Tipi tents in bad weather ?

[Timber338]

I've read a few reviews and threads on various brands of tipi tents (kifaru and seek outside in particular) and I am curious how well they stand up in big storms. My hunting buddy wants to get one, and I'm a little hesitant to use them in high winds and/or big snow storms.

Anybody here use them? in bad weather? with stoves?

 

[338edge]

I sent a pm!

 

[Tim in Washington]

I've had my Kifaru 6 man pitched in strong winds and heavy snowfall and it always has held up very well
Tim

 

[westcliffe01]

I think a "real" tipi with several poles around the perimeter will stand up better than any other tent structure. The central monopole style ones, not so much. Tested by native Americans for thousands of years 24/7/365...

 

[Timber338]

I think a "real" tipi with several poles around the perimeter will stand up better than any other tent structure. The central monopole style ones, not so much. Tested by native Americans for thousands of years 24/7/365...

That's a great point ... I had not quite thought about it like that!

But aren't all of the tipi tents made by kifaru/seek outside/etc all central monopole designs? If that's the case does that make all these new center pole tipi tents insufficient for bad weather?
I would certainly thing that any tent with a perimeter pole design would be far too heavy to pack into the wilderness...

 

[mtnwrunner]

I've got a golite SL3 which is a small tipi style with a center pole or if there is an overhanging tree, you can tie it up that way. They really do work great and hold up very well in bad weather. I know that a lot of folks worry about the floorless design but I really like them----you can have a stove, muddy boots, pee if you have to, etc.
Would not be great in buggy spots but even then, you can close them up pretty tight.

Randy

 

[westcliffe01]

Ideally you would "share" the load with a few others... It is tough doing anything solo. Or do like the old timers and get a pack animal...

One can get telescoping carbon fiber tube here Carbon Fiber Telescoping Tubes

If you do use a pack animal, you might go the opposite route and use bamboo poles. They are very strong and light compared to wooden poles. Bamboo Cane - Poles for Fences, Decks, Railings, Tiki and Home Decor

That's a great point ... I had not quite thought about it like that!

But aren't all of the tipi tents made by kifaru/seek outside/etc all central monopole designs? If that's the case does that make all these new center pole tipi tents insufficient for bad weather?
I would certainly thing that any tent with a perimeter pole design would be far too heavy to pack into the wilderness...

 

[srhaggerty]

I've got a golite SL3 which is a small tipi style with a center pole or if there is an overhanging tree, you can tie it up that way. They really do work great and hold up very well in bad weather. I know that a lot of folks worry about the floorless design but I really like them----you can have a stove, muddy boots, pee if you have to, etc.
Would not be great in buggy spots but even then, you can close them up pretty tight.

Randy

I thought the nest had a floor?

 

[mtnwrunner]

I thought the nest had a floor?

Yes, the nest does have a bathtub floor but I don't use the nest most of the time---just the outer shell.

Randy

 

[clambdin]

I've survived a couple of colorado blizzards in my Ti Goat, If your expecting snow take something along to shovel it with ! We spent one night shoveling snow off the tipi every 3 hours but as long as you keep the snow of the sides at the bottom they hold up well !

 

[jmden]

The tipi tent style design with single centerpole, if the centerpole is stong enough, handles wind and snowload about at well as could be expected. I've had mine in storms snapping off live 12" DBH trees all over the place with nary a scratch on the TipiTent. Like any design, there is a learning curve and limitations.

I would not use a carbon pole. I've done some research and at least one manufacturer uses them, but I will not at this point unless I learn new information. Even with a high-temp resin, if close to the stove, the heat and resin may not mix well. Same for bamboo, and how are you going to pack a bamboo pole?

 

[Timber338]

The tipi tent style design with single centerpole, if the centerpole is stong enough, handles wind and snowload about at well as could be expected. I've had mine in storms snapping off live 12" DBH trees all over the place with nary a scratch on the TipiTent. Like any design, there is a learning curve and limitations.

I would not use a carbon pole. I've done some research and at least one manufacturer uses them, but I will not at this point unless I learn new information. Even with a high-temp resin, if close to the stove, the heat and resin may not mix well. Same for bamboo, and how are you going to pack a bamboo pole?

Great point on the carbon center pole... could very likely have issues with high heat.

Overall it sounds like a tipi tent and a stove is the way to keep yourself warm and gear dry in bad conditions.

Looks like there's a few different shapes/styles with the titanium stoves ... is one design better than the rest? looks like they all fall in the 3-5 lb range. Anything tricky about using them? Do they ever throw sparks? I could see that being an issue with synthetic sleeping bag material. I would think it would be pretty easy to melt a bag getting too close to the stove ... or is there just plenty of room on the inside?

 

[jmden]

There are many different opinions about this, all valid in their own right. Of the titanium stoves I've researched, I like the one of the versions that Seek Outside makes that still used a rectangular box shape:

Titanium Wood Stoves - Seek Outside


That said, I do not own one. I do have three sizes of the Kifaru stove to fit the tipitents I have. For me, I like a stove with a flat top and the four legs going down into the soil allows you to stabilize/level a stove in a way that several other designs do not. Are there lighter, perhaps more efficient stoves? Lighter?... definitely. More efficient?...apparently to some...but from what I've seen after a number of years using these lightweight stoves, and designing shelters around them, I personally think the utility is not as great on designs that don't incorporate the two features mentioned. Just me. Many will disagree.

 

[Timber338]

There are many different opinions about this, all valid in their own right. Of the titanium stoves I've researched, I like the one of the versions that Seek Outside makes that still used a rectangular box shape:

Titanium Wood Stoves - Seek Outside


That said, I do not own one. I do have three sizes of the Kifaru stove to fit the tipitents I have. For me, I like a stove with a flat top and the four legs going down into the soil allows you to stabilize/level a stove in a way that several other designs do not. Are there lighter, perhaps more efficient stoves? Lighter?... definitely. More efficient?...apparently to some...but from what I've seen after a number of years using these lightweight stoves, and designing shelters around them, I personally think the utility is not as great on designs that don't incorporate the two features mentioned. Just me. Many will disagree.

This is very helpful... thank you!