Winter camping can be a fun adventure, but the cold can present a constant challenge, especially when sleeping. Using a hot tent can significantly help you stay warm at night and keep all your gear dry. We are going to break down the best hot tents for your next winter camping trip.
Before we discuss the best hot tents, it’s important to know what makes a hot tent different. Unlike a regular tent, hot tents are built to have a stove or fire in them. They are designed to trap heat in and usually have a chimney port for ventilation of smoke. Many hot tents are tipi shapes, and some don’t have floors.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Naturehike Hot Tent
Budget Option
Preself 4 Person Tipi Hot Tent
Best Tipi Style Hot Tent
OneTigris Rock Fortress Hot Tent
Best Overall
Naturehike Hot Tent
Our overall pick for the best hot tent is the Naturehike Hot Tent. This tent is big enough for two and a stove, as well as all your gear. It is extremely easy to set up, which is great when you want to quickly escape the cold, and it is lightweight at just 8.8 pounds thanks to its aluminum frame and nylon construction.
This tent has many features that make it our overall best hot tent, such as a snow skirt and stove jack that will allow you to keep the cold out while warming the inside. The nylon exterior keeps both wind and precipitation at bay and ensures that you can withstand whatever winter throws at you.
Lastly, the Naturehike Hot Tent has a price point that makes it accessible to most, and because it is a 4 season tent, you can use it year-round by simply removing the stove jack.
Pros
- Wind and water-resistant
- Won’t break the bank or your back
- Folds up easily
Cons
- Smaller than other tents
Best Budget Hot Tent
Preself 4 Person Tipi Hot Tent
Our best hot tent if you are on a budget is the 4 Person Tipi Hot Tent. Many hot tents are tipi-shaped because they lend themselves to evenly spreading out heat. The 4 Person Tipi Tent is large enough for 4, as the name suggests, and easy to set up in just a few minutes. It also weighs just 5 pounds, so it’s very lightweight.
This hot tent features a chimney port to help remove smoke from the stove while trapping heat inside. Like most tipi tents, this one does not feature a floor – instead relying on the stove to heat the ground, which can be problematic in really extreme weather. If you are battling very low temperatures, the stove might not be enough to heat up the ground.
Unlike the more expensive tents on our list, the chimney port on this one is more of a slit opening, which is not as well insulated as a circular port. It also does not have as thick sides, so it will not insulate as well as others. Also, a tipi shape means that it is not going to be as roomy as other tents, and you will have less room because of the angular walls.
Pros
- Extremely lightweight
- Low cost
- Opening for stove chimney
- Can fit 4 people
Cons
- Not as durable as other tents on the list
- Tipi shape means that the sides are less useful / less useable space overall
Best Tipi Style Hot Tent
OneTigris Rock Fortress Hot Tent
Many of these tents are tipi-shaped, so finding the best hot tent means looking at some tipis. Our top pick is the OneTigris Rock Fortress Hot Tent. This massive tent can fit up to 6 comfortably, so it’s great for an entire group, and at just 9.2 pounds, it’s easy to carry.
Like other tents, the OneTigris Rock Fortress features a snow skirt and stove jack to protect you from the elements and warm the ground under you. What makes this our tipi style best hot tent is the fact that it is well insulated and has a porthole for a chimney to allow smoke out but no cold air in.
The outside of this tent is a coated nylon to make it especially good at resisting wind and precipitation. It has thick walls, which are well suited to insulate, and multiple optional openings for when it gets too hot and you need some airflow.
Pros
- Large tipi-style tent
- Made to trap heat well, and has a chimney vent port
- Wind resistant
- Fits up to 6
Cons
- Like most tipi tents, no floor
- Expensive
Best Hunting Hot Tent
RBM Outdoors Hot Tent
Hot tents are especially popular with hunters since many hunting seasons take place in the winter. A list of the best hot tents cannot be complete without a tent purpose built for hunters. The RBM Outdoors Hot Tent is a great tent for hunting as well as general camping.
