Need advice on shelter, Cimmaron or Redcliffe or ??

Joined
Feb 10, 2018
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Hey guys, I'm in the market for a shelter and a little up in the air about what I want. I'm looking to primarily camp with the family, mostly in the spring, summer and fall. Some of this will be backpacking. I am also looking to do a backcountry hunt in September. My wife and I have 4 children, from age 10 to 5 months. Cost is not the biggest factor, but I also don't want to go crazy. I have been reading and researching for weeks now and have sort of landed on Seek Outside. I like the Redcliffe, because I think it would have plenty of room for us, but feel like I would really need a nest since we camp in the summer alot. I live in TN and the mosquitos will almost carry you away in the summer. I don't want to spend what it would cost to buy the Redcliffe and 2 half nest. I do like the idea of the Cimmaron and the full nest. I know that it would not be idea for a family the size of mine, but with my children being so young, I'm guessing we would be fine for several years. My backcountry hunt will just have 2 of us, so the size of the shelter won't matter much here, other than the weight of packing it in. Could anyone share some experience, advice, pictures, etc... that would help me make up my mind. Thanks.
 
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Just my opinion, but I'd say the Cimmaron is way too small, and the Redcliffe either already is or will be soon! When you're backpacking with the family - how far in are you going? Is weight much of an issue? Maybe you get the Cimmaron and you've got a great backcountry hunting shelter for two, and supplement it with an inexpensive 4 person backpacking tent and take both for the family trips. Your older ones can start having their "own" place and you'll all probably get better sleep not tripping over each other!:)

The other alternative is get the Redcliffe alone and try to squeeze in for a year or two, and then supplement it with the Cimmaron or some small backpacking tent for the older kids at a later date.
 

4ester

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That’s the thing about kids, they’d tend to grow. I’d recommend the Redcliffe just so you aren’t buying another shelter here in a few years.


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RockChucker30

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For a wife and 4 kids I'd be looking at something from a Redcliff to 8 or even a 12 person. I think the Redcliff would make a very comfortable camp for two on a hunt, and the weight would still break up ok. Anything bigger is going to get heavy for backpacking for less than 3 people.

On the family camping side...get something big enough that Mom isn't driven nuts by the kiddos. Happy wife happy life.
 
OP
W
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I was afraid that would be the consensus. Backpacking throughout the year we aren't going far. Here in TN there isn't many places that you can stray too far from a road. My only gripe about the Redcliffe is the price of getting the shelter and adding some nest to it. The Cimmaron with a full next is still cheaper than the Redcliffe alone. If I were to add 2 half next to the redcliffe I'm approaching $2k! Is there a better option to get the next out there that I haven't found yet?
 
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......... The Cimmaron with a full next is still cheaper than the Redcliffe alone. If I were to add 2 half next to the redcliffe I'm approaching $2k!.......

LOL welcome to the club.

We have accumulated a 12x14 wall tent, 12-man tipi, 6-man tipi, and a Silvertip............now I think I need a Cimarron......it's nuts.
 

Skeeter

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May 5, 2016
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Definitely two shelters. Couldn’t imagine 6 people in any of those shelters, including the 12 man (although it would probably work). For the 8-man I really don’t care for more than 3 people.
 

bcimport

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I have 3 kids and I run an 8 man SO tipi. It’s plenty of space and we have had an extra couple kids in there too, even with the wood stove. When everyone is full grown I suspect we will still fit but you’ll have to be on pads on the ground not cots, they eat up too much space.
 

dog812

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Apr 11, 2015
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You want something big enough everyone won't kill each other if it rains for a day. Even my 12x22' wall tent gets tight with three People all day.
 

dog812

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Apr 11, 2015
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You could go lbo base, connecting tarp, lbo base... Nests in either end, and a couple bivy for the older ones in the middle.
Or even a chinese net tent in the middle like below.
Then take out the connector fur hunting.

f4b748fddeb8e28045ea109bb7616eb4.jpg
 
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Kevin_t

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FYI You can use the 4 person Cimarron nest in the Redcliff if desired WITHOUT a stove. The full Cimarron nest will sleep 4 kiddos pretty easily. However, you can not use that and a 2 person nest to boot in a Redcliff. Also , the Redcliff and Cimarron pole are essentially the same pole, meaning if you have a Redlciff, the pole can be used in a Cimarron if you went a two shelter route.

As for mosquitos, I do not live in TN, but have done a fair amount of testing. The newish backpacker Thermacell works pretty well as long as it is not windy. That may be an option and avoid nests all together.
 
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