Rate this potential setup

[Southtexasoutdoors]

Just starting out looking to get into more backpack hunting out west. I’ve been going to lake city/gunnison/creede area of colorado all my life in the summertime fly fishing but wanting to start putting in for tags to start elk hunting. I’ve been whitetail hunting in Texas forever but I like the mountains and I’m looking for more excuses to spend more time there.

I’m brainstorming gear and building out a pack and wondering if I’m on the right track here with weight. Basically want to know if this is doable or if I’m way off. I’m a big guy and I want to be comfortable and So I’m not trying to go way overboard with the ultralight stuff but here’s what I’m thinking so far.

Pack -
Kifaru hoodlum, 3lbs
duplex lite, 3lbs
2 m and 1 large belt pouches. 9.5 oz
Sleep system
Neoair xlight large. 16oz
WM terralite bag. 29oz
WM tioga Bag liner. 3.6oz
Nemo Fillo pillow elite. 3oz
Tent
Hilleberg anjan 3gt. 81oz
Stove
MSR reactor 1.7L. 17.5 oz



So that’s pack, full sleep system with tent, and cooking all covered and I’m sitting just under 16lbs total with that. I’m a big guy and I want to be comfortable so I’d like to have the big tent. My wife and kids want to camp with me other times in the year and I’d rather have one tent to do it all if possible. I feel like the anjan is a good happy medium. Basically I’m just wanting to know if I’m going way overboard at 16lbs here for the essentials before food and clothing. I think it sounds like a really comfortable setup for 16lbs but I just don’t really know where to start.

Thanks

PS I want to spend some time in the backcountry. Anywhere 5-14 days hence the big pack. Will use in the summertime chasing cutthroat up high too. I’m 6’0 and weigh 270 now (covid) but I’ll shave it down to 230-240 before I do any serious expeditions.


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[Moserkr]

I like the list, lots of nice gear. That tent weight though…. My tipi for 2-3 people, with a stove, weighs a pound less than that! (Its 7.5’ tall and 13’ dia). Read what you wrote, so when your wife n kid come camping too, is it backpacking or truck camping?? Cause that would give you options then. If backpacking, the split weight wouldnt be bad. Solo, you will feel that extra weight on long trips. That being said, you’re a bigger guy than i am and ive packed a similar base weight many times. I got away from traditional tents so cant recommend another option with a floor.

 

[Southtexasoutdoors]

Which tipi do you use I like the idea of being able to stand and sit up straight in a tipi. Wife and kids would be backpacking also.


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[Moserkr]

Well, the one im using is a titanium goat (tigoat), and sadly they dont make them anymore. Top brands to look at would be kifaru and seek outside. I chose tigoat at the time because it was the absolute lightest. But I also have a solo tipi that is much smaller and is made by SO. Theres no brand that light anymore, in that large size that i know of, UNLESS you go with dyneema fabric.

One Ive been looking at for dcf (dyneema) is bearpaw wilderness designs. No experience with them personally but they are well known. The luna 6 in dcf would be even lighter than BOTH my setups and stove capable. Add a nest for wife/kid and use a bivy solo (borah gear). Thats one option, but you will have to look close and decide if that suits your needs.

Im biased towards hot tents because they are so comfortable and simple. Also a fan of dcf material for its weight, waterproof, and zero stretch capabilities, just $$$$. Hilleberg is obviously high end gear and very well known worldwide. Tough choices, especially when its hard to see em or try em out first.

 

[Southtexasoutdoors]

I really like the hot tent idea I just don’t have any experience with them. I was leaning towards that anjan just because it seems like a simple system for me just starting out with everything contained and the big vestibule for storing gear. The tipis look great though I need to research that more it looks like a really neat way to do things. The Kifaru sawtooth is not really any weight savings over the anjan would be quite a bit heavier with the stove. I’ll check out those others you mentioned too. Kifaru only shows an 8 man tipi on website but I thought I’ve seen videos about some smaller ones. I’ll give them a call and see what else they have too. Thanks


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[Moserkr]

With nylon fabric you wont beat the anjan weight vs going to a tipi/stove. You could go down the rabbit hole and have different setups for both family and solo - different tools for different jobs. Its a tough call. I cant stand up in my solo setup, and standing up is huge with a bad back or long stints in bad weather. Thats where a tall tipi excels. The sawtooth wont hold 3 comfortably either from what ive read.

