Floorless pyramid/tipi style tents are more popular than ever, thanks mostly to mountain hunters who need to pack as little weight as possible… knowing that chances are they will be packing extreme weight on the way down from there destination. There are many pro’s to this style of shelter the biggest of course being the weight to space ratio and their compact size once in your pack. Most guys will use their trekking poles for the center pole, saving even more space and weight. Another big pro is the ability to cook inside the tent, and not having a floor, one does not have to worry about removing your boots and tracking mud into your shelter. This makes it also handy for guys who backpack with their dogs. The advantage the Mountain Hardwear Kiva has over similar tipi style shelters on the market is the extra material sewn in along the bottom to keep out bugs and the wind.
There are some cons to this set up however. You have to be conscious of where you camp. If you choose a spot that water can collect in, and it rains, you will wake up with a wet ground and gear. Also set up times are much greater with this style of shelter so that’s something to consider as well.
Some specific brands/tents that I recommend are:
– Mountain Hardwear Kiva, and their new Hoopla(Review on the Hoopla coming soon).
– GoLite Shangri-La 3 and 5
– Black Diamond Mega lite
– Kifaru Tipi’s
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