Which tent for backcountry 2013?

[luke moffat]

Luke, then why not a sawtooth? It's bigger, yet lighter, right?

Lighter and bigger than what?

 

[Ironman]

Go lite SL-5. Really?

 

[luke moffat]

Golite weighs 29 oz for the fly sheet, 8 oz for stakes, 10 oz for pole= Just under 3 pounds

Sawtooth is 4.5 pounds. I just picked up a 2nd Sl-5 so I can have one with and one without a stove jack depending on the trip.

The Sawtooth is a sweet tent for sure though!!! Spent 10 days on Kodiak in one as our hangout shelter (our sleeping tent was a 4 season floored tent) and system worked well.

Plus the two person nest my wife and I use works perfectly for the layout of the square floor shaped SL-5.

Really they are two different shelters for for different purposes IMO. I'll just save some coin and weight by going with the GoLite and sacrifice some toughness...which hasn't been a problem with the GoLite as of yet.

Kifaru shelters are hell for stout, but for my uses (particularly using a nest under the shelter the layout of the golite tipi is ideal for me.

 

[Ironman]

Oh, I see. Go lite list the SL-5 at 5lbs 9 oz. Just the fly, with independent nest makes sense. Did you put a stove jack in? I can see that as an awesome shelter.
Edit: just noticed the one with and the one without.

 

[les welch]

les, what changed if you're leaning towards kifaru on your floor requirement? did you find a nest or bivy your thinking of pairing with it?

Well I am a huge Kifaru fan, I like all the extra room. In honesty the floor doesn't matter so much as just being bugproof while I am sleeping. The only time I spend in my tent is sleeping or maybe waiting out a bad storm. Leave before daylight and return after darkness has set in while hunting. I would worry a little about water getting in during heavy rains. I know that is not an issue when pitched properly in the right areas. That said its not always easy to find the perfect area on the side of a mountain

Really leaning towards Kifaru or SO. I'm not selling my tents, so I'll have both options I guess!

 

[les welch]

I am new to the backhunting and I have been following this thread trying to decide what to buy, tarps, tepee or tent. What I am reading is alot of guys here would still use a tarp/ bivy vs. a tent. would you still consider the tarp / bivy vs. a tent even with bad weather- snow/heavy rain/ severe wind as common in sheep country?

Personally I would buy the Atko if I was doing a sheep hunt.

 

[RockChucker30]

I've had an Akto, a Nallo 2, a Super Tarp, and now a Seek Outside BCS. I'm sold on floor less and have been happy with my BCS, but I think the LBO may be a better option for me. It's just so versatile. It can be an emergency tarp, a fully enclosed tarp, a two wall tent, and a 4-6 person shelter with another base and a tarp.

 

[jmez]

For the guys using the Copper Spur, why that model over the Fly Creek? Is is more durable?

 

[jquarnberg]

Yep, you are right! What would the weight penalty be for adding a floor to the Megatarp and having both ends closeable? My BA Fly Creek 3 weights in a touch under 4lbs. I would think a Megatarp Tent would be a lot less then that PLUS the room would be incredible! As it is right now there is not much room for two guys in my FC.

I think the MegaTent would be the best of all worlds. Sign me up for one.

Matt

This guy does custom work. I have been wanting to put in a floor and bugproof one of the floorless shelters. http://www.bearpawwd.com/custom/custom.html

 

[AK Troutbum]

For the guys using the Copper Spur, why that model over the Fly Creek? Is is more durable?

I don't have any experience with the copper spur but at almost a pounds heavier for the 2 person copper spur versus the fly Creek I have to imagine it's more durable. It's hard to shave weight without sacrificing durability. Judging by the way that the copper spur is built and knowing the failures of the fly Creek, secondary to its design, I'm sure that the copper spur would do better in wind.

 

[Bryannstacey]

For the guys using the Copper Spur, why that model over the Fly Creek? Is is more durable?

I have both in the 3 man version. The material and footprint is the same size but the Copper has two doors and two vestibles.

 

[Tim in Wa.]

