Sleep system help for multiple weather conditions

[nrh6.7]

Will be making a decision on a sleep system in the next few weeks and want to run my thoughts by the group and see if there are any suggestions for improvement.

I'm looking for a solo shelter that can be used during archery elk as well as during colder rifle seasons. I'm 5' 11" and want the shelter to be big enough for me, my gear and stove when it's colder. Won't be using this for multiple people. Also, weight and packed size are concerns, weight being the most important.

From reading posts here I am leaning towards a tipi shelter with a stove jack, high r-value pad, quilt and light bivy.

I've already purchased a large neoair xtherm pad that is 77" long. I'm thinking the seek outside silvertip is the shelter I want, along with an EE quilt, but unsure if there are better options, and unsure which bivy to consider. Seems like the reason for the bivy is to keep everything together and add some warmth and moisture protection. Is my pad too long for the Silvertip?

What would the folks that run this type system (or similar) say to this?
Will the Silvertip pull year round shelter duty if I get a stove? EE seems like a solid choice, but I'm not really sure what temp ratings to look at for this setup. I think I'd need two quilts, one for early and one for late, but with an xtherm, bivy and tipi, what rating would be appropriate for CO archery elk, and what would be appropriate for rifle season, same locations? For the bivy I think I should be more concerned with weight and breath-ability, right?

All thoughts are welcome, thanks!

 

[ianpadron]

No experience with the Silvertip but plenty of nights spent solo in its big bro the Cimarron. From what I've seen of the Silvertip, it looks hard to beat for a 1 man rig for a dude under 6 foot.

Of course it will pull year round duty if you want it to, only thing I'll add there is when the weather gets shitty and the days get shorter, I value space a whole lot more than in the summer time when I can literally sleep like a rock with a tarp. Tiny shelters feel tinier the more time you have to spend in them...even the Cimarron got old after a 16 hour rainstorm.

BUT...that's why no sane man would ever limit himself to having just one shelter in his arsenal, regardless of what the woman in his life may think...right guys?

 

[Brightwhite]

Yeah, I agree on the value of space when the weather gets tougher.

If I were to have 1 setup it would have to be a cimmeron, stove, a good pad (xtherm you have is perfect), and a good 20 degree synthetic bag. For the bag, I would probably get a kifaru slick bag to start and see if that works well for you. I am not a quilt fan.

 

[tttoadman]

I would consider a nest for the buggy season. plenty of space to set up a large nest in the Silvertip.

 

[mrbillbrown]

Tut, 18" stove, xtherm pad, 20* Slick bag, (woobie to add if extreme low temps), Borah Gear SnowySide bivy & BG 8x10' Flat Tarp. That covers me in any weather from summer to winter. Tarp and bivy to heated shelter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nrh6.7]

ianpadron, thanks for tip on looking at a larger shelter to spread out. I'll kick it around for sure, just trying to minimize the weight.

Brightwight, would you consider using a bivy in your system? also, do you think a 20* bag is enough for winter hunting? I'll have a stove, but thought a heavier bag might be needed.

tttoadman, how are the bugs during CO archery? I was hoping they'd mostly be gone by then.

mrbillbrown, are you just leaving the stove and woobie at home/truck during early season? Are you using the tarp for a ground cloth or to bivy over night?

 

[tttoadman]

tttoadman, how are the bugs during CO archery? I was hoping they'd mostly be gone by then.

Never been to CO. I am just thinking in general for your shelter arsenal. With a shelter that big, I can't imagine crawling in a bivy to get away from bugs and mice.

 

[nrh6.7]

Roger that and see your point. Thanks.

 

[FlyGuy]

Tut, 18" stove, xtherm pad, 20* Slick bag, (woobie to add if extreme low temps), Borah Gear SnowySide bivy & BG 8x10' Flat Tarp. That covers me in any weather from summer to winter. Tarp and bivy to heated shelter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is my pretty much my exact set up, except its a Mountain Laurel Bug Bivy (5.5oz). Works for anything.

 

[mrbillbrown]

Here's a little better explanation for my earlier response.

Last year in CO, archery elk, opening 5-7 days it rained incessantly on us and I'd have given anything to have my tarp and stove. Drying gear out and having a heated shelter would've been great even though temps barely reached 30* for a low. Fast forward to last 5 days of archery elk CO....Sleeted and snowed on us the entire time. Having the Mega tarp and stove saved our butts and made for a much better time on the Mtn despite the crappy cold weather. Both trips we used the 8x10 for a dry place to store gear, eat, plot and plan while not limiting ourselves to hiding in the shelter.

