Welcome Mansfield Outdoors Hunting Tents

robby denning

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Hey Roksliders,

Please welcome Tom Mansfield, owner of Mansfield Outdoors. Tom is the exclusive American distributor of the Swedish Tentipi, Nordic Tipi, Tentstoves and accessories.


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I've been working with Tom the last month to become familiar with his unique line of hunting tents and accessories.

First, although I use lightweight silnylon single-wall hunting tents a lot, many of you know I also have an affinity to canvas tents for a variety of reasons, one being lack of condensation, and another is durability.

Thread after thread appears on Rokslide about the pesky condensation problem of tents that don't breath, yet canvas tents have little if any problem in that area. That is why you'll still see me using them in a variety of situations. Here is my old go-to Army tent. 67 years old and still has a few seasons left in it.
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Tom has worked hard to bring the advantages of lightweight canvas tipi tents to the U.S. This is not the heavy canvas you're probably thinking of, but a much lighter thinner fabric perfect for our style of hunting. Like much of our top mountaineering gear, the best originates in Europe and the line of Mansfield tents borrows from that proven test bed. His Zirkon, Safir, Onyx lines offer something for just about every western backcountry hunter. Every tent is also offered in a lightweight nylon option, too.

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I see the canvas line very applicable to base campers, or multi-member backpacking trips. If weight is the deciding factor, then the nylon line is your huckleberry.

Mansfield Outdoors is now an official Rokslide sponsor and offers a huge line of tipitents, both canvas and nylon. Tom's website is very thorough and interesting, so grab a cup before you click the link. You'll want to stay a while (wait till you see the stove-less options!). Tom will also be publishing some articles on Rokslide and we're arranging some testing by our staff in the coming months. I have a feeling Roksliders will be very happy to know this company exists.

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Website: Mansfield Outdoors
 
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Mansfield Outdoors

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Thanks for the warm welcome Robby.

Mansfield Outdoors is very happy to be aboard as a sponsor and we look forward to interacting on the site. Any questions about Tentipi products and accessories are certainly encouraged here, and I'll do my best to add to other discussions as well If I have anything meaningful to contribute.

As a lifelong hunter I very much enjoy exploring the content here and look forward to meeting some of the Rokslide membership. So let me begin by simply saying hello!

Tom Mansfield
Mansfield Outdoors/Tentipi
 

realunlucky

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Welcome Mansfield! Looking forward to seeing more and following the reviews. I've been thinking of a canvas wall tent for late season but have held off for two main reasons 1. Hassle of putting up and down by myself 2. Just the bulk they take up when in transit from storage to field. It's a consideration without a pickup for sure. Looks like your tents address most of these concerns.

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Mansfield Outdoors

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Thanks realunlucky,

Yes we'll be looking forward to some reviews from the Rokslide staff too.

I sure understand what you mean about the big, bulky canvas tents of old. I too came from that world and made the decision to pursue the distribution rights to Tentipi here in North America specifically because of how well I thought this line would do versus them.

Thanks again for the nice welcome, and please don't hesitate to contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns about the Tentipi product lineup when you're ready.
 

SHTF

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Welcome to the family Tom. Looking forward to seeing more about your shelters. Currently use the 70lbs flexbow tent 10x10 it's my go to car camping/base camp shelter. I will surf around your site and probably be in touch.


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Mansfield Outdoors

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Thanks SHTF,

Cool User name!

That Flexbow is a nice tent too, a guy in out hunting party has one so I'm around it all the time. I'm obviously partial to the Tentipi tents though, for a number of reasons, and am happy to discuss any questions you might have about them. Thanks for the "hello"!

Regards,
 

SHTF

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Thanks SHTF,

Cool User name!

That Flexbow is a nice tent too, a guy in out hunting party has one so I'm around it all the time. I'm obviously partial to the Tentipi tents though, for a number of reasons, and am happy to discuss any questions you might have about them. Thanks for the "hello"!

Regards,

Thanks Tom. Im sure we will be talking soon. :p
 

ATX762

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This is pretty exciting stuff, I think most of us prefer wall tents except we can't carry them. These things seem like the best of both worlds. Looking through the website, there is almost a 100% price difference between some of the different tent models. Possible to go into the practical differences between them? I think most of us who use Kifaru or TiGoat sil-nylon tipis are used to pretty basic features--zipper, vent at the top, with venting at the bottom dependent on how you stake the tent out.

