Newbie - 1P Tent & Sleep Setup

[sleekmedia]

I will be taking a 2-week trip to Ash Fork (19B) Arizona for an over the counter (OTC) late season mule deer archery hunt. I will be staying at an 80 acre farm that adjoins significant state land and some private land I will also have access to. My OnX desktop scouting tells me that I may have some very nice terrain within close reach to the ranch that I am staying at so I intend to exhaust about a 5-10 mile radius around the ranch before moving further into harder to reach areas or getting on the road to test out different units. That being said I want to be prepared to spend a few days (2-3 max) further back in the event I get on some deer and don't want to pack back out at night wasting valuable hunting time. I am looking for recommendations on a one person tent, preferably with floor, that utilizes tracking poles to shed some weight, although I wouldn't mind if they made a lightweight pole as a secondary option. Value adds would be usability in variable seasons, mesh door to keep bugs out for warm hunts as I plan to go back to AZ for early season in August, can withstand reasonable snow and rainstorms for late season hunts, and is easy to set up even in the dark. I am an ultralight fanatic so bonus points for minimalist weight and pieces required. I am an east coast guy with little experience so looking to learn as much as I can from others before I spend several hundred dollars getting kitted out.

So far the tents I have been checking out are listed below...

Hilleberg - Akto
Gossamer - The One
Seek Outside - Silex 1p
Nemo - Tracker/Hornet OSMO
Durston - X Mid pro 1

Any other recommendations you may have for best 0 degree sleeping bags, sleeping pads, portable stoves, or other beneficial backpack camping accessories I should take a look at.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bergy-Bowsmith]

well if i had to choose a tent and sleeping bag for this hunt it would be my tried and true system that i use on almost very single hunt.

Klymit 20 degree synthetic, and the now argali owyhee 1p tent. before that i was using a seek silek. i prefer the argali hand over fist to the seek.

 

[b2one]

If you are an "ultralight fanatic" as you mentioned, then you could also expand your shelter options by looking at floorless shelters. Ash Fork and the area around it is not an area that you need to worry about a lot of bugs in August or late season. Elevations are moderate, and temperatures will be pretty forgiving for about any type of canister stove you may already have. It can get cold, so I usually bring a foam pad to use along with my inflatable sleeping pad for extra R-value in the late season. I have an Akto, but don't break it out until a lot of snow is on the ground - I have an older Sierra Designs Origami floorless tipi that usually gets the nod. Beautiful area with decent elevation changes depending on where you are, but a true mountain boot is probably overkill as you will not encounter much scree or tricky footing. Enjoy it!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Welcome


i have been very happy with my durston. Wouldn’t be my first choice for really nasty weather or heavy snow, but good for any application short of those.

I like sea to summit etherlite pads for a little extra cushion but they are not light or cheap

western mountaineering Kodiak or similar is the buy once cry one answer people tend to favor around here for a zero degree bag.

regardless of where you ended up with your system, make sure to test it a few nights before your big trip.

good luck

 

[rclouse79]

I am very impressed with the mid-x1 I just bought. Awesome design with a material that doesn’t sag when wet at a reasonable price.

 

[NilsBackstrom]

Not if any of these fit the bill for you. I like light gear as well, but I am however on a budget. So I sort of pick and choose between gear, where I want to spend more or less money.

Marmot tungsten UL 1p. Not a trekking pole tent, but very light. I have had no issues with it. And can usually be found for a pretty good price.

Those bsr 3000 burners that you can pick up for cheap on Amazon, but an extra for back up. Along with one of those standard titanium mugs. Fraction of the cost of a jet boil.

Nemo tensor insulated sleeping pad. Not cheap but very comfortable. Doesn't sound like chip bag either.

I haven't tried around too much with gear but find that these things work for me.

 

[Jbxl20]

I have 3 seasons on my marmot tungsten UL 1p. No complaints.

 

[Paladin]

For an Arizona hunt, and if I wasn't sure I was overnighting or not, I would probably take the Argali Owyhee that Bergy mentioned above. The Owyhee packs small enough and is light enough to throw in as a just-in-case type shelter. A piece of tyvek which will do double duty as a meat-sheet can be used for the groundsheet or you can use the Argali insert. For versatility I would maybe have an ultralight bivy that I could use with the Owyhee or stand-alone if the weather permitted. Borah Gear or Mountain Laurel Designs have some great choices. A pad with an R-Value of 4 or higher would be my preference for that time of year.

I second what Nils said above about the BRS 3000T burner. They are awesome little stoves for the money and weight.

Good luck and post up some pics!

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Be prepared for any weather and temperature up there.

 

[sleekmedia]

I have narrowed it down to 3 tents in order of preference currently....

X-Mid Pro 2P - 570g Tent + 155g Ground Cloth + 12g Stuff Sack = 737g / 1.62lb

Seek Outside Silex 1P w/ Stove Jack - 482g Tent + 171g Nest + 135g Ground Cloth + 12g Stuff Sack = 800g / 1.78lb

Argali Owyhee 1P - 396g Tent + 482g Insert + 110 GC + 10g Stuff Sack = 998g / 2.2lb (Honorable Mention)

I did not include (6-8) stakes in the calculation as that weight will be the same for all (3) tents.

Basically I am leaning toward the X-Mid Pro 2 because it is the lightest option, DCF fabric, and the roomiest. Another advantage is that the X-Mid has a built in bathtub floor and mesh without needing to run a full Insert/Nest reducing weight and set up time. I am assuming you could leave the nest/insert attached in the Silex and Owyhee when taking the tent down, but combined I assume they will not fit in the tents original stuff sack, which is not a big deal as I will probably be carrying the tent in a different bag attached to my hunting pack anyhow.

The biggest thing I love about the silex is the stove jack option, however I contemplated running a bigger tent like the Cimarron when requiring a hot tent as for most solo backcountry hunts I will be trying to be as mobile and light as possible. The hot tent scenario I see more as something for me in the future when using my tent more as a stationary base camp point or when I need to accommodate a 2-person hunt later in the season, where I can split gear between 2 packs.

I don't necessarily need a stove jack for a smaller solo tent anyhow, but I loved that option about the Silex for versatility, but realistically I could pair any UL tent with a Cimarron for later in the season when things get nastier.

I added the Argali Owywee to the list as it has been mentioned here a few times. Curious as to why you guys think it is a better option than the Silex. Neither use DCF, the Argali appears to be smaller than the Silex which can almost fit 2 people or 1 person with gear inside. The Argali is the only tent of the three that does only require 1-trecking pole, which is nice that I would still have 1 pole available for hunting. The Owyhee is also the smallest and heaviest out of the bunch and does not have a stove jack.

I know they all will have their own positives and negatives and realistically all three would work just fine but I like to buy once cry once and would hope to not be looking at tent options again next year.

 

[Beendare]

I just can’t imagine needing a setup like that.
I have hunted and guided late season in that area…..…roads everywhere and no big deal to walk out in the dark. The furthest we have hiked out…including with deer and elk on our backs was an hour…no big deal.

Get yourself a good headlamp with 18650 battery and set up a comfortable camp with a cot and heater or stove off the road system.