Post by: AJ Howard on November 28, 2017, 10:54:44 AM
What are everyone's thoughts and concerns around ti[is, tarps, and stoves?
Post by: Skyvalhunter on November 28, 2017, 11:23:04 AM
Post by: vandeman17 on November 28, 2017, 11:24:06 AM
How slight of slope and would u want to sleep on a slope?
You can set them up pretty much anywhere but sleeping might not be the most comfortable.
Post by: Magnum_Willys on November 28, 2017, 11:24:15 AM
Post by: highside74 on November 28, 2017, 11:52:27 AM
Post by: jackelope on November 28, 2017, 12:32:04 PM
How slight of slope and would u want to sleep on a slope?
You can set them up pretty much anywhere but sleeping might not be the most comfortable.
Keep in mind they're not freestanding, so you can't really set them up "anywhere" like you can an actual freestanding tent that doesn't need to be staked down.
Post by: kselkhunter on November 28, 2017, 12:36:48 PM
I managed to snap my tipi pole earlier this month on our backcountry rifle elk hunt, because I elected to set up at a slight angle on a slope to be close to my friends tipi. I knew it was a risk, but have successfully set it at an angle on sloped terrain in light snow before and was fine. Granted, I wasn't anticipating multiple feet of snow to drop on us that week....with about a foot falling after I fell asleep one night and the stove went out.....woke up to a loud snap. I cut a tree to use as my pole for the rest of the week. Three heavy snow storms that week made for an interesting trip. To be fair any backpacking tent, short of a reinforced 4 season version, would have failed with the amount of snow we had.
It wasn't a manufacturer defect, it was my fault for site selection and angle of setup. The aluminum version of the pole probably would have held up, but carbon fiber poles aren't meant to handle that much flex. And I knew the risk. I just wasn't expecting that much snow to fall in such a short time. Like I said, 99% of the time you're fine with varied slopes and angles. Attached is a photo, mine is the tipi at the goofy angle on the right. (the photo is before the heavy snow storm hit).
Post by: vandeman17 on November 28, 2017, 01:15:44 PM
How slight of slope and would u want to sleep on a slope?
You can set them up pretty much anywhere but sleeping might not be the most comfortable.
Keep in mind they're not freestanding, so you can't really set them up "anywhere" like you can an actual freestanding tent that doesn't need to be staked down.
agreed. "anywhere" is a rough term in that the ground doesn't have to flat or level
Post by: wendigo on November 29, 2017, 05:38:42 PM
As much as I hate the condensation factor I love a huge shelter that can buck the wind and snow while only weighing a pound or so.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: Miles on November 29, 2017, 06:33:03 PM
Count on lots of condensation with a teepee. I had prolonged winds hit me during high buck and condensation rained down on me all night getting my sleeping bag pretty wet. I started to pack a lightweight bivy to use inside my teepee (which makes me feel dumb) when its too warm for a stove.
As much as I hate the condensation factor I love a huge shelter that can buck the wind and snow while only weighing a pound or so.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I had condensation problems once in my tipi and it was awful. I now pay attention to how I set it up, always ensuring I have good airflow under the sides. I haven't had a problem since.
Post by: kselkhunter on November 29, 2017, 06:35:38 PM
Post by: swisski on November 30, 2017, 08:36:15 AM
I've been able to use a few different types/models. I own an 8 man tipi by SO, one of my buddies has their Cimarron, and another buddy has the Sawtooth. All of them serve their purpose very well in my opinion.
The 8 man tipi is most prone to condensation issues, and mainly because I find that I am typically pitching it all the way to the ground. That's just the nature of the beast in Western Washington. Utilizing the liner with it however, completely solves that problem- it just becomes whether or not you are willing to actually pack all of that in. The stove also helps mitigate this issue. I've packed this before, and love the amount of room it provides, but find that we've used this shelter more when setting up camp that we can drive to.
The Cimarron is sweet for packing in, and can be easily pitched to allow for adequate ventilation to the point that condensation doesn't even happen. As someone mentioned above, we just pitch it with an air gap at the bottom and this works very well. This kind of pitch we mostly do during the early season.
For late season, especially in the high country, having the ability to run a stove can be just a total moral booster. Coming back to camp, especially after a windy, cold, rainy or snowy day... I just don't see another way! In these situations, we mostly are splitting the load up between 2 people and are running a smaller stove. The thing to keep in mind is that the real purpose of the stove here is just to warm up and dry things out if need be. Don't think you're going to running that bad boy all night long unless you want to be up every hour and a half stocking it.