Obviously I'm most interested in the cotton blend tents--is there a breathability difference between the different models? I'd be running it with a wood stove most of the time.
 

SHTF

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I am really digging this setup. having an open pit fire in the middle of your tipi is about as legit as it gets.

[video=youtube;-VdHGAkAVEs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VdHGAkAVEs&index=12&list=PLyAJs9DNZp2dhKFNidz7BfBINL0BaDXQK[/video]
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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That is incredible James. I was surprised at just how big of fire they had going in that tipi. I wanna try it!


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Mansfield Outdoors

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This is pretty exciting stuff, I think most of us prefer wall tents except we can't carry them. These things seem like the best of both worlds. Looking through the website, there is almost a 100% price difference between some of the different tent models. Possible to go into the practical differences between them? I think most of us who use Kifaru or TiGoat sil-nylon tipis are used to pretty basic features--zipper, vent at the top, with venting at the bottom dependent on how you stake the tent out.

Obviously I'm most interested in the cotton blend tents--is there a breathability difference between the different models? I'd be running it with a wood stove most of the time.

Hello again Roksliders,


Thanks for the questions. Yes, the open fire option is really nice to have. Always available when you want it, nothing extra when you don't. And while it's a "new" concept to some, we always point out that indigenous peoples have been using open fires inside tipi's for thousands of years, it's not like we invented the idea.

I actually got involved as the North American distributor of Tentipi's products as a result of having invented and developed a very different kind of ultralight wood burning stove, much different than anything out there. I spent two years field testing, perfecting prototypes, and cutting ounces everywhere possible. When I was finally ready to put them into production, I knew I wanted to match them with a tipi style tent. At the time my goal was a sub 4 lb. tent/stove combination. I researched every tipi style tent on the market but every once in a while I'd get glimpses of this brand out of Sweden called Tentipi. The more I researched the more I liked them.

When I eventually traveled to Sweden to see their gear and show them my UL woodstove, they really liked it, complemented me on it, but they had a sort of wry grin the whole time. Then they showed me one of their tents with an open fire inside. It was at that moment that I realized the the best, lightest, UL stove on the market wasn't a stove at all, it was a tent, a tent capable of accommodating a small open fire inside! Today, when I backpack hunt high, I don't even bring the woodstove I invented, I too choose an open fire versus a UL woodstove.

There are certainly some excellent UL tipi's on the market, still, the more I saw of the Tentipi's the more I liked. They do weigh a little more than some of the popular brands used by members of this site, but I personally found the benefits of the features that contribute to the extra weight more than worth it. The extra weight comes from, for instance:

- A fully mosquito netted, open/closeable top of the tipi. Tentipi's patented In-Tent Vent system enables the user to just pull a drawcord or two to open the top a little or a lot. Whether just to ventilate the tent or to accommodate an open fire this option really sets these tents apart. Each drawcord has a negative force pulling it back closed so all you have to do is release the toggle and the top snaps back shut. Whether using an open fire, woodstove, or just venting the heat on a hot sunny day, the ventilation options built into these tents are designed to take full advantage of the natural chimney effect a tipi's shape creates.

- Full storm flaps/sod flaps all around the bottom of the tent, made with high-tenacity silicone coated polyamide fabric. Really beneficial for example when you have to chip ice off the fabric all around the bottom of the tent to pack it up.

- Storm cords, attached at the correct positions all around the outside of the tent. These storm cords are rolled up and locked into place on the tent when you don't need them, but are always immediately ready to deploy when you do. In truth however, I've rarely ever used them. Just haven't needed them, these Nordic tipi's handle wind extremely well without the storm cords, but with them there is just no tent shape better at handling extreme winds, blizzards, etc. The storm cords are removable if desired which saves a lot of weight, but like the steel stakes, this weight is included in the quoted weight specifications of each tent.

- Breathable fabric. Most of the members of this site know all about the problems condensation causes inside single-walled nylon tents where every breath you exhale, every pot of water you boil, contacts the walls of the tent, cools, and turns right back into water. Tentipi's cotton/polyester fabric is truly a breakthrough. It's expensive, no question, (manufactured in Europe), and certainly a little heavier than nylon, but it is an incredible tent fabric. Cotton canvas tents have been around for hundreds of years for a lot of good reasons, the difference is that this fabric is a cotton/polyester blend which provides all the benefits of a breathable fabric, while the polyester adds tremendous strength and lifespan. The result is a tent fabric which is about half the weight of a typical wall tent's fabric while possessing twice the tensile strength. This specialty fabric is what enables even our largest canvas tents to pack up much smaller, weigh much less, and set up/take down much more quickly than canvas tents of old.

