Lightweight tent that doesn't use trekking poles

[Brontosaurus]

Good luck finding 16 evenly spaced, rock free spots centered over a flat area in the mountains.

This. Took a seek in the winds last year and finding stakeout points was a paaaiin.

 

[chasewild]

Dumb question: If this is your first backcountry style hunt, why are you planning on moving camp everyday? I've never found the need to move camp so much. Just curious.

Camp on your back every day. Even if you're hunting elk.

 

[isItFallYet]

I have a Nemo and don’t have any issues setting it up in the dark. I marked one of the corners of the vestibule with a grease pencil which makes it easy to identify the correct alignment.

 

[BBob]

This. Took a seek in the winds last year and finding stakeout points was a paaaiin.

TT Notch Li, 4 stakes if it’s not windy or your setup is well sheltered and 6 if there’s wind. Rocks and trees can be substituted for stakes pretty easy too. Lots of similar trekking pole tents are about the same.

 

[TheGDog]

I'm 5' 11" 220Lbs. MSR Hubba 2. Might be a teensy bit more weight than you want, but it's Nice inside!

Easy to pitch. Footprint to tent match-up is color coordinated. And it's got reflective markings (stripes along attachment cords too so ya don't trip over them in the dark!) so in the dark easy to get orientation right. I'll never do a 1P again. With the MSR everything goes inside the tent (except for Bow). Pack and boots down by your feet. Guide lid + water + nighttime essentials up by your head. Has nice pockets inside to hold your phone/pockets contents. TP etc.

The big thing that makes it nice is the headroom and being able to sit upright and have your knees tucked underneath you.

And.. with the 2P.. if you didn't quite get the orientation right in how you laid it upon the ground, in terms of you being able to lay down and the feel of being level inside of it.... with the 2P's extra room, you have some fudge-factor inside where you can rotate the placement of your sleeping pad and bag to achieve better leveling for more comfortable sleep, without having to pull back up the stakes and re-orient the whole tent.

 

[Deli]

This. Took a seek in the winds last year and finding stakeout points was a paaaiin.

My buddies actually sold their Seek for this reason. Tried to save weight and all sleep together, but the footprint and stakeout points made it a huge PITA. Now we are all bringing our own individual shelters.

 

[Brontosaurus]

My buddies actually sold their Seek for this reason. Tried to save weight and all sleep together, but the footprint and stakeout points made it a huge PITA. Now we are all bringing our own individual shelters.

Yeah floorless actually didn't save that much weight for me.
Guardian: 32 oz
TT rainbow: 33 oz
Not to mention the TT has actual bug protection. I don't mind a spider or two but man I hate mosquitos. I'll take the extra ounce. I was gonna get the nest for the guardian but then I realized I would doubling my weight.
Also, looked into silex buuut....
Silex: 17 oz
Silex nest: 16 oz
Total: 33 oz
So basically not freestanding but just as heavy.
I still like my seek and I think it has its place. But I came to terms with the fact that it doesn't do what I want it to for the vast majority of my time outside.

 

[chizelhead]

Camp on your back every day. Even if you're hunting elk.

I understood what he's doing, I was trying to understand why. I'd be curious to see how many people actually move camp everyday. I've been backpack hunting for a long time like many here and never saw the need to move camp that frequently especially elk hunting and even in a new area. If I was moving camp everyday in Sept, I would be keying in on easy to access water, thermals, distance to truck to pack an elk or two from each camp and daily hunt area. I use free standing tents vs tarps, so I'm not much help on the main part of the thread. Best of luck!

 

[BBob]

Not to mention the TT has actual bug protection. I don't mind a spider or two but man I hate mosquitos. I'll take the extra ounce. I was gonna get the nest for the guardian but then I realized I would doubling my weight.

More often than not I'm using my TT Notch Li fly/tarp only coupled with an MLD superlight bivy for a total of 15oz. Added clips to the underside of the tarp to attach the face net shock cord to hold it up and keep the bugs at bay and the netting off my face. Lots of room for one.

