Tents with & without floors?

[Jack321]

Newbie here, looking to get into pack hunting out west. And like everyone, I've been reading a lot on different tents, gear, options, weights and features. I'm not new to hunting but new to western hunting.

One question I haven't been able to find an answer is what's the difference between a tent with a floor that's attached to the walls vs. a tent that has an exposed floor?

My brother is really interested in the exposed floors because they can have a packable furnace.

But wouldn't the colder air be sucked in from the gaps in the floor? I just am having a hard time seeing how those would be good if there's rain or snow? Esp as opposed to the tents that floors are attached to the sides...

 

[gexpro]

most TP style tents/floor-less shelters can be staked down close to the ground. you can also pile rocks around it to further supplement as a wind barrier.

some manufactures also build shelters with snow/sod skirts to solve the concern you have.

Give https://seekoutside.com a look!

 

[Jack321]

I've seen those, and seen how you can get them close to the ground. But was more trying to understand why they'd design them that way?

 

[Elkdreamer]

I've seen those, and seen how you can get them close to the ground. But was more trying to understand why they'd design them that way?

Less weight.

 

[Jbehredt]

And the option to run a simple stove.

 

[gexpro]

I've seen those, and seen how you can get them close to the ground. But was more trying to understand why they'd design them that way?

elk-dreamer nailed it. I have a dyneema composite fiber Cimarron from seek outside that only weighs 1.5 lbs.
It can fit 4 people or two people with a stove. very impressive tent, quality is top notch.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I've seen those, and seen how you can get them close to the ground. But was more trying to understand why they'd design them that way?

Design them what way, to be tight to the ground or to be pitched up off the ground?

 

[Jack321]

"Design them what way, to be tight to the ground or to be pitched up off the ground?"

Pitched up off the ground. I guess I'm trying to understand why they'd design them with gaps and allow air in. Or if it rains/snows, to get wet/muddy.....

I figured the gaps were for less weight, or more air circulation for less condensation...

But I was thinking that if I was sleeping on the ground in my sleeping bag, the cold air would be sucked in from the floor (over me & my sleeping bag) & basically be colder & more drafty than a "traditional tent" with a floor sewed to the walls.

I like the idea of a collapsible stove but am just curious if it's negated by the gaps letting air in...? But the other tents don't have holes for the stove pipe to be thru the roof & I'm at the mercy of whatever the temp is outside.

I guess I just don't understand the purpose of the gaps near the floor. All the tents I've ever been in have floors attached to the tent walls.

 

[Ross]

both,off the ground slightly if condensation becomes an issue floorless to shave weight and to use a stove there will be minimal draft and with proper bag and pad it is not an issue I’ve used mine down close to zero ...with no issues you can get a great setup that is crazy light to offer comfort

 

[JeffRaines]

One thing to keep in mind is that the stoves for these things aren’t like wall tent wood stoves - they’re not going to burn and hold heat all night long. They burn for an hour or two tops and then that’s it. You still need an adequate pad and sleeping bag for the temps you’ll encounter.

It might make it sound like the stove is “useless” but honestly it couldn’t be further from the truth. Having a warm, dry place to come back to is a godsend in the rain or cold... not to mention being able to dry out your clothes and climbing into your sleeping bag warm.

 

[AK Troutbum]

"Design them what way, to be tight to the ground or to be pitched up off the ground?"

Pitched up off the ground. I guess I'm trying to understand why they'd design them with gaps and allow air in. Or if it rains/snows, to get wet/muddy.....

I figured the gaps were for less weight, or more air circulation for less condensation...

But I was thinking that if I was sleeping on the ground in my sleeping bag, the cold air would be sucked in from the floor (over me & my sleeping bag) & basically be colder & more drafty than a "traditional tent" with a floor sewed to the walls.

I like the idea of a collapsible stove but am just curious if it's negated by the gaps letting air in...? But the other tents don't have holes for the stove pipe to be thru the roof & I'm at the mercy of whatever the temp is outside.

I guess I just don't understand the purpose of the gaps near the floor. All the tents I've ever been in have floors attached to the tent walls.

The sole purpose of pitching a floorless shelter up off the ground is to create more air flow to mitigate condensation. Condensation is probably the single biggest issue to deal with in single wall shelters, and with a floorless shelter it can become even more of an issue if your initial pitch is over wet ground. If it gets too windy, you can either just tighten it down to the ground on the side or sides where the wind is coming from, or tighten the whole thing down to the ground. Obviously, if you bring the whole thing down tight, and cut off air flow, you're more than likely going to have condensation issues. Having a source of dry heat (wood burning stove), can definitely be a game changer and eliminate condensation altogether, as long as it stays burning.

