I know Ed T has done it, and I know there's at least one other guy around here as well...

I'm assuming you guys are using TiGoat's stove jack?

How about a photo-tutorial for the masses???



Or is there somebody that can do it for a guy for $$$?

1. Procure stove jack from TiGoat
2. Erect SL, in my case, a SL4+
3. Position jack on wall opposite door, a few inches below the seam between mosquito netting and silnylon. I put mine on the wall's vertical centerline.
4. Evaluate mocked-up position from outside. Golite's little "hood" over the vent should just cast a shadow over the top seam of the jack, to prevent water from pooling on that top side of the jack.
5. Mark corner locations of the jack on silnylon with sharpie
6. Inquire of prominent local Anchorage tentmaker as to whether they'll install the jack for you. When they ask "is your tent made of fire resistant material" and you laugh and answer "No, hence, the stove jack" and the conversation goes downhill from there, regroup.
7. Visit asian seamstress with plain description of what you're after. Be prepared to draw a picture. I drew where I wanted stitching on the back of the stove jack in silver sharpie, and she smiled, nodded, and told me to come back in three days. TiGoat sends a template of how big a hole to cut. It's oval in shape, about 8" x 6" on the oval dimensions. I used this as a pattern for my silver sharpie and she ran an oval shaped continuous stitch just outside of where I'll cut the oval hole in the wall. Also, she stitched the perimeter of the jack to the wall. Tough to describe...
8. Return in three days to find a perfectly sewn jack. Cut oval hole in wall material, cut stovepipe hole for 3" stovepipe (TiGoat provides the cut lines for stovepipe hole), and go hunting.

Orrrrrrr,
I got a Vertex 5 from Ti goat with the stove jack installed
Don

I located mine on the side of the tent near the seam where the door/vestibule starts and just about as high as I could. It is probably better located in the vent as Ed T has done, but my seamstress had never worked with silylon before and this made for easier sewing. I was on a budget and her work was free and involved no shipping. Since I my SL-6 cost me $350 and at the time I was using a homemade stove that cost me $65 and a jack that I already had (bought for another project that never happened from one of the guys from Ti-goat years ago before they started the company), this put me in a good sized heated shelter that was financially feasible for me. Ti's stove jack is probably the quickest way to go for that piece. although I'm pretty sure Kifaru used to sell them as well. The one do-over I wish I had was cutting the fire-proof material. I accidentally made a long cut for my initial X so be careful on that.

Although I'm sure that much like a Kifaru tipi, a Vertex is a lovely shelter, one of comparable size (looks like the SL-6 is almost mid-way between a Vertex 6.5 and 8, closer to the 6.5) costs a bit more. There are also some space advantages to the Shangri-Las (the 6 and 8 anyway) over tipis. You can use the entire square footage because the sides guy out and you can actually sleep right next the walls if necessary without touching them. The height of a tipi is measured right at that center pole and slopes down sharply from there so "standing room" is a bit misleading. The height of the SLs is also measured at the poles and there is a slight downward slope to the roof line but you essentially have that height for the length of the roof between the doors. I have slept four adults with gear comfortably in my 6. It is a palace for two guys. The quality is excellent and Golite offers fantastic customer service even if you have a problem due to user error. Down side is that you need to guy them out to get the best, most bombproof pitch and the stake loops that are adjustable don't allow for a "to the ground" pitch. Easily rectified with sewing in a few fixed loops at those spots when you're having that stove jack sewn in. They also really need more stakes than they come with.

Finally and in answer to the original question, I have instructions if anyone wants them. I'm going to try to scan them so I can quit faxing. My wife hasn't enjoyed my long distance bill from all the times I've already done it. PM me your email and I'll get it out when I can (not guaranteeing a 24 hour turn around).

I ended up buying some fire-proof tarp material online (I actually might have some left over if it hasn't been thrown away that you can have for shipping...) after I couldn't get Ti-Goat to respond to my requests to purchase the stove jack and stove pipe (long story). Anyway, I just cut a 18"x18" square of the material and hand-sewed it into the shelter next to the door - has worked pretty well. By the way, ended up going with a Kifaru para-stove and have been real happy with it. I originally made a little cylinder stove out of a stainless canister, but had real issues with getting a stove pipe, but really think the Kifaru design is the bee's knees...

