What experience you have with tents that has open/no floor

[Spitfire]

I see a few tent manufacturer that sells tent/tarps without a floor. Has anyone tried this and if so what's your experience? How was it when it's pouring down outside and water finds its way inside at the bottom, or if it's snowy ground? Do you pack all your gear in waterproof bags?

For this years hunt I'm looking for a lightweight tent which can fit a stove like Kifaru Sawtooth. I'd like something where I can get a fire started and dry some cloth/get some warmth in the tent. Only downside is missing a floor, atleast where you'd be sleeping. Any suggestions on other alternatives to Sawtooth where you can also fit a stove? Preferably also quite roomy and tall

 

[Ram94]

I use a Kifaru Tut and havent had any problems with water coming into the tent. It has alot to do with where you set up. Been through some torrential downpours and as long as you are not in a drainage flow path or creek bottom, the water doesn't enter. I use Tyvek as a ground sheet.

 

[mrbillbrown]

I was also skeptical to try the floorless shelter when I first started elk hunting. All my previous camping experience revolved around a tent with a floor. Several guys here convinced me to give it a try and I can't see my self going back to a floored tent while elk hunting. not worrying about keeping a tent floor clean or removing my boots before entering my shelter was a game changer. The heat from a stove was like magic.

Ram94 is right. Make sure you're not set up in a flow path or low spot and rain and snow aren't an issue. I put my sleep system on a piece of Tyvek but everything else is directly on the ground.

 

[Brendan]

Many, many, many threads on this here. Kifaru Sawtooth is awesome. Other options are Tipi Tents by Kifaru or Seek Outside. Tipis are much bigger and roomy, but heavier.

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[Spitfire]

Thanks for replies! I didn't even think about that you could use a tyvek for floor. I'll have a look at the other threads too then Brendan, thanks

 

[CO-AJ]

I see a few tent manufacturer that sells tent/tarps without a floor. Has anyone tried this and if so what's your experience? How was it when it's pouring down outside and water finds its way inside at the bottom, or if it's snowy ground? Do you pack all your gear in waterproof bags?

For this years hunt I'm looking for a lightweight tent which can fit a stove like Kifaru Sawtooth. I'd like something where I can get a fire started and dry some cloth/get some warmth in the tent. Only downside is missing a floor, atleast where you'd be sleeping. Any suggestions on other alternatives to Sawtooth where you can also fit a stove? Preferably also quite roomy and tall

My Seek Outside Cimarron is due to deliver today and the tipi itself weighs I believe right at 20oz so just over 1lb. I am going to run a 1/2 nest in it on a piece of Tyvek so I can still get the bug free bed, but I am looking forward to the stove and no floor combo in the other half of the tent. Tons of room for a small woodpile, pack, and chair to watch the rain pour down.

 

[Ram94]

Learned

 

[CMF]

We'll find out this year, planning on going floorless on our archery elk hunt in Colorado this September. The wife certainly isn't thrilled about it. I really want to cut the extra weight. Our 2 person river trekker is 48oz. I'm looking at a BD Beta light that is only 19oz.

 

[justinspicher]

Been running a floorless shelter in Colorado for the past four years, at any time of the year. You couldn’t give me a tent with a floor.

 

[Ericthebarbarian]

Owned a kifaru 8 man for years. Had a floor sewn in. Before, there was so much condensation, so much wind whistling through all night, so many mosquitos. Nightmarish. I have a hole for the stove to sit. Pretty much solved the problems.

 

[cmc934]

I own both and still use both. Floorless is very nice once you get your head right about the mice & other visitors.


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[NUGGET]

The only advantage to floorless is you can tell everyone you have a floorless shelter. That’s it. Nothing else. Is it worth it to struggle with a floorless just so you can look down on hunters who use a tent with a floor? I’d like to think so!!

 

[CMF]

I own both and still use both. Floorless is very nice once you get your head right about the mice & other visitors.


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And how do you do that? Asking for my wife...

 

[CMF]

The only advantage to floorless is you can tell everyone you have a floorless shelter. That’s it. Nothing else. Is it worth it to struggle with a floorless just so you can look down on hunters who use a tent with a floor? I’d like to think so!!

What is the struggle with a floorless? I haven't used one yet.

I picked one up to try this year to save weight. How is cutting your weight by a quarter or in half not an advantage?

 

[Drenalin]

And how do you do that? Asking for my wife...

I think you just have to get used to it. If your wife takes exception to the occasional 2:00 a.m. spider on her face, you may want to consider sticking with a traditional tent, or add a bivy or nest. I'm waiting on a Borah Gear ultralight bivy for tick and mosquito season around here, but don't typically have any issues in hunting season.

 

[cmc934]

What worked for me is to pack in a cot to elevate me off the ground. It’s extra weight, but not much and I sleep great. The two things I like about floorless is not having to take your boots off and being able to dry out gear with a stove.


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[bamagun]

have two and they are all I use. I take a titanium wood stove when the temp gets down around 10 or so at night and the weather is nasty. burning a bunch of fires the first night will help try out the ground and after a few days the ground inside the shelter will be mostly dry (unless your at 10k in Montana and it never gets above 15 for a week straight. I proved there is no stove temperature that will melt snow inside your shelter then). Spend the money and get a Dyneema Cimarron and forget about the rest of them.

 

[CMF]

I think you just have to get used to it. If your wife takes exception to the occasional 2:00 a.m. spider on her face, you may want to consider sticking with a traditional tent, or add a bivy or nest. I'm waiting on a Borah Gear ultralight bivy for tick and mosquito season around here, but don't typically have any issues in hunting season.

I thought about adding a bivy, we'd still be a good bit lighter than last years set up. It doesn't look like I can get a Borah in time for our hunt. Any other bivy suggestions?

 

[Drenalin]

I thought about adding a bivy, we'd still be a good bit lighter than last years set up. It doesn't look like I can get a Borah in time for our hunt. Any other bivy suggestions?

I'm far from an expert on choosing a bivy, but the main two I considered were the Borah and an Enlightened Equipment Recon (which also has a long lead time). There are probably some more options if you search around on the site, but if you have to get an off-the-shelf option like the bug tent for your BD, or something like an OR bug bivy, you'd be right back at the weight of your trekker tent. I'd send you a like new OR bug bivy for the cost of shipping, but that only covers one person and it weighs a pound.

 

[CMF]

I'm far from an expert on choosing a bivy, but the main two I considered were the Borah and an Enlightened Equipment Recon (which also has a long lead time). There are probably some more options if you search around on the site, but if you have to get an off-the-shelf option like the bug tent for your BD, or something like an OR bug bivy, you'd be right back at the weight of your trekker tent. I'd send you a like new OR bug bivy for the cost of shipping, but that only covers one person and it weighs a pound.

Yea, I went ahead and seam sealed our trekker since that's probably what we'll end up in.

Seems crazy how long the lead times are on so much of the backpacking equipment, from tents, quilts to bivys, even a kuiu shirt I want is out of stock until after my hunt.