Cabela’s Ultimate Alaknak Outfitter Tent is a sturdy all-round, stove-compatible tent suitable for travel as low as 0 degrees

By: Tyler Freer | Updated 3:13 PM, December 10, 2021

In many ways, the success of the hunting trip depends on the tent or shelter you use. Of course, this is not always the case, but shelters that make you feel comfortable, warm and dry can help you rest better, prepare better, and maintain positive morale during difficult hunts. Tents like Cabela's Ultimate Alaknak Outfitter Tent are good at keeping hunters warm and comfortable. 

This is why I chose it when I was hunting reindeer on the northern slopes of Alaska in early October. By the beginning of October, in the remote Arctic region, winter will soon begin, and I need a tent that can withstand strong winds and accommodate a wood stove. A 10-foot Alaknak is about $700. The price of the entire tent is very affordable, especially considering that the price of a professional tent of similar size (such as The Arctic Oven 10 or 12) is more than twice that.

When it comes to gears, I tend to be skeptical—constantly observing potential failure points—and I eagerly set up this tent before the UPS truck exhaust completely dissipated from my driveway. The tent is packed in a moderately sized bag. The advertisement says it has a carrying weight of 60 pounds, which feels very suitable. The setup of this tent is easy, but a bit time-consuming for one person. The wall of the tent is supported by ten short poles, rather than passing through the spine poles or other poles of the tent, while the center peak is supported by an 8'11” pole. When installing, set out the base and install it Short wall poles, then pull them up and be supported by the lofted ropes attached to the top of each pole. The center pole and front hall/door cover poles are installed quickly and you are done. This tent design is not free-standing Yes, it completely relies on fixed pull cords as support, which is the reason for most of the set-up time. The disassembly and packaging of the tent is easy, even for such a large single-piece tent, I can easily put it back into the bag.

Although some reviews mentioned shoddy tents or separated seams, I could not find any quality control issues in the tents I purchased. I did notice that although each seam is double stitched, I would like to see a tighter stitch length to prevent any seams from being blown apart or torn. This is a single-walled tent, and any seams or tears in the fabric can cause bigger problems, especially in bad weather.

The most instructive test for devices such as tents is to use them in practical applications. Many of my questions about any given tent can only be answered by on-site time. How will it withstand the weather? How many people can reasonably accommodate? Will it retain heat? I will soon learn a lot about tents, both positive and negative.

After a long day's journey, we camped when the temperature dropped and it had dropped to about 15 degrees. We had to kick the fresh snow away, and our only real set-up problem was that we bent a few wooden stakes on the frozen ground. With the development of tent piles, the attached steel piles are very durable, but will suffer some damage on very hard or frozen ground. I might consider upgrading the bet, or at least having more extra bets, because this is not a standalone tent, and its rigidity depends on safe bets. The three of us shared the tent under various weather conditions for the next three nights. Here are some key things I noticed. 

As a single-wall tent, compared with many double-wall tents, it is naturally more prone to frost and condensation. The remedy for this is exhaust, and Alaknak's exhaust is very good. It is characterized by vents on the top of the tent surrounding the center pole, a vent that can be further opened above the door, and three large vents that can be opened on the wall (there is also a shield on the outside to prevent rainwater from entering). There are also three vinyl windows on the roof, which you can open and adjust for varying degrees of ventilation. This may help keep the tent cool in hot weather, and adjustments can be made to help reduce condensation in cold weather. On our first night, the weather was very calm, about 0 degrees. We let the fire go out, and after reheating, we noticed that the frost started to melt and had formed when it dripped on us. In the absence of wind, we need to maintain the fire to avoid condensation, because we have no airflow through the tent. We did not experience condensation problems during the windy night, but as the cold air flow increased, the tent was not so warm.

I bought a Kni-Co Alaska wood stove as a heat source. This is a stove commonly used in Arctic Oven tents made in Alaska. Knowing how warm they will keep similar-sized Arctic ovens at temperatures as low as -30 degrees gives me a good baseline to compare with Alaknak tents. The stove is located at the front corner of the Alaknak tent, near the door. It has a zippered flip cover that allows you to set up a wood stove on the ground to prevent ashes and embers from falling on the tent floor fabric. There is enough space next to the stove to stack 18 inches of wood between the stove and the tent wall for heating and easy access. Even in 0 degree weather, the stove keeps the tent comfortable and warm, although the ventilation and single-wall structure do limit the amount of heat that the tent can hold. I may not want to use it at temperatures below 0 degrees, and I think it is very suitable for temperatures around or below zero. You have to turn the stove hotter and refill it with wood fire a few times at night to really keep it warm.

My tent burst in the strong wind, so I always worry about when the wind speed will pick up.

During the two nights we were out, we had a wind speed of about 30 mph. Although the weather in Alaska is definitely more serious than this, I was impressed by the wind resistance of the tent, even though the side walls were flat and looked like a huge sail. I think part of the reason for this wind resistance is that all the side bars are staked out with guy wires. In addition to the frame above the tent supported by several lines, the entire tent is also supported by 11 pull lines, except that the base is staked out. Our stovepipe tube shook badly, but the stove jack supported it in such a way that it wouldn't really fall apart or cause the stove to tip over. I may not want it to withstand windy conditions, but it is very good for our application.

Although the three of us used the tent on that trip, the size of 10'x10' is indeed more suitable for two people. Sleeping in a crib is the most comfortable, but with a wood stove, there is really not enough space for three cribs. We used two cribs and I slept on the ground with my feet under one crib. Purchasing an additional front hall will definitely provide more space for equipment, but it is more ideal for two users and their equipment. Despite this, Cabelas only provides the front office for the 12'x12' Ultimate Alaknak.

The inverted "T" door works well, but I think it is not ideal. It has a central zipper that opens from the bottom, and two zippers that open to the sides at the bottom. It can make entry/exit slightly painful in the cold, but apart from not ideal, I have no complaints. In the future, I may purchase additional front halls.

If you are hunting in wet weather, the tent has enough space to stand and move around, and even string a clothesline. I want to see more anchor points sewn in the tall tent, but for improvisation, as a light source, I just taped a circle of umbrella rope on the top of the center pole, and then used it to hang a coastal LED lantern on From the top down, this allows the tent to be comfortably illuminated after dark.

This tent offers you a lot of versatility in an economical and relatively lightweight package. It has multiple ventilation options and floors making it ideal for warm weather, but the option of using a wood stove makes it comfortable to use at temperatures as low as 0 degrees. 

In cold weather, the disadvantage of a lightweight single-wall tent is that you will condense in very cold temperatures, and it is not as insulated as some double-wall tents. The structure is great value for money, but I would carefully consider exposing it to extreme wind or cold temperatures.

About $1,000 to my door, I think Cabela’s Ultimate Alaknak Outfitter tent and stove are very good value for money. It cannot do the things that more expensive professional tents can do, but it is completely sufficient for many applications. For size and space, from camping in summer to moose or elk camp in late autumn, the temperature is as low as about 0 degrees, which is a good choice.

Tyler Freel is a professional writer for outdoor life. He has lived in Alaska since 2002, where he worked in the construction industry and earned a degree in mechanical engineering. But outdoor activities have always been his passion. He is an experienced Alaskan hunter with the most professional knowledge in hunting Dal sheep, moose and bears, trapping fur animals, processing fur and preparing taxidermy. Freel is also an excellent competitive archer with a background in USPSA and traditional 3D archery. He won the Outstanding Rifleman badge in service rifles and is known for arguing with social media trolls.

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