Tipi or Free Standing Tent

[Old Bear]

I'm trying to decide between a tipi type tent using trekking poles or a free standing tent utilizing specific tent poles.
I back pack hunt so weight is a major factor. I want a 3 season, 2 person tent for the extra gear room and on a occasion a 2nd person. Floorless doesn't bother me, but weight and interior height are factors.
I have experience in heavy rain with a Kifaru Super tarp so want a little more protection.
What's your experience and what type of tent would you suggest I go with?
Thanks,
Old Bear

 

[Mosby]

I would look at Tarptents even though they are not what I would call a Tipi type tent. I am going with a SS1 which uses hiking poles for support and has a ton of vestibule space. Weight is around 35 ozs and it has plenty of room to sit up in etc. It is a double wall tent and the inner liner w/floor can be removed if I decide I don't need it, which saves weight as well. It has more space for the weight than some other backpack tents I looked at. My other backpack tents are free standing and this should be about half the weight of what I currently have. It is supposed to be a great tent in bad weather.

They make an extremely large two man version but the SS1 is plenty big for me and gear. I personally prefer a double wall tent but they have some great single wall tents as well. A freestanding model I would consider is a Bowfin but they have some lighter weight models and single wall versions available. Weight vs features and size. Six Moon Designs also has some nice tents I would look at.

If I was using exclusively at altitude for extended periods and or wanted a stove for cold weather, I would consider a Kifaru Sawtooth. As you probably know they offer some nice Tipi tents as well. I sometimes hunt where having a inner liner and floor is important to keep out things that crawl. I don't want share my sleeping space with a copperhead or friends. A Hilleberg might be another solution if you want a freestanding tent with a lot of space and call it a day. I am sure others can provide specific experience with them

In interest of full disclosure, I have not previously used Tarptents and am going off reviews, pictures and published measurements for my purchase. I also suck at buying tents which is why I am buying another, so take that for what it is worth.

 

[amp713]

Are you running the super tarp alone.? What about adding an annex and stove to your set up vs getting a whole different set up?

What about getting a mega tarp? What is it precisely you don't like about the super tarp set up. That may help determine guys recommendations that they have

 

[Beendare]

I have a tipi....tarptent....and about 6 more tents....yeah, too much gear I know.

I think HS Tarptents are a great choice for ultra light....but be aware they are really a 3 season tent.

Tipis are another good option...but with a bit of a learning curve- strong/light.

I do think the above advice is excellent- get or have an inner built for your existing setup super tarp---could be the best of both worlds for you.

there is a couple of guys on the DIY doing custom shelters I bet would do it.

 

[tttoadman]

I have gone to nothing but tipi or single pole tents that can handle any weather. I had my 3 season tent go flat on the ground in a few inches of wet snow. I don't want to go through that again.

 

[Old Bear]

Thank you ALL ! Great suggestions that I will follow up on.

 

[go4thegusto]

My learning curve has been a little different. We started out with a 2 man single pole and struggled with finding flat ground large enough for both. (We run and gun with everything in our pack and typically are setting up in dark). Then went to single tarps and Jimmy tarps. Did not like the tailed out unusable space, wind resistance, complex pitch.

Current solution is a Terra Nova laser, I typically leave inner tent at home unless bugs expected. Outer fly has loop pole and a couple little poles at ends. More stable and more usable space without rubbing against sides with bag. Liking it a lot. You can do same with Kuiu I believe. My take....

 

[Old Bear]

My use for this tent or tipi is I leave the truck and carry everything on my back for the next 3-5 days, thus the need for a light 2p (I like the extra room) tent. My experience with non free standing tents/ tipi, is I ran the Super Tarp alone pitched it in a good rain storm, ground was hard and could only get 3 pegs in ground. there were very few rocks large/heavy enough to use to tie off to. Finally got it pitched and it held thru the night of continuous rain and kept me dry. This experience made me think about using a free standing tent, yes I know it has to be staked down but in a pinch I could set it up and jump in with myself and gear to hold it down. Draw back to a tent vs tipi is I cant use a wood stove in it.
What do you all think?

 

[tttoadman]

My use for this tent or tipi is I leave the truck and carry everything on my back for the next 3-5 days, thus the need for a light 2p (I like the extra room) tent. My experience with non free standing tents/ tipi, is I ran the Super Tarp alone pitched it in a good rain storm, ground was hard and could only get 3 pegs in ground. there were very few rocks large/heavy enough to use to tie off to. Finally got it pitched and it held thru the night of continuous rain and kept me dry. This experience made me think about using a free standing tent, yes I know it has to be staked down but in a pinch I could set it up and jump in with myself and gear to hold it down. Draw back to a tent vs tipi is I cant use a wood stove in it.
What do you all think?

I haven't done this on the tipis yet, but I have 24" loop guylines on all of my single wall tarps and tents. Choke a rock or find a pc of blow down to hook to. Nice to be able to pitch really high when the weather allows.

 

[MTSabo]

Just a thought but you may want to check out some different stakes specifically built for the kind of ground your pounding them into.

 

[Old Bear]

Thank you to all for your ideas and time spent posting them.
A friend gave me a tip. He carries one 7" spike type nail, carrying 8-10 would be too heavy, and uses that as a pilot hole driver on hard ground. He then uses Y type aluminum, Light weight, tent pegs and solved the hard ground problem that way. I'm going that route for now and will let you know how that works.
Thanks again my friends.

 

[MTSabo]

Thank you to all for your ideas and time spent posting them.
A friend gave me a tip. He carries one 7" spike type nail, carrying 8-10 would be too heavy, and uses that as a pilot hole driver on hard ground. He then uses Y type aluminum, Light weight, tent pegs and solved the hard ground problem that way. I'm going that route for now and will let you know how that works.
Thanks again my friends.

Sounds like a great solution to me