Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
I just got back from Big Bear, where I spent time putting a 16’ prototype Elk Mountain Tent bell tent through a real-world winter test.
Last month, I reviewed Elk Mountain’s 20’ bell tent. It scored high with me, but it wasn’t perfect. Instead of ignoring the feedback, the owner went back to the drawing board, made several key adjustments, and sent me this unreleased prototype to test and give my honest two cents on.
And I’ll say this right now…
When it’s 26°F outside and you’re sitting inside in a t-shirt, something is going right.
Gear Tested on This Trip:
- Elk Mountain Tent – 16’ Bell Tent (Prototype)
- PF Bereg Medium Wood Stove
- Sparks Overland Mini Gas Heater
- GoFluxx 3’ LED Lights (absolutely incredible- full video coming soon 👀)
- Nebula Cosmos 4K SE Projector (yes… movies in a tent 😄)
Between the heat output, the livability, and the overall experience, this trip honestly felt surreal. Watching movies inside a warm bell tent while snow temps hovered in the 20s outside is something you have to experience to believe.
This video is a true hands-on, no-nonsense field test- not a showroom walkthrough. I’ll break down:
- What changed from the 20’ version
- What worked exceptionally well
- What still needs improvement
- And whether this tent is truly winter-worthy
Items I spoke about in this video:
Elk Mountain Tents: elkmountaintents.com
PF Bereg: beregcanada.com
Aeronaut Outdoor: aeronautoutdoor.com
Nebula Cosmos 4K SE: amzn.to/4ox5Ng1
Sparks Overland: sparksoverland.com
GoFluxx Lights: gofluxx.com
Timestamps :
0:00 – Why this tent matters
1:00 – From 20ft review to prototype
3:24 – Elk Mountain’s fast improvements
4:24 – 16ft Yukon overview
5:30 – Wind & cold performance
6:19 – Stove & heat options explained
8:23 – Diesel vs wood stove
11:57 – Interior upgrades & lighting
14:22 – Exterior build quality
18:41 – Best size to buy
21:31 – Real cons & fixes
#belltent #ElkMountainTent #coldweathercamping #overlandcamping #TentHeatingSetup
More Overland Camping Setups:
Big Slack Budget-Friendly Camper :
youtu.be/jaagSkwItS4
Howl R4 Fire Pit 6 Month Review
youtu.be/LwNOi51JVFw
I just got back from Big Bear, where I spent time putting a 16’ prototype Elk Mountain Tent bell tent through a real-world winter test.
Last month, I reviewed Elk Mountain’s 20’ bell tent. It scored high with me, but it wasn’t perfect. Instead of ignoring the feedback, the owner went back to the drawing board, made several key adjustments, and sent me this unreleased prototype to test and give my honest two cents on.
And I’ll say this right now…
When it’s 26°F outside and you’re sitting inside in a t-shirt, something is going right.
Gear Tested on This Trip:
- Elk Mountain Tent – 16’ Bell Tent (Prototype)
- PF Bereg Medium Wood Stove
- Sparks Overland Mini Gas Heater
- GoFluxx 3’ LED Lights (absolutely incredible- full video coming soon 👀)
- Nebula Cosmos 4K SE Projector (yes… movies in a tent 😄)
Between the heat output, the livability, and the overall experience, this trip honestly felt surreal. Watching movies inside a warm bell tent while snow temps hovered in the 20s outside is something you have to experience to believe.
This video is a true hands-on, no-nonsense field test- not a showroom walkthrough. I’ll break down:
- What changed from the 20’ version
- What worked exceptionally well
- What still needs improvement
- And whether this tent is truly winter-worthy
Items I spoke about in this video:
Elk Mountain Tents: elkmountaintents.com
PF Bereg: beregcanada.com
Aeronaut Outdoor: aeronautoutdoor.com
Nebula Cosmos 4K SE: amzn.to/4ox5Ng1
Sparks Overland: sparksoverland.com
GoFluxx Lights: gofluxx.com
Timestamps :
0:00 – Why this tent matters
1:00 – From 20ft review to prototype
3:24 – Elk Mountain’s fast improvements
4:24 – 16ft Yukon overview
5:30 – Wind & cold performance
6:19 – Stove & heat options explained
8:23 – Diesel vs wood stove
11:57 – Interior upgrades & lighting
14:22 – Exterior build quality
18:41 – Best size to buy
21:31 – Real cons & fixes
#belltent #ElkMountainTent #coldweathercamping #overlandcamping #TentHeatingSetup
More Overland Camping Setups:
Big Slack Budget-Friendly Camper :
youtu.be/jaagSkwItS4
Howl R4 Fire Pit 6 Month Review
youtu.be/LwNOi51JVFw
