SO Redcliff vs Kifaru Sawtooth

[carsonkeys]

Strongly disagree.

Good luck drying out on a late season hunt in a small tent.

I love my Silex and Supertarp...but the Sawtooth gets the nod for all my solo hunts from mid-October on.

The stove and room to hang an entire day's worth of soaked clothes has saved my ass on several hunts. Would have been miserable in a "solo" tent.

I just bought a sawtooth and will be using it solo, too. Thanks for the nod of confidence here.

 

[Marbles]

Interested in this thought process- I just went for the DCF Cimarron. Now considering if I need more of solo shelter (thinking Silex vs Silvertip). Really not much weight savings and gives up a ton of room. Only improvement I come up with from the top of my head (Cimarron vs silex/silvertip on solo trip) is the footprint. Interesting to hear other thoughts and opinions on it.

The DCF Cimarron is pretty light. A silnylon Sivertip canopy is actually heavyer. Only if comparing silnylon to silnylon does having both come into play.

For family use with kids I wanted the durability of silnylon, my silnylon Redcliff is more than I would carry in for a solo hunt unless I was planning on staying in one spot for a week or using pack animals or mechanized travel. That is to say, for my current style of hunting I will never use it solo.

A DCF Silex is 12 oz, half the canopy wieght of a DCF Cimarron with stove jack, if not using a stove I see the smaller footprint and wieght worth it if hunting with camp on your back every day. It is not needed though.

 

[powds]

SO Redcliff for family use or multiple people. SO Silex for solo use (or Silvertip if you want hericane worthy).

The half nest of the Redcliff is awesome for kid containment. Nests are heavy though, in a Silex or Silvertip I would use a Bora Gear (or other UL) bivy sack.

View attachment 287648

How do you find the length of the silvertip? I’m 6’3 and have been told it would be tight.
I opted for the cimmaron which has been awesome but like the small foot print and trekking pole pitch of the silvertip

The Sivertip is roomy for one, but not standing height for most.View attachment 287649

 

[ianpadron]

Both of them are to much tent for solo use. I'd get a legit solo tent and remove that use case scenario from the decision.

Strongly disagree.

Good luck drying out on a late season hunt in a small tent.

I love my Silex and Supertarp...but the Sawtooth gets the nod for all my solo hunts from mid-

I just bought a sawtooth and will be using it solo, too. Thanks for the nod of confidence here.

You're going to love it dude.

 

[sneaky]

Get the dyneema redcliff or cimarron if you're concerned about weight

Neither are an option now as Seek has taken all their DCF shelters off the site. There's another thread discussing why.

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[slim9300]

Neither are an option now as Seek has taken all their DCF shelters off the site. There's another thread discussing why.

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I haven’t seen the thread but I do know that Dyneema or Cubenfiber was not designed to be anywhere near fire or embers. When I bought my HMG I was told specifically to keep it well away from campfires. I guess it has a melting point of 277 degrees and significant heat causes the fabric to shrink or just disappear. When an ember hits Dyneema it burns a hole so easily it’s unreal. It’s like a plastic garbage bag. Silnylon in comparison is much more durable when it comes to embers or shrinking.


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[slim9300]

For a heated shelter nothing beats the Sawtooth for two guys.

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[mavinwa2]

my first Kifaru was a Paratipi, sort of a mini Sawtooth.
Then purchased a TUT, which works great for me being solo. Sold the Paratipi.
Considered the Sawtooth both times. All in all, just wish I'd bought the Sawtooth the first time. As these old bones would like to stand up straight & tall under a zipped up tent, upon waking in the mornings.

 

[sneaky]

I haven’t seen the thread but I do know that Dyneema or Cubenfiber was not designed to be anywhere near fire or embers. When I bought my HMG I was told specifically to keep it well away from campfires. I guess it has a melting point of 277 degrees and significant heat causes the fabric to shrink or just disappear. When an ember hits Dyneema it burns a hole so easily it’s unreal. It’s like a plastic garbage bag. Silnylon in comparison is much more durable when it comes to embers or shrinking.


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It has nothing to do with stove jack or embers, the company that makes DCF has raised prices and doubled the minimum order quantities of fabric per order. Availability and cost is the reason they aren't on the site.

