True 2 person tent for November hunts

[cRoe04]

I am looking to increase my tent quiver to include a late season backpacking tent. I also hunt with a partner so a truly usable 2 person tent is important to us. In Montana November snow is a very real concern and a 4 season double wall is the direction I am leaning. Stone glacier is local but I don't think the skyscraper is a true 2 person sized tent. I have heard very mixed reviews on the Kuiu Storm Star that make my timid to give it a try. I can get a Mountain Hardware Tango for a huge discount, but that seems like overkill for all but the snowiest of days. Hilleberg Nammatj 3 would probably be the no-brainer answer but I don't have enough experience with their tents to spend that level of money. Any thoughts?

 

[*zap*]

sounds like the Tango wins.

 

[BugleMeTimber]

I've got the SG SkyScraper 2P and it is a great tent. Yes, it is tight with two people with two inflatable pads but plenty of room lengthwise. Nice having the vestibule on each side so you don't climb over each other and separate storage. Easy to set up and different options for different seasons. Have put it through snow and high winds with no complaints. No experience with the other tents mentioned.

 

[TaperPin]

I think there’s a lot of variability in conditions and preferences backpackers have to contend with in cold and snow - don’t make the mistake of getting a 9 lb monster that would survive a late caribou hunt out on the open tundra. In Colorado the hiking club I was in would go to Rocky Mountain National Park every other weekend to hike, ski, snowshoe, backpack, or whatever - rain, snow or shine, year round. Not once did we ever see, or hear of someone’s 3 season tent failing when winter camping - in our group or anyone we ran across. Well, one idiot said they didn’t knock the snow off on purpose and 10” of snow pushed the top in and sprung back out.

Double wall will keep you and your gear much drier. A slightly larger version than your regular fall tent means less touching the mesh and less frost falling on your bag.

For winter conditions (or just steep muddy slopes) I have absolutely no idea why more hunters don’t use a simple set of hinged crampons. You’ll go up steeper slopes faster, easier and safer. The SMC hinged model is ideal - avoid anything sold anywhere else unless the design is just like these. The straps are durable, the heat treated steel will never wear out, the hinged design is easy to walk in, they fit normal boots, and are pretty light weight. Used they often go for under $50. If your buddy doesn’t have a pair he literally can’t hunt the same steep slopes.

One October a storm was coming and every hunter and outfitter would be leaving the high country - I jumped at the opportunity, backpacked in, sat in the tent for a day until snow stopped and two days later shot a bull from just in front of the tent. I never saw another hunter on any ridge until two days after the snow stopped. An out of state horse hunter offered to lend me his pack mule to get the elk out, but I said it’s so steep and muddy where the bull is the mule would either say no way Jose (most likely), or kill itself sliding down a slope it couldn’t get back up.

 

[t_carlson]

I use a Hilleberg Akto and it is great. Whatever their 2-person model is would be my first choice.

November is not a time to mess around with tent failures.

 

[Mcnasty]

For what its worth....I have a very old Bibler I tent (now owned by Black diamond ) single wall that I love and it my go to when I know its going to be high wind and snow or limited set up space its very tight for 2. The trango mentioned above by Zap is tried and true and there are multiple copies of its design out there. I thnk the Black diamond/bibler Eldorado is a single wall version similar to the Trango. The Trango is heavy AF on a relative scale to me but not nearly as heavy as a expedition dome like tent. If I was going me stuck in a tent for a 5 day storm the Trango or similar would be what I would want. TaperPin mentioned he has never seen a 3 season fail from show and I would tend to agree with this under most conditions where you are present, wake up every 2 hrs or more to clear the snow. If you are leaving camp to climb or hunt every day you could easily have wind load snow and drifting much greater than the accumulation on the ground that would take out most 3 season tents. Lastly many of the ultra light shelters like the big Agnes tiger wall which I own and love I would not trust in much more than a dusting. Its always a space/weight/and stability trade off with true 4 season mountaineering tents. Pyramids are another good option. In my experience
they are great when the round is not frozen solid or the snow is deep enough to use other anchors. the no snow frozen solid ground scenario can be tough to anchor them properly to handle the wind and snow. good luck

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I am looking to increase my tent quiver to include a late season backpacking tent. I also hunt with a partner so a truly usable 2 person tent is important to us. In Montana November snow is a very real concern and a 4 season double wall is the direction I am leaning. Stone glacier is local but I don't think the skyscraper is a true 2 person sized tent. I have heard very mixed reviews on the Kuiu Storm Star that make my timid to give it a try. I can get a Mountain Hardware Tango for a huge discount, but that seems like overkill for all but the snowiest of days. Hilleberg Nammatj 3 would probably be the no-brainer answer but I don't have enough experience with their tents to spend that level of money. Any thoughts?

I've heard the storm star is an awesome tent.

I've ran 2 people in the the Skyscraper quite a few times. The inner side walls are vertical, and past vertical (flaring outward) towards the top slightly. It's very tall, long, while being acceptably wide, and what I would call a true 2P. Especially when you open the inner doors to get more width while changing or moving around.

If looking at hilleberg I would consider a 2 or 3-man tunnel tent with dual vestibules on either end or similar. They are awesome tents.

