Tell me about the Kifaru Tipi

[butcher]

Is it worth the cost? Is there something better? I’m thinking about switching from a wall tent to the 8 man tipi.

[LuckyHorseshoe]

I don’t think that’s comparing apples to apples. They serve 2 different purposes to me. I e used the tipi for short trips,backpacking, rafting and where weight is the issue. You can’t beat the wall tent for inside space,stove size and heat or comfort. Unless you’re going to use it to save weight and space on fly ins or boat trips,the tipi is good for short trips where you don’t want to break out the wall tent. Anytime you’re not mobile or don’t care about the weight, wall tent all the way.

[MattB]

Really depends what you're looking for. The tipi is cold as soon as the fire goes out. I bought a 6" to 4" stove pipe reducer and use a bigger wood stove in the tipi now and it serves the same purpose as a wall tent...just much less room.

[waserwolf]

Like others have already replied, Tipis are somewhat different.
I run a much smaller Seek Outside Cimarron.
Like said, it's Cold as soon as the Stove is out.
I run the XL Stove and get approximately 1hr burn time.
Let me know if you have any more questions.

Either way, check out Seek Outside, great company!
They had some features that Kifaru did not, such as Sod Skirt and Zipper Cover.

[butcher]

Thanks for the feedback. I’m primarily wanting to use it for fly in hunts and early elk as a base camp. I want to cut back on bulk a bit. Was hoping an 8 man would be a good two man camp. I was also thinking of using a diesel heater, so if anyone has experience with that I’d love to hear.

[358mag]

In cold damp snowy weather your Tipi tent will have a condensation issues unless it has a real good inner liner and good long burning heater .

[butcher]

In cold damp snowy weather your Tipi tent will have a condensation issues unless it has a real good inner liner and good long burning heater .

Exactly why I want to go with the diesel heater.

[eric]

Have had the Kifaru 12 man for 15 yrs now, and if you do get this style of tent, absolutely get the liner .
When it's warm out condensation is not a problem, but when the temps drop, then it's areal problem.
I don't have the liner option, sure wish I did though...

[butcher]

Excellent. Thank you. Otherwise how is it?

[dana]

I have had the 6 man Kifaru for over a dozen years now. The wall tent has seen very little action since I made that purchase. It is a change in style and it took a while to get used to but the ease of set up and lightness won out on the wall tent. Yes, condensation happens, fire up the stove and everything is dry again in a matter of minutes. Finding a good set up location is a must but the same is true with a wall tent.

[butcher]

And how is it for space? I’m looking to be able to contain two guys fully. Cots, stove, everything.

[dana]

And how is it for space? I’m looking to be able to contain two guys fully. Cots, stove, everything.

The 6 man fits my family of 4 just perfect with space for gear and a couple of dogs. We just sleep on the ground without cots and we are short people. ;) I would think the 8 man will have plenty of room for 2 guys and cots.

[MattB]

The 8 man would be good for 2 guys on cots and gear inside. Probably wouldn't want to do more than that or guys or gear would be touching the sides of the tipi (i'm talking regular sized people like me and not the Danas :)).

[MattB]

Might be worthwhile looking into the seek outside lineup of tupis and tents as well. Stone glacier is also coming out with a basecamp stove tent that looks promising.

[dana]

The 8 man would be good for 2 guys on cots and gear inside. Probably wouldn't want to do more than that or guys or gear would be touching the sides of the tipi (i'm talking regular sized people like me and not the Danas :)).

Guys like you and Butcher are far from regular sized. I may be a hobbit but you guys are giants! ;)

[dana]

Might be worthwhile looking into the seek outside lineup of tupis and tents as well. Stone glacier is also coming out with a basecamp stove tent that looks promising.

Totally! When I bought my Kifaru, they were the only thing like that on the market at the time. Seek looks very good and I too have heard the rumours of Stone Glacier. Well worth a look into when you are forking over that high dollar for top notch gear.

[butcher]

Yes, I am going to be reading about these for a while before I pull the trigger.

[RackStar]

Dana...

do you add tarps to sleep on? Or bivy sac? Does the ground stay dry inside the tipi during rain?

interested in tipis also, I’m taking a plunge into a tipi or wall tent myself. Wood heat is becoming a must.

[Astepanuk]

I’m also looking at getting into a Tipi tent I slept in a Cimarron last year was so nice to have rooms specially when the bad weather came ar us hard. I’m looking at a tent from lite outdoorsmade in Canada price seems great.

http://www.liteoutdoors.com/product/plateau-5/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA9orxBRD0ARIsAK9JDxRyKPQ6NlZxlEu2Zih-ooqZ_6GUOTI48MJa2tSAVMYe_0lflW7KtVsaAn8OEALw_wcB

[RackStar]

https://luxe-hiking-gear.com/collections/all


this company just released some tipi and other tents compatible with a wood stove.

although I doubt the quality is that of seek outside and kifaru

[waserwolf]

Ground stays dry in the Rain and Snow. If the ground is very wet or frozen when u set up it thaws and or is wet. In the Cimmaron this is a bit of a pain but I'm a neat freak. I haven't used my Cimmaron for Backpacking, but I can have my entire camp and go home with a Deer in my Sidekick.