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[sneaky]

I haven’t seen the thread but I do know that Dyneema or Cubenfiber was not designed to be anywhere near fire or embers. When I bought my HMG I was told specifically to keep it well away from campfires. I guess it has a melting point of 277 degrees and significant heat causes the fabric to shrink or just disappear. When an ember hits Dyneema it burns a hole so easily it’s unreal. It’s like a plastic garbage bag. Silnylon in comparison is much more durable when it comes to embers or shrinking.


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Here's what Kevin, the owner of Seek Outside, said about it

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[TradLife406]

The Sawtooth is awesome! I love it for long trips solo. I really like having a lot of room in a shelter on multi day trips. Room for a UL cot, stove and firewood.

You can fit two guys but my buddy and I found it was a tad tight and annoying after about day three. So I got an 8 man Kifaru tipi for when I have a buddy.

You can cut the Sawtooth weight down by using a carbon fiber center pole. Then have Kifaru put a guy out on the back end so you can ditch the back pole.

On memorial day sometimes Kif has a sale on shelters. That's how I got mine.

The Seek stoves are friggin awesome though! I got the XL for my 8 man and plan on using it in the Sawtooth too. Super well built!

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[valtteri]

The Sawtooth is awesome! I love it for long trips solo. I really like having a lot of room in a shelter on multi day trips. Room for a UL cot, stove and firewood.

You can fit two guys but my buddy and I found it was a tad tight and annoying after about day three. So I got an 8 man Kifaru tipi for when I have a buddy.

You can cut the Sawtooth weight down by using a carbon fiber center pole. Then have Kifaru put a guy out on the back end so you can ditch the back pole.

On memorial day sometimes Kif has a sale on shelters. That's how I got mine.

The Seek stoves are friggin awesome though! I got the XL for my 8 man and plan on using it in the Sawtooth too. Super well built!

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@TradLife406 How much more space does the 8 man tipi have compared to the Sawtooth? Also, how tall are you, if you don’t mind me asking?

Reason I’m asking is I’m 6’3” and there is a an annual hunt in January, above the Arctic Circle where there’s about 4 hours of light so that means staying in the tent for close to 20 hours a day. I can’t quite fully stand in the Sawtooth and quite honestly with all of my winter gear, there’s not a lot of space. I’m essentially sitting at one spot next to the stove for hours and hours. After about 3-4 days it really starts getting to me. I’ve come to the conclusion that I need a bigger shelter to stay sane.

I would buy the Kifaru 12 man but it’s not been available for quite a long time nor will it be. So I’ve been thinking about the 8 man. But looking at the dimensions it seems like it might not be that much bigger than the Sawtooth, especially in regards to standing room. I know numerical dimensions don’t necessarily tell the whole story though.

Long story short, how would you describe the size differece between the 8 man and Sawtooth?

 

[Shawn Hultquist]

I have both shelters. Alone sawtooth with the smith cylinder. Two people in a sawtooth with all gear inside doesn’t work well. My partner is 6’3” not much room to stand.

Redcliff lite goes when it’s two or three in camp with the U turn stove. And all gear fits inside comfortably with firewood.


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[JLeeC10]

Strongly disagree.

Good luck drying out on a late season hunt in a small tent.

I love my Silex and Supertarp...but the Sawtooth gets the nod for all my solo hunts from mid-October on.

The stove and room to hang an entire day's worth of soaked clothes has saved my ass on several hunts. Would have been miserable in a "solo" tent.

And I believe this comment right here is why I am going with the Sawtooth... Also interested in the SO Cimarron though...

 

[RealMoses]

I went to Kifaru today and was able to see the sawtooth firsthand. It was a very easy decision after that. Sawtooth inbound! Thanks for everyone’s input.

I’d be curious what it was that tipped you towards the sawtooth? I’m in a similar situation but was leaning towards the redcliff

 

[Kevin Dill]

It's really impossible to compare these two shelters in a vacuum, as they're chosen by different people with different preferences for different applications. I have owned both shelters and both are supreme in their form and function. From there it's just personal because one isn't better than the other.

The Redcliff is gigantically larger inside and offers hugely more space. More standing room. It's a hotel for two men, while the Sawtooth is much ....hmm...cozier lets say. Based on what I've seen and experienced, I'd choose the Sawtooth over the Redcliff for extreme wind/storm performance. It simply will shed wind better and has a lower profile, while being built undeniably strong. I didn't like the low-sloped 'foot' end of the Sawtooth, as it's not easily accessible for gear storage and retrieval without getting on your knees. The center-pole on the Sawtooth is very strong (trust me) but the shelter design puts it close to the entry....meaning you have to go around the pole a LOT.

