Tipi vs Trekking pole style tent

[TOLeary]

I’m looking for pros and cons between a lightweight tipi (looking at the Argali) and a trekking pole style tent (looking at the Durston).

It would be me and my dog or another person. I’m aware 2 people would be tight. I’m fine with that.

I live in SC and backpack in NC throughout the year. Anywhere from freezing temps and light snow to hot, wet and buggy. I archery hunt in Montana (30s-70s) and rifle elk hunt in Colorado (cold as shit this year).

With all that said I like the argali with the ability to use the 1/2 inner mesh for myself as well as the potential use of the stove. Not sure how much is really use a stove but I think the ability would make me start trying it out around home. On the other hand, I like the Durston for being lightweight but also able to interchange the mesh and solid inner for early and late season weather.

Any insight would be appreciated!

 

[ccoffey]

I just picked up a seek outside guardian with a stove. Hoping to use it for spring bear in oregon and rifle mule deer in Montana. I really debated between the guardian and the argali 2p. The argali having the half best is awesome. If you go they route, let me know how you like it.

I’m having second thoughts on the guardian right now because I’ve been told the tics can be really bad where I’m hunting spring bear this year.

 

[kmagers]

I’ve got the seek outside cimmaron and have loved it. Handled kodiak for 9 days with zero issues.

 

[Cant hit em]

If you always bring trekking poles the trekking pole option is ok. But if you are doing day hikes from camp , not just through hiking and want to use the poles for the day you got to take down your tent. I used the mountain smith shelter LT and got rid of it because of that. I went to a Seek outside Silver tip and it was better for my use. Use A piece of Tyvek for a floor if you want one

 

[ben h]

You can always pack dedicated tent poles if you don't want to use your treking poles (or use a couple sticks). Obviously there's a weight/cost component with that choice. No way in hell, I'd use floorless back east unless freezing temps.....way too many bugs for me. The stove is nice when it's cold, but it's also sort of a pain in the ass, I'd hate to set it up and take it down every day.

 

[TOLeary]

So another member sent a private message a while back and we talked through all the scenarios you guys mentioned. I ended up going with the Durston Xmid 2 in silpoly. I used the Cimarron and stove last fall on a rifle elk hunt in Colorado. Coldest was -10 with 8” of snow. Averaged 20 at night the rest of the week. This was my first time going floorless and using a stove and overall did not like it. First the silnylon sagged a ton with the snow and was freezing to my sleeping bag through the night. Next the floorless did suck in the snow. Was just extremely sloppy and messy inside. The stove was nice for a very short period of time but when going to bed hot and it being so cold out it was a pain. Layering lighter because it’s warmer with the stove and then waking up freezing because it died out was a pain. We didn’t change camps a lot but if we did packing up the stove everyday would’ve sucked.

So basing my decision off of that experience and then also being back east with bugs I went with a trekking pole shelter that has an inner and outer. Went with silpoly to avoid the sag of silnylon as well as the price and fragile nature of Dyneema. The durston in general is very large inside which I personally like. For people who don’t mind being a little more confined the 1 person version would be really nice. The Durston also has a solid inner for colder weather which I’m holding off on because it’s going to be super snowy I might be using a different tent altogether. Another option is using only the inner or only the outter with poles which is a nice option. The 1p using just the outter can fit 2 people. The 2p with just the outter can probably fit 3. My main concern with going the trekking pole route is like one of you guys mentioned, if you’re using your poles you have to break down the tent or carry extra poles. I’m holding off on the extra poles to see if breaking down is going to be a big deal to me. If it is, then 2 separate poles come out to only 6oz which is super light and I’m not worried about the space in my pack. Something else to mention since having the durston is the pitch. It’s super easy and can be held up with 4 but realistically 6 stakes so both vestibules have a side pinned to work the zipper.

Appreciate the feedback guys! Let me know if you have any questions. I can check back in after hunting season or even a few weekend backpack trips if you’re Interested

 

[Matt5266]

I personally dont leave my camp without my trekking poles, so a shelter that requires them is a no go for me. I dont want to have to break down a tent and put it back up everyday.

You could find and cut some branches that might work, but that also sounds like a pain. I use the SO Cimarron in fall with a stove and love it. We usually find a large branch to cut for that instead of packing the pole. Has worked fine so far.

