Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Tent/shelter choice

Buzz, I absolutely would agree... and yes, I'm 5'10"!

They do make a few other models that are a bit longer.

Thanks, Brad. I'm over 5'10" by about two inches. Bummer. Their bigger model is also a tad bit heavier.

In warm weather like that, I'd go for just a bivy sack and maybe not even a sleeping bag. You aren't that far from the road, and the weather, most of the time, should be fairly warm. It would depend on how mobil I wanted to be and how far off the trail I'd want to go. But my first thought would be to leave the tent home. It would also depend on how long you'd be out. Again, if it were just a day or two, then I'd go w/o a tent.
I'd take plenty of tear open chemical hand wamers and plenty of warm clothing. You'll need that when you get up before dawn to make your breakfast. E

Take a look at the Tarptents by Henry Shires. The 3 man at 2.5 pounds is really roomy for one guy. It works great in everything except a lot of snow. Tuff

I will second a tarp tent. I have a squall and its under two pounds. Although for hunting where bugs are not a concern a tarp works pretty well and you can get a fairly large tarp for about a pound.

It's past time for me to get a shelter upgrade. Floorless, tipi style tents are looking like a good option. Also, I've considered Integral Designs MKIII tent.

I'm undecided just like the starter of this thread. I want a roomy light shelter. Which way to go?

EZ-tipi
Kifaru
TiGoat
Ole buff Konza tipi
ID MKIII

The Konza tipi and EZ tipi are the least expensive. Is that a bad thing or good thing.

Which one is money well spent?

Thanks

It's past time for me to get a shelter upgrade. Floorless, tipi style tents are looking like a good option. Also, I've considered Integral Designs MKIII tent.

I'm undecided just like the starter of this thread. I want a roomy light shelter. Which way to go?

EZ-tipi
Kifaru
TiGoat
Ole buff Konza tipi
ID MKIII

The Konza tipi and EZ tipi are the least expensive. Is that a bad thing or good thing.

Which one is money well spent?

Thanks

My SD clip flashlight worked flawless on my high hunt last year. Elevation was only about 6500 ft. We experenced all typs of weather from highs to 60 and lows down to about 25. And you name it the weather was all over the map. Rain, snow, hail, sun,misty,dence fog etc.

When it was time to pack up and leave I was shocked at the amount of condinsation on the underside of the rainfly. But the inside of the tent had (none) not a trace of condinsation on the trip.

That is why single wall tents have me a little freaked out. I think the extra two pds might be worth the comfort? I have also been looking at the Tarptents and thought about the Go-light hex with a small stove. I just can't afford a Kifaru.

I might try out SD's lightning this year. I like it's footprint better. (peak is in the center not towards one end like the clip flashlight)

For me aslong as it's below 5 pds I'll think about it but a 2.5 to 3.5 pd set-up would be sweet!!!

Hope that helps

I am in a similar boat, I have been sheep hunting the past 6 yrs with a sierra designs meteor light 2 man (packed weight 8lbs) and I want to get something a lot lighter without sacrificing storm protection because we always seem to get them. One tent I have been trying to find out more about is the stevensons warmlight 2R, and from what info I can gather so far on some hiking sites is that it is bombproof, exceptionally roomy and light(2.75 lbs), it is supposed to ventilate well, the only problem is price(500+).This might be one to add to your list of options.

Been thinking about buying either a kifaru or TI goat tipi for use at 10000+ ft. I'm a little concerned about the pole becoming a lighting rod, I've been in some pretty bad electrical storms up there. Anyone had the same thoughts?

I had the same worry, and ironically, so did a few folks on the Kifaru forum. IIRC the consensus was that picking the right location is your best hope to avoid the voltage. Lightning could just as easily strike a nearby tree and travel to you and your tent, as be attracted to a tipi centerpole.

Put the BD Mega-light on your list too, it's roomy, light, and floorless. Go on the Black Diamond website for details.

I won't use a Kifaru or similar rig in areas where lightning is a possible occurence, I find them best in timbered campsites where you can do some pre-preparation of your site. I was not happy with my Paratipi in the sub-alpine of the South Chilcotin area of B.C. last Sept. as the ground was frozen rockhard and the wind makes it difficult to erect.

However, in softer soils, deep snow or wet conditions, where the available stove is a godsend, the Kifaru tipis work very well. I would expect the titaniumgoat units to be equal, but, have no experience with them, so, can't say.

From what you have posted, my hands-down choice would be the Integral Designs MK-III, these are the finest tents I have ever used or seen and WILL perform in the worst conditions. I prefer the smaller MKI-XL and Mega Sola for my uses, have both and am just in awe of their design features and quality. The MS is the single BEST one-person shelter for ANY weather that I have ever used. It sets up anywhere in seconds and is so solid that you can sleep in the WORST wind and rain....from experience.

Whenever possible, I like to find a basecamp and erect my Kifaru and then radiate out using my Mega Sola for over-nights, this is my preferred hunting method and works well. I did examine one of the cheap "knockoff" tipis at a hunting show here a couple of days ago; I will stick to Kifaru or maybe tigoat, this Asian gear don't do it for me....low cost is reflected in low quality, IME.

Kute ... I think I remember you saying you dont do much pic posting ... but do you happen to have a pic that may show some size perspective of the Mega Sola to another tent or tipi? Or maybe just general use in the mtns??

