Wow! There are so many variables involved with question, and that makes it hard to answer. Just a few of the variables are elevation, time of year, the size of tent, type of wood, how dry the wood is, how much air is feeding the fire, and your comfort level. All of these are determining factors in which stove is the best choice for you.
Our smallest stove, the Valley, is capable of heating a large tent. The question is, how long do we want to heat it? While it’s true that a small stove can heat a large tent, it can only do it for a short time before it must be restoked. It all comes down to this, the more weight you’re willing to carry, the larger stove you can get. With the larger stove, you also get a longer burn time. Much like the tents, if you’re between two sizes of stoves, go bigger. You can always start a small fire in a big stove. You’ll be happy if you get the largest stove you’re willing to pack in.
As a general rule:
Customers usually select The Valley for tents up to 10’x12′ . We use the Valley in our 12’x14′ because we pack in 6 miles where weight and size is significant. This means more stoking/adding firewood for the hunter with the weakest bladder!
The customer who typically selects The Ridge has a tent size near 12’x14′ to 14’x16′.
For any tent larger than that we recommend The Peak.