Why not a solo tent like big agnes or something similar? Thats where I started. Could also do the anjan or something big for the fam then. Depending on your kids age, let kid use the solo tent and get another slightly larger for you and your wife for family trips. 2 tents would still weigh/cost less than the anjan. At least everything you’re looking at has a high resale value if you end up not liking it…. I have 7 or 8 tents now I think lol. All different tools of the trade.

 

[Southtexasoutdoors]

Yeah I’m starting to think my dream of one tent to do it all isn’t really realistic. I’m really liking that tipi deal though I can imagine being able to stand up and have a stove in your tent would be an unbelievable moral booster after a long day hunting or fishing, especially with inclement weather. Do you use a ground cloth like tyvek or something in your tipi or do you put your sleep system inside of a bivy (or both). I am so deep in the rabbit hole I haven’t seen daylight in a month lol.

 

[Moserkr]

Haha the elusive “all-in-one” gear setup is virtually impossible, which is why I own so many tents and other gear lol. The only way to get the size/weight you want for a do it all tipi is with the dcf material.

Standing and warming up after a hard day hunting is a game changer. So is drying gear and going to bed/waking up warm. Its why my tipis get used and the rest dont. Even the truck tent, cabelas alaknak, has a stove…

We use borah gear bivy’s for inside the tipi. I use a nest for my wife/kid if they come along. Ive never zipped my bivy up while inside it for bug protection but the option is there. I like “making my bed” when i zip up the bivy and head out hunting for the day. All safely stored in the bivy where spiders and bugs wont make themselves at home during the day.

Ive also read accounts of tipi’s giving 4 season shelters a run for their money in bad weather. Ive had mine in blizzards and big wind storms to where I trust it even more than I ever imagined. At 0* with a foot of snow overnight, we had a comfy fire going all night and probably averaged 60* inside the shelter. In another thread today I was commenting on why dcf in storms is better than silnylon. Sounds like you’re willing to invest in some expensive gear. Give dcf some research and you will see why its worth it. Hard to find right now due to supply issues, but seek outside will brings theirs back pretty soon. You could get away with a very comfortable dcf redcliff for you and the fam as a “all in one” piece. Without the stove its light and huge for summer trips. With stove its still beyond reasonable for its size. You just have to not balk at the mortgage payment for it lol

My goal is to get the dcf cimarron first, then the dcf redcliff. Covers my solo missions and family/friend trips. Dont forget to get a chair for inside too lol. Nothing like sitting in a “back country lazy boy” next to a roaring fire in your hot tent. Then stepping outside into the cold actually feels good and is enjoyable. Im a horrible influence when it comes to buying more gear hahaha

 

[Southtexasoutdoors]

I am way too easily persuaded


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[tdot]

Personally I'd recommend getting in a floorless, teepee style tent, that will be your biggest weight savings. I camp with mine and my family and all I do is add a nest when my wife is joining us. I use the Hyperlight Mountain Gear Ultamid 4, but there are other similar tents out there.

Next I'd suggest looking into Seek Outside's pack, unless you are set on Kifaru. My SO pack is 3 pounds lighter then my Kifaru was and I prefer how it carries weight.

Stove is an an easy place to save weight. The Reactor is one of the heavier systems out there and IMO is really only necessary if you're melting snow for water and will be in more extreme/ exposed areas.

 

[Northpark]

I’m a tipi fan as well. I use a cimmaron light from seek outside with a large u turn stove. I obviously ditch the stove in the summer and here in AZ I add the Nest in warmer weather to make sure the snakes/scorpions /tarantulas stay out. We can sleep the whole family (wife and two kids) in it without the stove but it’s two person with a stove. Total weight is 5.25 lbs on my kitchen scale with tipi, stove, stovepipe, and stakes, and CF center pole.

