Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting 4 season shelter (wind/snow)

So I'm considering two shelters, Hilleberg Nammatj 2p (with optional mesh inner for warmer scenarios) or Luxe octopeak with 18" LO cylinder stove (with 1p inner nest for warmer scenarios).

My concern is I need a shelter that can withstand up to 70mph winds and a foot of snow. (Ie literal weather that has caused me to pull stakes and leave).

Will a tipi handle that weather/wind? A stove would be nice, but strength is more important.

we have used those old green military tents in the mountains ,their kinda round and very heavy but do work well.

I have used two Hilleberg tents in severe conditions in the west and Alaska. I believe they would hold up. Also used a Tipi not so sure about it staying up in those conditions. It would handle the snow but I don't know about 70 mph wind.

I came back to a mess with the tipi when the wind got under it and pulled most of the pegs out.


Lefty

My 8 man Kifaru tipi survived a 70 knot blow while hunting caribou on the Alaska Peninsula. Regardless of which tent you get, you can markedly increase it's resistance to wind damage with a simple modification. At the tie down points (especially those midway up the tent side) make a loop of shock cord through the tie out point and closed with 2 hog rings. You need hog ring pliers to close the rings. I would not have tent without a stove unless camping June through August.

I don't have firsthand experience with the specific models you're considering, but do have extensive experience with various heated, floorless SilNylon tipis/Mids. IME, they will stand up to very high winds if well pitched, even if it's a relatively exposed site. Their main disadvantage in winter conditions is that snow tends to slide down the sides- piling up on the edges if the shelter is unattended- collapsing the shelter in some cases. IE; heavy snowfall w/o wind. They are still my preferred shelter type, but that is a limitation to keep in mind. IME.

LOL, “relatively exposed site”?? I don’t know if you could get any more exposed!

Betting I know where you're thinking, and that site was definitely a roll of the dice. We came up with snake eyes... LOL.

Maybe a wind tunnel?

No experience with Luxe but lots with other Tipis.
I had a Kifaru 8 man that withstood 108 mph actual measured wind gusts.
I have had a Mountain Smith 4 man with the center pole broken due to snow load. The tipi was left for a couple days with no one there.
So in my experience, if you are expecting heavy snow load, especially if wet, be there to push it off from the inside.
For wind and snow make sure your pegs are bomber. If one peg goes you will likely lose them all.
I like the MSR pegs best. Ground Hogs and Cyclones.

I've used my 12 man Kifaru in extreme winds but if I know I'm going to an area of extreme
weather, I take my Hilleberg Tara as it'll handle it all.

I use a Kuiu Storm Star 2P for 4-season backpacking. It's a genuine 2 person tent with two doors and two vestibules that weighs only 5 1/2 #.

Don't believe claims that a tipi is as aerodynamic as a dome tent. It's not. In 2016, I setup a camp on the Kivalena River, above the Arctic Circle, using a Cabelas XPG-4 (free-standing dome) as a sleeping tent and Sierra Designs Origami-4 tipi as a cook shack. The dome tent had no problems shedding the wind. The tipi was ruined by the wind.

IMHO wood burning stoves inside a backpack tent are more work than they are worth.
Kuiu Storm Star 2P


The Hilleberg Janu -2 is just as good as the KUIU tent but a little more expensive.
Hilleberg Janu-2 tent

Personally I don't see comparing the two. For me anyways they provide two totally different purposes.

I am not packing a Teepee climbing mountains or on extended backpacking trips. As I am not packing a Two man tent for extended stays for a base camp to hunt out of.

So I have both to cover my needs.

MCH:

I agree.

So when, what situation, is the tipi the best alternative?

KC

Anyone know of this tent being available:

Mountain Hardwear Hunker Military Tent - Coyote Brown


https://www.skdtac.com/Mountain-Hardwear-Hunker-4-Season-Tent-p/mhw.350.htm

Expensive and a little larger and heavier, the Mountain Hardwear Trango tents are real good. The one I have I don't believe is made any more, the Trango 3 Arch is perfect for 2 or 3 with a little more headroom for sitting up if needed in prolonged bad weather.

