Talk me out of a Seek Outside 6-man

Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
438
Location
Canyon Ferry, MT
You could fit two military cots no problem. I've put one in there, with a chair, gear tub, Mr Heater. With two cots a woodstove might not fit very well, but just an opinion.

dLORpXR.jpg


XwtWUsW.jpg


3wrScRG.jpg



My 6-man is about 5.8 lbs wit the carbon fiber pole and aluminum stakes. With the SXL stove it is all up about 9.6 lbs.

Lot's of standing room,

Lp1m14b.jpg


HjyH6Uy.jpg


vBhTKEJ.jpg
 
Last edited:

ellsworb

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
150
Location
Lake Tapps, WA
You could fit two military cots no problem. I've put one in there, with a chair, gear tub, Mr Heater. With two cots a woodstove might not fit very well, but just an opinion.

This is the exact reason I advocate for the low rider cots on the market today. Pushes them further outboard and the stove then becomes much more practical.

Though I still sleep better on my Thermarest Neo-Air than the Helinox.

BTW. . I think you have the best setup pictures of the 6-man.
 
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
438
Location
Canyon Ferry, MT
With the low cots (Helinox, etc), you might even be able to fit three in the 6-man.

The military height cots do force you toward the center pole due to height, but you also have some storage space under the taller cot that helps keep things somewhat organized.
 

Hall256

WKR
Joined
Nov 12, 2016
Messages
359
Location
Virginia
6 man is a great option for what you describe. My friend and I hike in a 6 man tipi (Kifaru) and it is easy to manage between the two of us...one takes the tent, the other takes the stove and poles. We have had it out with three hunters and full winter gear, and it was still plenty big (a 4th guy would have been tough with gear).

Sounds like other agree, I do not think you will be disappointed.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
2,671
I got the Thermarest mesh light low sitting cot to use in my 8 man just so it would go further to the side than the taller cots.
 

ellsworb

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
150
Location
Lake Tapps, WA
I got the Thermarest mesh light low sitting cot to use in my 8 man just so it would go further to the side than the taller cots.

Bingo!

Now can we get a review of that cot? I sure would like to stash one in my gear closet but am just not as confident in the engineering compared to the helinox. I have no good reason for not being confident in it though.
 
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Messages
1,324
Location
Tulsa Ok
We have a similar setup. BPWD Luna 6, Lite outdoors 18" with 8' pipe. Perfect for 3 guys.

Ive done the tipi and smokestack in my yard many times. She'll get used to it.....lol
 

Mansfield Outdoors

FNG
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
69
Location
Seattle Area
Hello hunt1up,

Lots of choices for sure, and I humbly encourage you to take a look at Tentipi as well - Tentipi in Use - Photo Slideshow before making your choice. While new to many here, Tentipi has been making these Nordic tipi's for decades and they are very highly regarded worldwide. While the marketing isn't necessarily filled with antlers and cammo, be assured they're fantastic hunting tents made to handle the weather in the Arctic and beyond.

Through talking with customers everyday I know that one of the biggest questions people have about tipi style tents is in regard to how many they will comfortably accommodate. It's our fault, tent makers always list tents as 5-man, 7-man, 9-man or whatever. I've learned to communicate regarding the actual diameter of the tent. For example our 5-man is 12 ft. in diameter, our 7-man 14 ft., our 9-man is 17 ft. and the 15-man is 20 ft. in diameter.

I often encourage people to use a rope or a garden hose on the lawn, make a circle of the size tent you're considering, and then move around in it a little. Place you pad or sleeping bag(s) where you would intend to place them. If you're going to use cots, go ahead and place the cots inside the circle. If you're going to be using an open fire inside, or a wood stove inside, plan for some extra room around that. Don't forget about room for backpacks and gear as required. Remember the sloping walls of a tipi tent mean that the higher your cot, the further away from the wall it will have to be placed. Also make note of the erected height of the tent you're considering. The desire for stand-up room is once of the biggest reasons people buy tipi tents so take the tent's height into consideration as well.

Finally, I can have any of our gear delivered to you in 5 days or less (not counting weekends/holidays), and please don't hesitate to call or email me directly if I can be of any help in your decision making process.

