Table of Contents
tipi tents
see also:
Introduction
- tipi tents are peaked tents which come in two main style options:
- those with a centre pole
- those without a centre pole
Pros
- tipi tents are generally:
- fast to set up (one person can easily set up a moderate size polyester tent to at least 5m diameter)
- as you essentially are just setting up a fly, any inner tent can be set up later under it so it won't get wet in the rain during set up
- have great aerodynamics and as long as they are guyed out properly, will be very wind, snow and storm resistant
- do not have floors so:
- are lighter, more compact - the 4kg ones can even be used for a group of hikers sharing the load
- dry out faster as there is no floor to get wet (nearly all floors on soil will become damp whether it rains or not)
- easier to dry out
- safer when using a wood stove as there is no floor to melt or catch fire
Cons
- are generally not freestanding
- relatively small area of standing head room confined to the centre
- no floor (and most do not have mesh doors):
- this means animals and insects can get in but this is largely mitigated by using an insect proof inner mesh tent
- most do not have windows hence it is best to choose a tipi with front and rear doors for adequate ventilation, visibility, additional exit point, and weather direction options
- rain will enter most tipis when door is open unless there is an awning or tarp arrangement
- a rounded elasticated tarp will work well as a door awning eg. Vango Adventure tarp
- peaked ceiling traps heat from stoves making the air there very warm (40-50degC) unless there is a vent in which case you waste the heat, but at least it kills the insects that gather in the peak
- those with centrepoles:
- centrepole impacts internal space utilisation
- those without centrepoles:
- heavier, as usually have at least 3 poles
- can be more difficult to set up
- you can have a tipi tent without its centre pole if you chop 3 long branches and bind them to make a tripod which allows the tent to be suspended from the tripod - then you can remove the centre pole for extra space. Most tipis have a loop at the top to allow suspension - you just need to be able to reach it!
- alternatively you could take 3x 3.6m telescopic steel awning poles (should be adequate for up to 5m diameter tipis) and bind them into a tripod but these will weigh about 8kg and cost about $AU150 and they risk having the middle segment bend in strong winds
Tipis without centre poles
BlackDeer Night Elf Tribe Tepee Tent
- 4.2×4.2×2.3m high; 210T PU3000mm sand brown or maple red
- 3 straight tripod 19mm poles with centre hub and end spigots into a triangular webbing marker tape ; 2 awning poles;
- either 2.1m wide door can be used as awning; stove jack;
- 7kg; packs to 62x20x20cm;
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003698972683.html $AU520 + $AU82 delivery;
- 1.43kg 1.95m high hanging pentagonal breathable inner 48g/m light grey mesh tent with 150D PU2000mm floor; $AU96 + $AU82 delivery;
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ot9MDSGfkU - also great video on how to set up titanium folding chimney and chop wood!
Tipis with centre poles
tipis with awnings
Acoplar Mini Cube TePee
- hybrid tunnel / tipi with stove jack and opt. TPU doors (KRW 170,000 per door) opt. mesh screen for doors (KRW 238,0000
- 4.5×4.7×2.8m high (two centre zip doorways 3.3m wide x 1.6m tall with 0.7m guzetted awning with awning poles); 150D 3000mm PU; 32mm centre pole;
- 12.5kg
- opt. vestibule and car connection kits
Acoplar Magic Cube TePee
- hybrid tunnel / tipi with stove jack and opt. TPU doors around awning (KRW 198,000 per door)
- 6.3×5.1×3.2m high (two centre zip doorways 3.9m wide x 1.7m tall with narrower 1.2m guzetted awning with awning poles); 150D 3000mm PU; 33mm centre pole;
- 17.5kg
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61x_hpQli2Q Joleez in the snow with wood stove and kerosene heater
- opt. vestibule and car connection kits
hybrid tipis
Mobi Garden Era 290
- modified tipi style but no stove jack
- centre pole with adjustable peak ventilation plus geodesic-like poles to give more headroom
- single door with awning and two large low mesh windows
- 4.4×4.4×2.9m; packs to 66x23x23cm; 15.5kg;
- opt. floor opt mesh inner tent
- Ebay ~AU1300
classic polyester tipis
relatively heavy (5-10kg) tents
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-
- 4 season; 40D 3000mm waterhead fly; 2 pole, opt. 2x 2P inner tents - one on each side of the central stove; 5.9kg $US1240 excl. VAT w/o the inner tent(s) which are $US110ea; opt; carbon poles 500g lighter;
- Youtube: snow camping with this tent and one inner tent, Winnerwell stove and a dog - occasional ember burns on fly when windy but nice set up.
