If you’re looking into finding the best outfitter tent then look no further.
Below you find the most comprehensive and honest reviews of the best outfitter tents (and a few of the worst for comparison) available.
Outfitter tents are semi-permanent structures designed for long-adventures, hunting tents, summer camps, or even living. Most people prefer wall tents (also called cabin tents) but bell tents are also popular.
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Table of Contents
Top Choices at a Glance
| Best Canvas Wall Tent |
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| Montana Canvas Blend Wall Tent |
| Check Current Price |
| Best Canvas Bell Tent |
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| Elk Mountain Bell Tent Canvas Tent |
| Check Current Price |
| Best Budget Outfitter Tent |
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| Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow |
| Check Current Price |
What Makes the Best Outfitter Tent?
Material
Cotton canvas is the gold standard for outfitter tents, but not all canvas is the same. You should consider both the type of canvas as well as how it was treated. Many companies advertise “duck canvas”, but don’t be fooled into thinking this is something special: duck is just another word for canvas. Army duck canvas is a step up from regular canvas so you may want to consider an army duck canvas tent. Army duck canvas is made by twisting two regular canvas threads together to make a stronger thread and also results in a tighter weave. Army duck is heavier than regular canvas but performs much better in bad weather.
Canvas naturally repels water to some extent but will seep in heavy rain. The best outfitter tents are treated with a good water repellent, typically a dry silicon treatment or a paraffin treatment. You should also add waterproofing to your tent if you own it for many years or if your tent is treated with waterproofing already.
You may also consider a tent that is treated with fire retardant. Canvas will burn if a flame is held directly to it. Fire retardant, however, will not stop small embers from burning pin-holes in the canvas. So if you get a stove jack, consider what is protecting the roof from this happening.
Finally you may want to consider a tent that includes a sod cloth. Sod cloth is a material that is sewn around the bottom of the tent, usually 10″-15″ up from the floor, to make a nice seal from the ground.
Stability
Depending on the climate and your intended use, you probably want a tent that can stand up to harsh weather. Each tent varies in it’s ability to stand up to high winds and heavy rain. You will have to decide for yourself how heavy duty of a tent you will need. I have included mention of the stability in many of the reviews below. Typically a frame made of steel poles is a good sign that the manufacturer considered stability in the design and manufacturing.
Wall Tents vs Bell Tents
A wall tent is sometimes called a cabin tent or safari tent. Bell tents are more similar to a teepee or yurt, although that’s not exactly what they are.
The decision to get a wall tent or a bell tent is both aesthetic and practical. Many people like the look of a bell tent more but others find that wall tents give more usable space without the center pole and have higher sidewalls. The shape of a bell tent helps slightly with stability in very extreme wind.
Wall tents are more commonly used as outfitter tents but bell tents are frequently used as well. It is your own preference to decide which one makes the best outfitter tent for you.
A Stove Jack
Tents don’t typically come with tent stoves, but if you intend to use the tent during the winter, you might want to make sure it has a stove jack. A stove jack is a great addition to a canvas tent. It is a sewn in metal opening for a small chimney, allowing you to have a fire inside the tent to keep warm. It is difficult (but possible) to add a stove jack to an existing tent that doesn’t have one so you may want to make sure the outfitter tent you buy has one.
If you’re considering a tent with a stove jack, have a look at another article I wrote: 15 Best Tents with Stove Jacks for Toasty Hot Tent Camping
Other Features
There are many other features that may or may not be important to you, so I’ll mention a few that you might want to consider as you shop for an outfitter tent. One of the best features to look for is a storm flap built in. Also, consider whether or not you want a tent floor. Some tents have a tent floor and some do not, so it’s something to consider.
Along with the floor, consider if you need a sod cloth to help seal the inside of your tent off from the ground. Sod clothes are especially nice in damp environments but can be nice regardless of where you camp.
Some tents have screen doors and large windows, others don’t. You may enjoy a high ceiling or they may seem more burdensome to put up.
I can’t say which tent is the best outfitter tent for you, but considering all these features, this article will help you decide for yourself.
