On a longer tour like you are planning (several weeks?) I would recommend taking your larger tent and biting the bullet on the extra weight (though that is a very heavy model you have). The problems you mention with the small tent will be cumulative as the days go by. I think a tent like your Atko is good emergency tent if you are doing mainly a hut or cabin trip and only have an occasional bivouac, or for emergency use to avoid digging a snowhole. You seem to have an extremely high investment in equipment....but you still might want to consider a lighter 4-season 2-man tent like the Wild Country, Blizzard 2. About 5 lbs. Good space, structurally on the lighter end of 4-season tents so you would maybe have to make a pretty good snow-wall on the end facing the wind if it was really strong,sustained. They are selling here in Europe for around 245 EUR on sale (about 50% off). The vestibule is not huge, but big enough to dig down a porch and fine for cooking in.Skijoring Grace Gale wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2024 3:34 pmI've come to call my Akto a bivy compermise.randoskier wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2024 6:36 amHow do you cook and melt snow in such a small vestibule? Don't you get a lot of condensate with both you and your dog in such a small tent?
What kind of pulk do you use?
In the evening, we get to enjoy warmth and protection while cooking snow and eating, a comfortable bed time routine. While I can sit up in my bag, my neck is craned with the thin sleeping pad and 3" exped inflatable. The inner door of course is all the way open when cooking. The outer door I have the upper zippers up to halfway open to let the steam out. I've never had evening issues with condensation, even after running the stove for an hour.
If I have to get out of the tent, I have to move the stove to the side, as it really only fits in the largest center section for active cooking.
In the morning, good morning! It can be pretty miserable depending on evening temperature and wind, but sometimes it's not bad at all. Each night before laying down, I pray for a light breeze through the night. I always leave the inner door halfway unzipped. The outer upper zip varies depending on conditions.
Hot (28-ish) keep all doors all everything open. Otherwise, water droplets will meet and greet you from the tent warmth.
Warm (15f to 28f) Typically free of condensation, especially if a light breeze.
Moderate (0f to 15f) a thin layer of condensate on all walls and head of sleeping bag
Cold (0f and below) calm and windless: hanging icicles and misery incarnate. Like a hot coffee in the morning? No, here's some ice down your back to wake you up. Wake up method: get up and OUT of the tent ASAP. Curse while putting on puffy pants, run around screeching that it's cold out to generate warmth. Throw all sleeping gear out of the tent onto the snow, pat off ice off of sleeping bag, wipe ice down tent walls, cook water while packing up and eat breakfast with parka and puffy pants.
My -40f bag is so puffy that it almost reaches the tent ceiling at the head (and feet). The ice really hangs down near the head with all the moisture from breathing. I've tried sleeping with just a two small foam pads, for more space, but my sleep comfort suffers. I'd like to try less warm bag, I bought my -40f one out of fear of the cold, but you know how the gear buying story goes...I sleep extremely cold and find it comfortable on -20f nights. A couple weeks ago we did a couple -30 and -38f nights and still stay warm, just having to kick feet once in awhile, but mornings are rough to say the least. I'm tempted to bring my helsport svalbard 3 tent when I know it's going to be cold, but just can't just the extreme weight. I think putting on my frozen ski boots still is the most miserable thing even more than getting out of bed.
Oh, the dog? Yes. We have a relationship. We barely tolerate each other in the tent, we are incessantly in each other's way. If I shift or roll over, she also must adjust.
Lighter Mukluks- Helsport footbags with Wiggy's Booties.
Put up a trip report when you get back!