I recently purchased the ID Crystallis Bivy and cant wait "not" to use it ... haha ... I bought it for emergency bivy use ... it sure looks the real deal ... I will still use it some just to be accustomed to it ... i think I may use it on a few fair nights with my golite poncho/tarp setup ...

Kute... would the mega sola be big enough for extra gear inside, backpack and bow. Can a person get dressed inside without to much trouble? which one do you perfer the mk1-xl or mega sola? Would the MK1-lite be enough room for a 5'10 175lb person?

I do not have a digital camera or scanner and won't do a computer upgrade until autumn, at least, as my wife who needs this rig for work is off on long-term sick leave due to diabetes. So, no pix, sorry, guys.

To me, the Mega Sola is a hunting bivy, not a tent and I keep only my rifle inside with me, the pack is outside to the left of the door. So, since my MKI-XL is a winter camping tent, I do not have a favourite between the two, the MK-Lite, I.D's smallest model WILL accomodate a 5'10"-175 lb. guy, but, it will be like a German virgin, "nizentite" and I prefer a tent that will accept a vestibule.

Tents and bivys really do different things, in really foul weather, NO bivy will keep you as comfortable as a I.D. MK-III; with two guys, this is the way to go, IMO. I think that this tent, with vestibule and Syltarp II or III is about the lightst combo I would totally trust in severe B.C. weather for enforced tent stays past 24 hours; but, there are other options not mentioned yet, such as Hilleberg.

It's a tough choice between the ID MK-III and the Hilleberg Janna and Tarra. This is what I have seemed to narrow it down to.

We can have a lot of rain and snow and I need the best shelter for foul grey weather. Having a little extra room is nice as well, as I don't like being confined; I like the ability to move around.

I've narrowed it down to these three. Will each of these work as well as the other. Opinions and input needed. Thanks.

I don't think lighting is a great risk in a tipi with a pole than another shelter. It is the topography of the land not a little metal pole that may get you zapped. If you are on a ridgeline during a storm than I don't think the shelter matters. However I tend to worry about more realistic threats like tick, injuries and just getting lost. Things like lightning, bears and snakes tend to be more in the realm of Hollywood. However if you try and push a bear off a salmon run than you are looking for trouble. If you set up your shelter in a flood zone you are looking for trouble. If you put your hand down every hole or crack in the rocks you are looking for trouble.

I have camped in Bivys. Use one based on the ID solo.





I gotta be honest here. Bivy camping just plain old sucks. I don't know if the larger Mega Solo would make that much more of a difference in this. However adding a tarp makes it better. In this case I used an old Military poncho and have changed over to an ID Sil tarp 5x8 when I decide to regress and bivy camp. You can cook etc without getting wet. On this trip I used a White gas stove.



Kinda nice to change your clothes etc under the tarp.

223Rem.

This is the only shot I have of both shelters set up in the same camp.



The 4-man is larger. I can get the hex to pitch tight. Practice makes perfect I guess but it does seem to be raised off the ground a bit. The bug nest has a bathtub floor that covers the gaps and I am thinking that the floor they sell alone would do the same. For the money It is a fine shelter. I like the Kifaru 4-man better for winter weather as I think the greater number of tie offs and conical shape would hold up better.

...Things like lightning...bears tend to be more in the realm of Hollywood...

That depends on where you live and trek/camp, here in B.C. and the rest of northern/western Canada and in Alaska, these ARE very serious concerns. I have lived, solo, in places in the most remote parts of this vast region, in both pre-fabed plywood huts and tents where severe lightning storms occured almost every day for the three month "lookout season". Where I was born and grew up, these storms will last for hours and literally deafen you as well as cause major forest fires; the last severe one I was in was in early Oct. 2004 when "free-miner" who posts here and I were on a Goat hunt in the Valhallas of south-eastern B.C.

As to bears, come and live in the area I refer to and see what you think after the third time in a single week that a Grizzly rips the metal-reinforced shutters off your cabin or you encounter 8 different ones on a five day hunt. I don't know about snakes as they are few in number, small and non-agressive here, but, Grizzlies are not something to take lightly in remote wilderness or even Canadian National Parks, as the recent spate of deaths/injuries demonstrates.

Again, I am a former, longterm professional in forest fire detection-suppression for two western Canadian Forest Services AND I have been struck by lightning, the last time on "Doucette Tower" out of Wabasca-Demarais Ranger Station in the Slave Lake Forest, Alberta on June 26, 1993. This tower is 105' tall, made of steel and with a 6x6 fibreglas cupola on top; it has a lightning arrester system, otherwise, I would be dead. I remeber the exact date as it was the day before my birthday and I was hoping for a rainstorm so I could go to town after over three weeks alone in the bush, the storm allowed me to do that.

I DO think that a tall metal pole IS MORE likely to be struck by lightning that the lower hooped type used in bivies and the incident above is not the only time I have been hit. Experienced bushwhackers here are VERY caustious about lightning and bears and with dammed good reason as you would see if you, for example, got a job in the Alaska backcountry as a guide or with the USFS or USFW.

No offence intended, as you are a great guy who posts some of the best stuff of anyone, but, you are over-generalizing here and I gotta disagree. Lightning is something to be very cautious about and so are bears; frankly, the type of snakes that exist in southern and south-eastern areas of the U.S. scare the schitt out of me, but, I guess it's what you are used to.

For a light, double wall tent, Big Agnes definitely has some worth looking at. Though I am interested in the BD single walls if they breathe as well as they state. I guess living in the 2nd driest state does have some benefits...