I just picked up an EMS tundra dome tent (3 person, 4 season) it's heavy alright but it was really cheap and I needed (always wanted) a 4 season tent. After I set it up I noticed that on one side of the floor on the inner tent there was ~12 diameter hole with material and a cinch line (like a stuff sack). I have no idea what this is used for. Any Clue??

It's a cook hole.

During really big storms, use it for cooking.

During really big and long storms, if you forgot your relief bottle, as a latrine....you might want to also use your shovel.

You should look up the article Jon krakauer wrote about waiting out a storm in a snow cave on Denali.

Thanks I didn't know my new tent came with a kitchen

Well, it could be used to put your stove on a base on the snow, that's true.
But I am willing to bet it is really a poo hole for (really) bad weather.

Cheers

Ha! it's for the trolls to escape...

It's a snow hatch. During a storm, you still need to melt snow for water, so this is the hatch to open up to the snow. I'll have to remember not to share a tent with Roger this way.

--B.G.--

From backpacker.com

Exoskeleton frame allows fly to be setup first protecting tent from elements and increase structural strength of tent. Main tent body clips to underside of fly to ease setup and allows fly to be used without tent body in winter fast light assalts. DAC NSC Featherlight poles. Vestibules. Two doors. External Guyout System. Cook hole in floor that zips open.

Edited by annapurna on 01/05/2013 08:59:20 MST.

It looks to me like it was designed for ice fishing, but also useful in ways others have stated.

> It's a snow hatch. During a storm, you still need to melt snow for water, so this is
> the hatch to open up to the snow.
Ah, but the EMS Tundra Dome has a small vestibule at the entry. Surely you would get your snow from in there?

Cheers

I like all these answers. It can be multi-purpose! Just don't combine Roger's idea with Bob's.