[LuckyHorseshoe]

I stayed in a lite outdoors this year, the square design made the inside space more usable that the regular round tipis for sure

[dana]

Dana...

do you add tarps to sleep on? Or bivy sac? Does the ground stay dry inside the tipi during rain?

interested in tipis also, I’m taking a plunge into a tipi or wall tent myself. Wood heat is becoming a must.

I throw down just the sleeping pads if the ground is already dry pre setup. A ground sheet under the sleeping pads if ground was wet. Been my intent to take a old tent fly and cut a circle in the middle for the stove but been too lazy to do this thus far. Fir bows make a good layer for the sleeping pads to lay on as well. As for water coming in, all depends on your choice of setup location. Just like any tenting, setup location needs to be well thought out. When quick and dirty, you may have to dig a trench away from the tent in the middle of night when you find a stream flowing through the bottom of the tent. ;)

[waserwolf]

I use Tyvek Sheets cut just a little larger than my Sleeping Pad.
I'm looking forward to dayz off, gonna try to do an overnight trip camping in the Snow.
Gonna make up some Snow Pegs.

[bushpilot]

I picked up an 8 man Kifaru this year and really like it. Enough room for 4 people and a dog. Put liners in and it cuts down the room but makes it warmer and no condensation thus far. Between two people tent, stove and liner takes no more weight than two tents.

[Jimbob]

I backpack with a Golite Hex 3 tipi and a Seekoutside Eolus. Lightweight floorless shelters work great for me.

I want to purchase a Seekoutside Redcliff for family trips and for a big basecamp when hunting.

[oddsix]

I have no experience with Kifaru but I recently purchased a Seekoutside 4 man tipi after doing endless research to find something to suit my needs. During my readings I found that many guys run the Seekoutside Redcliff as per the uses you have described. I highly recommend checking it out. It is a hybrid tipi/tent so you don't lose as much volume as you would with a true rounded tipi. Although that is also extra volume to heat up. Seek was great to deal with and proved to be very helpful, one fellow even texted me pics from her personal phone as I was unable to find pics of the compressed pack size of a tipi. Lots of info of Rokslide.

[primitve]

I've got the Sawtooth, Supertarp, Sheep Tarp, 6, 8, and a 12 man coming. In BC a liner is a must, trust me. The 8 man is nice for 2 people, ample room for gear, cot ,etc. The titanium stove is sweet, and make sure to take some of those enviro logs (presto logs) to burn. Don't use a whole one or you will cook. 1/4 log with some wood and it will burn a solid hour. They are also nice for a quick morning burn before heading out. Floors shelters take some time to adjust to, but once you do you won't go back. My 8 man is up in 5 min with the stove, a little quicker than a wall tent. PM me if you have any questions, have ran Kifaru 14 years now.

[Derekmson]

Pomoly MANTA's are great camping teepee tent (https://www.pomoly.com/Best-12-Tipi-Tents-For-Camping-For-Sale-t4018215.html). I've used it several times now and actually prefer it over my 500$ tent. Loads of space. Took awhile to get the pitch perfect but we'll worth it. Only upgrade I'd suggest is the inner needs some support to open up the bath tub and tighten the mesh.

[Darksith]

Thanks for the feedback. I’m primarily wanting to use it for fly in hunts and early elk as a base camp. I want to cut back on bulk a bit. Was hoping an 8 man would be a good two man camp. I was also thinking of using a diesel heater, so if anyone has experience with that I’d love to hear.

I do lots of fly ins. Depends on time of year whether I bring the wall tent or not, and it also depends how your going in. If weight is not the issue for the plane then I bring the wall tent. I always bring a boat with me on the fly ins but you can get the boat and the wall tent with 2 guys, you can't with 3. If you elk hunting and base camp is where your truck is, wall tent all the way. You can't beat it. Tipi is nice to have but your not on a cot your on an air mattress, you don't have the same heat retention, you have condensation to deal with...they serve different purposes.

As for diesel heater, well it saves you getting wood. Ive heard nothing but good things, I just question at what temps will they keep up with. I doubt they will work in -25 but 0 probably perfect setup. Jerry cans are a pain in the ass though to bring on a fly in bc they take up a lot of space and you can only put 1 or 2 in each float and diesel is heavy so it cuts into your load

[MOOSE MILK]

Take a look at a BAKER TENT a blast from the past, I have used them in all sorts of weather, great shelter, roomy and easy to set up, you can have a stove or on warm trips just a reflective fire.
Thank me later.
MM