The 9 Best Extreme Cold Weather Tents in 2023

Planning to camp this winter? Then check out our list of the 9 best extreme cold weather tents in 2023, custom curated with the outdoor enthusiast in mind.

When considering which best extreme cold weather tent is best for you, there are several important features to look for:

1. Insulation.
2. Using tents ready for a wood-burning tent stove.
3. Going for an enclosed construction with solid windows and without mesh.
4. Using multi-layer tents.

At the time of publication, there aren’t many globally available options for insulated tents for cold-weather camping. To the best of our knowledge, only one globally known brand manufactures these tents, and they are of exceptional quality.

Several tents on the market come with a stove-pipe jack and other features that allow you to heat the tent. Some of these aren’t big sellers but don’t worry, we have some of the best tents listed here.

As for enclosed tents with solid windows, many of these are available on the EU market and in the UK. The best-known manufacturers of tents of this type are located in this area. The tents of this type are built with a large living area which you need because you are supposed to stay inside most of the time. For the same reason, they tend to be tall so that you can walk inside and feel comfortable.

In a cold environment, you do not want mesh on the tent, and you will want as many layers as possible. This is why such tents have vents, and these are normally closable.

Our list of the 9 best extreme cold weather tents

In the list below, you have our list of the best extreme cold weather tents with the features mentioned above. They are ordered by the floor area from smaller to larger:

1. Crua Duo Dome Tent

First on our list of the best extreme cold weather tents is the Crua Duo Dome Tent. This is a synthetic tent, so the shell is polyester with a 5000 mm waterproof rating. The picture above shows it on the right. As such you can use it just like any other single-layer 3-season camping tent for two people.

But the picture on the left shows that it comes with an insulated inner cocoon that fits nicely inside and it insulates it as if you would use a top-quality sleeping bag. You can use the cocoon in wintertime with the shell or without it.

Best Seller

Pros:

• Versatility
• Insulation
• Overall quality

Cons:

• The cocoon is bulky

Available from:

AMAZON

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Note that the cocoon has air beams instead of poles while the shell tent has quality aluminum poles that are 8.5 mm in diameter. There are also 13 aluminum stakes 7 inches (18 cm) long.

The dimensions of the main tent are 9.8 ft x 4.9 ft (3.05 m x 1.47 m) with the front porch included. The inner area is 35.5 ft² (3.31 m²) and the total covered area is 48 ft² (4.46 m²). The tent is moderately low with its 4.1 ft (1.25 m) peak height.

The shell tent weighs 5 lb (2.2 kg), and its packed size is (L x D) 21 x 6 inches (53 x 15 cm). The cocoon is very bulky, and it weighs 15 lb (6.8 kg).

Ventilation is excellent with this design. There is a floor vent plus two roof vents. Note that the tent is with a vestibule, the inner door is a double layer, and the mesh is one of the layers.

The Duo Tent can be combined with three others to form the Crua Dome 6-Person Tent, creating a central dome and insulated side tents. This combination is known as the Crua Clan, making it a versatile 4-season outdoor shelter.

2. Crua Tri 3-Person Thermo Insulated Waterproof Family Tent

It is hard to imagine a tent that would deserve more to be in this list. This is one of just a few insulated tents on the market, and I would dare to claim that this is the best.

So what you have here is something completely unique. I would start from outside first. The shell is a waterproof but breathable 80/20% mixture of cotton and polyester, known as poly-cotton. The picture shows its solid windows. The structure is tunnel-type as you realize from the picture, and it is supported by 4 steel loops.

Best Seller

Pros:

• Breathability and ventilation.
• Insulation.
• Very durable & tough materials.

Cons:

• The price.
• The weight.
• The packed size.

Available from:

AMAZON

If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

But wait to get inside where you have an inner tent constructed as an insulated cocoon that gives it an effective R-value 4. This same cocoon is a dark-rest material, so it blocks the light completely, and it gives also quite a lot of sound insulation as well. This cocoon is a single room space, but no worry, there is a large and fully protected porch without a floor that looks like a front room where you can cook and store all your gear.