This guy does custom work. I have been wanting to put in a floor and bugproof one of the floorless shelters. http://www.bearpawwd.com/custom/custom.html

What did you have a nest made for ?I've tried to work with him to make a nest for my super tarp,I even offered to send the tarp to him but he just refer ed me to options he already had with modifications and I couldn't make heads or tails of what he was talking about

 

[gethuntin]

Luke would you happen to be the guy that posted pics a year or so ago on another forum (cant remember which now) with alot of photos of your SL5 and one being a pic of inside. one side was used a use area for cooking etc and the other in a nest for sleeping quarters?

Golite weighs 29 oz for the fly sheet, 8 oz for stakes, 10 oz for pole= Just under 3 pounds

Sawtooth is 4.5 pounds. I just picked up a 2nd Sl-5 so I can have one with and one without a stove jack depending on the trip.

The Sawtooth is a sweet tent for sure though!!! Spent 10 days on Kodiak in one as our hangout shelter (our sleeping tent was a 4 season floored tent) and system worked well.

Plus the two person nest my wife and I use works perfectly for the layout of the square floor shaped SL-5.

Really they are two different shelters for for different purposes IMO. I'll just save some coin and weight by going with the GoLite and sacrifice some toughness...which hasn't been a problem with the GoLite as of yet.

Kifaru shelters are hell for stout, but for my uses (particularly using a nest under the shelter the layout of the golite tipi is ideal for me.

 

[luke moffat]

Luke would you happen to be the guy that posted pics a year or so ago on another forum (cant remember which now) with alot of photos of your SL5 and one being a pic of inside. one side was used a use area for cooking etc and the other in a nest for sleeping quarters?

Probably so...started using it nearly 3 years ago now...really like it. Was the first one to post pics anywhere I saw of using a smaller inner nest inside the SL-5 on any forum I can find. No doubt I'm probably not the first person to do it...not the much of a smart guy, but probably one of the first to show using a smaller nest inside the tipi to have a bug proof floored sleeping area for a 1/3 of the tent space leaving the remaining 2/3s for storage hanging out, cooking and playing cards.

I did a bit of a video review of how I use the SL-5 setup for my wife and my uses in a video here:
http://vimeo.com/channels/backpackinggear/45182137

 

[Nick Muche]

Luke, can you please post some photos on here of it? You got me second guessing myself. Also, a link to each and ever component just as you own it or as you bought it so that I can see what it all looks like? If I am asking to much, just yell at me and I will be quiet

 

[stephen b]

I also use a GL SL5 when I am not solo ( solo, I use either a ID George Tarp, or another lighter tarp with a TG raven bivy).

For the GL SL5 I use one of these nests when I am with my wife:

http://www.bearpawwd.com/shelters_floors/pyraNet2.html

If I go with another dude in the GL SL5, I can either use the TG bivy, or I can still use the BPD pyraNet2,- but I use it by myself and have a palace to sleep in on my side. The other dude can use what ever he wants on his side of the GL SL5- 'cause I am not "nesting" with him

 

[jquarnberg]

What did you have a nest made for ?I've tried to work with him to make a nest for my super tarp,I even offered to send the tarp to him but he just refer ed me to options he already had with modifications and I couldn't make heads or tails of what he was talking about

I havent done anything yet I was just looking at it. That sucks from viewing his pics I assumed he could do about anything. My ideas were to have netting and floor put on a supertarp or an SL5.

 

[Pass-n-Thru]

I bought the MSR Carbon Reflex 1. Its spendy,but worth it. If you are over 6'1" it will be tight.

 

[Floorguy]

Luke what do you use for a trekking pole/center pole setup in the sl5?

 

[bandit1]

I have an SL5 also and use a Bearpaw Pyranet 1 that I had modified to a much larger size, it occupies 1/2 of the floor space in the tipi. John at Bearpaw was awesome to work with in my opinion. I also tried going down a certain path with him, requesting a custom product for my needs. He suggested that I use a current product in his lineup and modify it. Whatever, sounds good to me, six one/half dozen other.....bottom line, what I got was exactly what I wanted and I would have to consider it custom made to my specifications. So, I have a bearpaw pyranet 1 nest that has been enlarged to occupy half of my sl5 and hangs from the top loop of the SL5 and has guylines that run to 4 existing SL5 stakes. It's perfect. It weighs about 18oz.. So, flysheet, nest, stakes, and trekking poles as the center pole results in a palace for 2 at less than 3 1/2 pounds.