Oh and here's a picture of mine:

I'm a bit of a hack but I sewed the stovejack onto the flat silnylon wall and then cut the hole in the middle of the nylon afterwards.

I doesn't allow a neat looking sewn seam in the silnylon but it sure makes it hard to screw up and the heavy material of the stovejack takes the loads so it wont rip on the uneven cut.

As mentioned above it's very easy to cut the hole for the stove pipe to large so go slow and I would also mark how you want the stovejack oriented with a sharpie while the shelter is setup otherwise it can end up pretty crooked! "still works great though"

After a failed attempt at sewing a Tigoat stove jack in my Origami I got a tube of Silicone II and just glued it in place. It has worked perfectly for two years now.

Here's a dumb question...

Say you want to use the same tent in the spring, when its warmer (don't need a stove), and rainy? Is there a good way to cover the hole that'll keep you dry?

I'm really liking my SL3. its about perfect for one guy and loads of crap and a stove. I'm seriously thinking about an SL4 for a two man set up (with loads of crap of course)

I sewed the jack into the back vent. Then used the eyebrow of the vent with the golite logo as a cover for non-stove use. Sewed velcro around the rim of the jack seam to hold what was the eyebrow.

I thought Ed_T did something fancy like somehow cutting back the eyebrow but leaving it in place.

The stove jack I bought has a roll down sil-nylon flap that velcros in place to keep the wet out when you're not using a stove.

The TiGoat flavor has a cover flap, like this...

With both cover flaps up. Tow-Mater not included.



With the little rain flap down. You can see how it would fall around the stove pipe. The jack came with a cut out marked for the correct size.



With the sil-nylon cover velcroed in place. It'll (in theory) keep the rain out in the summer.

Groovy...

That answers that Now next time I'm moneyed up, I guess its time to call TiGoat and get a C-Stove and jack coming.


I also like the idea of stitched in loops to get a low pitch (instead of the adjustable ones that come in it.)

When I bought my ti-goat cylinder stove I also bought a stove jack. With the stove he sent an extra piece of the jack material(I am not sure why). I couldnt decide where to put the jack so I used the extra piece and made a jack that fits the vent at the top of my sh-la 4. I cut out the netting, and I cut off the vent and reused it as a removable cover that velcros in place and has the golite logo. I like how it turned out because I didnt have to mess with any of the seams and it looks normal when the cover is in place. Also I still have the jack I bought that I can put into something else. I will try and get some pics if anyone wants.

I would be most grateful for a picture of your stove jack setup and any more details that you may have. This is my new summer project.

Thank you much.

Conrad

Here's one version of what mod7rem describes. I also like this mod as it does not mess with the seams. I chose to have the stove in back, I don't remember why, maybe because I thought that back wall seemed to have more stability? It works out fine for myself and my son.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/huskyrunnr/stoverun/DSC01284.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/huskyrunnr/stoverun/DSC01285.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/huskyrunnr/stoverun/DSC01286.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/huskyrunnr/stoverun/DSC01287.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/huskyrunnr/stoverun/DSC01288.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/huskyrunnr/stoverun/DSC01289.jpg

OK, now I'm tracking. Which way do you face the stove? I assume it must be 90 degrees to the door to not hit the pole?

Do you have any inside shots with the stove in?

Dave,

Yeah, I cut down the eyebrow, but it was a real PITA. If I ever did another SL 6 I do like Chris did.

i sewed a tigoat stove jack into my msr trekker tarp. sewed in in with a speedy sticher http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___21788.

took about 2 hours to complete the sewing job the tigoat stove jack i purchased came with a removable nylon cover that can be installed when the stove is not use its prefectly waterproof. my stove shown here was gleaned from txtrapper's idea built from a 1 gallon coleman gas can. its a wood heated shelter on the cheap. i had around 60 bucks in the setup when done. the most difficult thing is bringing yourself to cut a hole in your perfectly good tent, but the benefits are worth it in the end.

here are some pics
pics

stove pic

To those who have done this;
Does it make the stove pipe less stabile to run it through the side wall? It appears most guys run it somewhere near the center pole- for stability [?] or the possiblility of wrapping a wire to center pole? Or convenience?

