A Little Help with Tent to finish my sleep system

[Danimal]

I'm whittling my choices down to a couple of options. My issues are slightly different than most traditional backpacking tent applications. The issue I have is I'd like the tent to do some odd double duty. I live in Florida and really need a bug proof, storm resistant shelter for the hot mosquito and rain soaked evenings, but am looking to use it this fall for Colorado (September ) for a week around 11,000 feet. We were up at this spot last year and had some warm days and some pretty cold mornings (high 20's) We also got crushed one night by a t-storm. That experience really made me want to consider a tent with a bath tub style floor since it helps with both the creepy crawlies of Florida and the wet of FL and CO.

I'd also like to keep a hard cap at less than $500 for the entire package. I took the Stone Glacier off the list because of cost (Sky Scraper 2p $595). 2 tents that really seem to fit the bill are the Kuiu Mountain Star 2p ($480 carbon poles, $450 aluminum poles) and the MSR Hubba Hubba 2p ($449.95). For $100 less the Big Agnes and Nemo brands look promising but don't seem to get rated as well. Any thoughts on MSR vs Kuiu? Down the road I think I'm going to try to get my hunting partner to split a Seek Outside Cimmaron with stove jack and seam sealing ($604 + stove and pipe $392) but we can't drop that coin right now for a non-bug resistant floor-less shelter. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[JigStick]

Grab up a cimarron and nest for now. Add the stove later. Should be around your price point. And pretty light

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Three things:
1. A nest with fine mesh like the Tarptents is what you want for the noseeums in God's waiting room (Florida). This is where people go to die because everything about Florida sucks and death seems less scary there. Stay long enough and you pray for it.

2. Regardless which tent you select (I like the Stratospire 2) WHERE you anchor your tent matters in crap weather so pay attention to terrain, look for places devoid of Widowmakers, where rain water runoff won't be a problem and where you are out of direct wind. Pick the wrong spot and your tent selection doesn't matter, you're screwed.

3. Get something with two doors for ventilation that you can use with or without a nest. I actually used the SS2 nest only because the humidity was awful and I needed the slight breeze to sleep. Ventilation is keys in wet and/or humid conditions.

 

[Scrappy]

Three things:
1. A nest with fine mesh like the Tarptents is what you want for the noseeums in God's waiting room (Florida). This is where people go to die because everything about Florida sucks and death seems less scary there. Stay long enough and you pray for it.

2. Regardless which tent you select (I like the Stratospire 2) WHERE you anchor your tent matters in crap weather so pay attention to terrain, look for places devoid of Widowmakers, where rain water runoff won't be a probel and where you are out of direct wind. Pick the wrong spot and your tent selection doesn't matter, you're screwed.

3. Get something with two doors for ventilation that you can use with or without a nest. I actually used the SS2 next only because the humidity was awful and i needed the slight breeze to sleep. Ventilation is keys in wet and/or humid conditions.

I totally agree, the SS2 is extremely versatile. Before you make your decision you really should look at what tarptent has to offer.

 

[aion2come]

Tarptent all the way. Stratospire is awesome.

 

[wind gypsy]

Looks like you have some good selections. I like the external poles on the mountain star if getting freestanding. Also a fan of the SS2 if looking at pole supported shelters.

 

[renagde]

Checkout Luxe Outdoor Gear. A little less tent then Seek Outside and Kifaru but still good quality and it'll get you into the floorless shelter game for alot less. That should leave you with plenty leftover to add one of their nests.

 

[Danimal]

Thanks guys for the help. So many options I'm feeling like I'll probably be acquiring multiple set ups over time.

 

[Danimal]

Three things:
1. A nest with fine mesh like the Tarptents is what you want for the noseeums in God's waiting room (Florida). This is where people go to die because everything about Florida sucks and death seems less scary there. Stay long enough and you pray for it.

Noseeums seem to be getting worse every year. The Thermacells help a little but only take the suck level from terrible to extremely annoying. The good thing about hunting for 30 plus years in Florida is you appreciate any where else.