Floorless shelter for solo and two person use - $500 to spend and lots of questions

[westernsloper]

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[Beastmode]

I have not seen a Cimarron in person yet but I definitely think it would fit your description of what you are looking for. Seek outside makes extremely well built shelters. I would go that route.

 

[Rucker61]

I have a Bearpaw Wilderness Luna 5 that I've use solo, and I use to have a Mountainsmith Mountain Shelter. I used it once last year for archery and decided that pound penalty for the Luna 5 was well worth it. I felt claustrophobic in the Mountain Shelter, and I really like all of the room in the Luna 5.

 

[Beastmode]

Thanks for the reply. Honestly I think at this point my mind is just freaking out about the idea of dropping so much cash on a tent. I'd be coming up with nervous questions no matter what shelter I was looking at. After years of $150 tents from REI, this should be quite the upgrade. My wife thinks I'm nuts!

Tell me about it. I just dropped close to $1500 on a tipi stove combo

 

[stevenm2]

I had a six man SO in the heavier fabric. Sold it. Called Angie at S.O. and she hooked me up with a 4 man they used in a video ( it's new) for about the same price as the Cimarron. I still have my large Ti stove. I can pack the stove and the tipi for the same weight as my six man was alone.
I sold my six man at a great price so now I am considering an LBO w/o vestibule and Bivy sack for solo stuff.

 

[450]

Rucker61, how do you like your Luna 5? I am thinking about buying a Luna 4 or 5 to use sheep hunting. I have done some research on them and have heard really good things and some bad things. One big complaint was stitching and I have noticed in most pics the doors have wrinkles in them. I'm not sure if that is just the way they have it setup or the fabric not straight with the zipper when sewn. What are your thoughts on the Luna 5 and Bear Paw Design? Would you buy from them again or go with a different tent? Thanks for any info in advance. I tried to PM you but your box is full and not excepting any messages.

450

 

[Ramshead]

IMO if you want to run 2 people, a dog , and a stove you will need a six man shelter or equivalent. At least 100 sq feet. When you add a stove into the equation your square footage requirements increase dramatically. Take a look at the mock up from the Tigoat Vertex 6.5 (scroll down the page a bit) http://www.titaniumgoat.com/vertex6_5.html

 

[tipsntails7]

I have zero experiance with what your asking but I wonder if you could run a tarptent stratospire2 without the inner and put a stove In it. Dual entry and you have the option of sans stove and a double wall if you want.

 

[Rucker61]

Rucker61, how do you like your Luna 5? I am thinking about buying a Luna 4 or 5 to use sheep hunting. I have done some research on them and have heard really good things and some bad things. One big complaint was stitching and I have noticed in most pics the doors have wrinkles in them. I'm not sure if that is just the way they have it setup or the fabric not straight with the zipper when sewn. What are your thoughts on the Luna 5 and Bear Paw Design? Would you buy from them again or go with a different tent? Thanks for any info in advance. I tried to PM you but your box is full and not excepting any messages.

450

I don't have a lot of experience with tents, but I'm happy with the Luna. I did have John modify the design a bit and I think he's incorporated the change into the basic tent now. Customer service hasn't been a problem for me, but I can stop by his house to talk or pick up/drop off items. I'd like to try a Sawtooth, but I don't have that kind of money to spare.

 

[stevenm2]

IMO if you want to run 2 people, a dog , and a stove you will need a six man shelter or equivalent. At least 100 sq feet. When you add a stove into the equation your square footage requirements increase dramatically. Take a look at the mock up from the Tigoat Vertex 6.5 (scroll down the page a bit) http://www.titaniumgoat.com/vertex6_5.html

TiGoat Vertex 6.5
Vertex 6.5 with aluminum pole
Specifications:
Weight: 4lbs 2oz Total weight, Tent and stuff sack 2lbs 6oz, Stakes 6oz, Aluminum
pole 1lbs 6oz
Length: 144" (12')
Width: 132" (11')
Height: 78" (6.5')
Square footage: 102 sq/ft
http://www.titaniumgoat.com/images/V62.5-footprint.JPG


The seek outside 4 man is a little bit larger.
Height 6’10”
Diameter 12’3″
117 sq ft
Minimum Weight: 4 lbs 6 ounces all inclusive
Virtually the same weight same layout. Vent and stove jack are standard
I have had good luck with seek outside products and customer service.

 

[AXEL]

I am seriously considering a Cimarron, WILL buy one IF I can persuade Angie to make mine with mossy net doors and will get a small stove for it, undecided on just what yet, but, likely a 14" from Ed Tyanich, of "EdT's".

