New Argali 3P Tent? Help Me Design it.

[Brad@Argali]

I think I would rather have it without a stove jack and the extra room for two people and gear. If you’re going to carry a couple more ounces for a stove, then why not a few more ounces for a four person tent and have plenty of room for guys here in the stove.

I do like a bigger sod skirt so when you
are in Alaska with no trees, you can sit rocks on it

Noted on the sod skirt. With our 6P and 8P tents you can definitely do this, although you're always rolling the dice placing sharp rocks on tent fabric if it gets windy!

 

[Brad@Argali]

I am intrigued by this concept as well. I love my Rincon but I have a few qualms when it comes to space. Allowing for more sq. feet would be enormously beneficial, especially as I contemplate alternative solutions. The option to add a stove in a 3P is tremendous but only if the design remains as stable as the tipi style Argali has developed. There is a difference between innovating just to innovate compared to merely innovating with a purpose in mind. New designs always offer up flaws that need to be revised so it is challenging to provide too much feedback without knowing this information, nor should Argali share your secrets before R&D has transitioned to production.

I have spent a lot of time in my Rincon and experienced some wild weather this past October that demonstrated why I bought this tent - stability was damn impressive in 40-50 MPH winds with freezing rain transitioning to snow. In this instance I didn't have the stove so the stove jack wasn't installed cutting weight. The product didn't hinder in performance. If the layout of this design is solid and allows for easy planning of entering and exiting - looking at Stone Glacier's front entrance that looks appalling and dirty - then the stove jack seems like a no brainer since the weight penalty is minimal but versatility expands.

Only being a couple hours east of HQ, I love to support Argali and a few of my friends who have met him around have testified to his character. I just persuaded my wife that our family of four, plus two dogs need the Selway for our backpacking excursions but the idea of the 3 person for my son and I when the weather goes south definitely captures my attention. And when packing for two, each pound matters.

I appreciate the thoughtful comments! We don't make anything that isn't designed for a purpose, and this design is based on a lot of user feedback as well as personal experience within our ranks. This new tent wouldn't supplant our existing products, but it would provide an option for someone that prefers something different, or wants the option of a different tent in their gear shed for specific trips.

 

[SikaHuntaa]

Open to suggestions on the insert. My initial thinking is that it would have a mesh upper and a solid panel fabric approximately 1/3rd-1/2 of the way up the insert depending on which side of the liner you're thinking of. The real benefit of using less mesh is honestly compactness in addition to slightly more moisture protection, but to be honest I've used the rincon 1/2 insert combo in some gnarly weather and it really does work well.

The 1/2 solid sounds interesting, would love to experiment with that and see how much warmth it potentially adds/traps within the set up- would help be a decent wind blocker when the tent isn't staked flat to the ground.
I think my main issue with shelters is not having a packable one that can fit my length properly when using a pad- the floor measurement is always pretty close but add those 2-3 inches off the ground and the slants of the walls always cause problems, and I have had several trips where it has been damn near impossible to dry my bag back out, luckily having spare layers to keep myself warm otherwise I would have had to bail off the mountains

 

[jtevanMT]

Stove jack is a must for me. Would prefer one door and the stove for colder weather or wet hunts. Looking forward to seeing the new design.

 

[Brad@Argali]

Stove jack is a must for me. Would prefer one door and the stove for colder weather or wet hunts. Looking forward to seeing the new design.

Appreciate that.

 

[Johnny_Yemon11]

All opinions are fair game here so it's all good. Yes, there is a reason for this tent. It isn't just to make another shelter. It's based on a lot of user feedback we've received and our desire to make something that fits a niche I've heard repeadetdly, which is that most people don't enjoy spooning with their hunting partner in a tent, and that people want a two pole design for more usable space inside. The design and layout is unique in that it will have more interior usable space for a backpacking style shelter, but when used as a 2P the sleeping areas are separate and the vestibule is actually in the center of the tent. The advantages are in the layout and the space configuration.

And the design isn't like any other tent out there.

Is it possible to have it both ways? I don’t know your design but am imagining 2 mini tipis each held up by a pole with an overlap/small rectangle connecting them. This rectangle would possibly house the stove? Any chance we could have 2 doors and a stove jack? This is the perfect size tent for a couple and a dog with gear, or parents and a kid.

I’ve never owned a hot tent but have been looking hard the last month, lots of experience in backpacking tents and 2 doors always seems better than 1. But then again with a good layout a single could be designed nicely, mainly so that there’s equal access to the door. No one likes having to be crawled over when someone else needs to pee at 4 am.