The Redcliff demands a bigger footprint site, so possibly an issue. On the other hand the Sawtooth isn't exactly minimalistic either. The Redcliff is much faster and easier to pitch with no setbacks and no secondary pole. Redcliff comes equipped with a sod flap....not so on the Sawtooth unless it's been changed.

I think the only way to compare these shelters is know the locations and conditions under which they'd be used.

Sawtooth in sheep country where nothing but rocks existed. Total exposure to brutal winds. The Redcliff would definitely not go there with me.

Sawtooth in my moose camp. It worked great but I craved more room on a 15 day stationary hunt.

My Redcliff in moose camp, with partner's Sawtooth adjacent.

Redcliff sheds snow extremely well with guy-outs snugged.

My Sawtooth in a surprise overnight snowstorm. No issues but it's not as adept at shedding snow as I imagined it to be.

Lastly: Pay close attention to the images. You'll notice the Sawtooth fabric lines have more of tendency to be concave (a bit of sag) whereas the Redcliff design produces a smoother and cleaner exterior shape. I'm sure that's because of the different shapes....asymmetrical on the Sawtooth and symmetrical pyramid on the Redcliff. Maybe part of it is design execution as well....I'm not qualified to judge that.

 

[carsonkeys]

I’d be curious what it was that tipped you towards the sawtooth? I’m in a similar situation but was leaning towards the redcliff

@Kevin Dill pretty much nailed the comparison, but for me, my decision mainly came down to the RC being too much tent for my needs.

My requirements were a two person shelter with standing room and light enough to backpack solo. After getting hands-on with both, I thought that the ST played the middle ground slightly better than the RC. It's a palace for one (see above comments from @ianpadron), and adequate for two. Additionally, @Kevin Dill noted this above, but the footprint on the RC felt huge to me.

If I took backpacking out of the equation and/or consistently hunted in a party of three I'd have a RC.

 

[Bad habit]

I’m finally ready to pull the trigger on a hot tent and believe I’ve got my choices narrowed down to either the Kifaru Sawtooth or the SO Redcliff (open to other options). I visited SO yesterday and will visit Kifaru Friday to get eyes on, but I’m looking for feedback as to which is most suitable for my uses.

For my purposes this tent will largely be a 2-person tent with occasional solo trips, car camping and backpacking. I really want to be able to stand up, and believe at 6’1 I can stand upright in both but am still wondering how much standing room the sawtooth has. Both shelters are within $100 and 10oz of each other, the sawtooth being the lighter, more expensive option. Whichever way I go, I’ll most likely be using a SO SXL stove.

Pros of Redcliff
-significantly larger for roughly the same weight and price. I like that I could add a 3rd person comfortably should it be needed and can really spread out when solo or with two. Additionally, it will easily absorb adding kids, which we plan to in the next few years.
-readily available nest. My main hunting partner is my wife and I can see that being a want of hers for some uses.
-lots of standing room

Cons of redcliff
-the large footprint has me worried about finding suitable spots
-with stove and liner (undetermined on that) it’s pushing 9lbs and seems wildly heavy for solo use
-I believe the sawtooth is more storm worthy

Pros of Sawtooth
-more storm worthy
-~1/2 lb lighter
-smaller footprint

Cons of Sawtooth
-more expensive
-less standing room
-less room to add kids
-strictly a two man w/ stove

If you were (or are) in my shoes, which would you choose and why? Should I look at other options? Should I buy the red cliff and a smaller tent for solo use with the same stove?

Thanks in advance and pardon any grammatical/spelling errors as I typed this whole thing on my phone.

You can’t go wrong with kifaru

 

[Elk2008]

I’ve been in both of these and have a ST. They are both nice depending on application. ST has more verticals walls, but RC is bigger. Both are great.

 

[Carrot Farmer]

And I believe this comment right here is why I am going with the Sawtooth... Also interested in the SO Cimarron though...

Was elated with my Sawtooth after 2”+ rain in 2 days of S. Oregon blacktail hunting this Fall


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