Best Wall Tents
Diamond Brand Gear Warhorse Canvas Wall Tent (with Frame)
Price: $
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Warhorse Stratum is on the high-end of the low priced canvas wall tents but well worth it. It features a steel frame and comes in five different sizes and two different colors.
It features doors in the front and back. It is treated for fire retardancy, mildew resistance, and water repellency.
Sizes available:
- Width: 7′-12′
- Length: 8’10” – 16′
- Height: 7’6″
The tent and frame are available on Amazon but the The Diamond Brand Website offers an accessory package (at a premium price), which includes tent, internal frame, fly, screen doors, footprint, storage bag, and stakes.
Diamond is an American company based in North Carolina. It has a good reputation for quality outdoor gear.
Keep in mind that these tents are made to order so they take about 4 weeks to ship.
Montana Canvas Blend Wall Tent
Price: $-$$
About this Outfitter Tent:
Montana Canvas makes some of the best wall tents available. They are a lovable small company based in Montana that specializes in canvas tents and tarps.
Montanta Canvas tents have “blend” in their names because they use both canvas for the roof and walls, except the ends of the walls are made from a proprietary type of polyester. The canvas is treated for mildew, fire-retardant, and water proofing. The poles that make the frame are airplane-grade aluminum alloy.
It features a stove jack and comes in a variety of sizes.
Sizes available:
- Width: 8′-18′
- Length: 10′-23′
- Height: 7’6″
Bravo! Super Grade Wall Tent
Price: $$-$$$
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Bravo! Super Grade is an upper-range wall tent that gives you a superior quality but also at a premium cost.
The tent comes in many different sizes and is highly customizable, offering options to choose the number of windows, add a high wind package, extreme heat package, a back door, etc.
Available sizes:
- Width: 9′-18′
- Length: 12′-24′
- Height: 8′-10′ (5′ on the sides)
There are many small features that make this tent convenient. Rather than describe them all, I suggest watching this informative video from the company:
Ozark Trail North Fork
Walmart Rating: 4.2 (85 ratings)
Price: $
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Ozark Trail North Fork is not the best outfitter tent available, but it’s OK for the price. Keep in mind that this is one of the cheapest outfitter tent on this list, costing around $400 at the time of this writing.
The tent is not real canvas but rather made from imitation canvas. The biggest downside to this tent is that it is not completely waterproof, so you should add some waterproofing or use an extra tarp over the top of it.
The tent design is decent, though, with three windows, vents, a stove jack, and adjustable legs.
If you’re interested in a budget outfitter tent and don’t mind waterproofing it yourself, this tent is a decent choice. However, if you’re looking for a long-term shelter, this is not the best tent and you should consider purchasing a higher quality wall tent.
Colorado Wall Tent from Denver Tent
Price: $$$
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Colorado Wall Tent is the flagship product from the long-established Denver Tent Company. It is made from 10.10 oz army duck canvas which is flame resistant.
One great thing about this tent is that it features 18 oz heavy duty vinyl sod cloth where the tent meets the ground to seal it off from the ground. However, a downside to this tent is that you have to purchase the floor separately.
The tent also features a fiberglass stove pipe shield standard in all flame retardant treated tents,
There are two options in each size, standard and deluxe. The difference is that the deluxe offers three windows and a screen on the front door while the standard does not.
Sizes available:
- Width: 10′-16′
- Length: 12′-20′
Davis Canvas Wall Tents
Price: $
About this Outfitter Tent:
The best thing about Davis Canvas Wall Tents are that they offer way more customization options than any other outfitter tents. If you’re looking for the best outfitter tent on a budget, get a Davis Canvas Wall Tent with little or no add-ons. However, you will have to consider that the tent frames are considered add-ons, which you will need to make your tent stand.
All tents are 100% cotton canvas which is water and mildew resistant. They come with a 5′ side wall on all sizes and sod cloth built in.
Options include: fire resistant treatment, a stove jack, number and placement of windows, a screened door, a storm flap (aka weather flap), and eave sleaves.
Sizes available:
- Width: 10′-16′
- Length: 12′-24′
If you want to be able to customize your tent, a Davis tent is a great option.
Trek Tents 246C
Amazon Rating: 3.7 (24 ratings)
Price: $
About this Outfitter Tent:
You might be tempted to buy a Trek Tent because of their low price but – BUYER BEWARE – you get what you pay for. This is NOT a well made tent.
