Tipi tents and lightning

[Slim Jim]

Has anyone with a tipi style tent ever heard of lightning striking this type of tent in the high backcountry? I just bought the GoLite sl3 and had some concerns because I'm an electrician and it seems like the center pole would act as a ground rod. I know that you are supposed to camp in the close vicinity to trees and they are taller but the aluminum pole is a better conductor.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Never heard of it happening. Carbon fiber pole any less conductive?

 

[Rizzy]

I don't think it's happened yet, but you bring up a good point. The stove pipe would be a great conductor too. Imagine one of those stove boxes blowing up while you got a good fire in it...LOL

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Never happened to me or anyone I know....guess it could though.

 

[Slim Jim]

Carbon fiber is still a conductor but has more resistance than aluminum.

Rizzy, I don't think it would matter if there was a fire in the stove or not. Shits blowing up regardless

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Bottom line to me is that there are inherent risks when i go out. Lightning is one of them. I will be as safe as possible, but it comes with the territory.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

If you use I small piece of wood under the pole it isn't grounded and I'd think would lessen the risks. Course if possible, cutting a dry pole on site would be even better... but as we all know, wood is scarce above the timberline.
Hunt'nFish

 

[Shrek]

In the end I don't think there is much that will save you if struck. The tipi material is going to burst into flames and come down on you. I think it's just a risk you take . Maybe a double tall aluminum pole with grounding guide wires over the tipi but that defeats the purpose of light weight. I a lightning storm you might want to put on your rain gear and go lay flat in a depression if it is really crazy. I've had four REALLY close calls with lightning including being stunned and knocked to the ground on one occasion and picking a fiberglass antenna out of my skin on another. The dry edge of a storm is where they all occurred. Recognizing when to just hit the deck and forget about reaching shelter is the trick.

 

[Slim Jim]

If there hasn't been any cases with tipis then I'm not to worried about. I think I'm going to use my carbon fiber trekking poles to erect it and use the sole of my boots at the base at night when I sleep. Wimp I know but lightning always freaks me out

 

[Shrek]

That sounds reasonable. As many close calls as I've had I would think I would be freaked out to but I'm not. I also saw a man killed by lightning .

 

[Rizzy]

Carbon fiber is still a conductor but has more resistance than aluminum.

Rizzy, I don't think it would matter if there was a fire in the stove or not. Shits blowing up regardless

Yeah, It would just be that much worse with all those hot embers flying all over the inside of the shelter....LOL It cracks me up thinking about it, because it hasn't happened to anyone. It will be on the top of my mind the next time I'm sitting in my Supertarp waiting out a thunderstorm with the Parastove going....LOL

 

[RockChucker30]

If you're in that situation I don't think your choice of tent will be your biggest concern at that point in time. You could get fried in a dome or tunnel too.....

 

[_Nick_]

In the end I don't think there is much that will save you if struck. The tipi material is going to burst into flames and come down on you. I think it's just a risk you take . Maybe a double tall aluminum pole with grounding guide wires over the tipi but that defeats the purpose of light weight. I a lightning storm you might want to put on your rain gear and go lay flat in a depression if it is really crazy. I've had four REALLY close calls with lightning including being stunned and knocked to the ground on one occasion and picking a fiberglass antenna out of my skin on another. The dry edge of a storm is where they all occurred. Recognizing when to just hit the deck and forget about reaching shelter is the trick.

This is good advice, except for the hit the deck part. The highest risk of lightning injury is via ground transmission, not direct strike. The ideal is to take the 'lightning position' squatting down with feet together. This minimizes the voltage differential between separate parts of your body, making whatever amperage that does pass through you less than if you spread out on the ground... in that situation you create a notable voltage differential and are much more likely to die.

You might die either way though, but it'll increase your odds. So even if you're lying down in your tent at night, if you head thunder it makes sense to create a smaller profile in the 'lightning position'. You probably aren't going to be sleeping anyway...

 

[Shrek]

That's good to know Nick.

 

[stevenm2]

Your odds of being involved in a random fatal freeway accident on the way to the mountains is far greater.

 

[bcimport]

You are more likely to die in a car crash on the way to your hunt than getting smoked by lightning in the tent. Be smart, but let's not let the "what ifs" keep you out of the woods.

 

[_Nick_]

You are more likely to die in a car crash on the way to your hunt than getting smoked by lightning in the tent. Be smart, but let's not let the "what ifs" keep you out of the woods.

Totally agree...lots of risks out there that we take every day. It's just about risk management. Because we hunt ridges and high points in areas with frequent lightning storms, we face markedly higher risk exposure to lightning strikes than the average joe that never leaves their house. You might say we're the auto racers of the walking world ;-)

Anyway, get out there... but if you're caught up in a lightning storm, better to squat down than to lie down.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I always laugh at the ppl who say your odds of getting stuck by lighting are 1 in a million.... Or so on.

Well yeah they are when it's a nice day on the beach! When your smack dab in the middle of a shit show lightning storm I suppose they go up quite a bit!!?

I don't get too worried about it but I ve been in some nasty storms and it's a legitimate concern IMO.

 

[Bushwhacker]

July 13th 2014 - In total, 21 people were taken to the hospital because of lightning strikes on Friday and Saturday, an official with the Estes Park Medical Center told KUSA-TV. Two deaths from these two strikes. There is a time to stay in your truck/car and there is a time to get out of your tent.

 

[5MilesBack]

There is nothing that scares me more than being above timberline in the middle of one of those lightning storms. A few years ago was at around 12,500 feet when one blew in very quickly. Lightning and thunder every 5 seconds, pouring rain, and even hail all going on at once. At that point the only thing you can do is get in the lightning position and pray for the best. If God says it's your time at that point, then it's your time.