SO Cimarron -standard, light, or ultralight?

[hmbleservant]

I am about to purchase a Cimarron/large U-Turn stove combo. I always hunt with a buddy (backpack style hunts from NM to MT). Trying to make up my mind on 2 things...

-single entry vs double entry.

-standard or DCF (if we can live with single entry)

I think I have read everything online at this point. I want call on your experiences for opinions/advice please.

 

[steelheadmike]

The double doors in the Cimarron were one of the big selling points for me. I like having the extra ventilation if needed.

 

[hmbleservant]

One thing I thought about as soon as I read your post is how I have a couple of vents at the top of my copper spur ul3 3 season tent. I guess we always have them open. How often and in what conditions do you appreciate having the ability to vent? Thanks for the input.

 

[bitbckt]

In any single-wall shelter, ventilation is key to managing condensation. That's one reason to have double doors.

I don't personally care for the two door format, because keeping the second door clear for use as a door impedes too much on the usable floor space.

 

[*zap*]

I will take a regular with screens, extra guy outs, extra interior hang loops and a stove jack.....please.

 

[Ross]

The single door hasnt been an issue and love the lite setup dcf would have np even nice but twice the price and would cringe when i got a hole or something great setup for twohave tree limbs or small tree work great in place of my rei pole

 

[crich]

I have a tan double door model and love the flexibility of having 2 doors. When its hot and sunny being able to open both and get a nice breeze rolling is great. DCF not worth the money to me but to each their own. With 2 hunters and a stove we stack wood behind the stove by the back door. Outside that door is additional wood. Convenient to reach out and drag in more.

 

[RockChucker30]

We try hard not to have too much crossover between products, so it's telling that we have three versions of the same tent. We think each has a compelling feature set and use case.

Standard Two Door - the double door is nice if you're in warm weather family camping and have screens or a full nest, it gives you a breeze but no bugs. It's also nice in windy weather if the wind switches 180 degrees. It is also nice for a "woodshed door" where you just open the off side door to dump in more wood.

Light Version (One Door) - saves 4-5 oz over the standard, and removes a potential leak point in the zipper. It also centers the stove location between the two sides whereas the standard cheats the stove a little to one side. The Light also comes with line-loc stake loops so it is super easy to pitch it high for ventilation.

Dyneema - 21 oz canopy vs 39 oz for standard. Big enough for 4 in summer, 2 with a stove, light enough to solo backpack hunt. Amazing space to weight ratio here. DCF is a really cool material that has some performance differences vs silnylon. It stresses stakes and poles more in high wind, snow slides off it easier due to no stretch, doesn't degrade in UV, doesn't pack as small, 5X as waterproof, sand and dust don't stick to it, stronger, easier to permanently patch with specialty tape.

If you're doing high altitude or long mileage and weight really matters, the DCF cost may make sense. Otherwise you're choosing between two feature sets of the same tent in the Light vs Standard.

 

[hmbleservant]

Rockchucker, thanks for the write up. Well done. I think this is very helpful in organizing thoughts for decision making.

I do have one question, however. What are the most efficient gear layout configurations for 2 sleeping bags, 2 packs, 1 or 2 rifle/bow and some firewood, relative to the footprint of the tent/door/stove. I realize you touched on this above, but for example where would your packs/rifle go in the light scenario? Next to each hunter towards the ends of the tent? I think it would be helpful to see some diagrams like the one that you have online (I only found one for the cimarron. It's possible I overlooked it?) showing sleeping bag (and packs and firewood and stove) configurations.

Originally I was thinking the 2 door sounded better for 2 hunters, but it sounds like the single door may actually be an advantage in that regard for example. Diagrams (including equipment layout) would definitely help. I am still anxious about seeing all our equipment in the tent without rubbing up on walls and soaking up water overnight also. Just trying to picture it in my head without ever seeing one in person. I'd hate to buy then realize we needed something larger/different configuration.

Thanks for all your help fellas!

 

[Kevin_t]

The light and ultralight setup to sleep one or two per side at 90 degrees from the entry while the standard can do that way or two hunters can sleep a long side the zipper and each have an entry. In the first case, likely hood is the rifle is at your feet or side. In the second it's probably at your head or feet.

 

[Tim in Wa.]

I think S.O. hit a home run with the ultra lite Cimarron.There are other ways to achieve ventilation without the second door.When I'm solo I prefer to sleep under where the second door would be anyway

 

[Lawnboi]

Happy double door cimmaron owner here. I use it a lot with the wife and a half nest for summer camping. Works well to be able to open both doors and ventilate. Same can be said for fall days where condensation is high.

Do the light and UL still have normal stake loops? Or is it just the cordage loops.

I’d also agree that SO hit it out of the park with the cimmaron, and I’m glad to see they continue to improve it. On top of that they are great to work with, sent mine in for a stove jack install, took less than a week, and had the best communication of any repair service Iv had to deal with.

 

[Kevin_t]

Happy double door cimmaron owner here. I use it a lot with the wife and a half nest for summer camping. Works well to be able to open both doors and ventilate. Same can be said for fall days where condensation is high.

Do the light and UL still have normal stake loops? Or is it just the cordage loops.

I’d also agree that SO hit it out of the park with the cimmaron, and I’m glad to see they continue to improve it. On top of that they are great to work with, sent mine in for a stove jack install, took less than a week, and had the best communication of any repair service Iv had to deal with.

Cordage only. There are benefits to both options. The standard loops are bomber and always have been. That being said, I prefer the cordage most of the time for usability. You can get there with Gatekeeper shelter straps on the standard BUT it does add a bit more weight etc.

 

[crich]

Originally I was thinking the 2 door sounded better for 2 hunters, but it sounds like the single door may actually be an advantage in that regard for example. Diagrams (including equipment layout) would definitely help.

Unless the 4-5 ounce weight savings is crucial, I definitely recommend the 2 door for flexibility. Leave it zipped and it becomes a single door. I played around in the back yard for a whole weekend figuring out the best layout when I first got mine. Youll find that youll tweak things once on a hunt anyway.

 

[hmbleservant]

I think I am drawn to the light because of the stove location. Quarter lb of weight savings is also a nice perk.

 

[mountainman406]

Another vote for the double door version. As others have stated, it’s really nice for increased ventilation especially on nice days. In addition to that, I usually use whatever is deemed as the rear door for storing wood against. Being able to open the door, place the wood inside, and place gear on top of it to dry out next to the stove was a huge bonus for me. It makes it hassle free and I don’t have to carry everything through one entrance while bumping into my hunting partner. For the minor weight penalty, I think the double door version is well worth it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[swehrman]

I think I am drawn to the light because of the stove location. Quarter lb of weight savings is also a nice perk.

I went with the light for those reasons, plus it has a third guyout point on the side where the second door would go. I think that will be an added benefit in inclement weather.

-- Scott

 

[ianpadron]

I'll say this: I owned the original double door Cimarron, and am saving up for the DCF version.

Have heard from several guys that the geometry is so spot on with the DCF version that it's almost like a free-standing tent. From all of the photos online, that definitely seems to be the case. The space/weight ratio is really out of this world.

2 doors are nice for hunting with a buddy so you're not crawling all over each other, but the zippers do eventually leak if you hunt/camp in uber wet places (like WA state), so I don't feel like you're missing out if you ditch one of them.

 

[pilgrim7]

Sorry If this question has already been answered, but can you run a stove and half liner in either the Cimarron or Cimarron Light?

 

[swehrman]

I have the Cimarron Light and yes you can run the stove and half liner in it.

-- Scott