The main complaints are about the quality of the materials used. Buyers have complained about everything from the thinness of the canvas, the flimsiness of the poles, and even zippers that break.
We DO NOT recommend this tent, even considering the low price. So why is this tent on a list of best outfitter tents? I always like to throw one or two low quality products in my reviews for comparison and it shows I’m not just out to sell bad products.
WhiteDuck Canvas Wall Tent
Amazon Rating: 4.5 (44 ratings)
Price: $$$
About this Outfitter Tent:
The WhiteDuck Alpha Canvas Wall Tent is a step up from the bell tent from the same company. While the bell tent is mid-range in price and quality, the wall tent uses stronger materials and is designed more for longer-term use, making it one of the best outfitter tents.
The canvas is made from 100% army duck cotton and is PVC-free and treated with a water, mold, and UV resistant finish. You can get the fire and water repellant option for an additional price ($100 or more, depending on the size of the tent). it comes with a built-in stove jack which is silicone coated to make it heat resistant.
Sizes available:
- Width: 8′-16′
- Length: 10′-24′
All-in-all, the WhiteDuck Alpha Wall Tent is a high-quality tent and one of the best cotton canvas tents on this list, making it one of the best outfitter tents.
Guide Gear Canvas Wall Tent
Sportsman’s Guide Rating: 4.2 (5 ratings)
Price: $$
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Gear Guide Canvas Wall Tent is a very standard canvas wall tent at an affordable price. It is made from 10.8 oz. canvas which is fire retardant, mildew, and weather resistant. *Notice* it is weather resistant, not water proof so there are reports that it doesn’t hold up in heavy rain which is a major downside.
This stove does come with a stove jack and is cheaper than most other canvas tents. This tent is suitable if you’re on a budget but keep in mind that you will want to do a bit of extra waterproofing yourself.
Best Bell Tents
Elk Mountain Bell Tent
Amazon Rating: 4.7 (4 ratings)
Price: $
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Elk Mountain Bell Tent is a modestly priced bell-shaped tent with stove jack. It boasts stronger and more durable canvas than other tents.
Elk Mountain Tents are available in 3 different sizes based on the diameter of the tent:
- 13 ft (133 sq ft)
- 16 ft (201 sq ft)
- 20 ft (304 sq ft)
A nice feature of this tent is that there are four screened windows and four screened vents. Also, the tent floor is included (often sold separately with other tents).
Stout Bell Canvas Tent
Amazon Rating: 5.0 (1 rating)
Price: $-$$
About this Outfitter Tent:
If you’re going with a bell tent over a wall tent, The Stout Bell Tent is probably the best outfitter tent. The quality is great and the price is very reasonable.
Stout Tents has actual brick and morter stores in Arizona and Vermont and is a veteran owned company. Coming from a background of sewing parachutes for the army, Jim Stout founded the company and now lives in his tents several months out of the year.
This line of tents is meant to be four-seasons and 100% cotton canvas that has been treated with waterproofing. There is an option to upgrade to a “PRO” edition which is made from a heavier duty canvas. An optional feature that makes this tent stand out is the bug guard, which allows you to set the tent up without the side wall for camping at high temperatures.
The tents have a stove jack and come with a 5-year warranty. They have excellent customer service as well.
Sizes available:
- 13 ft diameter
- 16 ft diameter
- 19 ft diameter (PRO series only)
Canvas Camp Sibley ProTech Bell Tent
Price: $-$$
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Canvas Camp Sibley Series Bell Tents are a series of modestly priced bell tents that are easy to put up and take down, reasonably light, and still decent quality.
These tents were originally designed in the 1850s by Henry Sibley, a fur traitor who later became a congressman.
It is made from Canvas Camp’s own canvas blend called Pro Canvas (360 gr/m² or 10.62 oz/yd²) which is waterproof, mold, and UV resistant.