 

[Old-Cat]

So another member sent a private message a while back and we talked through all the scenarios you guys mentioned. I ended up going with the Durston Xmid 2 in silpoly. I used the Cimarron and stove last fall on a rifle elk hunt in Colorado. Coldest was -10 with 8” of snow. Averaged 20 at night the rest of the week. This was my first time going floorless and using a stove and overall did not like it. First the silnylon sagged a ton with the snow and was freezing to my sleeping bag through the night. Next the floorless did suck in the snow. Was just extremely sloppy and messy inside. The stove was nice for a very short period of time but when going to bed hot and it being so cold out it was a pain. Layering lighter because it’s warmer with the stove and then waking up freezing because it died out was a pain. We didn’t change camps a lot but if we did packing up the stove everyday would’ve sucked.

So basing my decision off of that experience and then also being back east with bugs I went with a trekking pole shelter that has an inner and outer. Went with silpoly to avoid the sag of silnylon as well as the price and fragile nature of Dyneema. The durston in general is very large inside which I personally like. For people who don’t mind being a little more confined the 1 person version would be really nice. The Durston also has a solid inner for colder weather which I’m holding off on because it’s going to be super snowy I might be using a different tent altogether. Another option is using only the inner or only the outter with poles which is a nice option. The 1p using just the outter can fit 2 people. The 2p with just the outter can probably fit 3. My main concern with going the trekking pole route is like one of you guys mentioned, if you’re using your poles you have to break down the tent or carry extra poles. I’m holding off on the extra poles to see if breaking down is going to be a big deal to me. If it is, then 2 separate poles come out to only 6oz which is super light and I’m not worried about the space in my pack. Something else to mention since having the durston is the pitch. It’s super easy and can be held up with 4 but realistically 6 stakes so both vestibules have a side pinned to work the zipper.

Appreciate the feedback guys! Let me know if you have any questions. I can check back in after hunting season or even a few weekend backpack trips if you’re Interested

I hunt South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina. I bought a silver tip this year; I absolutely loved going flourless with a stove, for me it was almost like having a cheat code on those long nights by myself. In fact I just bought a Cimarron on for my grandson and I, like it came in yesterday. Haha

Now, I can see how one would want to be completely enclosed as temps rise. Truth be told him there’s not a single tent that’s gonna fit everyone of your needs all year long, you’re gonna have to have a few different options as seasons change. For example, I’m gonna try out an enclosed hammock while turkey hunting this year.

Btw, I’ll probably buy a Durston 2p to replace my 30 year old Eureka.

PM if you want to chitchat

 

[CMF]

My main concern with going the trekking pole route is like one of you guys mentioned, if you’re using your poles you have to break down the tent or carry extra poles.

If I'm leaving the tent I usually try and tie out one side to a tree. I don't bother trying to get both sides tied off, but one is usually easy to do if trees are around.
I really only need one trek pole hiking around since my bow is usually in the other hand.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

I’ll never have a floor in a shelter again. Unless I was worried about critters back east. However a light weight cot offsets that as well. I love my tipis. I own a 4 man and a 8 man. Used a Tigoat for a few years and this year I bought a Seekoutside 8 man and gave my Tigoat to a buddy. Then I bought a z4 man SO as my emergency boat shelter.

I’ve considered a trekking pole option as an emergency option but ultimately decided I like comfort and like to stand up.

 

[swampfox]

I’d say biggest drawback of a tipi style is the slope of the walls. You can’t effectively use the space near the walls because slope isn’t very steep. I think the xmid makes more sense for a 1-2 person tent because there is more useable space (the large tipis are another story). If you are hiking through and moving camp each day there is no issue with using trekking poles for the xmid, but if you spike out and hunt from a single camp for a couple days like most people I think it’s worth it to buy the durston poles. They are super light and not that expensive. Then you don’t need to take down the tent each day.


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[fishslap]

Only commenting on the topic of using trekking poles, I’d just use the seek outside carbon fiber poles. Very light, easy to adjust, and you have your trekking poles available. Sometimes I pack my camp out last and like to have my trekking poles for packing out meat or moving it to camp.

 

[TOLeary]

I’ve considered a trekking pole option as an emergency option but ultimately decided I like comfort and like to stand up.

Is standing up the main reason or do you just not like mesh inners? I feel like the argali’s solved what I wanted for tipis and have a stove jack and half mesh inner. Floors were a shit show for me and was just a pain in the ass.

I’d say biggest drawback of a tipi style is the slope of the walls. You can’t effectively use the space near the walls because slope isn’t very steep. I think the xmid makes more sense for a 1-2 person tent because there is more useable space (the large tipis are another story).

Yea slope was an issue for me but I know guying out mid way helps it’s just not the same as a regular tent.

