RBM Outdoors UP-5 Tent Review

Article by Jason Hitchcock. For this review, we packed up the RBM Outdoors UP-5 tent, paired it with the Caminus M Stove, and added the UP-5 insulated floor for the full “hot tent” experience.

Camping in colder weather is a different adventure—it can often be uncomfortable and unpleasant without the right setup. However, with the UP-5, the experience was notably more comfortable than traditional tent camping.

Keep reading to see how it performed and whether it’s worth adding to your cold-weather gear lineup.

The RBM Outdoors UP-5 Tent is built specifically for cold-weather adventures, featuring double-wall insulation and a built-in stove jack. We tested it with the Caminus M stove and added the optional insulated floor for extra warmth—a nice bonus, though not essential in warmer weather.

Specs at a Glance:

• Dimensions: 173″L x 173″W x 86″H
• Weight: 65 Pounds
• Occupancy: 2-6 People
• Inside Area: 141 Square Feet
• Shape: Round
• Frame: Aviation Aluminum Alloy
• Outside Fabric: Oxford 300 PU 4000
• Inside Fabric: Oxford 210 PU 2000

Note that the UP-5 Tent, Insulated Floor, and Caminus M stove are all sold separately.

Our Initial Impressions

The RBM Outdoors UP-5 is a massive tent packed in an equally huge duffel-style bag. At over 60 pounds without the stove, transporting this tent is challenging if you can’t park near your campsite. Realistically, you’ll need an ATV or other gear to move it any distance comfortably.

That being said, it is great for families that like to stand up in their tent and have plenty of room for tables, chairs, and even cots. This is more than a tent; it is a small home away from home.

The kit included everything we needed, even a multitool hammer for securing stakes. With a mix of stakes and ample guy line cordage, we felt equipped to set up this huge shelter.

As for the Caminus M stove, it arrived in a solid wooden crate—an unexpected but appreciated touch. The crate has handles, two nice latches, and metal trim. Inside, we found a secondary bag for the stove, similar to the tent’s bag. While the crate provides solid protection during travel, the bag is convenient for tent use, giving us an easy way to stow the stove.

The insulated floor was another pleasant surprise. Resembling a thick, padded blanket, it offers insulation from the cold ground as well as extra comfort. For truly cold weather, this insulated layer is essential, and we’ve seen some people even use this tent with the insulated floor for ice fishing!

Setup

Initially, I set up the tent at home in my driveway to get a feel for how it worked. The tent design is similar to a large umbrella, with a central shaft and canopy that you push up while pulling down on the shaft.

My first attempt did not go very well. I quickly realized that to properly set it up, the inner poles need to be fully extended and free from any binds before raising the center. Even at 6 feet tall, I found it challenging to do on my own. After trial and error, I discovered that setup is easiest with two people—one person holding the center shaft up while the other pushes the poles outward from inside the tent.

For my first camping trip, I started by laying out the insulated floor, as RBM suggests it can be used both inside or underneath the tent. The floor has slots for the poles and reinforced areas at the door, so aligning the tent with the floor for a proper fit is essential.

Next, I laid out the tent and ensured it aligned with the floor. I also extended each pole out and ensured it was loose and fully stretched.

At first, I tried to open the tent by myself. I had the same issues as before. It felt like I was just not tall enough. Kristin helped by coming inside the tent and pushing the center sections of the poles out. Once she extended the last one, the tent popped open fairly easily.

After it opened, I staked the corners of the tent using the included stakes. The stakes are very well made and heavy, not like the typical cheap ones included with most tents. The tent has plenty of tie-out points around the exterior, which weren’t essential in calm weather, but I anchored a few on the stove side for extra stability.

With the tent staked down, I replaced the main center shaft with the shorter “in-use” screw, which locks the tent open for safety during use.

The UP-5 also includes a separate “rigid” main door that attaches with Velcro to the zipper door, swinging open like a traditional door. While not necessary in mild weather, the rigid door is a nice convenience. It doesn’t fully seal against the tent, so the zipper door is still necessary for a complete closure.

Stove Setup

Setting up the Caminus M stove was straightforward and didn’t take much time. The stove comes with a fireproof mat to protect the tent floor.

Once the mat was in place, I extended the stove’s legs, which flipped out on hinges and secured with spring-loaded pins. I appreciated that there were no loose parts to misplace, as everything is attached to the stove for easy storage and setup.

I found the stove pipes sections, a small ash shovel, and even a pair of gloves for handling anything hot inside the stove.

I uncovered the stove opening on the tent by rolling up a secured panel. Although it would have been easier to do this before pitching the tent, I could still access it from the doorway.

