Kifaru Supertarp or SO Silex?

[dylanvb]

What’s up rokslid, was hoping to get some questions answered about these two shelters. I know the Silex is cheaper by about $250 but I’m just looking for peoples experience with either of these options. I’ll post the specs below for both of them so we can all have a better comparison of the sizes of each and weights. Pulled specs off SO and Kifaru
Silex

• Average Weights:
  • Canopy - 17 oz / 1 lb 1 oz
  • Canopy, stakes, stuff sacks, & cordage - 21 oz / 1 lb 5 oz
  • Nest - 16 oz
• Dimensions:
  • Height - 50"
  • 7' W X 7' L, slight diamond shape - one diagonal is 6" shorter than the other.
  • 49 sq ft
  • Large percentage of usable space. Sitting height above 36" is close to 18 sqft.
• Fabric - 30D Cordura spec ripstop double coated silnylon. Sage green has a bit of PU mixed into the coating to improve performance in sandy areas. Hydrostatic head rating 3000-4000 mm.

SuperTarp
– Weight: canopy only – 17.6 oz. (Includes 20 Groundhog stakes – 9.2 oz. )
– Weight: Canopy with Annex – 24 oz. (Includes 23 Groundhog stakes – 10.6 oz.)
– Highly wind resistant (60 mph+) and water proof, regardless of configuration.
– Guy-out points to help add usable interior space
– Can be pitched as a flat tarp or shelter

– Flat Dimensions: 12′ 2″ long x 9′ 2″ wide front x 6′ 5″ wide back
– Pitched Dimensions:
– length: 11′ (13′ with annex)
– Front width: 68 in. Height: 52″
– Rear width: 56 in. Height: 26″

Supertarp is only 3 oz heavier w/ Annex option but is also bigger. Is the extra space worth the money?
Now when I add stoves and the correct stove pipes needed it comes out to only about a $200 difference.
Thanks in advance for any help. Oh and any stories of the weather extremes that anyone has taken either of these too are gladly welcomed!
If something was posted before on these two I could not find it but I have read the reviews of each.

 

[geoff995]

In for some other guys input. I’ve been looking at these options as well.

 

[GunsAreFun]

Your weight comparison is not apples to apples. The SO is 21 oz all in. The nest is something that the Supertarp doesn’t have.

The Supertarp is 34.6oz all in so it’s almost a full pound heavier. That’s your comparison. I’m not sure you can even run a stove in the SO with the nest installed or not sure I’d want to.

I have something that kind of splits the difference between these two. It’s the Warbonnet ground tarp. It’s the same weight as the SO but bigger than both. It doesn’t have a stove jack, but for the cost difference, you could easily have one sewed in. Like the heavier Kifaru, it can be used as a flat tarp for a glassing setup. It can be pitched in many different ways which the SO cannot.

 

[dylanvb]

Hard to argue with that price but yes I am looking for something with a stove option and wasn’t considering getting the nest for the SO. I’ll check out the Warbonnet though for sure

 

[D.Blake]

I have the silex with a stove jack and absolutely love it. Had it on a 7 day spring bear hunt with rain every day and stayed totally dry. Plenty of space for me and all of my gear to stay out of the rain.

We also went through one of the most insane overnight storms I have ever seen. POURING rain, straight-line winds to 40 and gusts to 60. absolute mayhem. Buddy had an old school A frame tent that got destroyed in the wind. The silex survived with zero issues. I was able to pitch down to the ground and didn't even get wet. After my buddy's tent started giving out, I decided to pick up my shelter and get in with him to help hold up the walls so it wouldn't blow away. Weather was too bad to walk out. long night.. but im rambling.

That being said... There is no way I could have possibly had room for all of my stuff plus a stove. I am 6'2" and had a fair amount of crap with me - but I recall thinking about how in the world I would squeeze a stove in and I could not come up with a way to do it without kicking some stuff out into the rain.

Again - I can not express how much I love this shelter enough... but unless you were extremely tidy and had a perfect spot on the mountain to set up camp, running a stove along with a multi day "back country" pack load seems tough.

 

[tdhanses]

I’ve had both and currently only have the Silex, I much prefer the space of the silex.

 

[Ross]

Supertarp great little cocoon setup but not worth the stove imo, very tight waterproof setup with little room to maneuver nor really dry anything out….if wanting to use a stove look to a bigger setup to utilize it as both a warming and drying setup….annex is worth
the price to seal out weather…also the little stoves simply take too much wood feeding to realistically make them useful….if going to be in drier environment perfect if not not so much….

 

[mtnrunner260]

Has anyone used a lantern/stove or other heat source in one these small shelters?
Wondering if it would provide enough output to make getting dressed in the morning a little better.
Can't imagine it would be sufficient heat for drying clothes out.

 

[Ross]

i had one miserable day in Idaho a few years back where I got soaked and temps were 31 rain snow sleet and I used my snow peak giga powered stove as I changed clothes to warm up, cussing the whole time but glad I had the stove with two canisters and no wood stove that time…to answer question a little stove yes would take the chill off to get dressed and that would be it, for sure would not dry anything with it.

 

[mtnrunner260]

i had one miserable day in Idaho a few years back where I got soaked and temps were 31 rain snow sleet and I used my snow peak giga powered stove as I changed clothes to warm up, cussing the whole time but glad I had the stove with two canisters and no wood stove that time…to answer question a little stove yes would take the chill off to get dressed and that would be it, for sure would not dry anything with it.

Thanks

 

[dylanvb]

Supertarp great little cocoon setup but not worth the stove imo, very tight waterproof setup with little room to maneuver nor really dry anything out….if wanting to use a stove look to a bigger setup to utilize it as both a warming and drying setup….annex is worth
the price to seal out weather…also the little stoves simply take too much wood feeding to realistically make them useful….if going to be in drier environment perfect if not not so much….

If I was looking for something for late season with a stove do you think I should be looking into like a redcliff or something similar in Kifaru’s line up? The main reason I was looking at these two was the stove option but you have swayed my thinking.

 

[Ross]

Would definitely check out other larger options if the stove is a key item…….late season temps and in my area lots of rain was a big factor to moving to a setup where the stove was benefitting me both physically and mentally…..we can all ride out nice september stuff, you get lots of rain, snow, sleet, wet, colder temps and long dark hours the stove is a key item to keeping us outside longer

 

[justin davis]

Kifaru super tarp is awesome