Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting What's the deal with the tipi?

I keep running across people using a tipi to camp/hunt with, can someone explain why they are so well liked?
How do you deal with the ground in conjunction with your tipi?
Do they work well in snow/rain?

Having always used a tent that is what I am familiar with, so I understand its functions and shortcomings.

Modern tipis have huge space to weight ratio plus with many, you can walk in rather than crawl. They are very aero dynamic, shed rain and snow and usually come with a stove jack so a wood burning stove can be used.
Some, like the Seekoutside BCS, or LBO along with Kifaru's Sawtooth and Mega Tarp can weigh only 4-6 lbs complete with a wood stove like my titanium roll-up and easily sleep two with gear.

As far as dealing with the ground, you don't need to take your boots off to come in or worry about spilling anything. Most guys use a small ground cloth under their sleeping bag. If not a ground cloth then a high or just a cc pad.

You should try to get to one of the various Rendezvous around the country and check out tipis.

I own the Kifaru 6-man tipi. I like it because it's a bomb-proof, heated shelter that, with the stove, sleeps 4 comfortably (5 is a bit tight but doable) and yet weighs only about 13 pounds. I don't miss the floor unless I have to pitch in muddy conditions.

[quote=achadwick]I own the Kifaru 6-man tipi. I like it because it's a bomb-proof, heated shelter that, with the stove, sleeps 4 comfortably (5 is a bit tight but doable) and yet weighs only about 13 pounds. I don't miss the floor unless I have to pitch in muddy conditions. [/quote
I agree with all of that(I have the same shelter) plus you can strip it down to just the tipi,no pole,mosquito net or liner and you have an easily back packable huge shelter for under 5 lbs.You can cut a wood pole onsite
Tim

I agree with all the pro's Ed has mentioned but for me the only reason I own a floorless tipi type shelter is to use a wood stove. If I am not using a stove I prefer a floored freestanding tent. That might change though with shelters like the SO LBO, I might be running floorless more often.

The only con I can think of for floorless tipi style tents is staking it down. Your shelter is dependent of secure anchors. Its not like a freestanding mountaineering you can setup and jump in. Your tents not going to blow away if your inside it. Long as you can get your tipi anchored well its not a con, but if you can't it will become a problem really fast when that wind kicks up.

I had a big agnes tent blow away with about 100 lbs of gear in it. Luckily it was only about 100 yards away, but it was pretty damaged. Duct tape got me through the rest of the trip.

Yes you do need secure anchors, and sometimes that can be hard to come by, however more often than not it can be overcome.

[bleep], you mean we have to shovel again??

Falling asleep like this is what makes a floorless shelter worth it.

Dan, we would have had to shovel with a freestanding tent as well with that snow. Just not as much since a freestanding tent would not have been the size of a small garage.

However, a freestanding tent would have given us a lot of opportunity to get to know each other, crawling over each other to get out etc.

You must've passed out before we drank all the whiskey

This quote and your signature line together just made my night.

So do you reek of smoke when using the stove?

No, the stoves don't smoke unless you forget to open the damper before opening the door.
After all they are wood stoves not campfires.

George,

For me it's the weight to space ratio.

I fly-in for my annual moose hunt and weight restrictions for Super Cubs make heavy tents expensive to fly.

My 12 man Kifaru and X Dog titanium stove weigh 20 pounds combined and provide approximately 20 ft diameter foot print. Perfect for 3-4 hunters and gear.

Ever had a wet dog in your floored tent?

The mud and what not that they bring in to the tent presents much less impact when in a floorless tipi.

I also can get inside while wearing chest waders and undress in dry conditions without concern for getting everything in the tent wet or muddy.

However, as a former desert dweller I would not use a floorless tent during "creepy cawly" season in the Lower 48.

For me the best thing is the lighter weight of a Tipi. Some negatives are I hate the pole in the middle, especially in a smaller Tipi. And I dont like the shape. That is the highest point is in the middle where the pole is and the sides get low to the ground limiting the useable space when sitting. I like a dome shape for this reason. In fact, I have seen some dome tents that set up without the inner making it kind of a domed TIPI. You could even put a stove jack in it. In fact you could put an oven in most any tent.

Some people really like them

Meat Eater Gear Review

The tipi shape is the most effective shape at providing minimal weight, space and weather performance. Yes you usually don't have the room at the side walls you do with a dome or tunnel tent, but those designs become in effective at taller profiles. This can be overcome by using side guy outs though at least with the SO tipi. The secret is to pitch it about an inch taller than normal, and about an inch less diameter, then to use the side guy outs to take out slack. This makes the lower foot or two about as steep as a dome tent. Floors are most easily accomplished using ground sheets. Full on bug protection is accomplished by using a small inner nest that provides complete enclosure. Yes the nest feels like a smaller tent , but it is what it is and does provide that protection. The center pole, well it's the most weight effective way to have a reliable pitch. There are other ways, with a little time but they do weigh more.

Dan, yes I did fall asleep before all the whiskey was gone. It must not have been memorable

What happens at Winter Rondy, STAYS at Winter Rondy...

I don't know nothing about no whiskey drinking

I decided to go to a smaller tent without a stove last season and was MISERABLE compared to a heated tipi. Getting out of bed in the morning is sooo much easier when the inside of your tipi is short sleeve weather.