- Double felled seams, heavier but Tentipi Nordic tipi's do not need to be seam sealed by the customer/user.

- Stove/chimney opening is standard on all tents (except the Olivin).

- All tents come standard with a mosquito-netted front door for ventilation and a view.

Regarding the price differences between the tent models, I will first off say that I certainly understand that it takes a little while to understand all of the options and differences. I always encourage customers to feel free to call me directly to discuss sizes, fabric options, etc. Sometimes a real conversation can cover a lot more ground than pages of websites. But, to be fair, I finally realized that we are the "newbies" to this lineup, Tentipi is legendary in Scandinavia and has been making these Nordic tipi's for a very long time. All of the options and fabric choices and such were added slowly, over many years, as Tentipi developed. Seeing it all for the first time can indeed be a little overwhelming.

In short however, Tentipi Nordic tipi's come in 5 different sizes - 15, 9, 7, 5, or 2 persons. Unfortunately, it's hard to really get an idea of the best size choice from these numbers. For example, while our size 15 could sleep 15 people, there's no way I would want to stay in a hunting camp with 15 guys in it. I've found the better way to explain the tent sizes is to use the diameter instead - a size 15 is 20 ft. in diameter, a size 9 is 17 ft., size 7 is 14 ft., size 5 is 12 ft., and finally our smallest, the Olivin is 9 ft. in diameter.

Each Tentipi Nordic tipi is available in either ripstop nylon or cotton/polyester canvas.

Finally, within those choices, there are also three "ranges" of features and fabrics which are broken down and assigned the names of some of planet Earth's strongest minerals, the Safir (Sapphire) range, the Zirkon range, and the Onyx range.

The Safir range is our "Pro" range and these tents are made from the absolute finest cotton/polyester fabric available globally. In the cotton/polyester versions the "Pro" canvas is heavier-duty than the other ranges, UV protected, and will provide the greatest lifespan.

In the nylon versions of the Safir range, the fabric is called Traillix P which is one of the strongest and finest lightweight fabrics available on the tent market. Very lightweight, waterproof and manufactured with nylon 66, ripstop reinforced, silicone coated on both sides and is UV protected.

The Safir range has three very large, fully mosquito-netted, ground vents around the bottom of the tent and provides the best ventilation options. Particularly when using an open fire inside, it's important to open an air vent to enable some incoming air for the fire to consume. Having three vents to choose from enables the user to, for example, open only the downwind vent in a blizzard or heavy rain. The Safir range comes with the In-Tent Ventilation System for opening/closing the top of the tent, and full reinforced fabric around the bottom.


The Zirkon range, our "Comfort" range, has just one large, mosquito-netted air vent, opposite the main door. The Zirkon range includes the In-Tent Ventilation System with drawcords for opening/closing the top of the tent.

The Onyx range, our "Base" range, has a simplified top which can open fully, but doesn't allow as many variations as the full In-Tent Ventilation system, and does not include any ground vents and does not include the reinforced fabric around the bottom of the tent.

I realize I'm starting to write a book here so I'll cut it short now. But again, thanks for your questions, please do feel free to ask any additional questions here in the forum or feel free to call or email me directly.

Tom Mansfield
Mansfield Outdoors
Seattle, WA USA
www.mansfieldoutdoors.com

425-501-7512
 
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Mansfield Outdoors

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Thanks AK,

Alaska is definitely one of our better markets, closest to the climate in Sweden I suppose. Do let me know if I can help with any questions.
 

ScottH

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Tom,
How about some more info on the ultralight wood burning stove you have developed. Thanks
 

Mansfield Outdoors

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Tom,
How about some more info on the ultralight wood burning stove you have developed. Thanks

Hello Scott,

I appreciate the question but I may still put them into production at some point so want to keep the details private until then. As mentioned previously, even as the inventor/developer of a fantastic ultralight stove, I appreciate the simplicity of an open fire inside versus any UL stove and so don't even use it much myself.
 
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