-
- King Camp Torino hot tent
- 1.6m diam; 1-2P; tub floor; 5.4kg;
- 4.2m diag octagonal tipi single door with upper half mainly windows and high vents for central fire pit
- 2.6m high; dual guy ropes attach very high between tops of windows as well as below windows; front half can be opened up into wide awning;
- 8 windows close up from bottom and give good privacy and one could be used for a stove chimney if its not raining; bottom vent windows;
- 10kg;
relatively light 3-5kg tents
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- Swedish company
- mid-level Nordic tipi style; 1 door; ground tensioners; 85g/m2 double silnylon ripstop polyamide red model
- 2.3m tall x 3.8m wide; 4.9kg (+2.3 for opt. inner mesh tent), packs to 56x20cm; opt. removable floor; optional porch; opt. centre pole drying rail;
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- entry level Nordic tipi style; 1 door; no ground tensioners; 80g/m2 grey ripstop PU polyamide
- 2.3m tall x 3.8m wide; 3.6kg (+1.8 for opt. inner mesh tent), packs to 56x20cm; opt. removable floor; optional porch; opt. centre pole drying rail;
-
- 3.6m diam x 1.9m high 4 season single pole teepee style tent; 3.9kg $US760 excl. VAT ($US1130 for Extreme version) w/o the inner tent $US190-250 and w/o floor $US70; opt. carbon pole 250g lighter;
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- “6p (2 adults and 4 kids at a push)” 4 season tent; 3000mm 70D coated nylon; ground tensioners; 10 sides each with guy outs; centre zip double doors with quality zippers; snow skirt; two top vents;
- no inner mesh and no floor; 3.8m diameter, 2.4m centre pole; 4.2kg; packs to 58*20*20CM; $US289
- fire retardant siliconised removable stove jack which is near the centre pole so allows stove to be well away from tent material whilst providing a cooler chimney exit and more support to the chimney if you have not guyed it out
- it is set up by:
- assembling the centre pole with the adjustable height section placed at the BOTTOM, while the pole bag is placed over the TOP of the pole to provide padding but also to provide a hanging point for the optional inner mesh tent
- pegging out the two door peg points on the windy side
- taking the centre pole under the tent from the other side and erecting the pole in position and pull the unpegged door out to stop it falling over and then pegging it in (you need to be carrying the 2 pegs!)
- peg out the rest of the tent and then the guy out points (it comes with 24 nice tri-blade short pegs)
- TIP: if you know you can hang the centre of the tent from a branch (which wont fall on your head) or similar, then you can drastically save weight hiking by not taking the heavy centre pole
- this tent is a great tent all year round, especially when mated with a mesh tent
- opt. Half dome inner mesh tent 04 1.7kg; 3.3mx1.75m x 1.7m high; $US129
- optionally, use a freestanding 2P mesh tent or even a 2P hiking tent without a fly (does not need to be freestanding as long as it can be set up without a fly)
- FireHiking 2-4P Hot tent
- 3.5m x 2.1m high hexagonal teepee style with 2 large doors and snow skirt; 70D PU 3000mm; inner half mesh tent; 4kg;
- 4.1m octagonal tipi triple stove jacks, 2 rear short awning doors, 1 main door with awning, 2 low vents:
- 70D; 2000mm waterhead; 3.6kg; 2.6m pole;
- Mceto 5m diam Pyramid Tent with 2 doors:
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005137439423.html 2023 upgraded version 3000mm 4kg, also in white $AU328
- 10 sides 210T plaid; 5m diam incl. snow skirts (4.7m door to door); 2.4m high; the 2 tall doors fold back to one side only;
- ~1m central radius for head height standing;
- centre pole is not adjustable height and the top section has a metal part from which you can hang gear
- packs to 56x15cm; opt. mesh inner tents;
