Cabelas Ultimate Alaknak Tent

[stanley]

I'm going from pop-up camper back to tent camping, and I've pretty much made up my mind on the 12X12 Ultimate Alaknak. There was an Alaknak for sale here a few months ago, but I wasn't ready then....

 

Anyway, virtually all of the reviews I've read, and I've read quite a few, are generally positive. The one common theme in the negative category is the propencity for condensation build-up.

 

Anyone else have feedback on the Alaknak?

 

http

://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...box.jsp.form23

S.

[ehunt]

I just bought one last week so hopefully it works out great. I will say that i have heard alot of positive things about the tent, but have also heard about the condensation build up. Some say with the new style on the Alaknak 2 that they have a new venting set up that helps with the build up. I will be able to give more in a couple weeks after our turkey hunt on the San Carlos.

[Red Rabbit]

How about a canvas Sheepherder tent? Bout the same $ as the synthetic Alaknak, but likely without the condensation problem being canvas. Pellet stove conversion if you don't want a wood stove and cut wood.

 

http://davistent.com/html/HerderTent.html

 

But seems a regular wall tent with 5' walls would give more headroom inside instead of a single peak like the herder or alaknak

[stanley]

Thanks for the tips Doug! The Sheepherder seems like a reasonably priced alternative to the standard canvas 'wall tent'. I think for the weight, and because of the verstility of the vestibule attachement on the Alaknak, that I'll stick with that one though....

 

ehunt, we'll be breaking ours in on the turkey hunt to! Good luck!!!

 

S.

 

 

 

[DesertBull]

Last time I was in the Bargain cave at Cabelas they had two of them for $250 each.

[stanley]

Wow! Screamer deal in the bargain cave! Suppose ought to take a stroll through there before I make the final purchase!

 

S.

 

[youngbuck]

they had some on close out too a while back online, it was the smaller one if i remember right

[ehunt]

Thanks for the tips Doug! The Sheepherder seems like a reasonably priced alternative to the standard canvas 'wall tent'. I think for the weight, and because of the verstility of the vestibule attachement on the Alaknak, that I'll stick with that one though....

 

ehunt, we'll be breaking ours in on the turkey hunt to! Good luck!!!

 

S.

 

 

Good luck to you too!!!

[Viper]

I bought my Alaknak 12x12 tent in 2005, when I visited the Cabelas in Sidney, Nebraska. I have not regretted it one bit. It's a great tent!! I have camped in it for 2 weeks at a time during elk season, using the wood stove every night. Also, used it 5 days during turkey season a couple years ago, when it was ~12 degrees at night. I have not experienced any condensation problems at all.....cold, warm, rain. I think the reviews that mention condensation are probably from a more humid climate. Usually not an issue in AZ. A good heat source will drive out the moisture which may cause condensation. The stove that comes with it is OK, but not air-tight. Until you get used to the operation, you will put smoke in the tent. I can set up/take down by myself. It's a lot of stake pounding, so not feesable for one or two nights.

How did it go on the turkey hunt? Did you use the tent?

[stanley]

Glad to see yet another positive review on the Alaknak bdrew!!

 

The turkey hunt was great (no birds killed, but the kids had a GREAT time!)! The tent performed very nice! Lots of room and VERY easy to set-up! In fact, when we arrived I realized that I did NOT have the instructions to set it up. We were able to figure it out intuitively fairly easily, and had it set-up within 20-30 mins. I also purchased the Cabela's 'bunk' cot set. Great for the kids, and makes it that much easier to sleep four in the tent!

 

Next stop is the Rim in a couple of weeks, then our annual 6 day family camping trip to So. Utah at the end of June!

 

Kudos to Cabelas for making a great tent!

 

S.

 

[azslim]

Another good one is the Bighorn III from Cabela's, it is 12x14 and doesn't have the center pole, has a hole for a stove pipe and you can get a heat shield to attach to it that covers a little more of the tent to keep sparks from making holes, it weighs about 75 lbs with poles & stakes. I also have the 12x12 Outback Lodge, sets up the same as the Alaknak but only weighs 25 lbs, I use it for the most part, and when it gets cold I use the Bighorn II (can't attach the additional heat shield like the III). It sure is nice not having the pole in the middle, I would use it more if it didn't weigh so much. Both tents are great 1 or 2 man camps because I can have everything in them - stove, lantern, heater, cots, etc. If you want to run your gas stuff you need to get the 2 piece propane tree to use in the Alaknak & Outback Lodge, the walls/ceiling are too close otherwise.