Does anyone worry about the stove burning your sleeping bag?

B Lance,

The main reason I have always located the stove jack near the peak was to keep the pipe as close to verticle as possible and also to make the stove placement be where it takes up the least amount of living space while still keeping a safe distance from the side walls.

Here is an example of a non verticle instalation:


That was a GoLite ShangriLa 2 and I installed the jack in the mesh under the eyebrow. On a ShangriLa 2 that I sewed a stove jack into last week, I placed it closer to the peak so the pipe will run closer to verticle.

As far as stove jacks go, the Ti-Goat is very nice and ready to sew in. Another option is to get the siliconised fiberglass fabric from High Mountain Outfitters.
http://high-mountain-outfitters.com/Stoves-Fuel_c28.htm

This is a good option if you want/need a custom shaped stove jack. When going this route, I sew seam tape around the edges of the fiberglass and then the pile side of velcro to the inside of the seam tape. Make a rain cover to match the stove jack and sew the hook velcro on this. For the SL2 last week it took me about an hour to get the jack and rain cover sewen up and only 10-15 minutes to sew it into the tent.

And lastly, I am always concerned about burning my sleeping bag when in a shelter with a stove. Keep it as far away as you can and if possible, have a center pole between you and the stove.

I did not use my pole with my SL4 last year instead using a highlne (550 cord) about 7 feet up and just clipping in to it.

Do you all think that's still ok to hang it only with a vertical pipe comng out the rear vent or is it a recipe for trouble?

I have actually caught my pants on fire from sleeping to near the stove when I was in the army. Not fun!

I figured I would just stack some football size rocks around my stove to keep some distance.

Conrad,

My only concern with a highline, is in high winds the tent may flap quit a bit.

Thanks Ed. I bought a Shan 5 with the intent of adding a stove and your comments and past experience is invaluable.I appreciate the info. Don't know if you are into archery but if you are ever in the SF Bay area in Spring or summer you have an open invite to Shoot carp on the Delta with me. My shooting platform is just big enough so my 11 yr old son won't elbow you in the drink [he's hooked]....or we can just leave him home.

DO NOT put the stove jack low on a side wall. Put it as close to the peak as possible. I made the mistake of a sidewall stove jack in a SD Origami, thinking it would be a more efficient use of space. It turns out that the stove pipe is a very significant source of heat. I couldn't even heat the SD with my Kifaru small stove. I put in another stove jack at the peak, and I was back to being able to heat it quite nicely. All that exposed stovepipe made the difference.

It also turned out that the sidewall placement wasn't a better use of space anyway. So, learn from my mistake.

I sewed a jack into a SL-6 basically at the same height here but just to one side of the vent on the side-wall. Did a two day ski traverse this weekend and the SL-6 reached 60* while the temp was 7* outside. This with a large Kifaru stove. I think we could've reached a higher temp had we sealed in the wall gaps a little better with snow and shut the door:) This was the first trip with the stove so some further testing will be required to see if I really like the location but its working for me now.

One question I have for shangri-la/stove owners, Do you find that the top vents let out too much heat? Wouldn't it be better to close them somehow to trap the heat inside the tent?

Yup.

I'm making velcro on covers for the inside of them. I have used an alligator clip on the outside to pinch most of it shut. The vents do help with condensation though, but heat is my main concern.

For you gentlemen who sewed your jack into the back vent on the SL 4: The TiGoat sew in stove boot is 12" tall, 9" across the top, and 12" across the bottom. It will accept a stove pipe up to 4" diameter. Will the standard jack work, or do you need something special cut from TiGoat?