The tent’s official capacity is 3 people and for this, you have 19.5 ft² (4.6 m²) in the cocoon while the total protected area is 68.5 ft² (6.36 m²). The weight is 48 lb (22 kg), and the packed size is 33 x 24 x 19 inches (85 x 61 x 48 cm). Without the cocoon, the weight is 30 lb (13.6 kg) and you can indeed use it that way as a pleasant canvas tent, so this is a true 4-season tent. The peak height is 62 inches (160 cm).

3. Russian-Bear Hot Tent with Stove Jack Cuboid 2.20

This is a true 2-layer structure with a wood-burning stove included. It is designed for the most extreme weather conditions and for all seasons. The tent can be described as a cabin-type with pop-out walls and an instant setup.

It comes with an integrated stove jack plus a stainless-steel stove so you have everything needed to heat the tent. The doors have 3 layers and those include a panel, a mesh door, and an inner fabric door. The windows are incredible 5-layer structures that include a panel, then a solid translucent layer, an inner flap, a mesh, and an inner panel. There are Velcro stiffeners that allow you to keep the windows open for ventilation.

Best Seller

Pros:

• Ease of setup.
• Very durable & tough materials.
• Woodstove.
• Overall protection.

Cons:

• The weight.
• The packed size.

Available from:

AMAZON

If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

One complete wall can be unzipped so that you create an awning. Poles for this purpose are included. This wall has a mesh as a third layer. There is a floor protection flap when you use the stove.

The frame is an aluminum/steel combination, the poles are 10-11 mm in diameter. The inner fabric is a very durable 210D Oxford with PU coating that gives it a 2000 mm waterproof rating, the outer layer is a 300D Oxford with PU coating and a 4000 mm rating. The floor has 3 layers, it is insulated, zippered and removable. These are all very strong reasons why this makes the cut of the best extreme cold weather tents.

The area is 52.5 ft² (4.9 m²), the peak height is 75 inches (191 cm), and the weight is 44.1 lb (20 kg). The packed size is 61 х 9.8 х 9.8 inches (155 x 25 x 25 cm).

4. Russian-Bear Dome Hot Tent with Wood Burning Stove

Fourth on our list of best extreme cold weather tens is this instant-setup tent that you can open like an umbrella, and with some truly unique features. It comes ready for heating, so you have a pipe jack and a wood-burning stove included. Around the pipe jack, you have a fire-resistant material that can withstand temperatures of up to 1200 degrees, and two stainless-steel rings.

The tent is a double-wall construction with 2 doors that are 3-layer type, and 2 windows built in 5 layers where one of the layers is translucent and solid. Note that it comes also with a removable hinged door, it is with 4 pre-attached poles. The two windows are designed to serve as vents as well, they are with support bars so you can keep them open as vents.

Best Seller

Pros:

• Ease of use.
• Heating features and the woodstove.
• Overall protection.

Cons:

• The weight.
• The packed length.

Available from:

AMAZON

If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

They build the tent in 3 sizes under the names UP-2 Mini, UP-2, and UP-5. The focus here is on the UP-2 which is a 5-person tent. This is a single room fully freestanding structure. The area is 88 ft² (8.17 m²) and the weight is 55.1 lb (25 kg), while its packed size is 55.12 х 11.81 х 11.81 inches (140 x 30 x 30 cm).

The picture above shows that this is a nicely designed aerodynamic dome, and it comes with all stakes and guylines to secure it properly. The frame is a combination of steel rods and aluminum В95Т1 alloy, with a diameter of 8 and 10 mm. The stakes are very strong but simple steel. There are also two aluminum rods for the awning. The shell is Oxford 300 with a PU coating that gives it a 4000 mm waterproof rating. The inner layer is Oxford 210 also waterproof and with a 2000 mm rating.