- whilst you get some guy rope string, you will need to make your own guy ropes up and buy extra pegs for these
lightweight (under 3kg) tents
- 4m diam Pyramid Tent with 2 doors:
- 2.2m height; stove jack; 210T plaid WHITE fabric; shaped doors which fold back to one side only;
- 2.25kg; packs to 42x13cm; opt. mesh inner tents;
- 4.4m Aricxi R5 upgraded octagonal tipi tent
- 4.4m diam; 2.1m high (pole adjustable 190, 200, 210cm); 2 doors, zips to one side; 5000mm PU 20D silnylon; near central stove jack but need to buy the stove jack separately for $AU26;
- 2.5kg;
- OneTigris Ironwall Hot tent:
- ?discontinued
- 2P teepee style; 20D 2000mm nylon; 3.2m diameter x 1.6m centre pole; 1.9kg;
- Amazon sell some from the US with fire retardant stove jacks for the flue
- Danchel Outdoor Hot Tent
- 3.2m diam, 1.6m centre pole; no inner mesh, no floor; 210T polyester; 3.6lb; white; $AU188;
- Vilemoon 3P Tipi white teepee
- 3.2m diam, 1.6m centre pole, 3000mm 210T polyester; double doors, no inner mesh or floor; 4lb;
- Preself Model T2 4P teepee style ;
- 3.9m x 2.2m tall; only 20D and single zipper on zips; no inner mesh; 2.7kg; packs to 45.97 x 14.73 x 13.46 cm; $AU328;
classic polyester-cotton/canvas tipis
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- 5 cp model
- octagonal 285g/m2 polycotton with DWR coating to allow water runoff and with a PU polyester skirt area; 5 guy out points; 1 door;
- range of improvements over the mid-level Zirkon model such as 3 ground level meshed ventilation ports, door has a 2nd zipper to reveal a meshed segment; opt. velcro attachable awning for door
- 2.3m tall x 3.8m wide, 9.4kg (+2.5 for opt. inner mesh tent), packs to 56x25cm 1750 Euro;
- set up using a centre peg and string guide to show where to place the 8 pegs before laying out the tent and inserting the centre pole
- see Youtube detailed review and set up with the optional pro floor which adds another 1.3kg and extra 430Euro - his measured 3.5m diam x 2.06m tall with usable height 1.67m so it is a bit too small for a family and the next size up (7 cp model) may be better especially if you use a stove and have kids.
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- Swedish company
- door and both the top and bottom vents have mosquito net; large vent at top with controllable venting; hanging loop for drying clothes;
- optional removable floor and optional inner mesh tent
- 5 cp model
- 2.3m tall x 3.8m wide, 9kg (+2.3 for opt. inner mesh tent), packs to 56x24cm
- also have 4.5m, 5.3m and 6m diameter models (6m model is 21.7kg)
- 9 cp model
- 5.3m diam x 3.1m tall; 14.6kg; packs to 28x70cm; $US2000; +$US495 for floor;
- Homecamp Tipi tent
- 3P 3.5m diam; 2.2m centre pole; 220GSM poly-cotton canvas; two doors with two-way zips, 500GSM ripstop PVC floor can be unzipped; 17.9kg; packs to 83x28x28cm; $AU899;
- ideal for Winnerwell Nomad MEDIUM stove.
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- 1-2P; 65% Polyester 35% Cotton 210g/m² T/C; 6.8kg; 2 doors, 2.6×2.6m floor space, 1.8m tall, large rear triangular ground level meshed vent; snow skirts; packs to 60x20cm;
- optional OneTigris Inner Mesh tent 03 70D 3000mm waterhead floor; 2m x 85cm x 115cm tall; 680g; folds to 28x14cm; can be set up with trekking pole; $US59
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- single door tipi style (door can become an awning); 3.6m diam x 2.05m tall; packs to 58x20cm; 7.2kg $US298
- optional Northgaze Inner Mesh crescentic tent $US179
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- 70% cotton, 30% polyester 1500mm; two doors; 6 sides; skirted; Removable Top Cap;
- 2.6m tall; each side is 2.1m long giving diam. 4.2m x 3.64m; 8.2kg; packs to 24.8 x 5.9 x 5.9 in
- optional inner tent: half tent 1.4kg; full tent 2kg;
- $US
- Gonex TC hot tent
- hexagonal tipi with awning type door; 3m diam x 1.8m tall; half inner mesh tent; 7kg; guy outs are quite high;