Phil

I've considered the kuiu storm, however the vestibule space seems lacking. One big selling point to me with the Nammatj is the optional mesh inner tent for early season use (and the two large vents).

For me it is the best when I am packing into a big drainage to hunt for an extended period of time. Like a week or more. Were I want to be able to heat up the tent to dry clothes and equipment. Were I want to be able to stand up, spread out my gear, and have ample room for multiple hunters if I am not soloing. Basically a Base Camp to hunt out of that provides me a little more comfort than a tent.

I use and don't mind a tent at all hunting for a few days. But anymore than a few days I want a big happy space!

"IMHO wood burning stoves inside a backpack tent are more work than they are worth."
KC: I disagree. Hunted New Zealand South Island for tahr. GoLite Shangri-La 3 weighed about 4 pounds with stove jack sewn in. When the snows hit us in the mountains the 2 guys in the backpacking tent squeezed around the small stove with us. The stove required a lot of tending but no one was complaining about the heat.

Three days with another hunter is enough for me in a tent like this!

Yes that the dilemma. Room and heating the tipi, but I'm just a little iffy on the strength. Oh well maybe I'll flip a coin..

If setup properly Tipi's are plenty strong! As is a tent!

I think you need to figure out and decide on which one fits your needs more. Or buy both and have options!

I make them bring their own tent!

Yeah. This makes sense.

The more I look at the kuiu storm, the more it makes since for a packable 4 season tent (double vestibule/entry, and fairly lightweight). Although a 6-7lb tipi/stove setup would be sweet.

You also might want to see what Stone Glacier comes out with. I’m thinking they are going to be doing a wood stove compatible shelter.

I will not give up the tipi/Ti stove combo anytime soon. So many times I’ve enjoyed the warmth of a stove and the ability to dry gear. Currently using an old Seek Outside BCS and EdT Ti stove. Those things have been with me many elk and deer seasons in CO.

I would like to upgrade the tent to one with easier access around the stove. The stove is starting to show its age as well.

What's the total weight of your setup? The total weight of the tipi, inner nest, and pole I'm looking at is 4.9lbs. With the stove it's about 7.5lbs.

My tent is 3.4 (that’s the bag with everything in it) and the stove is 2.3lbs, again that’s total weight as it goes into my pack.

So can anyone tell me what happened to the guy that ran SeekOutside?

Something happened?

I think I read where someone died in the Ti Goat family business, not so long ago.

I didn't hear anything about Seek Outside.

Sorry, my bad. Wham Blasted used to post and made tents. That is who I was thinking of.

I just looked at Stone Glacier - nothing mentioned compatible with a stove. I need a 4 season with a stove.

More of a base camp but I believe the beginning of things to come.
https://www.stoneglacier.com/collections/tents/products/skydome-6p?utm_campaign=2020%20Product%20Launch%20%28PyumRf%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Stone%20Glacier%20Mailing%20List&_ke=eyJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJydW5zbXRuczU5QG1zbi5jb20iLCAia2xfY29tcGFueV9pZCI6ICJIdzdkY0wifQ%3D%3D

That Stone Glacier is 31lbs. Probably nice in lieu of a wall tent at the truck.

Had a shall we say interesting night at 12,000 feet elev in Oct in CO a few years back with a tipi. In fairness, it was very exposed. Came down the mtn and bought a Hilleberg 3 person. If no wind forecast, tipi is nice, stove is great. If windy and no place to get out of it, Hilleberg for me. So in other words, buy both.

In time, that's probably exactly what will happen. Barring anything ground breaking, I'm probably going with either a hilleberg nallo 2 (maybe 3) or the kuiu storm star.

We use either a Hilleberg Nalo 3 GT or a Golite SL 4 modified to use 6” Ti Goat cylinder stove on our yearly Stone sheep hunts here in BC.
In 2016 we were camped high up on the side of a mountain with no cover and a storm hit over night. It was the worst storm I’ve ever experienced. We were using the Hilleberg. Extreme wind with driving snow. One corner of the tent pulled up in the wind in the middle of the night. We were trying to hold everything down from the inside in complete darkness. Finally got it restaked but it had badly bent one pole and luckily didn’t break it. It was below freezing but the humidity was so high and the wind so violent that it was a constant mist storm inside the tent. All we could do was zip up in our bags and shiver the night away hoping the tent would hold up. Our bags were very wet and we were very close to hypothermia. Glad it only lasted one night. Got up the next morning to snow everywhere. We decided to head out of the mountains and it snowed and rained for the next 5 days but without much wind.
Long winded story but I don’t think the Golite would have stood up to that, and the results could have been deadly. Ever since then I just can’t bring myself to take tipi and stove on a sheep/goat hunt.

