Does anyone have any experience with Kifaru tepees

[Brett]

I am looking to buy a shelter to use as a base camp that I can use a stove in, am trying to decide between Kifaru, canvas wall tent, or like a cabela's tent that can accomodate a stove.

Thanks,

Brett

[rastaman]

Look on Whip's thread "A different kind of elk hunt"...i believe that might be a Kifaru that he and his wife had set up for their camp...i may be wrong but maybe some of the other guys and girls can jump in....

[Roadkill]

I have a springbar vagavon.  i use the lantern to warm it up-with proper ventilation.  I took it out of the box and set it up in under 7 minutes using manlaw-never read the directions!  Canvas is a better option for me over synthetics.  I really like this tent for ease of set up and roominess.
It also seems to hold to the wind-which we have lots of-well.  Haven't had it in the snow yet, but my son's elk tag next month may test that too.
check out thier site-they also have wall tents

[fatman]

Brett, you may also want to check out Panther Primitives.  Great canvas tents, lots of options.
Pine Hollow Longbows (sponsor) is a dealer.

[Lost Arra]

Kifaru's claim to fame is in the backpacking arena: light weight and extremely packable.

If you don't have to carry the shelter in on your back then there are a lot of good but heavier options.

[amar911]

Lost Arra is correct about the Kifaru teepee. Kifaru was established by Patrick Smith of Mountainsmith Pack fame where he was the founder. For a brief history on Patrick, see this webpage:  http://www.oregonphotos.com/Mountainsmith1.html  .

Patrick is brilliant and innovative and is the quintessential outdoorsman. For many years he has done what he calls "rambling" where he takes off hiking with his lightweight rifle and the backpack and equipment he designed and largely lives off the land for weeks at a time. He designs equipment that works and works well, because if it didn't he would be out of luck alone in the wilderness areas far from help. He is much like a modern day mountain man, hence "MountainSmith". I have known Patrick for many years and admire him as a person and a designer.

The Kifaru teepee is a great design and works very well as a pack tent where weight is a problem and versatility is a necessity. If money is not an issue, and light weight is, then buy a Kifaru. If you are on a tighter budget and camping out of your car, you probably don't need this teepee. But it certainly will do the job well. So will a big outfitter's canvas tent if you don't have to carry it farther than from the vehicle to the adjacent campsite.

Allan

[Brett]

Thanks for the info guys.

Brett

[smiley]

Whip's set up is canvas. I camp next to a 4 man Kifaru in humid wheather and it had a lot condensacion in it too the point of dripping but a stove and cooler wheather should slove this

[beyondmyken]

I own a 6 man and used it for a moose float hunt in Alaska, worked great for that purpose. Everyone has good points. All single wall tents will have condensation issues.  The stove is great when you are wet and cold. It is a small box and not designed for long burns, you have to feed it regularly.  For the purpose it was designed for, the Kifaru tipi and stove are hard to beat.  Also, I can dry my tent by draping over a patio umbrella in just minutes.  Try that with a wet canvas tent.