Post by: boneaddict on November 30, 2017, 08:50:57 AM
Post by: ian_padron on December 01, 2017, 10:44:00 PM
Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk
Post by: mountainman on December 02, 2017, 06:35:19 AM
Post by: Colville on December 02, 2017, 08:43:14 AM
Post by: spin05 on December 21, 2017, 01:16:45 AM
Post by: Karl Blanchard on December 28, 2017, 09:06:33 PM
All my shelters were sewn by our very own @JonathanS . His craftsmanship is as good as any you will find. They have been put through the ringer and have withstood the torture. Only issue I've had is the hole from a trekking pole from my 5 year old when he "helped" me set it up one day :chuckle:
Post by: Skyvalhunter on January 17, 2018, 05:03:46 AM
Post by: Karl Blanchard on January 17, 2018, 06:51:31 AM
Hopefully you gave him a time out. :chuckle:haha! I didn't have the heart. He tries so hard to be dad's big helper :chuckle:
Post by: trophyhunt on January 17, 2018, 07:06:01 AM
Post by: Okanagan on January 17, 2018, 08:39:29 AM
I prefer to burrow into natural nests that I find under a down tree etc. and use a flat tarp to augment shelter that is already there. A person must sleep well or he will not hunt well, so carry what you need to sleep comfortably. For some of us, that ain't much.
I own several tents for compact camping out of a vehicle, but for almost all of our backpack hunting we have used flat tarps. Flat tarps are infinitely versatile to fit any size or shape of ground, and are not limited by the need to find a pre-determined footprint. Above timberline is the only time I prefer a tent and even then with a tarp I have slept in goat beds on ledges, clumps of waist high brush, against or between boulders, etc. The few times we have carried a tent or pre-shaped tarp have been to try them and without exception my sons and I prefer the versatility of a flat tarp.
I bought my 6 man tipi after two consecutive tough trips with heavy deep snow near timberline hunting the late season in Western WA. I was just going along with son and grandson to keep camp and though we slept warm enough with overlapping flat tarps, a tipi with stove would have been roomier and more comfortable. Have only used the tipi for vehicle camps so far, from -25F to rainy Septembers. Have really enjoyed the tipi. Pitch it high for more room and especially room at the edge. For more room and less carry weight, discard the center pole and either hang it from a high limb or make an exterior tipi frame/tripod from at least 3 poles and hang the tipi from them.
Flat tarp uses have included buggy summer paddling trips, on a contour trail as the only semi-flat surface on steep ground, as a wall across the open side of a rock overhang, up against a tree to keep from sliding/rolling down on steep ground.
Use a ground sheet. A large leaf bag cut down the sides opens to a good ground sheet for one man.
If I have water under me, I picked the wrong place to sleep. Look at where water will flow and don't sleep there. Find slightly raised ground with natural drainage. On top of a clump of heather is good.
Bugs are no problem in most hunting seasons, and a mosquito net from REI will rig under any tarp when needed.
If we limit ourselves to the pre-sewn shapes, supports and tie-outs, and limit ourselves to the manufacturer’s expected use of an item, we severely limit our gear options in the infinite outdoors.
Post by: Karl Blanchard on January 17, 2018, 08:49:26 AM
If you don't have a stove to dry the ground out, and you have no floor, how do you keep your bag dry? Especially in bad weather? Seems like a lightweight 1 0r 2 man tent with a floor would be much better to keep you out the elements?regardless of ground moisture I always run a small sheet of Tyvek underneath my sleeping pad. Otherwise you're asking to pop your pad. My medium sized tipi will sleep two guys very comfortably has the ability to run a stove and I can stand up in it and move around and it weighs less then pretty much all of the ultra light to man three or four season tents out there that realistically only sleep one person.
Post by: Karl Blanchard on January 17, 2018, 08:52:55 AM
As said, value of a tipi depends on the use and even more on the preferences of the user. I've backpacked and backpack hunted for 60 years, including a job leading two week wilderness trips, and have never backpacked a tent.:yeah: great post! I too have come to love the tarp setup for early to mid season.
I prefer to burrow into natural nests that I find under a down tree etc. and use a flat tarp to augment shelter that is already there. A person must sleep well or he will not hunt well, so carry what you need to sleep comfortably. For some of us, that ain't much.
I own several tents for compact camping out of a vehicle, but for almost all of our backpack hunting we have used flat tarps. Flat tarps are infinitely versatile to fit any size or shape of ground, and are not limited by the need to find a pre-determined footprint. Above timberline is the only time I prefer a tent and even then with a tarp I have slept in goat beds on ledges, clumps of waist high brush, against or between boulders, etc. The few times we have carried a tent or pre-shaped tarp have been to try them and without exception my sons and I prefer the versatility of a flat tarp.