A friend has one of those Hilleberg Nalo 3 tents, and I've examined it closely.

I thought the layout was really good, and the workmanship fantastic.

I was damn impressed.

Later, I had a chance to try to rip a piece of the special material the tent is made from in a store that had a display set up. Not easy to do, I can tell ya'!

John

At the prices they charge, it had better be fantastic. You pay for quality.

A new challenger has appeared: Copper Spur HV 3 Expedition

Seems like a decent compromise in weight and "bomberness".

Plus this season I think I'm going to focus on late sept/early oct high country mule deer.

A lot of excellent advise on staking, stretch cord and extra effort in the set up, go a long way in securing your shelter, than the slight differences in top tier tents. In my younger mountaineering days when solo was the norm. I relied on the North Face 4 season tents. West wind model at 5 lb.’s and change was double skinned and bomb proof. Spent many a night’s at high altitude and miserable weather. No problem at all. Sadly production went to China and quality downhill. All this past my Marine Corps dirt pounder days, in my twenties and mountain goat status. Add some years or decades and priorities change. You are not as limber and cannot get dressed comfortably in the sitting position, due to low ceiling height in the low 30 inchers, mostly restrictive space all around. Hence my continued experimentations.
Hilleberg Nallo 3, it was secure no matter what mother nature had stored. Only one problem. It felt like a plastic coffin, not much better space wise than others. If you want one, I highly recommend them, but get a bigger model than you need. We all know the occupancy status is sleeping bag next to another, no space in between. This provides quicker warming of your interior area and low ceiling to enhance the heat and negate the wind sail effect.
After much experimentation and research, especially mountaineering enthusiasts for the worlds highest and most extreme. I settled on the Nemo Moki 3person, in reality one really comfortable and doable. A second person that you like and for less than a week’s time only three in an emergency. It is in the 7lb. Range. Quick to set up. Single skin. Lots of ventilations for you to control, unlike others. The material is tough and lets you stand if you open the top window. Mother nature, accessing outside noise etc... without having to crawl through a tunnel. It comes with vestibule and an extra can be added since it is a full double door entry and not a port hole. It can also be attached to other Moki’s. 70mph winds at Hell’s Canyon, was tight as a drum, no flapping noise or waiting to see if it’s going to hold up.
It is perfect for Alaskan float hunts, drop camps or in an offroad vehicle for emergency shelter.
If you want the luxury to stand, have room for others and a stove, then the tipi is your best option. You always have to give and take somewhere. A typical canvas wall tent is more comfortable for sure. The weight is a definite no for some hunts but perfect for another. My point, having two or three options will cover more scenarios as you see fit.
I also got a now defunct but quality product a Wyoming Lost and Found 5 man tipi with a titanium wood stove. Good for some but not all. As an outdoorsman, you will always go through experimentation with the newest and the latest. Enjoy the journey. I am in my late 50’s with no regrets. Safe hunting.

Has anyone used the BA copper spur hv 2 expedition in inclement weather?

I can acquire the 2p for 299. I have a hard time find something on paper better for the money.

I have seen some heavy wind events posted on the Alaska Outdoors site using a Sawtooth Tipi and a stove on Kodiak Island. Video shot from the inside seemed to verify superior strength at fighting the wind. However, some posts here contradict that. Wonder if something has changed in the tent construction or is there some operator error?
The stove/tipi makes good sense for my solo "diy" elk hunt in New Mexico next December.

I've used my Sawtooth in extreme winds also but I elected to pull the poles during the highest winds and roll up in the tent to await dawn.
My buddy was in my Hilleberg Tara and slept the night through.

II don't know what the wind velocity was but it blew some houses off the foundation in a nearby village. I suspect 70+.