5. Big Agnes Mad House Mountaineering Tent 6 Person

In this case you have just a full two-layer tent and it is nicely ventilated. All these vents are closable to preserve the warmth if you feel cold. There are closable mesh sections on the canopy that match the fly vents.

The focus here is on the 6-person version, but just to know that they build it also for 8 people. The tent has two rooms, two doors, and two vestibules. So the organization is great and you have plenty of space for gear, note that you have no less than 16 storage pouches on the walls.

Best Seller

Pros:

• Overall quality.
• Portability.
• Storage features.

Cons:

• The price.

Available from:

AMAZON

If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

It could be described as an extended dome, but it is indeed elongated and looks almost like a tunnel tent. You have a full-coverage fly for complete protection.

The poles are aluminum, and fly is a polyester rip-stop with high tenacity yarns, and a 1200 mm waterproof rating. The inner tent is a breathable polyester rip-stop, the floor bathtub style polyester Oxford with a 5000 mm polyurethane coating.

The inner area is 94 ft² (8.7 m²) plus two vestibules that have 25 + 6 ft² (2.3 + 0.5 m²). The tent weighs 21 lb 8 oz (9.75 kg) and the packed size is 26 x 15 x 10 inches (66 x 38 x x 25 cm). The peak height is 68 inches (173 cm). Note that I have included it also in my list of  best 4 season family tents for camping.

6. The North Face 2-Meter Dome 8 person tent

Here you have an almost perfect hemisphere designed for the harshest winter conditions. This is a freestanding double-layer full cover expedition tent with a radius of around 2 meters and this explains the words 2-Meter in its name. Note that the peak height is 83 inches (211 cm) so the tent is with a stand-up height and very pleasant.

This is an incredibly stable and strong structure with aluminum poles and 12 corners and more than 40 intersections of the poles. The floored area is 125 ft² (11.6 m²) so this looks huge but note that there are no vestibules, so it is best to downgrade the number of users by half or so.

Best Seller

Pros:

• The shape.
• Quality.
• Protection.

Cons:

• The price.
• The weight.
• Not easy to use.

Available from:

AMAZON

If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

This is a true winter tent but it has a few windows with panels, and the picture above shows that it has a very peculiar top chimney vent. To improve ventilation, they have added mesh on the doors. All openings are with zippered panels.

Now about the numbers and materials. The tent weighs 51 lb (23.1 kg) and its packed size is 32 x 23 inches (81 x 58 cm). The 12 poles are top-notch Easton 7075-E9, with 11 mm diameter. The fly is a heavy-duty 210D nylon oxford with 1500 mm PU coating, and observe that the inner canopy is the same fabric and the same waterproof rating. The floor is a heavy-duty 420D nylon taffeta with a 10000 mm PU coating.

7. Robens Klondike Tent

This tent is here in the group of extreme cold tents because of two reasons. The first is that this is a top-quality canvas tent and this is by definition a 4-season tent. The second reason is that it comes equipped with an integrated pipe jack, this is the black section on the top where you have the openings for the pipe.

Best Seller

Pros:

• Very tall.
• Pipe flap.
• Ventilation.
• Durable & reliable.

Cons:

• Not freestanding.

Available from:

AMAZON

If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

The tent is nicely ventilated with several floor vents and roof vents, but this is also a breathable fabric itself, a blend of 35% cotton and 65% polyester. The floor is a zip-in type, removable, and fully waterproof quality 210T Oxford polyester with a 10000 mm waterproof rating. The central pole is an anodized alloy 30.8 – 52 mm in diameter. Yet another A-shape frame with a 22 mm diameter is used for the door.

The tent is very tall with its 106.3 inches (2.7 m) peak height, but they claim it has passed wind tests to withstand winds of up to 168 km/h. To continue with numbers, this is a 6-person structure with an area of 127 ft² (11.8 m²). The weight is 35.5 lb (16.1 kg). It is included also in my list of top-rated 6 person camping tents.

