Lil' Bug Out & Vestibule or Duomid XL

I had someone "borrow" most of my back country gear back in December. Since I don't expect them to ever return my stuff I've been doing some shopping lately. I've already replaced the packs, sleeping bags and pads, cooking kits and other items. Now I have to decide on a shelter.

I had a REI 2 person, double wall tent that was great to sleep in but was heavy and bulky to carry. My second tent was a MSR 2 person, single wall that was great to carry but never very comfortable to sleep in and didn't handle bad weather well. Now I'm trying to find a shelter that has plenty of room, packs down into a small package and is as light as practically possible. I also want one tent that works year round so I don't need a second one for the summer.

I have narrowed the search down to the Seek Outside LBO & Vestibule and the Mountain Laurel Duomid XL. Since I don't really want to drive to Virginia or Colorado, I can't look at these before I buy one.

I'm looking for some pros/cons on each tent from people that have used them before;
How well do they handle the weather (wind, rain, snow)?
Do they allow enough ventilation without having to pitch the sides off the ground or leave a door partially open?
How easy/hard are they to set up and take down?
Are they practical when the weather gets really warm?
How well will they hold up to use?

Any real world experience or advice would be a huge help.

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/sleep-systems/88276-lbo.html

Search here for additional info

Thanks for the link but that thread is more over how much room the LBO has when you add a stove.

Right now I’m not planning on using a stove and am looking for some advice on which tent most people prefer based on experience.

Ritter said:

Thanks for the link but that thread is more over how much room the LBO has when you add a stove.

Right now I’m not planning on using a stove and am looking for some advice on which tent most people prefer based on experience.

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Yeah, that’s why I said to search there for mor information....

I own every possible configuration of the LBO-vestibule, connecting tarp, etc and can give you my opinion, but there’s tons of guys experience shared on that site.

See for yourself.

Ritter said:

I'm looking for some pros/cons on each tent from people that have used them before; I haven't used the LBO but I have used several other Seek shelters, I came very close to buying the LBO but bought a Cimarron instead
How well do they handle the weather (wind, rain, snow)? Great, we had all three on my last hunt and the tipi design held up well
Do they allow enough ventilation without having to pitch the sides off the ground or leave a door partially open? Yep
How easy/hard are they to set up and take down? Super easy, it's a pole and a few stakes, watch the videos on their website
Are they practical when the weather gets really warm? Yep
How well will they hold up to use? They seem pretty darn tough, but can be repaired if necessary

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I'd suggest getting the stove jack if you get the LBO, someday you may change your mind about the stove and you'll be glad you had it. I'd also suggest getting the Base-Tarp-Vestibule option for a little flexibility on added sleeping space.

jeffpg,

Thanks again for the link. I honestly appreciate it, but..........

Since I have already used my extensive Google fu to research and narrow down the choices of what I am interested in I thought I would ask people that......

jeffpg said:

own every possible configuration of the LBO-vestibule, connecting tarp, etc and can give you my opinion,

Click to expand...

for their opinion.
But hey, I get it. My post count is single digit and you're some old timer on the site putting guys like me in our place.

So I guess I will...

jeffpg said:

See for yourself.

Click to expand...

LuketheDog,
Thanks for the feedback. That's exactly what I'm looking for.

I have a Kifaru Para Tipi which is very, very similar to the LBO.

Hard to believe I've had it for 15 years! It's still going strong.

If I'm going for a long haul, or expect weather, it goes. I pair it with a small wood burner and it is bomber for extreme weather.

Floor-less has it's drawbacks early season when bugs are out.

I was out in a remote section of public land in South Dakota in mid-November. It was fricking cold. The stove kept me toasty during the long nights, but it also seemed to wake up a large number of rodents. During the night I had mice run over my face many times. I didn't care for that.

Seek Outside is quality. Can't go wrong with that.