Thank you much. This is all joyous fun having a new project! :-)

you guys are making this too complicated..... the stovejack needs to be heat resistant and durable. go to the hardware store and get some fiberglass cloth and some clear silicone caulk. lay out the cloth and use a piece of carboard to squeegee a thin layer of silicone on one side and let it dry. turn the cloth over and layout the size of stovejack you want with a black sharpie. use a can of food for 3 or 4 inch pipe opening. squeegee the drawing side with caulk and let it dry and then cut it out. cheap and fast and very rugged stovejack.

Yeah, but I wanted to sew mine in. Plus you can sew velcro to the tent and have the jack removable to use on various shelters. It's wasn't complicated, it's preference. The silicone certainly sounds quick and easy too.

these get sewn in.... it is the best stovejack i have been able to find or come up with and i've sewn in over 100.

after the stovejack is sewn in, smear silicone on the stitching to waterproof the seam. i also use high temp silicone and run a bead around the cutout for the stovepipe to grip the pipe and make a watertight seal. this works very well and keeps your stovepipe stable even in the wind.

Can anybody tell me if the standard TiGoat Jack will work so I don't have to dig the tent out of the shed? :-)

Gotcha. I think I sorta misunderstood your post.

Conrad, the Ti jack works fine.

Ed,

Thanks for the vent cover idea on the SL4. I talked to Lauri, the woman who sewed in my jack, and she will sew covers for the inside using velcro tabs at 4-5 places on the perimeter. I'll send some photos when done.

Sorry that I'm not doing it all myself like you do; but I'll take all the ideas that you create. ;-)

I have a Tigoat vertex twin(a prototype), with a 4" stove jack. Originally they used thier standard jack, but due to the steep wall angle, thier wasn't enough clearance and it had to be modified. They ended up just sewing in a bigger jack. So if your using thier jack with a 4" pipe, I'd recomend checking it first.

Well I got the TiGoat standard jack and guess what, it's too small for the vent in the SL4. Guess I'll send it back.

Let me try again. For you guys who put it on the SL4 back vent, you must have ordered a custom size. Looks like I need about 16 inches across the bottom, 4 across the top and 14 height. Did you get a custom cut from TiGoat or did you find another source?

Conrad,

I haven't used the Ti Goat stove jack myself but friends have. The last stove jsck I sewed into a GoLite SL2 was one I got from High Mountain Outfitters that advertise here at the Campfire.

I think you could still use the Ti Goat jack if you slightly change the location. Here are photos of jscks installed in SL 2's. Smaller tent but similar design as far as the vent and roof go.

This is installed in the mesh vent:


This is installed just below the pole cone in the pitch of the roof:


A friend of mine used this second style installation in his SL4. I prefer this in the SL 2 and I think its just as good in the SL4 as the vent install.

Here's the ti goat jack in an SL 6

Another SL-6

Looking good Fishkilla. Can't wait to try mine out now!!! Are you using the Kifaru style stove pipe as well??

Yeah, Kifaru pipe. That setup is amazing, the large stove puts out so much heat, I cant get over it.

Conrad, when I made my jack for the sl4, I made it out of an extra piece of the jack material that was sent inside cylinder stove. When you send back the standard jack see if you can just order the material.

Great thread guys. I am new here and am in the process of buying a Go Lite Shangri-La 5 and installing a Ti Goat stove jack in it. Friends with B Lance and he turned me onto Shangri-la's and this site. I have been researching tipi shelters for some time. I live in IA, and will be using this in the the midwest and Canada at times, so I will need the mesh nest for bug control.

Anybody seen any SL1 nests lately? Everywhere I look, they are sold out.

Backcountry.com is having a 20% off sale, and they have the SL1 nests.

Code = 56L-1-C3JBA

Thanks B. Sorry to sidetrack this interesting thread.

TTT.....

Quick question if anyone doesnt open my other thread.

How do you guys find the temps in these Shangra-La shelters? Without a liner, how cold of temps have you stayed in them?

A shagra-la 5 should be about perfect for 2 guys plus gear and a stove eh?

