electric bike. It was built more like a Ford F-150, not a Honda Civic.

This utilitarian design if great for hunting, camping, fishing trips and more. And you certainly can use it around town. I did.

But that beefy design comes at the cost of energy efficiency, endurance, and a sleek finish. It takes a lot of juice to even cruise around town on this beast. And some details like the rat’s nest of cables velcroed together in front of the handlebar exist because it came down to function over fashion.

Assembly

I received the Ranger in a big box delivered by FedEx. It was mostly preassembled, but the front wheel, handlebar, pedals, and accessories needed to be attached. You only need a few basic tools to put it together and they were included in the kit.

It was fairly straightforward to assemble and within less than an hour I was able to take it for a test drive. QuietKat had an excellent assembly video on YouTube.

The overall unboxing and assembly experience was positive.

Look and Feel

QuietKat bikes look beefy. They feel beefy too. And that is certainly one of the most appealing draws of this bike for hunters. The hefty built-in rack, the camouflage paint job, and the fat tires make it clear that it is built for offroad use and that it is not designed to be a commuter.

But most importantly, the bike feels good when you sit on it and ride. It has a comfortable upright riding position, which is ideal for hunting. When you are cruising on logging roads at a relaxed pace while you constantly scan draws and hillsides for game, you want to be facing forward.

If you were hunched down in a typical road bike, or even mountain bike riding position all the time, you’d surely miss spotting some animals, or you’d strain your neck trying to do so. There is still enough adjustment range in the seat height, however, to ride more aggressively if you want to.

Frame

The QuietKat frame stands out from most other electric bikes. It’s not a simple spinoff of a classic hardtail or downhill mountain bike. It really is purpose-built. Here are some reasons why:

• Upright riding position
• Comfortable reach
• Rear utility rack
• Angle of the top tube
• Range of seat height adjustment
• Battery-integration in lower tube

These elements combined with the geometry and materials of the frame make for a very comfortable riding experience, even on rough terrain or with a heavy load. It doesn’t require a lot of upper arm strength when going downhill and it’s easy to balance the bike even when hauling a load of gear or game.

The downside here is that the bike is anything but lightweight. The electric motor distracts you from that fact. But you’ll be painfully reminded of the weight when you run out of battery while climbing a hill.

Mid-grade Components

While all the components on the QuietKat Ranger are entirely functional, none of them are particularly high-end. I never had any problems other than a minor issue with the rear derailleur. It wouldn’t adjust to perfectly align with the cog in low gear, but this didn’t diminish the riding experience at all.

Here’s a breakdown of the components based on the Ranger I rode:

Motor

The Ranger uses a single hub-drive electric motor in the rear wheel. It’s made by Bafang, a reputable electric bicycle motor manufacturer.

I found the 1000-watt hub motor on the Ranger to be more than sufficient for riding on dirt, pavement, gravel, and some single-track trails. It engaged quickly and had plenty of power without putting extra strain on the chain.

One downside of a hub motor is that if it fails, you have to replace the entire wheel assembly. But even when I compared it to the QuietKat Apex with a mid-drive motor, I didn’t feel like the mid-drive offered a tremendous advantage over the hub-drive, except for climbing steep hills. I was happy with the Ranger.

If I were going to buy a new Ranger, I’d probably go with the 750-watt motor. I’d lose a little power, but I’d be more likely to be able to use it in more places since it’s a classified electric bike. It appears many land management agencies will require that for use on public lands.

Suspension

The Ranger is a hardtail bike with a Mozo coil suspension fork. The front suspension is adjustable. Combined with the fat tires, the suspension was more than adequate. You can cruise right over big stones and potholes on a logging road and hardly feel them.

While occasionally it would have been nice to have rear suspension as well for a more aggressive ride down, that’s not how I found myself using this bike 99% of the time. So I think the hardtail design is a good call.

Drivetrain

There are seven mechanical gears on the Ranger. The shifter is a SRAM X3 and the derailleur is a SRAM X4. These are SRAM’s entry-level mountain bike components, so they are far from their best. I suspect the plastic X3 shifter will not last forever, but this would also be an easy upgrade to make yourself.