After attaching the first pipe section to the stove, I added the remaining sections, feeding the top ones down through the tent’s stove jack. The pipe sections fit together snugly, and I was pleasantly surprised that no smoke leaked into the tent during use.

However, using some heat-resistant tape around the pipe joints is advisable to ensure a complete seal, as any smoke leaks in a fully enclosed space can be dangerous. RBM Outdoors also recommends installing a smoke detector in the tent for added safety.

Camping with the Tent

We set up the RBM Outdoors UP-5 tent on private land where we often hunt, taking advantage of the off-season to scout and hike. We stayed in the tent for two nights, though we kept it up for almost 10 days, giving us a chance to check on it after an overnight rain.

It did rain during the week, and we found a little bit of water inside the tent. We tracked to down to the stove pipe connections through the roof of the tent, which we forgot to tighten (and were not mentioned in the setup instructions).

There are two hose clamps one both tent layers that close the gap between the rings in the tent and the pipe. These are easy to access from the door in the tent.

Temperatures dipped into the high 30s during the nights—not frigid, but cool enough to test the stove. With even a small fire, the stove quickly heated the tent to a comfortable level.

While I didn’t have a thermometer, it felt easy inside the 70s, which allowed us to sleep with the window screens and doors partially open for ventilation.

One feature I appreciated was the stove’s removable side shields, which provided a buffer around the glass during the day. At night, removing them lets us enjoy the warm glow of the fire.

The stove door also has a damper to adjust the flame, and I could shut it completely to extinguish the fire when needed.

The only drawback was the stove’s cleaning process. It has an ashtray, but strangely, no holes in the base to let ashes fall through, which led to quick ash buildup. This setup made it difficult to keep a continuous fire going, but in our case, that wasn’t a priority (and RBM does not recommend it.)

We didn’t get a chance to cook on the stove, though it heated up enough to suggest it could handle cooking tasks—just be mindful of the potential heat buildup in the tent.

What We Like

Here are the things our testers like about the RBM Outdoors UP-5 Tent.

• Size: It has a ton of room, and we can stand inside the tent. With the stove, 4-5 people can sleep comfortably, and without the stove, six would be no problem.
• Organization and Storage: The tent has several pockets and two removable organizers on each side. There are also several clips around the inside for hanging items.
• Stove Capability: The stove keeps the inside of the tent very warm, even with a small fire.
• Double Walls: This tent has a double wall with air in between, which makes it a great insulator. Not only does it keep the tent warm, but it also eliminates condensation inside the tent and provides double the waterproof protection from rain.
• Two Large Doors: Two doors are great for ventilation when warm outside. The stove is so warm that we kept it partially open most of the night, and they both have mosquito nets. They also make the tent feel more open.
• Clear Panels for Windows: We love the included clear panels for the windows. They let light in while keeping the weather out, and we like that they can be propped open from the bottom. A mosquito net is also built into both windows.
• Included items: The multi-tool hammer and repair kit are a great addition.

What We Don’t Like

There are a few things that we don’t like.

• Storage Size: Yes, we do like how roomy this tent is. But it is heavy and takes up a lot of room to store. You certainly can’t have one without the other, though.
• Setup: It would have been nice to have better setup instructions and some tips on making it easier. We were initially a little frustrated but figured it out with experience.
• Needs Level Ground: This is the case with most tents, but even more so with this one if using the stove. We found that the stove slid downhill on the fire mat if it wasn’t level.
• Stove Clean Out: The stove can only be used for about 8 hours or so before it needs to be cleaned. A lower grate for ashes to pass through to the ash pan would have been nice.

Our Experience with the RBM Hot Tent

Overall, the RBM Outdoors UP-5 provides a level of comfort that’s hard to find in most tents. The ability to stand up inside and the tent’s double-wall insulation made a huge difference.

One of my biggest issues with typical tents is condensation, especially on cold nights where moisture build-up can turn into a chilly, uncomfortable experience. The UP-5 avoids this with its air layer between the tent walls, which keeps the inner wall warm and minimizes condensation.

Storage and transport can be challenging, though, given the tent and stove’s size. But that’s the trade-off for having such spacious room inside and the convenience of a built-in stove.

Using the stove in the tent is a game-changer for cold weather, but works equally well in the summer. It transforms the experience from camping to feeling more like a cozy, mobile cabin. For any long-term trips where I can access the campsite with my truck or ATV, this tent will be my top choice. It is also one of our favorite Bushcraft and Survival Tents for cold weather or long term outings.

We are grateful to Survival Stoic for their honest review of the UP-5 tent and for sharing their practical experience with the community.

Such reviews are more valuable than advertising. They help people make the right choice and help us improve.

Read the original review on Survival Stoic.