Winter Tents

Tents are one of the most expensive purchases you may need to make for Winter Outings.  Why is this piece of equipment so pricey?  If it fails to work, you can get soaking wet or even become trapped in your tent if too much snow crushes it.  

Before you go out an purchase a $1000 tent or quit Scouting, understand that there are selters other than 4-season tents you can sleep in in the winter and that there are ways to make more economically priced tents work. 

Recommendation

Read the following information on Winter Specific Tents and talk to our Winter Adventure Team.  Depending on the Outing, we may opt to build a snow shelter, sleep in a cabin or dig in to make 3-seasons tents work for a specific outing. 

Scout Recommendation

• Durable 3-Season 

  • Bring a snow shovel and plan to dig in

  • Bring Snow Stakes and know different ways of using them

  • Example:

    • Marmot Tungsten 1

      • Great tent - keep eye out for sales

Scoutmaster Recommendation

• Black Diamond Mega Snow Shelter 

  • 30d high tenacity polyester

  • Durable shelter designed for snow

  • Very versatile 

    • Holds people and gear

    • Can use as an emergency shelter

    • Can use as a dining shelter

    • Large enough to run stove in emergency

  • If you have lots of money to spare - consider Hyperlite 4P

  • Look for sales of 20% or more

    • Hyperlite has a 20% sale every year

    • Consider applying for a Pro Account for Hyperlite and Black Diamond or asking/looking for a discount 

Pyramid Tent aka Tipi

The Pyramid Shape is inherently strong and sheds snow.  There are several on the market.  Some are designed for warmer weather and minimalist backpacking, while other are specifically designed for the winter.  You'll want one that is designed for snow and strong winds. 

If you are savvy, you can save a lot of money and make your own using a larger tarp, folding it into the proper shape and trimming it to size.  Come talk to our Winter Outings Lead for more info on how to do this. 

These are a little more challenging to set up than a traditional tent, so Scouts should check with an experienced adult leader before setting one up.  

3-Season Tents

In most cases, a 3-season tent will work in the snow.  It isn't ideal and you need to avoid really harsh weather.  Expect drafts and to be colder in a tent not specifically designed for the wither.  The price difference between a 4 and 3 season tent is significant!

A single night of snow can be enough to collapse some tents

What to look for in a 3-Season Tent for Winter Use

• "X" design 

  • Where the poles attached at the corner of the tent and cross in the middle 

  • Second to the Pyramid (Tepee) the Tents with poles crossed in an X seem to be the strongest design

• Bathtub walls-somewhat high

  • Will help prevent wind and snow that gets through the outer fly from getting into the tent

• Outer Fly

  • Select a tent with rainfly that goes all or most of the way to the ground 

• Steep Walls

  • Will help shed snow

  • A smaller tent with steeper sides is better than a wider tent - try to go with a 1-man tent

• Tent Poles

  • Use carbon fiber or aluminum

  • Avoid using fiberglass tent poles which can shatter in cold temperatures or when stressed with snow loads

• Free Standing versus tie down

  • No stakes needed for free standing

  • Tie downs require in most cases for the stakes to be frozen into the snow (15-30 minutes)

• Vestibules

  • Moisture management in Winter is vital

  • Vestibules allow for snow covered gear and boots to be kept out of the tent

  • Can be used for cooking with proper ventilation in blizzard conditions (emergency use only - practice banned by BSA)

• Extra tie downs

  • Allows for additional anchor points in high winds

  • Helps tent from wind deformation of the outer skin and better overall comfort in bad weather

• Top vents or windows

  • Allows for ventilation, especially from the moisture that your breath creates

  • Will help reduce amount of moisture freezing to the inside of your tent

Tricks to enabling a 3-Season Tent work in the Winter

• Stamp out a tent platform before setting up tent

  • Make sure you can't posthole before you set up and crawl into your tent

• Choose a good place to pitch tent

  • Avoid pitching under tree where huge clumps of snow or broken branches can crush your tent or even kill you

  • Avoid exposed areas without protection from wind

• Dig down into snow and build snow walls around your tent to protect against wind

• Bury lower edge of rain fly in snow to reduce draft

• Bang roof at night to reduce snow load on tent (don't use a sharp stick)

• Plan on extra insulation in a 3-season tent in the winter 

  • You're gonna need and want more insulation

  • Two sleeping pads are better than one

  • Additional tarp on grounds helps a little