Although we loved the "smaller" Megatarp we promptly decided that walking into a Tut was going to be a great improvement over crawling into the Mega.

We never had to Spike out with our woobies and the flat tarp but it was always with us as an option had we gotten into a good herd.

All of that rambling to say as a 2 man hunting team we will always carry the tarp and stove up the hill to a base camp type of set up because early or late archery elk can be crazy unpredictable on weather. We will also have a 8x10 flat tarp with us for a protected area outside the shelter and/or a Spike camp shelter once we stumble into a target.

For ground cloths in the Tarp we use 4x8 sheets of Tyvek.

Even on a solo hunt I'd be hard pressed to leave any of that set up behind because of the unpredictable weather and the ability to use all the items in some form or fashion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nrh6.7]

This is my pretty much my exact set up, except its a Mountain Laurel Bug Bivy (5.5oz). Works for anything.

Just looked at that bivy...very nice. How has it handled condensation and how is the weather resistance working?

 

[nrh6.7]

Here's a little better explanation for my earlier response.

Last year in CO, archery elk, opening 5-7 days it rained incessantly on us and I'd have given anything to have my tarp and stove. Drying gear out and having a heated shelter would've been great even though temps barely reached 30* for a low. Fast forward to last 5 days of archery elk CO....Sleeted and snowed on us the entire time. Having the Mega tarp and stove saved our butts and made for a much better time on the Mtn despite the crappy cold weather. Both trips we used the 8x10 for a dry place to store gear, eat, plot and plan while not limiting ourselves to hiding in the shelter.

Although we loved the "smaller" Megatarp we promptly decided that walking into a Tut was going to be a great improvement over crawling into the Mega.

We never had to Spike out with our woobies and the flat tarp but it was always with us as an option had we gotten into a good herd.

All of that rambling to say as a 2 man hunting team we will always carry the tarp and stove up the hill to a base camp type of set up because early or late archery elk can be crazy unpredictable on weather. We will also have a 8x10 flat tarp with us for a protected area outside the shelter and/or a Spike camp shelter once we stumble into a target.

For ground cloths in the Tarp we use 4x8 sheets of Tyvek.

Even on a solo hunt I'd be hard pressed to leave any of that set up behind because of the unpredictable weather and the ability to use all the items in some form or fashion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bill, thanks for breaking your system down. It makes sense to me and seems like something that I could see using myself. Maybe a little more weight to haul in by myself, but would make for a nice place to get out of weather.

 

[FlyGuy]

Just looked at that bivy...very nice. How has it handled condensation and how is the weather resistance working?

I've only used the bug bivy once last Fall (for mosquitoes), but it was with the Tarp, not the tut. Had both ends open to keep it cool. No complaints so far, but not enough miles in it to say for sure.





Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Tsnider]

archery weather this past season was brutal as said above. ive since bought a stove and sawtooth. little on the heavy side but i couldnt buy 2 shelters this year so i chose the bigger one. getting rained out will be really nice having a place to sit and or warm up. we had a super small light tent last season and when the wet cold came it was miserable. drying clothes just wasnt happening no matter what we tried.

i too just ordered an EE quilt a few days ago, i got mine as a 10 degree. i get cold and wanted more range. it will likley be miserable for the first weekend or so but since its a blanket i can vent it easy. i wanted to shave weight too, so i went with down. your decision of insulation is something to consider. a lot of guys prefer synthetic which i get, but keeping down dry to camp isnt a big task. i plan on hanging the quilt on the clothes line of the sawtooth in the mornings to keep it up away from rodents and to help dry it a bit. i also bought black specifically for the reason that if i do manage to get it wet it will dry a bit faster in the sun. not sure how realistic that is but makes sense in my primitive brain. EE has a huge following and i found confidence buying from them through reviews ive read. buy 10 degrees colder than you need though is something i have read.

oh and i hunt at 9k feet and above. never had an issue with bugs at that time of the year personally.

 

[nrh6.7]

Tsnider, i'll be getting a down quilt also and probably a 20* version. It sounds like if the weather sucks I'll be glad I have room to spread out. Just need to decide which bivy and shelter. Thinking the Silvertip for archery and see how that goes. Maybe won't need/want the extra room. In looking at bivys I am still deciding.

 

[Tsnider]

i think any shelter you get your going to be thrilled with. the quality of the Kifaru and SO stuff is incedible. as long as you buy one you will fit in i think you will be happy. the stove is a must in my opinion. i got the medium from SO for my sawtooth. when i get a solo shelter ill get a cylinder stove to save weight.