Ongoing 4 man reveiw.

[BabyTaco]

Alright, while I was looking to purchase a tipi, I found it hard to decide between the 4 man and the 6 man tipi. Part of the problem was due to high volumes of members online saying the 4 man is too small (this is including other forums). My view of small is not the same as most peoples it seems and I do not regret my choice for choosing a 4 man over the 6 man. I am creating this thread to help others decide if the 4 man is right for them. The review portion will come a bit later as I don't believe you can use a product a few times and speak truthfully about it. Actually, the review won't be your standard review either. It will just be my current thoughts on the product as I use it over time. I will post up my initial thoughts of the product tomorrow but I will leave you with a photo from today's outing.



Feel free to ask anything or request specific photos.

[swisski]

Out of curiosity, which stove did you choose for this setup?

[RPJR]

I would love to see some pictures of the interior with your pad and sleeping bag…just to get an idea of how roomy it is. Thanks for your willingness to review your shelter, by the way.

[kevin_t]

My opinion, and once again my opinion only, is that size is very relative. Those that camp in wall tents, view it very different than those that are used to standard backpacking tents. Carry on with the review. Nice photo

[BabyTaco]

RPJR, I can get you some pictures this weekend hopefully. Ill try to get views that show the actual size the best I can.

Swisski, I have a medium stove. I didn't choose it as I bought it used as a package but I think its a good size for the tent. Warms it up extremely quick and isn't super bulky. Keep in mind I haven't seen the other stoves in person to make a comparison.

Kevin, I completely agree. That's the reason I wanted to do this. It took me a awhile to realize that the guys commenting on needing a 6 or 8 man are using the tent as a replacement for a wall tent. I am avid in the off road community as well as pretty big into hiking and fishing. My uses/needs of a tent won't compare to those that want the space of a wall tent. Had I went with their advice, the tent would be far to large for many of the spots I set up camp.

As for the review, I know I said I would have some of it up by now but the last days of school before thanksgiving break has kept me busy . I'll be heading home for a delish turkey dinner and Ill be able to sit down and write out my thoughts then.

[trekker]

RPJR, here is a photo of my 4 man with a pad and stove. Not the best photo but gives you a bit of an idea. Lots of room for 2 people, stove, gear and woodpile.

trekker

[RPJR]

Thank you Trekker, nice pic…definitely roomy.

[BabyTaco]

Well, I finally got out! We had record winds when I planned to go out over thanksgiving break and I just didn't want to attempt to set the tipi up in those. The wind was so strong at my parents house that it blew a hail bail off there porch about 10ft until it hit the fence.

I go out this weekend. Just for a hike but I set up the tipi for practice. The set up time is getting faster however I am still slow and at times can get a bit frustrated. I pitched it too tight this time so when I finished getting all the stakes in I opened the door only to see the center pull bending under the stress. The other problem I ran into is that the area I pitched it is very rocky. I couldn't drive any of the stakes all the way through but it held with decent wind gusts regardless. I got a few gaps between the ground and base of the tipi because of that though.

Overall I am fairly happy with my purchase thus far. The weight is minimal when looking at the space you are getting. I doubt a super light weight back packer would be stoked to lug it around but they would also most likely opt for a smaller tent/tarp set up. I am very comfortable with 35-50lbs on my back. My friends call me crazy but after a few years in the army it just feels at home. One thing I don't like about the tent is the mosquito netting. I bet it will love it come summer but in the winter it just seems to get in the way. I am hoping I get used to it but I might just cut it out on one door if I don't.

I had planned on getting a bunch of inside shots however I did not do very well on packing. This trip was last minute so I grabbed food, water, and the tent. Got out there and realized I forgot the stove, sleeping bag and pad to show the size. I did get some pics with my dog in the tent but they came out darker than expected so I will try to brighten them up later.

Here's a few pictures of my pup playing in the snow and then a view of where I decided to pitch the tent and enjoy lunch with a view.




Ill do my best to get some more information on here and more photos. It is officially crunch time with finals coming up next week. I have a fishing tripped planned two weekends from now so I will actually have everything for some better interior photos.

[BabyTaco]

Hey guys! Currently texting you from inside the tipi! Today my Dad and I decided to head out ice fishing. There wasn't much knowledge online about setting the tipi up on ice but the kifaru guys said it could be done.

Well it worked out awesome. I used gutter spikes to drive into the ice for stakes. They worked well and drove in pretty nice. Its not the best pitch but its good enough. I have myself, my dog taking a nap, a mini jet sled and one hole right now. With proper planning, such as pre drilling holes, you could have easily 3 poles inside here. Gotta say I am loving this 4man tipi more and more. I might be looking into an 8 man in the future for some of trips I do with large groups.

I have a few pics I can upload in a week or so when I go home.

[RPJR]

Do you have your ice fishing hole inside the tipi?