Alaknak vs Bighorn

[LTrain210]

I'm looking into purchasing a tent that I can heat with a stove and fit 3 hunters in. I'm seriously considering either the Cabelas Alaknak II or Bighorn III. Does anyone know which of these tents is bigger and has the best head room? It's hard to tell just from the pictures in the catalog. Anyone that has experience with these two tents would be very appreciated.

Thanks

 

[MuddyBoots]

I have the Alaknak 12x20. It was my "home away from home" a couple seasons ago while I spent over half a month in it. We were able to fit three of us in it with our cots, room for the kitchen, and still able to move around in it better than in our usual trailer. It is plenty sturdy, withstood a pretty strong rain storm, and roomy. I heat it with a cylinder stove and it seemed to do the trick. It is heavy however to load into/out of the truck and might require a couple guys. The only thing I don't really look forward to is driving in what feels like a million spikes to set her up. Get ya a good mallet to help drive them puppies in. I also bought the optional floor cover, the roof protector, and a cloth tarp to put underneath the tent. Once its all set up, its a great little home.

 

[tailgunner]

I have the same set up as Muddyboots. I've had mine for four years with no trouble. Three hunters will fit good in the 12x20 Alaknak tent, I think it would be tight in the 12x12.The 12x12 Alaknak has four foot walls and one center pole so most of your head room is around the center pole.The 12x20 has five foot walls and two center poles this gives you lots more head room.I don't like to use mine on short hunts (couple nights) just because of set up time.But longer hunts are nice and very comfortable with two,three or four hunters.I would suggest the floor liner and roof protector.I have the outfitter stove and use it to heat and cook it works great.I looked at the bighorn when I was buying mine and felt it would work for two hunters but three would be tight.Hope this helps.

 

[CGS371]

All in all, I spent over three weeks in my Bighorn this year. Heated with a three dog stove it was plenty comfortable. Stove, two cots, table, dog kennel and a chair and it was pretty full. Take out the dog crate and the table and three would be fine. I got to where I could put it up by myself in less than an hour and take down in half that. I got it becuase I didn't want the center pole, but I don't think one would be that bad - could hang a lantern from or clothesline from two of them.

 

[onemoreridge]

I have experience with the 12x12 Alaknak and it has been a great tent and handled all rain and snow storms we have been in. I would say that the 12x12 for 3 with hunting gear is a little small and the 12x20 would be a better fit. Either tent that you pick I would suggest getting the vestible, it is a great place to keep all your wet clothes, shoes and packs if you happen to get caught in a rain or snow storm and it allows you to keep your tent dry. We set up a little clothes line and it allows us to dry our clothes quickly if we need to.

 

[troutcrk]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-26-10 AT 05:33PM (MST)[p]I am not a fan of the bighorn. Our center post twisted and snapped in the middle of the night. With the vents on top, all the water then ran in the tent.

Troutcrk
"Livin the Dream"

 

[westelkman]

I've been in both. The Bighorn has more head room but isn't as sturdy- as witnessed by the pic above.
You need a stove in these to combat the horrible condensation issues.
"In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are consequences"
Robert Green Ingersoll

 

[gemstatejake]

Alaskan Guide.............

 

[hntbambi]

I have the Bighorn and it is ok. I can't imagine the wind that would twist the center and collapse it. My first time using it I had a nasty thunderstorm and it rained 4" and I was high and dry in my Bighorn. The winds were strong enough to blow a lot of trees down in the area but the tent was fine. Here was the setup:

On my deer hunt it was fine also. I was camped in the wide open we got some moderate winds, but not as bad as the previous hunt. Again the tent was fine.

My only dislike for the tent is the roof is too close to the stove. It's pretty easy to get the stove too hot and melt the gasket around the chimney. Keeping the stove down low is the safest, IMO.

But I can put the tent up and take it down by myself. It stores small enough to keep from taking up too much room between seasons. And the price is moderate.

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

We have the 12x24 Alaknak with the floor and the roof protecter. We also use the vestibule to cook in. Spent a week in Wyoming deer hunting in cold weather and we were very comfortable. 4 hunters and all our gear.

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com

 

[hntbambi]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-08-10 AT 07:41PM (MST)[p]Sorry for a thread hijack.

AWHOLELOTTABULL, do you have your chimney pipe wrapped?

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

No. I exchanged the pipe that came with the stove with a solid piece of construction grade pipe that is 10'. The taller pipe keeps most of the sparks off the tent. We had a bad wind one time and it was blowing past the top of the chimney and forcing the smoke out the connections inside the tent. That was a long night. Since I went with a solid piece I have never had that problem.

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com