 

[Brontosaurus]

That's stupid light... I want one

 

[rcb2000]

I’d throw in the msr hubba hubba 1

 

[taskswap]

Some folks don't want to use poles because you lose your pitch if you want to use your pole, like if you need it for a hike down into a ravine to get water or just hunting around your base camp. Others (me) only carry a single pole, to save weight - I need a hand free for my rifle anyway so why carry two?

I've found all the tents I own have some kind of peak tie-out, either as part of its built-in suspension, to connect a rain fly or whatever. With those, I use a ridgeline (Dutchware's Continuous Ridgeline is a nice, well-priced ultralight ridgeline with connectors). So that's one option - no poles at all.

For treeless areas I made myself a pair of 45" 3-section poles. I used 250 spine .244 arrow shafts with 6mm OD carbon fiber round tubes as connectors. I cut the connectors to about 4" and epoxied 2" into one end of each pole section. I did not bother with shock cord or anything - the tent's weight holds them together. I did put a small rubber cap on each end. Total weight was 1.2oz for a 45" pole, which is awesome for my needs. They do flex a little but not enough to worry and the shafts are very strong - arrows are meant to bend as they're shot.

I recently splurged on a pair of Six Moon Designs 45" carbon fiber poles. These weigh 1.8oz because they have shock cord and nicer ferrules for connecting them. This is what I'd recommend to most folks who want a trekking-pole alternative - super light, very strong, well made, and not expensive ($40).;

 

[Desk Jockey]

Durston is worth a look. Have only used his poles 3x but they work great. I also have a set of poles from Zapcks that work great.

big Agnes copper spur is worth a look if you want free standing.

 

[camelcluch]

To help choose, do you want a free standing or semi free? Then you can eliminate after that. Free standing is nice if you’re unsure about possible ground stakes.

 

[Deli]

So I originally posted this thread as all my experience with trekking pole shelters were with tarps which I hated, so I wrote trekking pole tents off completely. I didn't want to have to deal with a shelter that I thought would require a ton of guy lines to get it perfect and liked the ease of an arch hoop setup as it's done the same way every time. Based on all the recommendations using trekking pole style tents, I went back and did some more research and I guess I was very wrong. The X-Mid looks incredibly easy to set up and you only need the guy lines in heavy winds. It's cheaper, more storm proof, and about the same weight as some of the options I was considering. I was also concerned about breaking a trekking pole and being screwed, but I guess this could also happen with an arch hoop. Having the option to keep a set up carbon poles in the truck or measure a stick in a bind sounds like it actually gives me more flexibility in worst case scenarios.

This is why I love threads like this because it gives different thoughts and opinions pushing me to learn more. Long story short, I started this thread to find a shelter that didn't require trekking poles....and I may end up buying a shelter with trekking poles. Thanks for all the responses and those who answered my DM's. Keep the suggestions coming if I've missed anything as I haven't pulled the trigger on anything yet.

 

[Stache Attack]

I’d like to have a double rainbow personally. Get rid of my big Agnes copper. I like the option for two people. Hot tent would be cool down the road but pry go sawtooth for that. If I’m solo I bring an outdoor research bivy and store all my gear under a RAB sill tarp. That’s the best I’ve found for me.

 

[RichardMargarine]

I am torn between the Nemo hornet and the Tiger wall myself. im wondering how they do in below freezing conditions with all that mesh.

 

[ELKOHUNTER]

I am torn between the Nemo hornet and the Tiger wall myself. im wondering how they do in below freezing conditions with all that mesh.

Watch YouTube videos of the Nemo in a storm. BA customer service has always been great to me!

 

[RichardMargarine]

Watch YouTube videos of the Nemo in a storm. BA customer service has always been great to me!

The high arch of the rain fly at the head is one of my concerns with the hornet.

 

[ELKOHUNTER]

The high arch of the rain fly at the head is one of my concerns with the hornet.

I've owned both. Go with the tarptent and you'll be happy.