Tent Brand/Configuration Likes and Dislikes

1_pointer said:

willm- What make/model of tipi were you using?

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Mountain Laurel Designs DOUMID

Tent brand is mostly a question of customer service, build quality, design characteristics, and resale value if you like to try different stuff. Configuration can be brand driven but of course not entirely. For ultralight use, it's tough to beat tarp-tents and tipis. Larger tipis can work well too if you like the feel. I personally mostly use light-ish double walls currently, that I can push into 4 season use. When decent weather is in order just a sil tarp and 6 oz. breathable bag cover.

The best double wall tents available are Hilleberg, no question. I've had 4 and used several others. They are expensive, and not worth it for the occasional backpacker. Build quality, service, and toughness per unit weight are unmatched, with the possible exception of HMG cuben shelters on the strengh:weight ratio--but they are built for more of a niche than I prefer as a primary "tent".

I've owned or used Big Agnes, Six Moons, Marmot, Hilleberg, MSR, Moss, Walrus, Sierra Designs, Mountain Hardwear, Integral Designs, Rab, and GoLite shelters. From tarps, to tipis, to double walls. Outside of Hilleberg, Big Agnes offers features that I tend to gravitate toward.

You really just have to get out there are put in some nights with different shelters to figure out what your priorities are. There are too many options and nuances to say one is specifically what you need without getting out in them. Good luck, enjoy the experience, and have fun with the shelter you pick!

My preference for bomber-proof tents is Hilliberg. My Hilleberg of choice is Nallo. Has a giant vestibule with gobs of room for gear. There is plenty of room in the vestibule to cook, dry clothes, and store lots of gear. It also has relatively steep side-walls which add to the usable space. I've been in a few of the tents mentioned above..of which some are relatively small with angled side-walls...not much room for 2 guys plus all their gear! I often go on extended trips to Alaska and elsewhere where wind and rain are pretty much a given. It's nice having room on trips when weather is horrible and I'm cooped up for days. It's also nice returning to camp having faith that my tent is warm and dry! I also hunt Wyo and Colo on a regular basis. I often use the fly for ultra-light backpacking early in the season. Being 4 season the fly when used alone is bomber-proof plus is super light. The fly plus poles and stakes is around 2 lbs. I often bring painters plastic (a few ounces) for a floor. Do yourself a favor and take a look at Hilleberg.

To the OP, if you've got an REI near you or a good mountaineering store, go check it out. They should let you setup and lay inside any of the tents. Grab a mat and throw it in there and get a feel for them.

I've always been a dome tent guy for many reasons. Primarily because I never knew about floorless shelters growing up in the midwest. Mosquitos will carry you away and bug netting is required.

If I was choosing a dome tent, I prefer a free=standing design for those places where its impossible to drive a stake in. It does happen, but not as often as I think it would matter. They are typically shorter and smaller in size for their weight than floorless shelters. I have several and continue to use them. If I was buying again I would definately look at Big Agnes. REI has name brand tents that are also very good. I have a couple and they are every bit as good quality-wise as the bigger names.

I have to disagree slightly with wllm1313 in his assessment of tipi style tents. Mainly I would argue that design makes a huge difference in their durability in wind and weather and fabric construction has a huge impact as well. There are numerous modified tipis, true tipi and pyramid style shelters out there now that have been proven over and over to be just a bombproof as many mountaineering tents. Outside of true 4-season mountaineering tents a quality tipi/pyramid from Kifaru or Seek Outside is just as good as a 3-season dome tent in weather.

I would say that if backcountry camping is new to you then a free-standing dome tent would be the best choice. There is really not a bad time to use one and they are pretty simple to use after 1-2 tries. A BA Copper Spur UL 2 or 3 would be my first choice. Lots of room, super light for a full tent and solid construction. I wouldnt put anyone over the age of 15 in a 1P tent if I had a choice. If you're gonna sleep in a 1-man you might as well use a bivy and a tarp.

I'm going to disagree with some of the posters above about the tipi style tents as well. Since I started using them, I think I've slept one night in a standard tent and don't have any urge to go back for hunting season. (Summer with mosquitoes and lots of bugs is when I'd use them - so this will depend on where and when you'll be using....)

Properly designed and pitched - they're fine in very high winds. Kifaru Sawtooth, Supertarp, Paratarp and Seekoutside designs are all great designs. No sag at all and fine in snow for the ones I've used - better than a lot of backpacking tents until you're getting to Hilleberg. Plenty of examples of people using these in extreme conditions.

You also get a lot more space for the same or less weight. You don't have to worry about tracking dirt in and taking your boots off every time you go in and out, and I've never had an issue with pad and bag getting wet. I use one of these at 6 ounces and that keeps everything together and doesn't retain moisture, other people just bring a sheet of Tyvek

http://www.titaniumgoat.com/Bug-Bivy.html

Also - no issue with wind or water coming in at all unless it's by choice and you pitch it up to allow ventilation (Assuming you're using one that is fully enclosed and not a flat tarp with two open ends). The biggest issues are condensation, and bugs in warmer weather. But - you can also use a titanium wood stove...

Here's an example. A Supertarp is 2lb 4oz without stove, add 5 ounces for an annex to make it fully enclosed, add 1lb 6 oz for a small cylinder stove and you're right around 4lb with a fully enclosed, heated shelter...

This year - I packed in my Sawtooth for 12 days of solo elk hunting in WY. Could stand up. Had room for a small cot and a chair. Love it.

I have a Hilleberg Anjan2 I think I've used all of twice since buying it. I should probably sell that, sell my older marmot, and pick up a Copper Spur UL2 for my one backpacking tent when I need it.

There is no doubt tipis are often better on paper and in practice. But there are always tradeoffs. A supertarp/annex/stove setup is pushing $800. Just like the Hilleberg's aren't cost effective for the occasional backpacker, a solid tipi/stove set-up isn't either. When you can snag a used Copper Spur or Hubba Hubba for a couple hundred bucks, it can be hard to justify unless you're out in it all the time. Personally, 90% of my backpacking or more takes place between May and mid October, so stoves just aren't worth the hassle considering I very well may be above treeline anyway. For guys that spend more time in October and November, almost no question a heated shelter is going to be worth the cost and weight. I have seen an SL5 collapse once in wind, and mostly collapse in snow to the point of temporary dysfunction. Certainly the exception, not the rule.

I guess one of my favorite things about Hille's is that I can use it as a floorless shelter with no additional accessories, and still have the flexibility to put the body in for summer and September bugs. No stove option and initial cost are really the only major cons. If it's nice-ish and no bugs, a 1 lb tyvek/tarp combo is a cheap compliment.

The pros of tipis are truly outstanding, but not to the point of exclusivity. I think Brendan and I, among others, basically agree.