Yea, the sl5 perfect for 2 guys and gear. I have only stayed in 40 degree weather with mine, and my stove ran me out easily if I let it. I am only a bow hunter, and will generally never be in any colder weather then the mid 20's with it, so I am glad I left the top vents intact and have no plans on closing them. Plus, with my mods, my sl5 pitches so tight to the ground, that I want the safety of the roof vents keeping me from getting CO2.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/4097930/5

Trev,

I have had a SL 4 (which is the same as the new SL 5) at 0 F using a small Kifaru stove. It was OK but you had to constantly stoke the stove. A medium would take it to -10 F maybe -20 F. I think the cylinder stove will be comparable to a medium.

Hardcore,

I believe if you spend any time in your SL 5 at or near 0 F you will have a different opinion of the roof vents.

Also none of the SL's stake as tight to the ground as a Kifaru tipi (or for that matter Tim's new hex shelter,) that coupled with the Kifaru's being available with liners, they are a lot tighter than any GoLite. I have never had any concerns with CO2 and a wood stove and I have been using these since 1988.

Not to disparage the GoLite's. I've got three of them myself. But I also have a lot of real world time in Kifaru tipis -- Para Tarp, Super Tarp,Para Tipi 4 man, 8 man and 12 man, plus limited time in 6 man and 16 man.

If it wasn't for the modularity of the SL's, by that I mean using them as a single wall tent, with a nest or with a nest and a wood stove, I'd most likely be using nothing but Kifaru's.

Tim's new shelters are really promissing. A different design than either the GoLite's or the Kifaru's.

Ed, $800 is a lot of $ to save(the cost of a hunt in some cases or another new bow)and for a bow hunter that gets to hunt when it is in the 20's to the 30's for typical lows, I doubt I will ever see cold weather in it. I know that with my modified sl-5, there isn't much oxygen getting in with my tight pitch, and I can't imagine how a kifaru or other tipi is getting a tighter pitch then mine. Tight is tight. I added 16 extra stake points and eliminated any looseness in the straps. It is tight so tight that if it could walk, it's butt would squeak. Guys die all of the time in campers with a little stove going, so I am glad those vents are there. Who's Tim?

Here ya go Ed, in case you havent followed my tipi thread. Stakes are only half in to show all of my additional stake points I made to this shelter.

Ed is spot on about the potential for heat to escape out of a top vent. I don't have a stove in my Golite but gotta say when I create an upper window on my Kifaru shelters the heat escapes big time in colder weather.

no doubt, heat rises. Glad I am a bow hunter and out of state big game archery seasons are closed by the time cold weather rolls in.

Hardcore,

1st off I want to say you did a great job on your SL 5 and stove as well as the posts on how to do it.

I personally don't want to pack 16 more stakes but did do have a tight pitch. Still isn't going to come near a Kifaru with a liner for tightness. Think double wall when using a liner.

And it isn't so much that heat rises as it is that cold sinks. With the vents open you get some very uncomfortable drafts when its cold. You should be fine with your in the seasons you plan on using it.

Any of the floorless tents allow plenty of oxygen to come in so that CO2 isn't a factor in my opinion.

Ed,

Do you sew your vents shut or just creat a flap for them? I would think something along the lines of a velcro deal would work well eh?

So, without a liner, cylinder stove, add some new stake points to suck it down a bit to the ground, and you figure I could get away with a Shangri-La 5 and a Cylinder stove setup for a November sheep hunt? I dont mind having to stoke the fire, but the ability to warm up at the end of the day, dry clothes, and go to bed warm would be nice.

I'm going to have to see more info on the tipi you mentioned as well. And either way I'm going to have to twist your arm into making a stove for me...

Another quick question for you guys who run these tipis with stoves...