Regards,

Tom Mansfield
Mansfield Outdoors
425-501-7512
[email protected]
 
Last edited:
OP
hunt1up

hunt1up

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
1,612
Location
Central Illinois
Hello hunt1up,

Lots of choices for sure, and I humbly encourage you to take a look at Tentipi as well - Tentipi in Use - Photo Slideshow before making your choice. While new to many here, Tentipi has been making these Nordic tipi's for decades and they are very highly regarded worldwide. While the marketing isn't necessarily filled with antlers and cammo, be assured they're fantastic hunting tents made to handle the weather in the Arctic and beyond.

Through talking with customers everyday I know that one of the biggest questions people have about tipi style tents is in regard to how many they will comfortably accommodate. It's our fault, tent makers always list tents as 5-man, 7-man, 9-man or whatever. I've learned to communicate regarding the actual diameter of the tent. For example our 5-man is 12 ft. in diameter, our 7-man 14 ft., our 9-man is 17 ft. and the 15-man is 20 ft. in diameter.

I often encourage people to use a rope or a garden hose on the lawn, make a circle of the size tent you're considering, and then move around in it a little. Place you pad or sleeping bag(s) where you would intend to place them. If you're going to use cots, go ahead and place the cots inside the circle. If you're going to be using an open fire inside, or a wood stove inside, plan for some extra room around that. Don't forget about room for backpacks and gear as required. Remember the sloping walls of a tipi tent mean that the higher your cot, the further away from the wall it will have to be placed. Also make note of the erected height of the tent you're considering. The desire for stand-up room is once of the biggest reasons people buy tipi tents so take the tent's height into consideration as well.

Finally, I can have any of our gear delivered to you in 5 days or less (not counting weekends/holidays), and please don't hesitate to call or email me directly if I can be of any help in your decision making process.

Regards,

Tom Mansfield
Mansfield Outdoors
425-501-7512
[email protected]

Thanks for the info on your product. At this point my decision has been made and my gear is already in the mail. I'll surely give your products a look for any future shelter needs though!
 
OP
hunt1up

hunt1up

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
1,612
Location
Central Illinois
The next question...do I leave the wall tent at home altogether? Or use it for base camp and tipi for spike only. I love my wall tent space, but the tipi mobility and size sure is appealing for a main camp too.
 

Mansfield Outdoors

FNG
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
69
Location
Seattle Area
Thanks hunt1up,

Thanks for your response. I'm sure you'll be very happy with the gear you ordered, we just want to be part of the conversation.

If you have the luxury of going in and staying in for the whole season, or at least a a good 10 days or so, then the base camp option combined with at least a couple of 2-3 day backpack hunt trips is a really good way to go. As the Tentipi dealer here in the USA/Canada I obviously have a lot of tents to choose from and so do exactly that. I use a big canvas Zirkon 15 cp with woodstove for base camp and then pack an Onyx 5 Light using an open fire inside for the my solo backpack hunts.

I can only be away from internet/emails/return voicemails for a max of a few days at a time and usually have to drive 60 miles into town between backpack hunts just to get online and get caught up. I'm hunt up near the Canadian border to the North, and not far from the Pacific ocean to the West and virtually never have internet at camp.

I know, I know, hunting season and the woods in general should be a time when a person can unplug from all of that, and I sure wish it was that way but it just isn't. Which begs a question, do you guys in the more central part of the country usually have internet from camp?
 
OP
hunt1up

hunt1up

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
1,612
Location
Central Illinois
Thanks hunt1up,

Thanks for your response. I'm sure you'll be very happy with the gear you ordered, we just want to be part of the conversation.

If you have the luxury of going in and staying in for the whole season, or at least a a good 10 days or so, then the base camp option combined with at least a couple of 2-3 day backpack hunt trips is a really good way to go. As the Tentipi dealer here in the USA/Canada I obviously have a lot of tents to choose from and so do exactly that. I use a big canvas Zirkon 15 cp with woodstove for base camp and then pack an Onyx 5 Light using an open fire inside for the my solo backpack hunts.

I can only be away from internet/emails/return voicemails for a max of a few days at a time and usually have to drive 60 miles into town between backpack hunts just to get online and get caught up. I'm hunt up near the Canadian border to the North, and not far from the Pacific ocean to the West and virtually never have internet at camp.

I know, I know, hunting season and the woods in general should be a time when a person can unplug from all of that, and I sure wish it was that way but it just isn't. Which begs a question, do you guys in the more central part of the country usually have internet from camp?