Brakes

The Ranger comes equipped with Tektro Aries mechanical disc brakes. These are also mid-grade brakes from Tektro, but they actually come out of their mountain bike line as opposed to their electric bike product line.

I’m sure this helps keep the cost down and it is certainly quite cheap to replace the brake pads on these, which you’ll likely have to do, given that they were designed for a lighter bike in mind. That said, despite the occasional and completely normal squeaking of dusty brakes, I always felt like I could slow down and stop fast enough.

Wheels and Tires

Depending on the size of frame you get, the Ranger is supposed to come with either 24” x 4”  tires (small frame) or 26” x 4.5” (medium or large frame) tubeless fat tires.

The Ranger I had was a size medium frame but had Kenda 24” diameter by 4.0 inch wide tires. I suppose since mine was a demo bike it may have been an anomaly. Either way, I thought this tire was fun, smooth, and trouble-free.

Computer

The Ranger’s computer display is pretty basic which makes it easy to use and interpret. It has an LCD screen, so it only displays in black. It is easy to read during the day, but difficult, if not impossible, to see at night.

The readout displays:

• A battery level meter
• An odometer
• A speedometer
• The mode (directly associated with the electric “gear” you’re in)
• Watt output

There are three buttons and the throttle lever that tie into both the computer and the electric motor. You have an up arrow and a down arrow that increase or decrease the motor speed or output. Then there is an “M” button which essentially works as a power on/off switch.

The nice thing about this is that it is super easy to figure out and pretty dummy-proof. I hopped right on and figured it out without reading the manual or watching videos. It’s just simple and straightforward.

Battery and Charger

The 12.8 AH 48V battery is removable, but integrates seamlessly into the frame which protects it from the elements and provides a clean look. It even locks into the frame by key so it cannot be easily stolen. At 10 pounds, you might want to remove it during transport depending on the rating of your bike rack.

The charger is basic and plugs directly into the frame of the bike so you can charge the battery in place. While I never timed it from dead to full, if I plugged it in the night before, it was always ready to go the next day.

Accessories

QuietKat offers a wide range of accessories which, for the most part, are compatible with any of their ebikes. This is great for the Ranger because it means you can get a cheaper bike, but still have the option to add on high-quality bags, racks, trailers, and more.

The setup I had included some QuietKat saddle bags, a bike light, mudguards, and a gun rack. I’d call these essential as I used them all, especially while hunting.

Huntworthy Performance

The biggest advantage of using an electric bike while hunting is that you can cover more ground in less time. If you’re not looking at the Ranger for hunting, but plan to use it on other outdoor adventures, the following will still apply.

Battery Endurance and Range

QuietKat advertises that the Ranger gets 19-38 miles of range on one battery. In my experience, the lower end is realistic, but the upper end is not. The typical range I got on a full charge was about 20 miles.

To be fair, this will vary based on the riding conditions, terrain, outside temperature, the weight of the rider and gear, and the age of the battery.

When I was testing the Ranger I weighed about 220 pounds and probably had about 10-20 pounds of extra gear on the bike at any given time. I rode on cool spring and hot summer days, dirt trails and paved roads, hills and flat terrain, pedal-assisted and full throttle. I would often just charge the bike up at night, even if I didn’t drain it all the way down. But even when I was cruising around town on flat pavement in electric assist level 3 (out of 5) while pedaling constantly, there was no way I would have gotten 38 miles on one charge. Maybe 25, tops.

In the woods on a hunt with hills, cold weather, extra gear, and no place to charge up at night, be conservative in how you ride these bikes and don’t plan on riding too far in one day.

Speed, Takeoff, and Power

The Ranger doesn’t take off like a 2-stroke dirt bike or anything, but it is nice to use the electric throttle to get moving without having to pedal right away. Around town, I found it worked best to start off in electric level two or three then quickly cycle up to the max level five whether I was pedaling or not. I could hit speeds of 30 mph with a little downhill, but on flat ground, I’d hit 25 mph.

The more common scenario, however, was cruising on a dirt path with the motor set to level three, while I leisurely pedaled in middle mechanical gear. This seemed the optimum output for speed and efficiency, stretching the battery out long enough to get through the whole day’s adventure with some stops along the way.