For ME alone, that is enough space, but, for wife and Rottweiler, I would get a 6 man, at least and larger if possible.

I have had a Kifaru 6 and 8 and Paratipi, used a Chouinard Pyramid for several years, like SO's whole way of doing things.

 

[DaveC]

By backpacker standards the Cimarron will be more than big enough for two folks, dog, and stove, unless you're both well over 6 feet.

 

[AXEL]

Seems pretty tight to me, but, each to his/her own. Hunters tend to have more gear and stay longer than most BPers, IME and I have found that a larger shelter is much more comfortable in hunting.

Case in point, in 1967, I spent 3 straight months, no breaks, alone in a 13x13 ft. shack at 6800 ft. in The Flathead in SE-BC. I had a cot, sheepherder stove, Coleman lantern older by far than I was then, (maybe even now!) and very little else.

This, was pretty crowded and with the ancient Leupold Firefinder, in the middle of the shack, there was VERY little "spare" room for much else.

Some years later, I spent 4-5 weeks living in my Early Winters Lite Dimension tent in The Flathead down on the BC-MT border and while my wife and I have camped together in this tent, it was far too cramped for such use.

I made do as I have a lot of bush living behind me, but, I always suggest starting with a bit more space to novices as the comfort level is much greater. However, as always, YMMV.

 

[charvey9]

If you want to give it a try on a budget, check out Jimmy's Tarps on facebook or ebay. Has quite a few different Silnylon tarps/shelters to choose from and they are priced very well.

From my own experience, I did not like the small Tipi design. I had a Duomid, and always having to maneuver around the pole in the middle of that small shelter made it seem like the usable space was cut in half. The DT shelter I got from Jimmy's Tarps has an offset pole at one end of the shelter so its well out of the way of most things you need to do and positioned well so you can sit up at that end of the pitch. Weight is right at 10oz.

I talked to him the other day, and he is also making an annex/door for the DT shelter that will have a stove jack for 4 season use.



https://www.facebook.com/JimmyTarps

 

[450]

Rucker61, do you have any pics of your Luna 5 set up? I would love to see them. Thanks

 

[DaveC]

DaveC, are you the Bedrock and Paradox guy? If so, great blog - your reviews and your blog really helped me make the decision to get a Unaweep pack. I've been a backpacker since my boy scout days ten years ago, but now that I'm living in western Colorado (where everyone seems to hunt), I've started hunting. Your blog is a great resource for someone like me looking to try new challenges.

That is me. Thanks for the compliment, I do what I can.

There is something to be said for a bigger shelter when hunting, especially insofar as you're much more likely to get wet while hunting. That said, my favorite solo shelter for almost everything is still a little rectangular tarp I made from spinnaker fabric years ago. But I move camp every night when I'm backpack hunting. If I were basecamping for two weeks I'd have no issue using the Little Bug Out as a solo rig.

 

[Rucker61]

Rucker61, do you have any pics of your Luna 5 set up? I would love to see them. Thanks

Here's one from the left side, facing the door. Note that the rear corner doesn't have a guy-out in this picture. After a night in a Wyoming snow storm the snow piled up on the corners. I had John add the guy-outs to each rear corner.


Here are a couple from the backyard with the stove that bbrown made.

 

[tipsntails7]

Floorless shelter for solo and two person use - $500 to spend and lots of que...

If you want to give it a try on a budget, check out Jimmy's Tarps on facebook or ebay. Has quite a few different Silnylon tarps/shelters to choose from and they are priced very well.

From my own experience, I did not like the small Tipi design. I had a Duomid, and always having to maneuver around the pole in the middle of that small shelter made it seem like the usable space was cut in half. The DT shelter I got from Jimmy's Tarps has an offset pole at one end of the shelter so its well out of the way of most things you need to do and positioned well so you can sit up at that end of the pitch. Weight is right at 10oz.

I talked to him the other day, and he is also making an annex/door for the DT shelter that will have a stove jack for 4 season use.



https://www.facebook.com/JimmyTarps

When he comes out with an annex I'll buy one and a DT that day. That shelter looks REALLY good, in a weirdo about not having a door option.

 

[luke moffat]

I like having a fully enclosed shelter too. Had the wind switch and start blowing straight into my shelter one time and it start to parachute once...not pleasant to have ot repitch your shelter in the night if that happens. So I will haul the bit extra weight to be completely closed off from the elements.

 

[aboltlrhunter]

Rucker61,
Would you feel there is enough room in your luna5 for 3 adults with a stove + gear? That's the setup I've been looking at, but I know there may be a time where may want 3 people total in there.