The RBM Outdoors Hot Tent is double insulated to trap in heat and has a chimney port that seals well and will ensure no heat escapes. Like other hot tents, it features a stove jack and snow skirt, but it also has wing doors to cool down on hotter days and a floor (unlike tipi tents).
The hot tent can sleep 5, making it one of the largest tents on our list, and is extremely sturdy and well-built to withstand strong wind and storms. The very strong construction does come at a price though, both in terms of literal cost and weight. It weighs 55 pounds, which means it is by far the heaviest tent on our list. The weight and construction mean this is a tent that is best set up at one campsite and not move, unlike other tents that can come with you from campsite to campsite.
With the RBM Outdoor Hot Tent being purpose built for hunting, the outside is camouflaged to blend with the woods you will likely be staying in. This tent is an all-season tent, so you can use it year-round without the stove jack.
One of our favorite features of this tent, and why it earned a spot on the best hot tents list, is its removable heat-resistant fabric. The interior fabric can withstand up to 1200 degrees, making it the most fire-safe tent on the list. This removable fabric means you can have a less insulated tent in the hotter months and a safe, insulated tent in the winter.
The biggest downside of the RBM Outdoor tent is its cost. The high quality means that it is much more expensive than others on our list, but it will last a very long time. If you are an avid outdoorsman, the investment is likely worthwhile.
Pros
- Stove jack and wing doors included
- Very quick setup
- Two layers for insulation
- Larger interior than tipi
Cons
- Very expensive
Best For All Seasons
OneTigris Northgaze
The last tent on our list of best hot tents is the OneTigris Northgaze, an all-season tent that has all the features of a hot tent. While many of the tents on our list can be used in all seasons, this is the only one built specifically as an all-season tent with the features of a winter hot tent.
The tent sleeps 2-4 people comfortably and can fit your gear as well. With a chimney port and snow skirt it is suitable for your winter camping trip, but it also can fold out into a nice large open canopy for the summer months. This makes it a great tent to buy if you are a year-round outdoor adventurer who doesn’t want to break the bank.
The OneTigris Northgaze weighs just 5.3 pounds, making it one of our lightest tents. This means that it is not as durable as some other options and not suitable for extreme storms. The trade-off is its multiple set up options for different seasons. It also is a great one to strap to your pack and bring on the trail.
Pros
- A good option to buy only one tent and use year-round
- Multiple setup options to meet any weather condition
- Sleeps 2-4 people
- Very lightweight
Cons
- Not as strong in extreme conditions when compared to other options
Hot Tent Buyer’s Guide
Different Styles
When looking for the best hot tent, the first thing to decide is what style tent you want. There are tons of tipi tents on the market, most of which do not feature floors. This means you rely on the stove to heat the ground, which can be difficult in very extreme conditions.
The tipi style is popular, however, due to its ability to disperse heat evenly and ventilate well, so it shouldn’t be written off just because of the lack of floor. Unless you are camping in extreme temperatures, it likely will suit your needs.
Other style tents, such as a traditional one or dome, will feature a floor and more of the setup that campers are used to. While these tents may not circulate heat as well as a tipi, they generally can fit people and gear well. These style tents will take longer to set up, but might be more comfortable and have more interior space.
Features
The other consideration is features. Cheaper hot tents won’t come with a stove jack or snow skirts. If you aren’t on a budget, it is recommended to choose one with a stove jack, snow skirts, and a porthole for the chimney, as these features will come in handy keeping you dry and warm.
The layers of material and insulation are the other features to consider, as they will translate to heat trapping and fuel usage. If you can get a tent with removable liners or multiple openings to accommodate multiple types of weather your tent will be useful for more seasons.
Wrapping Up Hot Tents
When shopping for the best hot tents, look for a shape that works well for your needs and the features that will make it usable in as many seasons as possible. A stove jack and snow skirts are features you should look for at a minimum, but other items like removable liners and openings give you all-season capabilities. Make sure to buy a hot tent that matches your adventures, and you’re sure to not be disappointed.
If you’re a solo camper, be sure to check out this post on the 6 Best One Person Tents!