It varies. There's areas here in Illinois where I hunt and have no service. I can then go to Wyoming and have service in the middle of nowhere. I'd say I have cell service 50-75% of the time.
 
OP
hunt1up

hunt1up

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
1,612
Location
Central Illinois
Well I put the tipi up for a few minutes in the back yard. I need to do it again and seam seal it. The first try took about 5-10 minutes. Pretty awesome. I think we're actually going to forego the wall tent this year due to the fact that we need multiple camps. It'll be so much quicker and easier to move around with the tipi only. Hopefully I can get seams done and stove broken in this weekend.

Here's a few pics.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7545[1].jpg
    IMG_7545[1].jpg
    96.8 KB · Views: 137
  • IMG_7550[1].jpg
    IMG_7550[1].jpg
    96.1 KB · Views: 133

RockChucker30

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Mar 30, 2012
Messages
775
Location
Working
hunt1up, quick word of advice....your pitch got the tipi just a bit bell shaped. This is caused by pegging down the stake loops with the fabric stretched.

Stretch out the fabric, then let it relax. Peg it there, and when you raise the pole you won't have the bell shape down toward the bottom.
 

ellsworb

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
150
Location
Lake Tapps, WA
hunt1up, quick word of advice....your pitch got the tipi just a bit bell shaped. This is caused by pegging down the stake loops with the fabric stretched.

Stretch out the fabric, then let it relax. Peg it there, and when you raise the pole you won't have the bell shape down toward the bottom.

+1. That bell shape will affect the livability and floor space of the tipi. It's counter-intuitive (at least it was to me) until you pitch it. But the "stretch" of the fabric should be from the vertical pole. . .not the lateral staking (if that makes sense).

Once you find it you're going to be amazed at the difference inside.

Then when you stake out all of guy lines you're going to be in Tipi livability heaven!
 
OP
hunt1up

hunt1up

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
1,612
Location
Central Illinois
+1. That bell shape will affect the livability and floor space of the tipi. It's counter-intuitive (at least it was to me) until you pitch it. But the "stretch" of the fabric should be from the vertical pole. . .not the lateral staking (if that makes sense).

Once you find it you're going to be amazed at the difference inside.

Then when you stake out all of guy lines you're going to be in Tipi livability heaven!

Thanks guys. That was clearly my first pitching of the tipi. So you guys stake it out tight first, all the way around? I also ordered more stakes so I can add guy lines too.
 

ChrisS

WKR
Joined
Sep 19, 2013
Messages
859
Location
A fix back east
Thanks guys. That was clearly my first pitching of the tipi. So you guys stake it out tight first, all the way around? I also ordered more stakes so I can add guy lines too.
No. Just stake out one point (I usually start with the doors), when you do the opposite point, pull it snug (not taut), and then bring it back in a foot or so, stake that. Stake a point on one side and then the other side and again pull snug and bring it back in about half-a-foot. At this point you should have a rough square staked out (four points). Then put the center pole in 90% of the way up so that it's sturdy. Stake out the rest of your points and then adjust the center pole so that the fabric is taut. I'll put a flat rock or something under the center pole to keep it from sinking and/or to tighten it up that last bit. Also, unless it's really windy (which WY can be) you don't necessarily have to use all the stakes. I like to leave a little gap for ventilation.

Kevin has a setup guide and a youtube video:

[video=youtube;zFbJZHa5Mnc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFbJZHa5Mnc[/video]
 
OP
hunt1up

hunt1up

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
1,612
Location
Central Illinois
No. Just stake out one point (I usually start with the doors), when you do the opposite point, pull it snug (not taut), and then bring it back in a foot or so, stake that. Stake a point on one side and then the other side and again pull snug and bring it back in about half-a-foot. At this point you should have a rough square staked out (four points). Then put the center pole in 90% of the way up so that it's sturdy. Stake out the rest of your points and then adjust the center pole so that the fabric is taut. I'll put a flat rock or something under the center pole to keep it from sinking and/or to tighten it up that last bit. Also, unless it's really windy (which WY can be) you don't necessarily have to use all the stakes. I like to leave a little gap for ventilation.

Kevin has a setup guide and a youtube video:

[video=youtube;zFbJZHa5Mnc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFbJZHa5Mnc[/video]

Thanks! I just watched that video before reading your post. I was pretty much winging it on my first shot in order to get a look at the thing. I'm good to go now!
 
Top