There are several sizes available but here is the smallest and the largest:
- Smallest: 9’10” (75 sq ft) x 6’10” height (4’7″ door)
- Largest: 19’8″ (306 sq ft) x 11’8″ height (6’1″ door)
WhiteDuck Canvas Bell Tent
Amazon Rating: 4.5 (58 ratings)
Price: $$
About this Outfitter Tent:
The White Duck Canvas Bell Tent is a great choice for a mid-range canvas bell tent and will work in 4-seasons, as long as winter is not terribly extreme. If you’re hoping to stay out all winter in very low temperatures and heavy snow, you probably should consider something a bit more sturdy.
The upsides about these tents are the space they provide. They are a bit taller than many bell tents and feature a large door. There are many windows that all have bug mesh and the door has a bug mesh screen. There are two models, the Regatta and Avalon, with the Avalon having slightly upgraded materials and costing a little more.
These tents feature a stove jack but stoves are sold separately. Fire retardant treatment is available for $200 extra.
Sizes available:
- Regtatta: 10′-16.5 ft diameter
- Avalon: 13′ – 20′ ft diameter
The biggest downside to this line of tents is the weight. Several of the models weigh well over 100 pounds so it’s difficult to transport them and may be challenging to set up if you’re by yourself. But if you can get it set up once, this might be one of the best outfitter tents in the mid-range price.
Honorable Mentions
Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe Tent
Amazon Rating: 4.8 (684 ratings)
Price: $
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe is the smallest and one of the cheapest outfitter tents on this list but that doesn’t make it the worst. In fact, this might be one of the best canvas tents.
The tent is 10′ x 10′ so it’s not as small as it looks in the picture. Furthermore the rods are 1″ steel so this tent is a great shelter against strong winds, heavy rains, and cold weather. It makes a great base camp for a hunting trip.
The tent is 100% hydrasheild cotton duck canvas and the floor is heavy-duty, puncture-resistant, 16oz vinyl. I was skeptical about this tent at first sight but I’m convinced that this might be the best outfitter tent on a budget and perhaps the best outfitter tent in windy conditions.
Cabela’s Crua Outdoors LOJ Insulated Tent
Price: $$$
About this Best Outfitter Tent:
The Crua Outdoors LOJ insulated Tent is a monster of a tent, stretching out 24′ long and with a 5′ porch and 8′ awning. It’s described as a 6-person tent but that only considers the separated sleeping area. This tent is much, much larger than other tents that claim to be 6-person.
The tent is insulated and breathable which keeps you warm in the winter and kind of cool in the summer. Also, it blocks a lot of noise so it’s nice for busy campgrounds. The tent is not fitted with a stove jack though. This tent is best for those that want a spacious tent to use in the winter without messing with a stove in the tent.
Cabela’s Outback Lodge
Cabela’s Rating: 4.3 (29 reviews)
Price: $
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Cabela’s Outback Lodge is a great option as a base camp on a hunting trip. It is an 8-person tent but with lots of gear, it’s perfect for 2-3 people. One inconvenient feature is that the center pole can get in the way so keep that in mind if you have a large bed.
The tent performs well in heavy rain and is easy to set up. This is a great tent for the price and to take on fairly long trips, but it is nylon and not canvas. So if you’re looking for the best outfitter tent for long-term living, you’re better off spending a little more money on a good quality canvas wall tent. This tent is perfect as a base camp for hunting trips.
Guide Gear’s Base Camp Tent
Sportsman’s Guide Rating: 4.2 (6 reviews)
Price: $
About this Outfitter Tent:
The Guide Gear’s Base Camp tent is large nylon tent that is a decent alternative to canvas tents which are more expensive. What I like about this tent is that it comes with a stove jack as well as a fire-retardant panel to protect the tent when using a stove.
The size of the tent is also a benefit. It is 14′ in diameter and 10′ tall in the center.
As with other nylon tents reviewed here, this is not a great tent for long-term living but a good option for an extended trip. This tent is suitable for several weeks but for a more permanent outfitter tent, canvas tents are recommended.
Final Thoughts
There are so many factors to consider when looking for the best outfitter tent. This article provides the most essential information on features and price to help you make the right decision when purchasing an outfitter tent. Please let me know in the comments below if you have any further thoughts.
If these tents are a little too serious for you and you just want to go car camping, check out The 15 Best SUV Tents Reviewed
Check out these pins for Pinterest I made (if you’re into that sort of thing):
