Our 8 man tipi gave out with the snow here in Colorado last weekend. Fortunately I was just using it to keep some llama hay dry at a camp site for a few days before first season opened. Our conservative estimate is more than 500 nights of use, all at high altitude and often with lots of wind and snow. I’ve been meaning to get a new tipi but hadn’t gotten around to it...good thing we weren’t depending on it for backcountry survival. I think the failure was from UV damage, as the seams held but the fabric ripped along 2 different seams, causing one side to collapse.
All in all I think this tipi performed spectacularly well and we more than got our money’s worth out of it. Does anybody know what the normal expected lifespan of tipi fabric is?
My task now is to select a new tipi. Lots more options on the market now than 20 years ago. I’m leaning towards a Seek Outside.