 

[TOLeary]

I hunt South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina. I bought a silver tip this year; I absolutely loved going flourless with a stove, for me it was almost like having a cheat code on those long nights by myself. In fact I just bought a Cimarron on for my grandson and I, like it came in yesterday. Haha

Now, I can see how one would want to be completely enclosed as temps rise. Truth be told him there’s not a single tent that’s gonna fit everyone of your needs all year long, you’re gonna have to have a few different options as seasons change. For example, I’m gonna try out an enclosed hammock while turkey hunting this year.

Btw, I’ll probably buy a Durston 2p to replace my 30 year old Eureka.

PM if you want to chitchat

Shooting you a message

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Is standing up the main reason or do you just not like mesh inners? I feel like the argali’s solved what I wanted for tipis and have a stove jack and half mesh inner. Floors were a shit show for me and was just a pain in the ass.

Yea slope was an issue for me but I know guying out mid way helps it’s just not the same as a regular tent.

Is standing up the main reason or do you just not like mesh inners? I feel like the argali’s solved what I wanted for tipis and have a stove jack and half mesh inner. Floors were a shit show for me and was just a pain in the ass.

Yea slope was an issue for me but I know guying out mid way helps it’s just not the same as a regular tent.

Mesh liners don’t bother me. I have a liner in each of my tipis to help with condensation.

I just like entering my shelter without hunched over. I do have a few tarps. Just picked up a DST and I’ll explore the trekking pole option. I got the DST for an awning but multiple shelters are always great to have.

 

[TOLeary]

Mesh liners don’t bother me. I have a liner in each of my tipis to help with condensation.

I just like entering my shelter without hunched over. I do have a few tarps. Just picked up a DST and I’ll explore the trekking pole option. I got the DST for an awning but multiple shelters are always great to have.

Ahh gotcha, yea I think I’d like a mesh inner and tipi. Eventually.. the xmid cost and weight really aligned with what I wanted. I think a hot tent local would be a great option, the trekking pole tent was just easier to get into.

I had a dst and I loved it but sized down to a sheep tarp which I think is too small now.. I think the dst for backpacking was great. A little big to use while hunting but great for an awning. Check out Clay Hayes DST tarp video on YouTube. He actually shows a way to use it as a tent and it’s genius. Just need a stick or trekking pole

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Ahh gotcha, yea I think I’d like a mesh inner and tipi. Eventually.. the xmid cost and weight really aligned with what I wanted. I think a hot tent local would be a great option, the trekking pole tent was just easier to get into.

I had a dst and I loved it but sized down to a sheep tarp which I think is too small now.. I think the dst for backpacking was great. A little big to use while hunting but great for an awning. Check out Clay Hayes DST tarp video on YouTube. He actually shows a way to use it as a tent and it’s genius. Just need a stick or trekking pole

I’ll be moving back to the SE in 3-4 years and that means hunting down in either GA, NC, or SC and maybe TN gain. The DST has a lot of potential.

Not sure how practical the hot tents will be down that way, but these ti stoves are light.

 

[justinspicher]

Traditional tipi designs really piss me off, the bottom 1/3 of the shelter is useless and I can never pitch them tight enough. A trekking pole shelter is light, but barely being able to sit up just pisses me off.

I swapped to a square style tipi shelter. I have two, one is a BPWD Luna 6 (10’x10’) and a GoLite SL4 (9’x9’). Both have enough room for two and I can stand up in them. I use cots in the backcountry so that is also nice to have the room.

As far as a floor goes, specifically in the later seasons, it is just more work, but then everything in the later season is…..I know and accept this. Clearing a space for my shelter is part of the process, just like getting firewood. I also learned to put big ass rocks around my stove which protect me and my goods from the stove as well as keeping the tipi warmer once the stove goes out. It is a learning curve and dedication to a process without a doubt. Sometimes I wonder why I do it.

I really like my hammock, but I hate being cold so it is a non use item once the snow hits the ground.

 

[Sammymusi]

Don’t forget to add the topic of condensation …. I ran the argali in Wyoming for 5 nights in September and the condensation was pretty bad. Not sure if it was just me/ setup or if that’s just the way single wall floorless tents are but I was not a fan of brushing against the inside and getting soaked.

 

[Nine Banger]

Shout out for Big Agnes copper spur. This is a 3-person model in photo. If you go for a trek with your poles, the fly just pops down and zips up like a classic set up.

We are in lowcountry SC and as mentioned above bugs and vapor are real issues here. I'd say we have less than 10 nights a year we don't meet dew point.