need a tent reccomendation please.

adkmountainken · March 08, 2013, 08:46:00 PM

ok should have gave you more info. weight is a consideration as i will be packing it in for this hunt. it will be for me and my gear. right now i am leaning towards the mountain gear as it offers about everything i'm looking for. like the looks and price of the Kelty as well. would LOVE the Golite ShanGriLa 3 but the price is a little more then i want to spend. thank you all for the info!

adkmountainken · March 08, 2013, 08:47:00 PM

also if anyone is looking to sell one of these at a decent price please pm me!

fisherick · March 09, 2013, 09:15:00 AM

You never mentioned your phyical size, lenght of hunt, how far of a pack in , or if you will be sharing a tent.
After several trips to Colorado for sept elk hunts, I have used a 4-5 man base tent for 2 persons, a REI 2 person 1/2 dome tent for a solo spike camp, and a Marmot EOS 1 person for bivy hunts. I prefer tents with side vestibule as it easier to enter and exit and has more storage area. If I could take only one tent I would take a tent similar to the REI 1/2 dome, 2-person, less than 5#, with a full coverage fly, twin vestibules for storage, a sturdy WP shelter. BTW I'm 6', 210# and these tents fit comfortable and we fly to our destinations.

eflanders · March 09, 2013, 10:25:00 AM

Adkmountainmanken,

Now that you know what you want, don't hesitate, get what you want and start using it. Carry everything on these practice hunt trips as you would on your CO trip. As you use your gear on these practice runs, you will learn what works good and what doesn't. Remember that your life may depend on these practice runs once you get to the CO mountains. Good Luck and most of all, HAVE FUN!

ps. I love your signature lines!

adkmountainken · March 09, 2013, 10:45:00 AM

5'9 210 pounds. just me staying in the tent. thinking i will use it for main tent and to pack in for spike tent. will be using it for 5 full days of hunting with possibly a lot of hiking/packing involved. just found a great deal on a MH 3 person tent but still looking over options. again THANKS!

fujimo · March 09, 2013, 01:45:00 PM

kifaru Sawtooth, also the option of their small stainless steel fold down stove
http://www.kifaru.net/sawtooth.html

Zmonster · March 09, 2013, 04:03:00 PM

Ken,

Some good input above. From my experience, I have used the Hennesey Hammock. Same one you saw me use at your place. It's great, but takes some getting used to. Also, if it gets REAL cold, it can be a problem with the wind blowing under you. I like it for fair weather, or marshy environments.

For a tent, I use the REI half dome mentioned above. I got mine from the REI yard sale, WITH the foot print for $50. HUGE score. Only problem was a some tears in the net, but it was easily repaired with the included repair kit. Look for a used one, or attend the REI yard sales and cross your fingers. It's a two person tent but a mansion for one. I live very comfortable in mine. Especially if its a spike camp.

Another comfort item if you have room is a thermarest Dreamtime mat. It's like have a sleep number bed out there with you. Its akin to car camping due to its size, but I tell ya, after pounding the mountain all day, arriving in camp and hitting the sack you'll sleep like a baby.

Heck now that I think about it, I can sleep like a baby on a bed of nails after hitting the mountain all day..... It's elk hunting.

I'm not too weight sensitive as long as I'm only walking in less than 12 miles from the truck. That's my magic number. Weight is only a big problem if you have a ill fitting pack. Take a look at yours, and make sure its fits well, with the weight sitting on your hips, and the load lifter straps pulling up off your shoulders.

You will forget how much the walk into camp sux once the hunt starts. When the hunts over, all you'll remember is the awesome time you had. When your packing out elk, you wont care who pees in your wheaties.

Getting ready for the hunt is just as much fun.

adkmountainken · March 09, 2013, 05:59:00 PM

ok got to ask as it has been mentioned many times, what is a foot print???

SKITCH · March 09, 2013, 06:24:00 PM

Footprint is a specially made piece of material that goes under the tent to protect the bottom from debris, etc. They are made to the exact outline of the tent just a little smaller than the bottom of the tent so as not to catch water. You can make your own with lightweight plastic or ??? by tracing the outline of the tent and cutting it just a bit smaller.

58WINTERS · March 09, 2013, 11:33:00 PM

Ken, you can use a piece of Tyvek building wrap for a foot print much cheaper than a factory print and you can sometimes find a large enough scrap piece lying around a construction site where they are putting up new homes or buildings.

Kevin Hansen · March 10, 2013, 07:13:00 PM

X3 on the Kifaru. Take the time to look their website over as there are many options listed. You cannot go wrong with their gear. Once you camp in a floorless shelter during hunting season you'll never go back to a floored model.

Steve Kendrot · March 11, 2013, 06:19:00 AM

Wow. Not a single mention of Eureka?! I have a great little 2 person tent from Eureka that has two doors and generous vestibules on each side. Think it's the Apex 2XT. Has aluminum poles which are lighter and stiffer. Easy to erect and has plent of room for my 6'4" 250lbs and gear.

Eureka has an outlet store in Binghamton NY where you can get great deals on factory seconds and returns. I think I paid less than $100 for it and I couldn't find anything wrong with it. They have an annual tent sale every spring. Maybe a little road trip for you?

Where you heading in CO? I may be going back myself this year.

gringol · March 11, 2013, 08:51:00 AM

There are a LOT of good tent manufacturers these days.

You first need to decide what style of camping you are doing (pack-horses, drop-camp, backpacking, etc.). If you are using horses, or near a road, weight won't by an issue, but if you're up in the backcountry and packing your own gear, every ounce of wasted weight will feel like a boat-anchor strapped to your back after a mile or two.