I've never had a problem with rain blowing in under my shelter. If it's blowing hard and raining sideways, you have to pitch the shelter tight to the ground, otherwise if it's just raining with little to no wind, you can still pitch it up off the ground and water will not come in. The only exception to that is, if you've pitched the shelter in a low spot, and end up getting tons of rain, and the ground becomes saturated.

 

[LionHead]

You will not regret going floorless. Seek outside is my choice. LBO, Cimmaron and Redcliff are all great shelters with different strong suits. You will likely not have one shelter to cover all your needs, there may very well be a time to get a double wall shelter but I haven't encountered it yet.

Floorless Tipis cover the largest window for shelter needs be it light, packable, early season late season, windy, rainy snowy. Add a nest if it's buggy, a stove if it cold and wet.

There are other shelters that do their specialty better like hammocks for summer, but a cimmaron or LBO can cover a lot of mission sets

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[Jack321]

dThanks everyone, I'm looking for a tent for 2 guys + gear for backpack hunting elk out west. Ideally I'd like it to have the option for a stove/heater and be as light as possible without giving up too much durability for colder weather, snow/rain. Any suggestions?

LionHead when you say "add a nest if it's buggy" what's a nest? Do you mean "net"?

 

[ramsdude47]

We still need a lot more information to give you any good recommendations. The advice you have gotten is basically just people saying what they have and works for them.

You need to lay out what your budget is, any other uses besides hunting you might need from this shelter, what you consider acceptably light, etc.

 

[Jack321]

Price isn't as much of a factor for me. If I'm going to be depending my life on a shelter, I won't skimp out. I will basically be using it for hunting.

Ideally as light as possible. I know there's a balance between price vs weight and weight vs durability, but I don't want a 2# tent that won't stand up to conditions just because it's light to pack. I don't want a 10# tent either slugging thru the bush.

Ideally it be awesome to get a 2# tent that'll fit two guys + gear and also be durable for years in different conditions. But I'm fairly certain nothing like that exists because if it did, everyone would have one!

 

[AK Troutbum]

Price isn't as much of a factor for me. If I'm going to be depending my life on a shelter, I won't skimp out. I will basically be using it for hunting.

Ideally as light as possible. I know there's a balance between price vs weight and weight vs durability, but I don't want a 2# tent that won't stand up to conditions just because it's light to pack. I don't want a 10# tent either slugging thru the bush.

Ideally it be awesome to get a 2# tent that'll fit two guys + gear and also be durable for years in different conditions. But I'm fairly certain nothing like that exists because if it did, everyone would have one!

You won't find anything lighter than a floorless, DCF shelter, and if you're wanting something for two people, with a stove jack, your best option would probably be a SO Cimarron, like what gexpro described.

Cimarron UltraLight (Dyneema®)

DCF / Cuben Fiber Pyramid Tent sized for two with stove, or four without stove.

seekoutside.com

 

[ramsdude47]

Yea for 2 pounds you will have to get Dyneema, which is quite expensive. I’m personally not a fan of the poor puncture resistance that comes with such a steep price tag. Also not a fan of pyramid / tipi shapes, but to each his own. Now if you’re talking 2 pounds per person, you’re options are endless and affordable.

FWIW you can run a backpacking kind of stove in the vestibule of any tent with proper ventilation. No it won’t be quite as nice as a tent stove, but IMO the cons of those heavily outweighs the pros.

 

[Jack321]

What part of the country are you in?

most TP style tents/floor-less shelters can be staked down close to the ground. you can also pile rocks around it to further supplement as a wind barrier.

some manufactures also build shelters with snow/sod skirts to solve the concern you have.

Give https://seekoutside.com a look!

Design them what way, to be tight to the ground or to be pitched up off the ground?

Yea for 2 pounds you will have to get Dyneema, which is quite expensive. I’m personally not a fan of the poor puncture resistance that comes with such a steep price tag. Also not a fan of pyramid / tipi shapes, but to each his own. Now if you’re talking 2 pounds per person, you’re options are endless and affordable.

FWIW you can run a backpacking kind of stove in the vestibule of any tent with proper ventilation. No it won’t be quite as nice as a tent stove, but IMO the cons of those heavily outweighs the pros.

So what kind of stove are you suggesting with these kids of tents? Again, I'm trying to be as light as possible. I've looked at the kifaru titanium box stoves & seem light & solid?

 

[gexpro]

So what kind of stove are you suggesting with these kids of tents? Again, I'm trying to be as light as possible. I've looked at the kifaru titanium box stoves & seem light & solid?

Seek outside u-turn stove is about as light as you can get

 

[rayporter]

take note of the hat rack Ross has in post 9

you can leave the pole out and cut a pole to save wt. you can also cut a few stakes to save wt.

if you are unsure of the size build yourself a mock up with a post and string and stakes to get the feel of the room inside.