tipis.. kifaru vs seekoutside

[fillthefreezer]

now when opening this, most people might think this has been covered or even beaten to death, most likely, but im not looking for which is better...

im looking for pros and cons on the two shapes. does one fit certain situations better being totally round or oblong. does either shape affect performance in high wind? does one sleep more people efficiently? or usable space for people and stove? anything else im missing?

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Let me get to the office where i have some pictures of SO stuff.

 

[Mad Mountain Mike]

I'm not sure about the Kifaru but the Seek Outside shelters have the stake out loops 4 inches up so it effectively acts as a sod clothe sealing out snow and weather.

 

[fillthefreezer]

I'm not sure about the Kifaru but the Seek Outside shelters have the stake out loops 4 inches up so it effectively acts as a sod clothe sealing out snow and weather.

ive heard kifaru experimented with a sod cloth on their tipis and felt it wasnt necessary

 

[Mad Mountain Mike]

That very well could be, I'll have a little better idea how effective the sod cloth is in a couple weeks. I'm taking my BCS out for a 5 or 6 day Rocky Mountain snow shoe trip on January 2.

 

[Lawnboi]

ive heard kifaru experimented with a sod cloth on their tipis and felt it wasnt necessary

Reading back on their forums it sounded like something they would add long ago when they used to do custom stuff.

With the liner in the kifaru tipi it almost acts like a sod skirt. It drapes down to the ground.

 

[justin davis]

I'm a fan of Kifaru tipis. They are bombproof shelters. I have used them in bad conditions. And I always came out Dry and warm inside.

 

[Mad Mountain Mike]

^^^^ that right there is what really counts!

 

[fillthefreezer]

not very much feedback here, im guessing most people dont have experience in both shelters?

 

[Browtine]

not very much feedback here, im guessing most people dont have experience in both shelters?

I have a SO 8 man on order and currently have a Kifaru 4man and ST that I've been using for the last 5-6 years. I'll post up some comments when the SO comes in.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Bingo. I have a lot with SO, but need to have had my hands on both i real world use to do a comparative type post.

I can speak highly of SO quality though. My six took a beating this year and did very well.

 

[Wrongside]

ive heard kifaru experimented with a sod cloth on their tipis and felt it wasnt necessary

Not talking any particular brand names here, but I own shelters with 'sod skirts' and without. I prefer having the skirt, especially later season or winter.

 

[Aron Snyder]

If you run a sod cloth, or pile up debris on the bottom of a tipi to close it off, make sure you keep the spark screen clean! Tamarack has been an issue a few times with me and the spark screen and you can end up standing outside in the cold when the tipi is smoke filled.

This will happen with any stove, so just an FYI for general tipi use.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

If you run a sod cloth, or pile up debris on the bottom of a tipi to close it off, make sure you keep the spark screen clean! Tamarack has been an issue a few times with me and the spark screen and you can end up standing outside in the cold when the tipi is smoke filled.

This will happen with any stove, so just an FYI for general tipi use.

Ha, that's funny. I have had smoke before, mostly when lighting wet wood, but nothing that cleared me out off the tipi.

 

[Aron Snyder]

Ha, that's funny. I have had smoke before, mostly when lighting wet wood, but nothing that cleared me out off the tipi.

Ryan had it in the mega T....hopefully he'll tell the story.

 

[sanchomaes]

If you run a sod cloth, or pile up debris on the bottom of a tipi to close it off, make sure you keep the spark screen clean! Tamarack has been an issue a few times with me and the spark screen and you can end up standing outside in the cold when the tipi is smoke filled.

This will happen with any stove, so just an FYI for general tipi use.

Yeah not cool when you run out of a tipi coughing from smoke!

I believe there is a reason Kifaru does not put a sod skirt on their tipis.

 

[Bighorse]

I got a SO 12 that I've used in the 8man and 12man configuration. The SO system is adaptive and you can pitch it in a large footprint or smaller footprint. I found this really helpful doing some winter camping recently on an island. The trees were very close and I pitched my 12 in the 8 configuration. The night time temps were very very cold, single digits so I also wanted to have less interior volume to heat. I have an SL5 with sod skirt and what I've found is that the skirt is wonderful for sealing up the shelter in driving wind and rain over uneven surfaces. In mountain and beachline situations your almost never to find an even perfect pitching location. There is my experience. I've never been in a Kifaru tepee.

 

[Aussietim]

I have a SO 4man on its way to Aus.

One of my reasoning's for the SO over the kifaru was in part the sod skirt which will help keep out some of our many creepy crawlies in summer and in winter if it stops draughts then that is a bonus. The other reason was two doors for a breeze it can and does get over 110f here in summer and at that temps you really want shade, protection from flying insects and to be able to get a breeze through the tent when its damn hot

being summer here atm I will only be able to test it in a nice 75-100f temp range will have to wait till winter and some snow trips to see how it fairs, but I am confident it will be prefect for both situations

I will be sure to post up its adventures when it arrives and I will be able to compare it to a friends Sawtooth which I was very tempted to buy and another friends 6man Kifaru Tipi

 

[Mad Mountain Mike]

Yeah not cool when you run out of a tipi coughing from smoke!

I believe there is a reason Kifaru does not put a sod skirt on their tipis.

To help avoid smoking yourself out of a tent venting the bottom works well. If you want the smoke to go out the chimney you have to let air in the bottom. That doesn't mean that you can't still run a sod cloth to seal out weather and snow, just means that you'll need to lift a corner with a rock or log to allow the tent to vent.