Second, you need to determine what type of terrain you'll be camping on (i.e. rocky ground, swampy ground, lots of trees, no trees, etc). Some tents require stakes to be driven into fairly cohesive soil to stand up. Hammocks obviously need trees. yada-yada.

I use a 2-man, free-standing, back-packing tent for everything because I think it is the most versatile. I can set it up anywhere (except in standing water, but who wants to camp in that anyway.) It's light. I can set it up and pack it up in about 5 minutes, which is a plus when you've arrived at camp with minutes of daylight left or a huge storm is about to break on you.

Features that I think are required in a good tent are: 1) a rain-fly that extends all the way to the ground. 2) a vestibule for your boots/raingear etc. 2 entrances with 2 vestibules are a nice bonus, but you'll do fine with one.

footprints are optional imo. I've been backpacking without a footprint since I was 12 and I've never had an issue. Again, if you're carrying 60 lbs of gear 12 miles in, uphill the whole way, you will be cursing that footprint the whole way...If you're camping next to the truck, go ahead and get the footprint.

Jake LaBauve · March 11, 2013, 11:08:00 PM

I agree with the poster above me that the options are endless and you have to figure out what exactly you want, but here's my $0.02 if you care.
1) Footprints are overrated. Quick look at your camp site makes sure you are not in the path of running water or a low spot where water would collect. Bugs are surprisingly sparse even without the nest. Also your won't have to debate leaving your stuff out of the tent or getting the footprint dirty. Also its one less thing to get wet and add weight to your pack.
2) Since you are packing everything in, make sure the rest of your gear is up to par and you don't need as serious of a tent. Make sure your sleeping bag is good down to your lowest expected temps and pair it with a good sleeping pad and you will be comfortable in a winter storm with a 3 season tent. The 4th season refers to being able to withstand loads of snow dumped on it. I have a 4 season NF VE25 but that is for winter camping in the mountains where it may be necessary to ride out a several day winter storm. Taking the 3 season tent and bivy shaves off 6lbs from the total pack load.
3) I think the tipi is far under utilized, check these guys out for cheap tipi options which would make a great 3 season tent. http://wyominglostandfound.com/index.html
http://wyominglostandfound.com/tipi.html for $150 shipped its hard to go wrong.
4) If you are adventurous you could look into tarp shelters, super light and versatile, maybe even test the idea out using a piece of tyvek.
5) Don't get too pumped on the Golite Shangri-La tents, they stopped making them so they are only available used and most people aren't letting theirs go. Ask me how I know lol

SKITCH · March 12, 2013, 12:49:00 AM

Saw today that Backpacker Magazine just put out their annual Gear Guide. Pick up a copy there is some good info there. Also check out their reviews for tents a couple years old. Probably have to go online but you can find their picks for "best of" for each year. Not all their picks are super expensive.

Last time I went out I had to set up my tent after dark In the rain. I just use a couple of large trash bags under the tent. Works fine, light weight and have many uses.

twistedlim · March 12, 2013, 08:19:00 AM

Easy, Tarptent Rainbow (for one) or Double Rainbow (for 2). Double Rainbow weighs in at only 41 oz and the Rainbow is 34 oz. Very well made. Very lightweight and well made. I have the Double Rainbow and it is fantastic. Gave all my other tents to my kids.

http://www.tarptent.com/double-rainbow.html

Orion · March 12, 2013, 06:07:00 PM

Hmmmmm. I've been tenting for more than 40 years, and this is the first time I've heard this definition of footprint. We always called it a ground cloth. Footprint was defined as the size and shape of the area covered by the tent. Now a ground cloth can be made in the size of the footprint, of course.

Sorry, didn't mean to get this thread off track. Ken, given that you're only going to be hunting for five days, and planning to move move around at that, I think you should seriously consider a good tarp, as has already been suggested, or a bivy sack.

eflanders · March 13, 2013, 11:03:00 AM

This is a bit off-track but the ground cloth or footprint's primary purpose is to protect the floor of the tent from premature wear and it's secondary purpose is to prevent ground moisture from travelling up into your sleeping bag. Getting back on-track, a lot of guys use tyvek as mentioned for this and I know many others that prefer to use it as an additional cover for their gear when they don't have room inside their tent or vestibule. I also like to use tyvek as a "ground cloth" underneath game as I am dressing it out and/or to "skid" a heavy animal (like elk) to another area to get it dressed out. For the amount of weight and space a 6' x 8' sheet of tyvek takes up, it is a very practical survival type item to carry with you at all times in the back country!

Whip · March 13, 2013, 01:54:00 PM

I also use tyvek as a ground cloth or "footprint". Very light weight, and if using a tent with a floor I think is well worth the minimal weight it adds to your pack. As mentioned by others, it protects the floor of your tent from sticks, stones, etc. and will certainly extend the life of your tent. Keeping ground moisture out is a secondary benefit.

Jake, I hadn't heard that GoLite was discontinuing the Shangri La tent line. I just checked the website and do see that the 5 man is shown as out of stock, but the 3 man is still available. I absolutely love mine - glad I got it when I did!

kill shot · March 13, 2013, 02:17:00 PM

Ken, I mentioned that my tent was for sale. Well, you did good not to bite on it. It probably is a great tent for camping on the side of Mt Everest, but are you going to hunt on Mt Everest? I think the 4 season thing is way overated. After I bought my tent, a guy I work with who camps alot asked me why I bought the tent. I told him it was a 4 season tent. He said all tents are 4 season tents when you put a tarp over them. You should check out the "sportsmans guide" or some discount place. You can probably get all the tent you need and a tarp cheap.