SO 6 man vs Sawtooth

[corylee4870]

Is there a benefit of the Sawtooth over the Seek Outside 6 man Tipi? Is the 6 man worth the extra half pound in weight? The tent will mostly be used for back pack hunting 5-8 miles from the trailhead. I am 5'10" so I would be able to stand in either tent. I usually hunt solo but there is a possibility of up to 3 people total. I have never been in either but there are only positive reviews on both tents.

Seek Outside 6 man tipi
- $869 with carbon pole
- <5lbs with carbon pole
- Two doors
- Two full length zippers with storm flap
- Doors have two zippers to vent at the top
- Peak vent
- Stove port
- Sod skirt
- 30D Silnylon
- 3 stake setbacks during setup
- footprint ~ 154 sq/ft
- height 7'10"

Sawtooth
- $797
- 4.5lbs
- Stove port
- unknown fabric
- Only 1 stake setback during setup
- footpring ~ 134 sq/ft
- height - 7'

 

[bcimport]

They will both be good shelters. I have a couple SO products, an 8 man and a BT2. Craftsmanship and materials have all been good and they hold up well. I don't have a sawtooth but I have never heard a bad word about them. It looks like the walls of the sawtooth might be a little steeper which will provide a little more interior space and its shape may make it a little easier to find spots to pitch it. The tipi will probably buck the wind a little better.

 

[littlebrotherC]

I have the Sawtooth and my hunting partner has the six man. I feel like the teardrop design of the Sawtooth makes the square footage more useful. I think you can get the walls more vertical making it easier to use the space next to the edges of the tipi. My hunting partner likes the greater square footage. I think you'll see varied opinions no matter who you talk to. Both are good structures.

 

[Kevin Dill]

If you mainly hunt solo (and occasionally have 1 or 2 others) I can see little reason to go with the extra sq ft and 1/2 lb of the tipi. I love a circular or elliptical tipi and it will always be my favorite shelter when it works best. I just don't think a 6-man would be best choice based on your majority use as described.

I've used a Sawtooth for solo hunting and it's really got room to spare...excessive room in fact...and one guy can't possibly need all that usable space on a backpack hunt. I like the side guy-outs which do help with expanding the sidewalls. One thing I don't really like about the Sawtooth is the condensation liner which doesn't extend to the door opening zipper. It's really a '3/4' liner and I experienced a lot of heavy drip at the front of my Sawtooth during a bad 5 day storm. Not a deal-breaker by any means, but something I would change.

 

[Shrek]

Sawtooth for your needs. I can't say enough good about my Sawtooth. I struggle enough finding a good campsite large enough for my Sawtooth so the extra size and weight would be a huge minus with the 6 man tipi. Might add a loop at the back so you can eliminate the rear pole. Luke and Becca have done it to theirs and knowing my Sawtooth it is a real improvement. Especially with a third person. I use mine solo and even being an absolute slob tossing my chit all over I don't use half the available floor space. A little care and three people is fine and perfect for two and luxurious for one.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I haven't removed the rear pole in my Sawtooth, and with it in I think things would be tight with three people. It is very nice for two, and a palace for one. It will handle whatever weather you need it to.

 

[dirtytough]

We used a Sawtooth during a September elk hunt with 3 guys and I was shocked at how much room there was. All packs were inside the tent at night. Removing the rear pole would make it even better. I'm looking to pick one up after using one.

 

[corylee4870]

Thanks for everyone's response.

So the sawtooth has a smaller footprint, more vertical walls and weighs 1/2 pound less.

Has anyone been in a seek outside tipi with the side guy outs attached? Does it make the space near the wall any more usable?

 

[MontanaMarine]

Cost - insignificant difference for base models. They are both expensive. $797 vs $789

Weight - Advantage Sawtooth at 4.5 lbs vs about 5.75 lbs for the SO-6 with standard pole. SO specs the 6-man at under 5 lbs in lightest configuration, but that is with the carbon fiber pole, an $80 upgrade option that is said to save 13 oz.

Standing room - Advantage SO-6 at 7'10" vs Sawtooth at 6'7" per Kifaru webpage. I recently sold my SO-4, it was 6'10" at the peak. I'm 6'3" and could not stand up fully without my head touching the fabric and pole.

Footprint - I'd say slight advantage to the Sawtooth, but there are some considerations. The Sawtooth has a smaller tent footprint, but it also has guylines on the sides and aft. The space for these have to be considered to some degree when choosing a site. The SO-6 has no required guylines, but a bigger footprint at 14' across. However, the SO-6 also has a flexi-pitch option that one can use to pitch in roughly a 4-man size. One thing I like about the tipi, is no required guylines to avoid in darkness.

Fabric - Hard to say since Kifaru doesn't specify exactly what their fabric is, and I have never found any quantifiable testing comparing the two.

Build quality - No hands-on with Kifaru, but I believe both brands are very well constructed.

Customer service - Both outstanding.


I really don't think you can go wrong with either shelter.

As for myself, I've recently sold my BT-2 and SO-4, and am heading for a SO-6. For me, it's all about the real headroom that I can stand up fully in. I've been in a SO-6, and it works with the 7'10" peak.

 

[whitingja]

I have a SO 8 man tipi, and fully extending out the guy lines does give you a bit more room. More usable for sure.

 

[Jcberg]

No input on the SO but I love my Sawtooth. I made the rear loop mod and it really makes a nice improvement. Run mine with a stove and it's a palace for two people. Three starts getting snug with gear but definitely can accommodate 3. Nothing negative to say about the sawtooth other than I wish I had a model with two entrances but that's just nitpicking.

 

[MontanaMarine]

Just got a SO-6 in a few days ago. I do like the simplicity of one pole, and no guylines.

Here are some pics. I'm 6'3" for reference.

Shane

 

[Grumman]

That's a great looking Tipi, thanks for posting the pic. Best of luck in your selection corylee4870, I dont think you can go wrong with either. Even if you change your mind down the road they sell in a hearbeat in the classifieds from what I've seen.

 

[mrgreen]

Just got a SO-6 in a few days ago. I do like the simplicity of one pole, and no guylines.

Shane

Shane, I have to say that's a tighter job of setting up the SO 6man then I've ever done! And I've had mine for,....I just checked, 4 years. I seem to never get the setback right.

Steve.

 

[justin davis]

I like the Kifaru sawtooth over the SO. Kifaru are just made to last longer in my opinion

 

[corylee4870]

Thanks for the pictures Shane.

Yea I worried about getting a tight pitch with the tipi too but looks like it can be accomplished with a little practice.

 

[luke moffat]

Personally for 3 guys for the money and weight I would get one Cimmaron without a stove jack and one with a stove jack. Be less weight than a Seek Outside 6 man. Give you the options to have two separate shelters to set one up as a base camp and spike/bivy out with 3 guys without a stove without issue.

Be roughly 6 pounds (with stakes) and give you 180+ sq ft of space and two shelters to give you more options and be roughly the same price as a 6 man tipi. But thats just me and what I would likely do if going with 3 people and didn't have a GoLite Sl-8 for such a purpose.