Anyone ever have any issues with sparks or anything hurting the tarp? I understand most people are using a screen of some sort, but I'm curious if anyone has had any bad luck with sparks or damage, etc?

thanks

Rackmaster

I had problems with sparks on my homemade tipi the first time I burned the stove. I was not using screens, and I also was using cottonwood for fuel (had a pile of it in the back yard). So, I think it was user error that i got the burnholes in the tipi. I was using a stove the size of a Kifaru Artic, and my 6" stovepipe was about 12' long. The tipi itself is about 12' tall, so the pipe stuck out about 2 feet from the top once it was installed on top of the the stove.

I have also ran a medium stove out the side of my homemade pyramid about 2/3 of the way from the ground. I do use spark screens on that one, and i have not had any holes yet.

Ed, sure would like to see some pics of how a mesh liner makes this a tighter pitch on a kifaru then my sl5 and modifications. I also would like insight as to how a mesh liner and the hassle of carrying it and erecting it is easier then just carrying 16 stakes. Thanks.

I was under the impression that the liner in the Kifaru wasnt 'mesh', and it hangs right to the ground, creating a better seal to the ground. No first hand experience though....

Anyone ever looked at the possibilities of creating a liner for the SL5? Some sort of velcro or clip system inside?

Mine is tight to the ground, it is as tight as seal as anything without a bathtub floor. Shangri-las have an optional mesh liner and a floor comes with it. I just don't want one in mine. The whole purpose of a liner is so that it is mesh and helps eliminate condensation..the condensation goes on the silnyl and the mesh is against your belongings and it is the only part of the interior touching your stuff, so you stay dry....keeping bugs out is just another plus. A kifaru isn't going to have a solid sil nyl liner..I am sure theirs is mesh too.

I have never handled one, nor have the knowledge of one. I'm just going on what I had assumed. Guess I was wrong. Anyways I'm sure Ed will answer your question about the liner stuff. I definatly was just taking a stab in the dark...

If I was going to look at putting a liner in the SL5 (down the road as a project), I wouldnt want the 'nest' with floor. Something to look at for creating a project down the road, but for now I'm happy just working away at creating a cool tipi/stove combo.

Hardcore, a simple small liner/bug next like the SL2 (24 oz)nest you were looking at or better yet the MLD inner nest 2 man at 14 oz would be quicker to setup than the 16 extra stakes and about a wash on weight as well as be truly bug proof and give you a real floor in which to set your sleeping bag/pad inside of, which from what I understand would have been nice on the squishy ground you were camping on during your backpack turkey hunt. I plan on just using paracord to some internal tie points inside my SL5 so the inner mesh tent always setups as soon and I stake out the SL5 and put of the centerpole. No extra time to set it up at all actually.

Just the extra staking is nice for shelter securtiy, but since you are using a stove you are planning on camping in the trees I imagine so wind will not be a huge issue as if you were camping on a high exposed ridgeline so the extra weight of the stakes is really not needed IMO. But your designs and mods to the tent are cool and interesting. I look forward to putting my SL5 to use here in the coming week. USPS shows its about half way to my house as we speak.

The Kifaru liner isn't mesh it is uncoated ripstop. Moisture passes thru just like on a double wall tent. Mesh is useless for trapping heat. The Kifaru liner adds 10-15 degrees of comfort and helps with condensation. And yes it drapes onto the ground- thats where it creates a much tighter seal.

The liner attaches so it can be left in. You pitch the tipi same with it as without it

Not to be pissy with you Hardcore, but I have had years of experience in wood heated shelters both Kifaru and GoLite. I know the differences between them.

Kinda what I had thought on the liner in the Kifaru and its make. Guess my first guess was right. Thanks for positng the info and clearing it up Ed.

Trev,

I have started but not finished a liner. It is like the Kifaru liners, un-coated ripstop. I am going to attach it with plastic mitten hooks on 1/8" bunji cord to loops on the tent sidewalls. I am going to make it either two or three piece so I can mix and match.

Keep me posted on the progress Ed. I'm really interested and will most likely do some tinkering down the road. I think the SL5 with a cylinder stove will make a great setup, and by adding a liner it would increase the versatility a bit down the road. Thanks again for all the info!

