seek outside BCS 2 Grand

ndflatlander · Oct 10, 2014

im thinking about purchasing one of these for cold weather backcountry hunts but i cant find any reviews on them. just wondering if anyone on here has one or even seen one. i have used a kifaru sawtooth but thought a side entry would be better like the BCS 2 grand appears to have. any insight would help.

thanks

parshal · Oct 10, 2014

I just got one a week ago. I got the grande as well as the annex. I had a Sawtooth that I sold a while back. The BCS 2 (not the grande) is noticeably smaller than the Sawtooth in all dimensions. The two entries are great with a stove. There is no walking around it to get in and out. It's a two man shelter with gear and stove. The stove jack is in the annex and you can pile wood between the stove and annex. If you both have tons of gear spread out it'll be tight compared to the Sawtooth. Add the grande and you can sleep four although it'll be tight. Three and its a palace.

It has two zippered entries in all configurations. You don't need the zipper flap. SHTF and I stayed in his Sawtooth in the rain and it never leaked and it has no flap. If I'd seen the tent before I got it I would have ordered it without the flaps.

I got the 30d material and its lightweight. I got a 70d 8 man tipi and its a much thicker material. The 70d marginally heavier but definitely bulkier.

In the BCS 2 the standard aluminum pole is almost the same weight as carbon fiber so there's no reason to spend the extra money.

I sold the Sawtooth this past spring after my girlfriend noted she'd prefer a floor. I bought the BCS 2 after staying in SHTF's Sawtooth opening archery weekend in the rain with his stove. I was going to get another Sawtooth but thought I'd try something a bit different. The BCS 2 Grande with the annex gives me three different options. Just the tarp for a three sided shelter, add the annex for a nice winter shelter for one or two and add the Grande for a late season palace. It's still quite a bit smaller than the 8 man and way less bulky.

ndflatlander · Oct 11, 2014

Thanks for the info. I purchased the BCS 2 grand and should have it by the end of next week. I will post pictures once I set it up and maybe give a mini review since there doesn't seem to be too much out there on this shelter just yet.

Screamrider · Oct 12, 2014

ndflatlander said:
Thanks for the info. I purchased the BCS 2 grand and should have it by the end of next week. I will post pictures once I set it up and maybe give a mini review since there doesn't seem to be too much out there on this shelter just yet.

Please do. I'm considering one of these as well but can't find much feedback.

HardcoreHunter · Oct 12, 2014

ndflatlander · Oct 24, 2014

Ok i received my BCS 2 grand yesterday, set it up, and seam sealed it... first impressions are great, seems very well built and durable. Set up went pretty good considering you get zero instructions .. All the stake and guy loops are reinforced very well, the zippers are also very heavy duty, the flap over the zippers i could do without just as parshal noted earlier they easily get caught while zipping up the shelter. I like the vents at the top as far as i can tell there is no way to close them, some people might not like that but it wont bother me much. i haven't put a stove in it yet but judging by the stove jack if you enter from the opposite side getting in and out should be very easy to avoid the stove pipe.. all in all i like it so far like i said i just set it up haven't used it other than that i tried getting some pics of the inside but failed miserably so here are some of the outside... we set it up next to jcbergs sawtooth for comparison... also order a extra tube of seam sealer the one tube you get with it is not enough.View attachment 20054 View attachment 20055 View attachment 20059 View attachment 20060 View attachment 20061

parshal · Oct 24, 2014

I can't see the pics on Tapatalk. I'd like to see it next to the Sawtooth.

I didn't receive any seam sealer with mine. I used GE Silicone II from Lowe's. I thinned it with mineral spirits and it worked great.

With the Grande there are no setbacks like there are with the standard model so setup is simple. The setback on the standard is only a small setback so it's pretty easy as well.

To close the vents you bend the wire flat that keeps it open. It's meant to be bent to whatever shape you want.

bjaegers · Oct 24, 2014

yeah no pic's on regular site either.

ndflatlander · Oct 24, 2014

Any tips on how to get pictures up?? I'm new to this and obviously a moron soooo...

Jcberg · Oct 24, 2014

Screamrider · Oct 24, 2014

ndflatlander said:
Any tips on how to get pictures up?? I'm new to this and obviously a moron soooo...

I've always just used the "insert image" right above the quick reply box I'm currently typing in....then go to "from computer", and done. Pics can be finicky though. Looking forward to seeing them and more feedback once you test out the shelter.

I'm still torn between this and a SO 8 man tipi.

Jcberg · Oct 24, 2014

Jcberg · Oct 24, 2014

Jcberg · Oct 24, 2014

ndflatlander · Oct 24, 2014

jcberg you the man

thanks

parshal · Oct 24, 2014

Screamrider said:
I'm still torn between this and a SO 8 man tipi.

I bought both the BCS Grande and an 8-man at the same time. I got the 8-man in the 70d material. I love them both. The 8-man obviously has a lot more room to stand up but it's also quite a bit more bulky. Mine with all the guylines, linelocs, stovejack, seamsealed and half liner is just over 9.5 lbs. The carbon fiber pole is barely over a pound. I plan on using the BCS as my primary packing shelter. I'll bring the Grande if necessary. The 8-man will be a basecamp shelter near the truck.

I guyed out my BCS a bit differently than ND's pics. I ran a long single line from the center rear point so I can use a stick or pole to raise it. I also put linelocs on on all the guyouts. I got them from z-packs and they use a ribbon so you can easily attach and remove them from the guyout. By using a single line from the last side guyout you can really get the shelter taught over the back area.

ndflatlander · Oct 24, 2014

I might redo it that way. I did it this way for the least amount of guy line stakes. jcberg and i talked about using trekking poles for added support and to raise the ends a bit (like the sawtooth) under each of the end guy outs. might try it quick before i take it down.

parshal · Oct 24, 2014

One thing about the Grande vs the "standard" model is the location of the stove jack and its impact on the use of the doors. With the annex the stove jack is in the center allowing the same access from either door. With the Grande, the stove jack is off to the side (visible in the pics) of one of the sections. Although I've not put a burning stove in the Grande yet, it would seem this setup will mean you'll have to be careful entering/exiting that door when the stove is burning.

ndflatlander · Oct 24, 2014

this is true the way i intend to use it with the stove is to enter only from the door opposite of the stove jack. i probably wouldn't use the other door at all except to possibly unzip half way for loading wood.

fillthefreezer · Oct 24, 2014

so is it long enough to have a sleeping pad on the ground, and then enter through the door, leaving space to enter, and there forward?

seek outside BCS 2 Grand

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