I bought my 6 man tipi after two consecutive tough trips with heavy deep snow near timberline hunting the late season in Western WA. I was just going along with son and grandson to keep camp and though we slept warm enough with overlapping flat tarps, a tipi with stove would have been roomier and more comfortable. Have only used the tipi for vehicle camps, from -25F to rainy Septembers. Have really enjoyed the tipi. Pitch it high for more room and especially room at the edge. For more room and less carry weight, discard the center pole and either hang it from a high limb or make an exterior tipi frame/tripod from at least 3 poles and hang the tipi from them.
Flat tarp uses have included buggy summer paddling trips, on a contour trail as the only semi-flat surface on steep ground, as a wall across the open side of a rock overhang, up against a tree to keep from sliding/rolling down on steep ground.
Use a ground sheet. A large leaf bag cut down the sides opens to a good ground sheet for one man.
If you have water under you, you picked the wrong place to sleep. Look at where water will flow and don't sleep there. Find slightly raised ground with natural drainage. On top of a clump of heather is good. Bugs are no problem in most hunting seasons, but a mosquito net from REI will rig under any tarp when needed.
If we limit ourselves to the pre-sewn shapes, supports and tie-outs, and limit ourselves to the manufacturer’s expected use of an item, we severely limit our gear options in the infinite outdoors.
Post by: Okanagan on January 17, 2018, 10:13:05 AM
As said, value of a tipi depends on the use and even more on the preferences of the user. I've backpacked and backpack hunted for 60 years, including a job leading two week wilderness trips, and have never backpacked a tent.:yeah: great post! I too have come to love the tarp setup for early to mid season.
I prefer to burrow into natural nests that I find under a down tree etc. and use a flat tarp to augment shelter that is already there. A person must sleep well or he will not hunt well, so carry what you need to sleep comfortably. For some of us, that ain't much.
I own several tents for compact camping out of a vehicle, but for almost all of our backpack hunting we have used flat tarps. Flat tarps are infinitely versatile to fit any size or shape of ground, and are not limited by the need to find a pre-determined footprint. Above timberline is the only time I prefer a tent and even then with a tarp I have slept in goat beds on ledges, clumps of waist high brush, against or between boulders, etc. The few times we have carried a tent or pre-shaped tarp have been to try them and without exception my sons and I prefer the versatility of a flat tarp.
I bought my 6 man tipi after two consecutive tough trips with heavy deep snow near timberline hunting the late season in Western WA. I was just going along with son and grandson to keep camp and though we slept warm enough with overlapping flat tarps, a tipi with stove would have been roomier and more comfortable. Have only used the tipi for vehicle camps, from -25F to rainy Septembers. Have really enjoyed the tipi. Pitch it high for more room and especially room at the edge. For more room and less carry weight, discard the center pole and either hang it from a high limb or make an exterior tipi frame/tripod from at least 3 poles and hang the tipi from them.
Flat tarp uses have included buggy summer paddling trips, on a contour trail as the only semi-flat surface on steep ground, as a wall across the open side of a rock overhang, up against a tree to keep from sliding/rolling down on steep ground.
Use a ground sheet. A large leaf bag cut down the sides opens to a good ground sheet for one man.
If you have water under you, you picked the wrong place to sleep. Look at where water will flow and don't sleep there. Find slightly raised ground with natural drainage. On top of a clump of heather is good. Bugs are no problem in most hunting seasons, but a mosquito net from REI will rig under any tarp when needed.
If we limit ourselves to the pre-sewn shapes, supports and tie-outs, and limit ourselves to the manufacturer’s expected use of an item, we severely limit our gear options in the infinite outdoors.
Karl, thank you!
Re the ground sheet: ditto that it protects the pad from puncture and sleeping bag as well, and protects it from dampness and dirt also. As you well know (but FWIW) keep the edges of any ground sheet/floor from extending out past the edge of overhanging tarp/fly, which would catch run off water and channel it under the tarp.
Re pads: after using a couple of brands of self inflating backpack pads, I have gone back to closed cell foam. Closed cell is not as comfortable in terms of depth and softness, but it is impervious to puncture, has more insulation for its weight, and never goes flat. OK, I'm a dinosaur. ;) Love BIG THICK self inflating pads for camping from a vehicle to haul them! In that situation, cots are great as well.