Cool Alaska lanche...did you get it on sale for $280 from Prolite? They have them back on sale right now for this price. I took a eureka zeus and pitched it inside my sl 5 yesterday to see if a 2 person nest would work. It did. The wind blows HARD here, even in the timber, so I am glad to have the extra tie downs. We commonly have 25-35 mph, with even higher winds at times. If a plane drops me off in Alaska for a moose hunt, I will def bring the stakes too. Extra stakes can help keep the shelter from being ripped and torn for sure. The beauty is, if I don't want to use them, I don't have too, and if I do, they are there. Regardless, a SL owner should sew those big loops in half like I did, so that you can pitch it tight.

You want your shelter tight against wind for sure.

I have had an SL 6 in measured wind of 75 mph and a Kifaru 8 man in measured wind of 108 mph. These were taken with a Brunton wind meter.

The guy points are IMO as important as the peg loops on the bottom.

I like Hardcore's idea of sewing in extra peg loops on a GoLite, it's just that you don't have to with a Kifaru or one of Tim's shelters.

BTW, you don't need to sew the big loops, just peg behind them or if you aren't going to use a nest, remove them.

I picked it up from basegear.com for $280 they also had the SL5 nest for $140 and am going to use the nest in my SL8 setup as its over a pound lighter than my current SL4 nest to that'll be nice as well as give me a little more space in the front area of the SL8...not that I needed it in that monster tent.

The extra staking is a nice options, but I am pretty darn sure these setups with just the 8 ground staking locations and the 4 extra midway staking locations will easily handle 30-40 mph winds. Granted if you are getting dropped off in AK and aren't packing up camp each and everyday to hike all day the extra 16 stakes is no big deal.

I plan on tying 1/8" shockcord on all of the mid-height guyout points so they don't take all the stress in the wind. Should help a little and the guys at MLD suggest doing that to their setups so I figure the same concept should help out my SL5. May even tie the shockcord on the guyout loops on my SL8 as well as I have 20' of 1/8" shockcord coming for only $5.00 shipped. I'll even use shockcord loops in addition paracord when I tie my nest inside the SL5 for fast setup.

I plan on using the SL5 with my wife on our 150 mile hike/packraft trip coming up this summer. Since we will be moving and setting up camp in a different locale each day and we wanted a trekking pole apiece anyways I bought a setup of these to double duty as trekking poles as well as screw together and use as a tent pole as the 115" version goes well over 7' that way.

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Black-Diamond-Carbon-Probe-Ski-Pole/BLD0466M.html

This will bring the total weight of my setup of the SL5 shelter, stakes, and bug nest w/floor (you'll want that in the AK summer regardless of how tightly pitched to the ground you can get as rarely to you get to camp on a perfectly level surface and them little bugger and get in anywhere) to roughly 50 oz. Not bad for 90 sq ft of shelter that you can stand up in in the center as well as 30+ sq ft of floored bug free sleeping area.

Thanks for clearing that up Ed. Since this is a Shangri-la thread, I will try to stay on topic. There is no way to peg behind the big loops on the sl5. Either sew them in half, or put up with a looser fit to the ground. Guys that want these type of shelters need to assess how you are going to use it. A bow hunter doesn't need extra warmth and this cylinder stove I have will be plenty for any bow hunter's need for warmth. There is also no need to plug the roof vents or cover them for a bow hunter either. You rifle guys and guys that enjoy camping in the dead of winter need to go with bigger stoves and tighter pitches for sure, and decide whether you want to plug off the roof vents. You can either do like I did with the mods to my sl if you want it to be more snake, mouse, bug, draft resistant and more stable in winds, or get a floor, or the nest/floor combo. The problem with a floor, is that these have a large footprint, and this requires a perfect or near perfect flat spot. I like the no floor setup, but my girlfriend bow hunts with me and she would like me to get the sl2 nest. For her and I that would be OK, as we sleep together, but to put a sl2 nest in this and share the tipi with a buddy, would use up too much room as I am not sleeping with him in a sl2.



The big loops and as you can see, there is no way to peg behind them, so by sewing them in half, this makes the peg pitch the bottom to the ground. It also gives 2 places for a stake, in case you want to place two at these points.