8. Marmot Lair 8 Person Tent

This Marmot Lair 8 Person Tent has been around for many years, what you have here is an expedition tent designed for cold weather in general. The structure is fully enclosed and with two layers. The tent is supported by 10 DAC poles so the structure is very strong and stable. They use DA17 10.2 mm and 9.5 mm poles here and this is a great material from the best-known brand.

Best Seller

Pros:

• The height.
• The shape.
• Protection.

Cons:

• The price.
• Not easy to set up.

Available from:

AMAZON

If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

The tent is freestanding and self-supporting dome-style construction, and it is very tall with its 96 inches (244 cm) peak height. The canopy is a 40D 100% nylon ripstop with a combined silicon/PU coating and 1800 mm waterproof rating, and the same material is used for the fly. So here again you have two waterproof layers. The floor is s 70D 100% nylon with a 5000 mm waterproof rating, and it is removable. There is a vinyl window on the roof, and you have 2 doors.

Here are some numbers. The floor area is around 12 square meters, plus 40 ft² (3.7 m²) under the vestibule. It is officially for 8 people. The weight is 26 lb (11.8 kg).

9. Crua Loj 6 Person Tent

This tent follows the same basic idea of their Crua Tri tent. But this Crua Loj 6 person tent is one of the largest camping tents on the market. So you have the inner area of 235 ft² (22 m²) plus a porch that adds 65 ft² (6 m²) to it. The porch is without a floor so this is the place where you can store your gear or use it for cooking.

This is again an insulated tent where you have a 3-room structure plus the fully enclosed porch with a vestibule. The inner cocoon offers insulation that is equivalent to an effective R-value of 4. The sleeping area is a dark rest zone, it is completely dark inside even in the broad daylight, and it provides a bit of sound insulation too. Note that only the sleeping area is insulated.

Best Seller

Pros:

• Well, everything except for its weight and packed size.

Cons:

• The price.
• The weight and packed size.

Available from:

AMAZON

If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

The tent has 3 external doors and 2 inner doors, you have a large living room inside and it is in front of the insulated tent. The frame is steel and the fabric material is a breathable laminated poly-cotton 80/20. Observe that the tent comes with a footprint included and also with an insulated carpet.

There are several solid PVC windows, 6 in total, the tent offers an awning configuration shown in the picture. This is a true 4-season tent, you can use it with or without the inner cocoon. They claim it can handle winds of over 60 MPH.

You will not like its weight, the tent weighs 218 lb (99 kg), and its dimensions (L x W) are 277 x 158 inches (700 x 400 cm). The inner peak height is 83 inches (211 cm). Note that it is included also in my list of best heavy-duty canvas tents for camping.

How to choose

So this was my list of best extreme cold weather camping tents, and I hope you realize how extraordinary these tents are. There are several possible aspects when it comes to choosing one of them. Here are some hints and tips to consider:

Choosing a tent that can be heated or not?

For extreme cold, this can be the best option. But this will also depend on the environment, if you are above the tree line you will have to go for some other options, like an insulated tent or an enclosed two-layer model in general.

Choosing a true 4-season tent or not?

Some of the tents here are for all seasons, and they will indeed perform well in all seasons. This holds in particular for poly-cotton and canvas tents. But some may not be so pleasant in the warmer part of the year, these are tents for experts and built specifically for a cold environment.

Portable tent or not?

Obviously, some of the tents here are enormous, and they are also very bulky when packed and very heavy. There is no way to carry them anywhere. But some are indeed portable or you can transport them easily.

Price

These are advanced structures and some of them are very expensive, for all the good reasons. But there are differences so check your budget and you will know what to do.

In a cold environment, you will need a good sleeping bag so check my list of best-rated cold weather sleeping bags. Note also that sleeping off the ground you will feel much warmer, so check some of these heavy-duty camping cots.