Archery Shelter Options

[tferg08]

Hi all, I'm looking for some advice for an archery shelter. I'm located in Montana so weather can be an issue in September through early October. Some options I have considered are OR Helium Bivy, Stone Glacier Sky Air ULT, Peax Solitude, or some options from Seek Outside. In your experience, is it worth it to invest in two different shelters? One for early season with good weather and one that you can run later in the season with a stove?

 

[Geewhiz]

In your experience, is it worth it to invest in two different shelters? One for early season with good weather and one that you can run later in the season with a stove?

I am in Montana too and my answer is yes. Although I don't use a stove, I just like having more room on later season hunts and a bigger shelter is always worth it to me.

 

[tferg08]

I am in Montana too and my answer is yes. Although I don't use a stove, I just like having more room on later season hunts and a bigger shelter is always worth it to me.

That is what I am leaning towards also. A lightweight early season shelter for good weather and another for later season. Thank you!

 

[mtwarden]

Beyond early season you’ve got several months of late spring and all of summer where a lightweight shelter shines.

My go to lightweight shelter for 7-8 months is a TarpTent Aeon Li - 18 oz with stakes, full bathtub floor, full bug protection, vestibule to store gear and plenty storm worthy for most three season use. Probably approaching 150 nights with it.

No sense in hauling a heavier shelter when not needed

 

[mlevimadden]

Hard to cover all the bases with a single shelter. I'm of the same camp of a light 2 person shelter for backpacking/early season and a separate larger shelter for truck-based/late season hunts.

I have a kifaru megatarp for early season and a SO 6-man tipi for the later season stuff. The 6 man tipi also works in a pinch for larger groups in early season where you can split up the weight. If you were looking at montana weather for late season hunts, a canvas wall tent might be a better option, but you will need more room to haul it and definitely won't be carrying it into the backcountry without horses.

 

[Beendare]

A search turns up hours of reading on the subject.

Truck camp or Backpacking?

Bivy is a bad idea for many reasons. You can get a floorless backpack tent for a little over a pound. Tent with floor for a little over 2#

 

[sodaksooner]

for backcountry stuff we have a BPWD Luna 6 and for colder weather use a Lite Outdoors 18" Ti Cylinder stove. Nice lightweight setup especially if we split it between 2 or 3 guys.

 

[jgross424]

Don't forget to look beyond hunting brand shelters. There is nothing that makes a shelter a "hunting" specific shelter..

Here are some random shelter reviews just to give you an idea what else is out there:
Tarps - https://www.adventurealan.com/best-backpacking-tarp/
1 person "tents" - https://www.adventurealan.com/1-person-tent-backpacking/
Pyramids - https://www.adventurealan.com/best-pyramid-tent/

I personally run a Borah Bivy (6oz) paired with a Silex dcf (13oz) or a zpacks Pocket Tarp (6oz) (if the weather forecast is good... I don't normally setup the tarp)

 

[bozeman]

Try out a bivy in your backyard before taking one with you. Ask me how I know. One night in that thing and I knew it wasnt for me. As @jgross424 mentioned, look outside the normal hunting lines of shelters. ALOT of choices out there at diff price levels to meet your needs.

 

[jgross424]

Try out a bivy in your backyard before taking one with you. Ask me how I know. One night in that thing and I knew it wasnt for me. As @jgross424 mentioned, look outside the normal hunting lines of shelters. ALOT of choices out there at diff price levels to meet you needs.

yes, 100% try first! I would also recommend getting a Wide size bivy. I actually first tried one about 15 years ago and it was a normal size i guess and it was an absolute coffin. didn't work and scrapped the idea for about 4-5 years until i got that Long/Wide Borah which was MUCH better. Now it feels like an extension of my quilt/pad. super quick setup/packup too.

 

[Marble]

So 25 years of Sept/Oct back country hunting.

I would first have a very good quality, lightweight shelter with more room than you anticipate. So if there are 2 people, get a 3 person.

If you have the funds and space to carry a tent with a small stove, that is also super light weight, by all means, do it.

90+ % of the time I wouldn't need a stove. If I know the weather is going to suck, I may just have 2 choices of sleeping bags, one 0 degree bag and one 20 degree bag.

This is the tent I've used Sept through earlier November since 2018.

https://www.rei.com/product/188358/big-agnes-tiger-wall-ul-3-solution-dyed-tent?sku=1883580001&store=&CAWELAID=120217890011347092&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=112140756652&CATCI=pla-448713818588&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_1883580001%7C92700056688274559%7CNB%7C71700000062011460&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAi6uvBhADEiwAWiyRdpCzcb-9ckdYDsh38-Ol-XFptVMWc0ZQyHfFZMa644Kl0kto-qiMVRoCBa0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I do have a 16-man TeePee with a stove. But I use that when I am hunting off horses.

If I'm in my truck, then I can sleep in it, or, I use my old tent with a big pad and a little buddy heater.



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[Txarcher]

Had a guy talk me into a hammock with an under quilt and tarp. Honestly its not much lighter than a tent set up but can't beat the comfort. Down to -10 I have never slept better in the back country. We were camped above tree line for a couple of days and used trekking poles to set up the tarp as a tent and slept on the hammocks under quilt. I am old enough now that when I use a tent I want one tall enough to stand up in. VIAM outdoors as some great tents. Hard to beat the Madison.

 

[evan97smith]

Hi all, I'm looking for some advice for an archery shelter. I'm located in Montana so weather can be an issue in September through early October. Some options I have considered are OR Helium Bivy, Stone Glacier Sky Air ULT, Peax Solitude, or some options from Seek Outside. In your experience, is it worth it to invest in two different shelters? One for early season with good weather and one that you can run later in the season with a stove?

I think it's worth to have the 2 as long as you know what you are getting into. Hotter weather means you get to keep it lighter in your pack but you'll ruin your hunt if you can't sleep on a cold night