If you’re looking for a great hot tent, you’re gonna love our Russian Bear Tent.
We’ve got to admit that we had a whole lot of fun reviewing this tent.
But what’s the bottom line after comparing it back-to-back with some of the best tents in the same category?
Keep reading to find out more.
We judged each and every hot tent against a wide range of metrics. We looked at ease of use, versatility, weather resistance and so much more.
Here’s a hint of what’s to come…
The Russian Bear performed so well that we couldn’t help but award it our TopNotch Top Pick.
So let’s find out exactly why.
Top-Notch Choice
Russian Bear Tent
- Manufacturer: Russian-Bear
- Capacity: 3 person
- Dimensions: 5’9” height, 8’9” diameter
- Material: Oxford canvas, stainless steel, tarpaulin floor
- Weight: Tent 36.4 pounds, stove 18.7 pounds, floor 5.5 pounds
Bottom Line : The BigBlue offers consistent performance and has a range of top-class features that make it a versatile choice
Pros
- Includes stove
- Heat-insulated floor
- Easy to pitch
- The stove has glass sides for additional light
Cons
- The stove takes up a lot of space
- The tent is relatively heavy
Our Analysis, Comparisons & Test Results
This fabulous tent was one of 10 we tested over the winter.
It’s a tough job but someone has to do it!
From skiing trips in the mountains to staying by a lake, we put the Russian Bear through its paces.
We have to tell you it came out the other side with flying colors.
Over the course of our testing, we scored each tent against a variety of metrics.
The idea behind this is that splitting up the ratings into distinct sections makes it much easier to work out which tent is best for which purpose.
Now we’re safely back home, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this tent for trips of up to 3 people. You can be sure that wherever you take this tent it’s going to do a great job of keeping you snug, warm and super cozy.
However, if you’re planning a trip with your family and kids it won’t be big enough to accommodate you all comfortably. For that sort of trip, we’d highly recommend taking a look at the White Duck Premium Canvas Tent With Stove Jack.
Next up, let’s head on into those categories we mentioned earlier, and find out the reasons this tent came out as our TopNotch Top Pick.
Livability
I’m pretty fussy when it comes to creating a home away from home in our tents.
Our Russian Bear 4 Season Hot Tent scored an impressive 9/10.
Want to know why?
The umbrella-shaped design of the frame gives a comfortable amount of headroom across most of the footprint of this tent.
We LOVE the Caminus S Stove that comes included with this tent package. This is a stove that is specifically designed to be used when hot camping. And it shows.
Each side is made from heat-resistant ceramic glass that allows more heat to be released than a conventional steel stove.
Unlike some cheaper tents, this one is specifically designed for hot tenting.
It also serves as an extra light source, saving the batteries of your lanterns and torches.
With the added bonus of being able to stare into those beautiful flickering flames.
The 3-layer insulated floor also does a great job of deflecting cold from the ground outside.
There isn’t much we didn’t like about this tent when it comes to livability.
Only one mark was deducted because if you’re tall, the roof is only 5’9” at its highest point. For some people, this will be a bit too low.
Weather Resistance
The Russian Bear Tent is sitting pretty at the top of our leaderboard when it comes to weather resistance.
It’s made from high-quality waterproof oxford fabric. External seams are treated with sealing tape for added protection.
We loved the fact that the tent fabric extends out from the base - meaning it does a great job at preventing any built-up snow from entering your tent.
There’s plenty of tension ropes on this tent, so even if the wind picks up it won’t lose its shape.
As if that’s not enough...
The triple-layer groundsheet does a great job of keeping warmth in the tent, even if you’re camped on ice.
To put it simply, this tent can cope with whatever Mother Nature throws in its path...
...while you stay snug and cozy inside and can concentrate on staying warm after a long day in the Outdoors.
Sometimes when you need a tent with a flue hole it can be tempting to add an aftermarket kit.
That’s not such a great idea if the flue hole doesn’t have a rain flap.
Of course, this cold weather tent comes complete with a storm flap to cover the stove jack when not in use.
Durability
In the durability category, the Russian Bear with wood-burning stove scored a respectable 8/10.
Tents are a big investment.
You want to know your new purchase is going to last.
This double-layered tent is made of an outer layer of 300D Oxford fabric and an inner layer of 210D.
And the good news?
You can be confident this is going to last for years.
The internal metal frame is made from a blend of aluminum and steel.
Both are aviation-grade in terms of quality.
This double-walled Russian made tent is built to last.
Ease Of Use
Once more, this tent scored well in this category and we awarded it 8/10.
While stretching out the frame is easiest with more than one person, it’s definitely possible to do alone - and of course, we put this to the test!
Once the frame is fully expanded, it’s simply a matter of putting the tent outer over the top and then securing your tension lines.
Moreover, the ports have intelligent circuit recognition to optimize the charging process along with an auto-restart feature.
What about the stove?
That’s where we knocked a few points off this tent’s total.
Although a top-quality stove…
...it does take quite a while to assemble.
The removable legs, smoke pipe segments, and firebox cap will all need to be assembled with care.
Versatility
For this metric, we considered how suitable the Russian Bear would be for a variety of different trips.
It’s true you might be buying this for a specific winter trip but it’s even better when a tent is so multi-functional you can use it all year round.
And once more, the Russian Bear 4 Season Hot Tent scored an impressive 9/10 for versatility.
From snowy hunting trips to summer fishing vacations, this tent will do you proud.
Remove the stove and this tent is also perfect for short summer trips.
And just another thing?
The manufacturers suggest that this tent can be used as a sauna!
What better way to impress your friends than with a temporary private sauna?
Love it.
Conclusion: Russian Bear Tent
That’s a wrap!
We’ve almost made it to the end of our review for the Russian Bear 4 Season Hot Tent with Wood Burning Stove.
Hopefully, we’ve given you everything you need to help decide if this is the right tent for you.
If you’re planning some epic winter trips or you’re off into the snowy boondocks this winter - or...
maybe you just want a sauna in your backyard, you’ll be glad you bought this tent.
Sometimes it can be hard to find the perfect stove for your new tent with a stove jack, but Russian Bear has taken away all the guesswork from you.
You can rest assured knowing this tent and stove were literally made for each other.
Making this one of the warmest tents for camping we’ve found.
The one time this tent might not be the right choice for you is if you have a large family, or are planning a trip with multiple friends and just one tent.
For that, we’d recommend you check out the 5 or 8 person models of the Russian Bear.
Apart from that, it’s hard to beat.
Combine the intelligent design, quality materials and a range of design features which make this perfect for hot tenting and it’s easy to see that we have a TopNotch Top Pick on our hands.
Other Versions
We tested the three-person version of the Russian-Bear 4 Season Hot Tent with Wood Burning Stove but you might be interested to know that it’s also available in two larger sizes as well.
Here’s a quick summary:
- 3 Person Tent:
- Diamer 8’9” Height 5’9”
- 2 windows
- 1 door
- Tent weight 36.4 pounds
- 5 Person Tent:
- Diameter 11’2” Height 6’2”
- 2 windows
- 2 doors
- Tent weight 55.1 pounds
- 8 Person Tent:
- Diameter 14’4” Height 7’2”
- 2 windows
- 2 doors
- Tent weight 63.9 pounds