 

[Idaboy]

I echo many of the comments. I'm mostly an archery hunter so while I have a hot tent (teepee) it's rarely used and in Oct I usually hunt from truck. For Sept, I like free standing tents so that I don't have to mess with pitching etc. I usually spike out. The BA copper spur and fly creek have worked well. I suspect more guys will get use out of a tent without stovejack.....if you are really backpacking in cold and must have hot tent, it's likely gonna be a few guys to divide gear. An UL 2 man Teepee tent with 2 doors, that can pitch/guy out WELL, to save pita factor with a teepee tent would probably sell.

 

[Brad@Argali]

Is it possible to have it both ways? I don’t know your design but am imagining 2 mini tipis each held up by a pole with an overlap/small rectangle connecting them. This rectangle would possibly house the stove? Any chance we could have 2 doors and a stove jack? This is the perfect size tent for a couple and a dog with gear, or parents and a kid.

I’ve never owned a hot tent but have been looking hard the last month, lots of experience in backpacking tents and 2 doors always seems better than 1. But then again with a good layout a single could be designed nicely, mainly so that there’s equal access to the door. No one likes having to be crawled over when someone else needs to pee at 4 am.

It's a little hard to explain without showing the design, but yes I agree 2 doors is always better than 1 for ease of access and entry. But it ads some weight so there is a tradeoff. It's possible to have 2 doors and a stove jack with this design, but it's a little funky. Anyway, appreciate the feedback and thoughts.

 

[Brad@Argali]

I echo many of the comments. I'm mostly an archery hunter so while I have a hot tent (teepee) it's rarely used and in Oct I usually hunt from truck. For Sept, I like free standing tents so that I don't have to mess with pitching etc. I usually spike out. The BA copper spur and fly creek have worked well. I suspect more guys will get use out of a tent without stovejack.....if you are really backpacking in cold and must have hot tent, it's likely gonna be a few guys to divide gear. An UL 2 man Teepee tent with 2 doors, that can pitch/guy out WELL, to save pita factor with a teepee tent would probably sell.

I'm curious on your freestanding preference...Our standard floorless shelters pitch quite a bit faster than a freestanding tent since there is no fussing with poles, and the pitch is easy because it's a rectangular shape. This tent will also be built off a rectangular design so the pitch is fast and easy. But, I know some people still prefer a free standing tent for perceived or real ease of pitching. Any insight on your preference for a freestanding tent if you have one?

 

[Sully_44]

I think a 4p is about as small as I would go with a stove for 2 guys. And the 3p would be unnecessary weight for one guy needing a stove. Doing a 3p without the stove jack and 2 doors would be a sweet early to mid season shelter for a couple guys and a kid or 3 guys if you had to. For me, it’s important to get all my gear in the shelter on late hunts to protect it from the elements and dry out. A 3p with a stove and two guys would get pretty tight I’d imagine. You’d either sacrifice leaving gear outside, or risk getting things too close to the stove.

 

[j3h8]

Perhaps I'm one of the few who do not understand the need for 2 doors. If you have two, or even three in the shelter laying 90° opposed to the door, the access is the same for all three people. Having a second door really does nothing more than add weight. Certainly the second door can be handy if running a stove to help with loading wood into the shelter. Outside of that you'd have to have the doors parallel to the users to have any real benefit, but only for 2 users. The 3rd user would still be scrambling over someone to use either of the doors in this configuration.

 

[Idaboy]

I'm curious on your freestanding preference...Our standard floorless shelters pitch quite a bit faster than a freestanding tent since there is no fussing with poles, and the pitch is easy because it's a rectangular shape. This tent will also be built off a rectangular design so the pitch is fast and easy. But, I know some people still prefer a free standing tent for perceived or real ease of pitching. Any insight on your preference for a freestanding tent if you have one?

I don't have an Argali so I can only speak to my seek outside. I find the guy outs and wind above tree line to be my reasons for freestanding.

 

[david2duck]

I’m typically a 2 tent guy. Smaller, ultralight, floorless shelter that can sleep two guys and some gear in early to mid season (depending). Then a 4p floorless with a stove for later hunts. We also use this tent when we have 3 guys going on an early hunt.

Without seeing the design, a 3p tent falls in a middle ground that might make it not worth a try or could be the perfect tent that makes me sell all my other tents. With that said having a stove jack would be a must.