Sounds like a blast and quite an adventure. Take lots of pics and can't wait to see them.

EdT- Not trying to be a smart-A, but you've mentioned "Tim's shelters" a couple of times on this thread. If you don't mind, which company are you talking about?

pointer,

Here is the thread:
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/4082752/I_ve_found_it#Post4082752

I'll get a picture of the prototype posted today or thei weekend.

As ED said the Kifaru liner is uncoated nylon. This allows water vapor to pass though but will stop most drips coming down. It also stops tipi snow. This can happen when the shelter's inner shell gets iced over from condensation once the stove dies down. A gust of wind will flake the ice off the walls on a person. Both the drips and snow are not big issues for me but keeping moisture off my down bag is nice.



The bug nest for the Hex also stops some of these drips as the water tension seems to help but not to the same degree.



A liner helps reduce drafts and this is a big deal. Consider just how cold a bathroom can get in winter with a window cracked open. It doesn�t take much. When the stove is running hot a heated shelter acts a bit like a deflating balloon. The hot air is expanding out though any gaps and this pressure keeps the colder air from coming it. But once the stove flags a bit the reverse happens. Cold air settles in the lower area of a heated shelter and this can bring on a chill. Goes without saying the more numerous the gaps the harder it will be for your stove to keep cold air from creeping in. A liner that hangs to the floor reduces these drafts.



But there seems to be more going with a liner that increases the overall heat within a shelter. The liner doesn�t offer any real insulation in terms of R-value in my view. But the inner liner is a bit like your skin and the air space and canopy mirrors a rain jacket.



This could all be speculation on my part but in any case a liner will add about 10+ degrees to a shelter and allows me to operate the stove with larger chunks of wood dampened down and this means longer runtimes and less work. I cover any gaps on the floor with leaf litter or snow. I also use a Mylar blanket to cover any gaps at the door as these often can�t be covered with snow etc.

I look forward to reports of a DIY liner for the Golite shelters.

I just ordered this through REI, as I was checking out their big sale and they happen to have this on sale. Here are the specs. It should hang from a couple of loops that are in my SL5 and be a UL way to have some insect control.

Sea To Summit Mosquito Pyramid Net - Single Specs
Specification

Description
Design type Non-freestanding shelter
Seasons Not applicable
Average weight 9 ounces
Average weight - metric 0.26 kilogram
Peak height 41 inches
Peak height - metric 104 centimeters
Dimensions 87 x 48 inches
Dimensions - metric 221 x 122 centimeters
Covered area 29 square feet
Material(s) Polyester mesh
Packed size 6 x 5.5 x 4 inches

$23.99

http://www.rei.com/product/798574

Are you guys hunting out in the cold weather, skiing, or just having fun camping where you need these liners and dealing with ice and what not?

HCH.

Give us a review of that bug net once it comes in. I am thinking it would be nice under a tarp. I hunt from a tree stand during deer season so go out in deep winter just for the fun of it. Temps of 0 to -25F without wind is just fine in my book. Now cold and windy sucks and 30's with rain/sheet is down right evil.

My main purpose of purchasing the tipi/stove combo is for a November sheep bowhunt and a November elk hunt in the mountians of Alberta. Temps can get down to -30 Celcius at night and there is always a chance of snow, freezing rain, etc.

So ya...'having fun' would be a good description....heh

I could see using these on a lake to ice fish in the dead of winter and camp.

I will WW...I think it looks like the ticket instead of a sl2 nest.

Rackmaster, any trees at that altitude for your stove?

Ya there is a lot of trees as most of the time camp will be down in the valleys. Most of the mountains I hunt have trees about half-way up as well. Definatly a lot of trees and big deadfall all around any areas I'll be setting up camp. An 'abundance' I would say...

EdT- Thanks for the heads up! I'm looking forward to more info and pics!! I need to get my honey-do's caught up so I can see about getting a stove jack/stove set up for the SD Orgami I bought from you a year or so back...