Going Floor less in Colorado

[Kcarlson63]

How many of you go floor less while backcountry hunting? I’ll be doing my first backcountry hunt in Colorado from Sept 10-26th this year and I’m looking at building the best lightweight pack I can. I came across the Luxe Outdoors Hexpeak 2p with I really like the simple setup and weight. Just have never camped in a floor less tent especially in a state I’ve never visited. What’s everyone’s thoughts?

 

[Vandy321]

May want to search Luxe on here in recent posts before you buy from them. I'll leave it at that.

Jimmy Tarps, Kifaru, Seek, the list goes on of made in , high quality, floorless shelters to choose from.

You'll be fine with floorless in CO.

 

[Kcarlson63]

Yeah that’s a buzzkill after reading. I guess “get what you pay for” kinda fits here at their price point.

so removing Luxe for the conversations. My question still stands...how many of you go truly floor less/ground tarp as opposed to bathtub style floors in a tent

 

[justinspicher]

It’s all I do and all I’ll plan on ever doing, I live here and use a floor less shelter all year.

 

[Dave0317]

I used a floor less last year in Colorado. No issues at all.

if you want something in that price range, I used a MountainSmith Mountain Shelter LT. It’s maybe even a few dollars cheaper. Simple design, fairly durable, maybe not the most ultralight, but it’s only about two pounds. Close to the Luxe you are looking at. The shape and space inside the MountainSmith is great. It does take two trekking poles to set up, unless you are an expert with guy lines and rig it to a limb above the tent.

I bent a bunch of the stakes last year. I bought the MSR Core stakes to replace them. Pretty lightweight and a much more durable design for the hard ground you may encounter in parts of CO.

I, personally, do not feel the need for a more expensive tent next year. If I am spiking out from a larger camp this year, or if I do a September hunt in good weather, I would also consider just a Bivy and flat tarp to pitch if there is rain.

 

[mlgc20]

I don't mind going floorless in the winter. In fact, I may not take a shelter at all in the winter, depending on the conditions. But, I will be in the Colorado backcountry right before you and I will be taking a tent with a floor. I just sleep better when I'm not worried about all of the ground creepy crawlies. I was in Colorado last year for 1st rifle in October and I was still running into snakes. And I was seeing snakes in Wyoming in September. So, it's just piece of mind for me.

Good call crossing off Luxe from your list. If you decide you want to go floorless, do it right and go with Seek Outside or Kifaru.

 

[Patton]

I use the Seek Outside DST tarp and have had no issues or regrets. Excellent shelter for 2 people and gear.

 

[rayporter]

go floorless

with a floor if it rains and snows you will be poking a hole in the floor to let the water out. btdt.

 

[Poser]

Been floorless for 6 years now. Mostly CO, but also TN and AZ. No issues and don’t expect to ever go back to using floor with the exception of a winter mountaineering in an environment where there is no available wood for a stove in a floorless shelter or camping in more tropical regions (which I don’t expect to do).

 

[positivepete!]

I like going floorless. I have a lightweight bivy just in case it rains or snows to keep my bag dry and I stick my pad inside as well. Only complaint is that I have at times had a ton of skeeters in with me and they can be difficult to get rid of. And if you pitch the shelter tight to the ground to stop them then moisture can become an issue on damp ground.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

No issues with floorless here either. The Sawtooth is my favorite, but also have a supertarp and annex if going solo.

 

[renagde]

Do it, it's hard to beat the weight and how little room they take up in your pack. I used a Luxe Hexpeak XL last year in Colorado and it did phenomenally. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them especially if you're just starting out with the floorless thing. It might not be for you and if it isn't, you can resell it for close to what you have in it.

 

[nettereo16]

Highly recommend going floorless in CO in Sept. Seek Outside or Kifaru are awesome. MountainSmith LT is a great entry level floorless shelter for cheap. (I have a green one I need to sell, PM if interested...)

 

[Usi05]

Haven’t done it in Colorado but it’s not bad.

I’ve used mountain smith and have a hexpeak and both are fine.

Lots of negative press on here lately for Luxe but I had no issue getting mine and arrived as described.

I wanted a jimmy tarp but couldn’t find one to try used


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Phaseolus]

I don't mind going floorless in the winter. In fact, I may not take a shelter at all in the winter, depending on the conditions. But, I will be in the Colorado backcountry right before you and I will be taking a tent with a floor. I just sleep better when I'm not worried about all of the ground creepy crawlies. I was in Colorado last year for 1st rifle in October and I was still running into snakes. And I was seeing snakes in Wyoming in September. So, it's just piece of mind for me.

Good call crossing off Luxe from your list. If you decide you want to go floorless, do it right and go with Seek Outside or Kifaru.

Serious snakes or just wrigglers? Having spent a lifetime in Western Colorado hunting, fishing, and backpacking I’ve yet to have an issue with snakes.

 

[mlgc20]

Serious snakes or just wrigglers? Having spent a lifetime in Western Colorado hunting, fishing, and backpacking I’ve yet to have an issue with snakes.

In Wyoming I saw a handful of prairie rattlesnakes. The two I saw in Colorado were bull snakes or maybe corn snakes. Not sure exactly which one. One was on a backcountry dirt road and the other on a rocky outcropping. They were fairly big at around 4 feet. Neither were venomous. But, were a reminder that snakes were still around in October. I actually love snakes. We stopped and moved the one off of the road, so he didn’t get hurt. I just don’t like being surprised by them.

 

[Phaseolus]

In Wyoming I saw a handful of prairie rattlesnakes. The two I saw in Colorado were bull snakes or maybe corn snakes. Not sure exactly which one. One was on a backcountry dirt road and the other on a rocky outcropping. They were fairly big at around 4 feet. Neither were venomous. But, were a reminder that snakes were still around in October. I actually love snakes. We stopped and moved the one off of the road, so he didn’t get hurt. I just don’t like being surprised by them.

I hear that, I don’t like being surprised by any kind of snake.

 

[mrbillbrown]

Coming from Oklahoma and having always using a floored tent (mosquitos, snakes, bugs, etc) I was hesitant to try the floorless shelter chasing elk in CO during Sept. Lots of buddies recommended it but it was too hard to wrap my brain around. Took a floored tent on my first trip and realized bugs and snakes werent an issue and haven’t taken a floored tent since. Always go floorless now and can’t even think of going back to a floored tent while elk hunting in Sept. Sooooo nice just walking in and not worrying about removing boots or dirty feet. Fast set up and way lighter than my floored tents.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

Coming from Oklahoma and having always using a floored tent (mosquitos, snakes, bugs, etc) I was hesitant to try the floorless shelter chasing elk in CO during Sept. Lots of buddies recommended it but it was too hard to wrap my brain around. Took a floored tent on my first trip and realized bugs and snakes werent an issue and haven’t taken a floored tent since. Always go floorless now and can’t even think of going back to a floored tent while elk hunting in Sept. Sooooo nice just walking in and not worrying about removing boots or dirty feet. Fast set up and way lighter than my floored tents.

What floorless shelter are you using?

 

[CJF]