Uphill, plan on pedaling at least some. Even with the 1000W motor, there were some hills steep enough where I was doing most of the work, and I would have stopped dead in my tracks if I hadn’t pedaled at all.

Ride and Comfort

I could ride the Ranger until the battery was dead without getting uncomfortable. These are very smooth-riding, shock-absorbing bikes. It was easily the most comfortable bicycle of any sort that I have ever ridden on every trail I tried it on.

Braking and Control

The brakes would squeal a bit when I went hard on them and they occasionally locked up into a skid, but I always felt very in control on the Ranger. While it is a heavy bike, the riding position and wheel size make it easy to maneuver and stop when you want.

Mostly Rugged

For the same reason, hunters want a dependable truck while out in the woods, you want any accessory vehicle like an electric bike to be tough as well. The Ranger is mostly rugged to where you can rely on it even when well off the grid, but there are a few weak points that could be improved.

Some of the previously mentioned plastic components seem fragile compared to the rest of the bike, such as the gear shifters and the throttle. The paint on the frame mostly held its own but was chipping and scraping off on the pannier rack and a few other spots.

The QuietKat saddlebag was super convenient, but the plastic guards on the inside broke off under normal use, as did the front mudguard.

Basically, if it’s plastic, you’ll probably be replacing it at some point. Not a big deal, and probably worth the cost savings, but you should be aware of it.

Good Value

A good price for one may be outrageous for another, so the best we can do when evaluating the value of this electric bike is to compare it to others that are similar. And when we do that, the QuietKat Ranger seems to offer good value for the price.

Compared to Alternatives

Looking at QuiteKat’s own product lineup, the Ranger is in the middle of the price range. The Pioneer is as much as $1500 less with a smaller motor, no suspension, no built-in rack, and few frills. The Apex, on the other hand, costs a couple thousand more and you get a mid-drive motor with upgraded components all around.

Read more: QuietKat Apex vs Ranger Comparison

Looking at other brands, comparable Rambo electric bikes are all more expensive. They usually have higher-end components such as mid-drive motors, but they don’t feature a unique frame like QuietKat’s. The Ranger seems to offer more bang for your buck.

The Bakcou Flatlander is probably the most comparable electric bike to the QuiteKat Ranger. They both have aluminum frames, Bafang hub-drive motors, similar suspension and wheels, and a pannier rack for gear. The Flatlander is priced slightly higher than the Ranger, but it comes with slightly upgraded components like hydraulic brakes and gearing as well as a higher-capacity battery.

There are always cheaper brands with options that aren’t purpose-built like Rad Power Bikes’ RadRover 6 for around half the price of the QuiteKat Ranger. Just don’t expect to get quite as much utility out of a bike like this for hunting and off-road adventuring as you would from the QuietKat.

Warranty

This is one area QuietKat offers something more than the competition that is certainly worth some dollars. The Ranger comes with a lifetime guarantee on the frame and one year on other components.

You also get 30 days from the time you purchase to try the bike out for up to 10 miles and make sure you like it and want to keep it. As long as it is in like-new condition, they’ll even cover the return shipping if you decide to send it back.

Final Thoughts on the QuiteKat Ranger

If you typically choose the middle option when your options are good, better, or best, The QuietKat Ranger will likely be a great ebike that you’ll feel good about buying. It doesn’t have a bunch of high-end components or a revolutionary design, but it does the job it’s built for at a reasonable price. And it’s a lot of fun!

I do recommend the QuietKat Ranger as a hunting eBike or for people who just want to cruise around the woods, the ranch, or even in town.

However, if you are looking for a light and portable electric bike for your RV or a quick and agile in-town commuter ebike, keep looking. The Ranger is an all-terrain ebike that can take a beating, but it comes with tradeoffs like weight and bulk.

Likewise, if you want more durable high-end components or you’re set on a mid-drive motor, you should consider something like the QuietKat Apex instead of the Ranger.

Be sure to check out our other articles about electric bikes for hunting:

Are eBikes Worth It For Hunting?

QuietKat Apex Electric Bike Review

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