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Joined: Aug 2011
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Okay that was a poor selection of a title. Here is my dilemma:

For my backpacking hunts I have SO Cimarron tipi that I am very happy with.


I am also the proud and happy owner of a 12x14 Davis wall tent (canvas). It is a high quality product and I use it for when I am going with a friend or two, or by myself for an extended of time of more than 3 days. It is a great tent but takes me about 45+ minutes to set up when I am by myself.

I like to do some short solo weekend trips of only 1-2 nights and I want something that is quick to setup and take down that I can use my stove in. I would like setup time to not exceed 10-12 minutes. I want to be have enough room for my stove, full sized cot, and a small folding table. I would also like to have some space to walk around. I was considering a 12x12 canvas Mountain Spike tent made by Reliable Tent in Billings Montana. This tent only has only 1 center pole with 2 foot walls and can be set up pretty quick. I have recently started looking at a SO tipi in the 8 man model and 12 man model. The good thing about this is I would not have to worry so much about rain and damp weather. The canvas tent would repel the water but would then need a lot more care afterwards to keep it from molding. Here are my questions for the tipi:

If I were staying solo would the 8 man model give me all the room I needed for having a full sized stove, full sized cot, and small folding table or would I need the 12 man model?

Since nylon fabric on a tipi is thinner does it retain the heat like a canvas tent? If the temps were down below 20 degrees would the tent be warm with a full sized stove?

Can I set the 8 man or 12 man up in less than 15 minutes by myself?

A canvas tent/tipi can have a life of 25+ years if properly cared for. How long will a nylon tipi last if used 6-8 times per year (without too much sun exposure)?

Would it be possible to have a mesh nest large enough that to put my cot in so that I would not have to worry about field mice in the night while I was sleeping?

Please also give the answers to any other question that I have not thought to ask.










Last edited by Calcoyote; 04/26/16.
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I bought a Kodiak 10x14 for this purpose. Bought a stovejack to use my knico packer stove. I think I'm going to have the local canvas shop sew it in instead, so I haven't used the stove in this tent.

Anyhow, the tent sets up super fast. Its canvas which I greatly prefer. It's a floor tent which has its drawbacks but it's awesome for summer and early Sept bow season as well to deal with bugs.

Not the best for heavy snow but it's a good option otherwise.

I think the silnylon tents are fragile compared to canvas and can't see using one if truck camping. But they have their place for sure.

The nice thing about the floor, the tent is really easy to dry out. Hang it from the ceiling in the garage and put a box fan in the tent door. Bellows out and dries super easy and fast with the air blowing through it.


Sean
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Originally Posted by Calcoyote
If I were staying solo would the 8 man model give me all the room I needed for having a full sized stove, full sized cot, and small folding table or would I need the 12 man model?

Since nylon fabric on a tipi is thinner does it retain the heat like a canvas tent? If the temps were down below 20 degrees would the tent be warm with a full sized stove?

Can I set the 8 man or 12 man up in less than 15 minutes by myself?

A canvas tent/tipi can have a life of 25+ years if properly cared for. How long will a nylon tipi last if used 6-8 times per year (without too much sun exposure)?

Would it be possible to have a mesh nest large enough that to put my cot in so that I would not have to worry about field mice in the night while I was sleeping?

Please also give the answers to any other question that I have not thought to ask.


I have a Kifaru 8-man and I think it would be good for your planned use, save for the nest/floor question. I don't like floors in a tent with a wood stove and wood piles, for mice I just bring a few mouse traps and bait them every night.

The K-tipis are not what I'd call "fragile;" they are pretty stout actually. The main thing you need to worry about is UV exposure and holes from embers. I have no idea on the longevity question.

15 minute set-up time is about right.

As far as retaining heat, I don't think either fabric is really good at that and I never count on the tent to retain heat. After the stove goes out, I count on my sleeping pad/bag to keep me warm until I light the stove again in the morning.

Hope this helps.



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Have you looked at Cabelas Alaknak tents? They're supposed to be very easy to set up and would fit all the gear you mention. They have a floor but it has cutouts for a stove. It would be sort of between a canvas wall tent and a tipi. Cheap they are NOT.


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Setting up the tipi doesn't take long at all. I'd say more like 5-10 minutes for the canopy itself, and that's mostly just driving stakes. We spend more time setting up house inside the tipi, setting up stove, cots, table, getting in firewood, and so on.

We have a 12x14 Davis as well, and use the cylinder stove in the 12-man tipi. We put a stack robber directly above the stove, and so far no ember holes.

No experience with the 8-man, but for solo, I would imagine you should have enough room for cot, small table, stove, wood, etc. I can tell you that the 12-man is a palace for two with all the gear in it.

Here are a few pics of the 12-man, set up for comfort,

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/montanamarine/library/Tipi/12%20man?sort=3&page=1



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The alaknak is what I bought my knico stove for, a friend's tent we used on a horseback hunt. The tent is okay, I don't think it was that fast to set up though. Faster than our big wall tent for sure, not on the same planet as my tipi or Kodiak flexbow.

There is just something wonderful about the way canvas handles condensation, and comfort. Hard for a synthetic to match.


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12 X 12 Alaknak with vestibule
14x16 Davis
10 x 10 Outback Lodge

Alaknak and Davis heated via wood stoves

Outback has only seen propane heat

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I have an 8person Seek Outside tipi and it holds 3 cots easily without the woodstove. With the woodstove I have only had two people in it, and you want to be careful with all the sleeping bag slop that you don't melt anything. My tipi and stove are for sale right now if you are interested.

I have the XL stove that Seek Outside makes and it is large enough to go for a few hours unattended if you use bigger chunks of wood. I take a hand saw.

I used this tipi elk hunting in a special area where I was using and ATV to get in about 7 miles to make a base camp in September archery season in Montana. My wall tent would not have stayed on the ATV, and it is very hard for me to set up alone. The cylinder wood stove weighs 54 lbs alone! So the tipi and titanium woodstove setup allowed me to cook/warm up/bath at night, and then I usually just went out in the mornings without firing it up. The tipi doesn't hold heat and neither does the wall tent as someone else pointed out.

Last edited by Vanne; 04/29/16. Reason: Added about stove
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Update:

There has been some GREAT input on this thread.


So I called Davis Tent the other day and was talking to them about their canvas tipi. Upon hearing that I was looking for something with a quicker set up time, Chris Davis recommended that rather than spend the extra money on another tent that I purchase their traditional pole set. According to him once I get the hang of using the pole set I should be able to a quick pitch in less than 20 minutes. I only need to stake the 4 corners to the ground, put up the inside poles that support the ridge and then put up two additional wall poles on each wall side. He had pole set that had been returned by a customer and he knocked the price WAY down for me. There is a youtube video of his cousin putting a 12x14 up using the set and according to him she was able to do it in 25 minutes and she was only 14 years old at the time. I am not going to get my hopes up too high but for the price that he gave it to me for it is worth a try. When I use my aluminum frame set that is made from angles and 1" metal conduit it takes me about 45 minutes.


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