 

[wildcat33]

~6.5lbs for bare pack seems pretty high. You could save a few pounds there.

 

[Beendare]

My take;

 

[rdp123]

Sounds like a lot of fun, and I imagine you'll continue going down the rabbit hole after every trip. My two cents: I agree with some of the folks' comments that the pack and tent are both on the heavy side. I'd be looking at Seek packs. A buddy on a CO mule deer hunt this year had one and both the weight and modularity were pretty incredible -- much better thought out in my opinion than my Stone Glacier, though the SG carries weight well and isn't too heavy.

Seek also makes great shelters. I wish I'd gotten the Cimarron in DCF before they started having supply chain issues. Mountain Laurel Designs also has what look to me like great lightweight options, including in DCF, if you're willing to deal with crazy lead times, though in my experience some of the UL backpacking stuff isn't as durable as what companies catering to hunters build.

I'm sure the Reactor is a great stove, but might be overkill depending on what you're using it for. I've been happy with the Windburner system, which is a little lighter and cheaper but similarly efficient and can come a little closer to simmering if you're rehydrating meals.

You might also give quilts a look, depending on what seasons you'll focus on. I switched to a 22 degree Katabatic from an REI 19 degree and I'm actually warmer in the quilt and sleep more comfortably.

Lastly, I recommend finding a good lightweight tarp and keeping it in the bottom of your pack always to weather out storms and downpours.

 

[Southtexasoutdoors]

I just emailed seek about the dcf tipis that looks like it’s going to be the best route. On the packs I have a fairly curved back and from all the homework I’ve been doing it sounds like the Kifaru frame is the best one out there and they have really good customer service to help get me fitted. I wish they had some lighter bags in not really wild about all their bags but they seem bombproof and I like that. I’m a big fan of Aaron Snyder too and all his YouTube videos have really been pushing me towards Kifaru. I think I’m set on that.


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[thegrouse]

Have you created a lighter pack and made sure everything you are going to carry is included? I do this for different conditions. It looks like your list might be missing a few items and that 16lbs might just be a good start.

 

[snowcamoman]

I'd go with the MSR Windburner, simply due to the fact that there is no way to reset the Reactor if the thermal trip mechanism goes off.

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[wildcat33]

I just emailed seek about the dcf tipis that looks like it’s going to be the best route. On the packs I have a fairly curved back and from all the homework I’ve been doing it sounds like the Kifaru frame is the best one out there and they have really good customer service to help get me fitted. I wish they had some lighter bags in not really wild about all their bags but they seem bombproof and I like that. I’m a big fan of Aaron Snyder too and all his YouTube videos have really been pushing me towards Kifaru. I think I’m set on that.

Im not trying to convince you one way or another, sounds like you found something you like. But.... given this is the lightweight forum... pack is the one piece on your list that can make the biggest difference. 2lbs is no joke when you're counting ounces. I use a seek pack that's around 4lbs. I carried an arc teryx bora for years that's over 6lbs and the difference is very noticeable.

 

[CO-AJ]

I concur with many on here regarding the tent. For a solo excursion I run a Z-Packs Altaplex, if I am going to be running out of a base camp the Seek Outside Cimarron is my all in one. Both tents are DCF so they are amazingly light. The SO could easily be my backpacking tent, but the Z-Packs packs down quite a bit smaller. As for the pack, check out Exo Mtn Gear. I went with the 6400 (again 1 pack can do it all). It can be compressed and used as a day pack, or expanded to carry more weight than you would ever want. Lastly, Exped pad and WM bag. I run a versalite from Hermit's Hut so 3oz of extra down, awesome bag. Expensive setup yes, but no worries every time I go outdoors.

 

[Southtexasoutdoors]

Just got a response from seek outside they’re doing a limited run of DCF stuff in November. No pre-orders or anything but it’s first come first serve. He said the canopy of the cimarron will be 1lb 5oz and the canopy of the red cliff will be just over two pounds. Cimarron light normal weight is 2lbs 3oz, and the red cliff light is 3lbs 2oz. I want them both now! Probably start with a cimarron though like somebody commented above and get a red cliff for family stuff later.


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