 

[Bearsears]

Just to throw another option at you, why not a Seek Outside Cimarron and a small stove? Especially if we are looking at 2 guys late season backpacking. The ability to dry stuff out or stand up is wonderful when you are tent bound by a storm. Weight is negligible when split between 2 guys. Storm worthiness is on par with the other options. Heck if you are moving alot you dont even have to set the stove up until you feel you need it. For you need, I just dont see a downside. I pack my Cimarron and stove solo if I dont have anyone going with me. Its wonderful and an argument could be made that there is some safety factor to it if your gear gets really wet.

 

[TAArrowood]

I've had the Northface VE25 for years and swear by it.. It is a three person 4 season, but is tight with three, but 2 is perfect even with gear.. I've had mine completely snowed under with no damage to tent... Good luck with your choice.. I personally prefer a dome tent when snow can be deep..

 

[cRoe04]

Just to throw another option at you, why not a Seek Outside Cimarron and a small stove? Especially if we are looking at 2 guys late season backpacking. The ability to dry stuff out or stand up is wonderful when you are tent bound by a storm. Weight is negligible when split between 2 guys. Storm worthiness is on par with the other options. Heck if you are moving alot you dont even have to set the stove up until you feel you need it. For you need, I just dont see a downside. I pack my Cimarron and stove solo if I dont have anyone going with me. Its wonderful and an argument could be made that there is some safety factor to it if your gear gets really wet.

Clearly a tipi tent will shed snow as well as anything, no problems with water or snowpack coming in around the bottom? The idea of having a stove is big, especially when the snow really starts to fly. For horse packing trips we always take a wall tent and stove so I know the value in being able to dry off all your gear overnight. I have never owned or known anyone who has a tipi to give it a shot, it is as foreign as can be to me.

 

[Bearsears]

There is a ton on info on them on youtube so you can get an idea. The Seek Outside units have what they call a "sod skirt" Its extra fabric below the stake out points. Once you stake it out this fabric blocks rain or snow blowing in. You can also put rocks, sticks, snow on the skirt around the outside to really block any potential. Ive been in my Redcliff in a snow storm that was blowing sideways and never had snow getting in. Maybe an occasional flake from the stove jack.

The biggest complaint people have with these type of shelters is condensation on the walls. You can mitigate this by either adding a liner that Seek makes or by running the stove. I dont have any liners for mine, The stove seems to dry it all up pretty quick and I bring a sponge to wipe them off if need be.

Check out Seekoutside's youtube channel and podcast and youll get all the info you ever wanted.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

For two full grown men, none of the “tunnel style” tents are an option for me at all. I need to have room to stretch out and sit all the way up.

 

[Dos Perros]

The tipi would be nice, and I have a couple of them, but I just don't think they buck the wind like a free standing tent. If you hunt places you can get out of the wind and there is wood to burn it may be a better option, especially if you have two dudes to split the tent and stove.

 

[Mansfield Outdoors]

…encourage a look at Tentipi’s Olivin 2’s. Comes with full inner-tent for best-in-class protection from everything, but can be used as shell only for lightest weight.

Also available in a lightweight canvas version!




See them here - www.mansfieldoutdoors.com

 

[id450]

Check out argali


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sneaky]

For two full grown men, none of the “tunnel style” tents are an option for me at all. I need to have room to stretch out and sit all the way up.

Kaitium and Keron series from Hille have tons of room to sit up in. Vertical walls on both ends, huge vestibules, especially in the GT versions. Nallo and Nammatj suck for tall people with that sloping rear wall.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[daisy024]

My husband and I have the Kuiu Storm Star. We've been happy with it so far and took it caribou hunting in Alaska in August. The tent was 10-15 degrees warmer inside than outside. Both of our Nemo Tensor wide sleeping pads fit the width and the doors/vestibules on each side are nice.

 

[Leverwalker]

My husband and I have the Kuiu Storm Star. We've been happy with it so far and took it caribou hunting in Alaska in August. The tent was 10-15 degrees warmer inside than outside. Both of our Nemo Tensor wide sleeping pads fit the width and the doors/vestibules on each side are nice.

Daisy, can I ask how tight the Nemos fit there? My son and I both have the Exped 8R wide (mine is LW, his is MW), which comes in at 25.6", wondering if the Storm Star would handle these side by side.

 

[daisy024]

Daisy, can I ask how tight the Nemos fit there? My son and I both have the Exped 8R wide (mine is LW, his is MW), which comes in at 25.6", wondering if the Storm Star would handle these side by side.

They are snug, but not crushing each other. I have my pad fully inflated and my husband's is slightly less. The Storm Star is wider at the head end than foot, so the foot area is tighter. That being said, the two pads could move independently. I tend to gator roll during sleep and my pad always slid toward the foot at night. My husband's pad didn't move.

 

[Leverwalker]

They are snug, but not crushing each other. I have my pad fully inflated and my husband's is slightly less. The Storm Star is wider at the head end than foot, so the foot area is tighter. That being said, the two pads could move independently. I tend to gator roll during sleep and my pad always slid toward the foot at night. My husband's pad didn't move.

Great. Thanks Daisy.