From what I've gathered, this is supposed to be top notch stuff. My son and I go camping quite a bit, and I can already see our 2 man dome tent being outgrown shortly as he gets older and we do more challenging things, or if he gets a lil brother. I'm fairly interested in the Kifaru tipis, but am somewhat unnerved by the lack of a floor. I understand that this cuts down on weight and complexity, but we live in South Louisiana, and wet conditions are common. I'm not ashamed to admit that I don't want to drop that kinda cash on a shelter and not be happy with it. Anyone with first-hand experience with some of their gear, I sure like to hear what you thought. How long do they take to set up? Are they fairly decent protection from rain, and will you wind up sleeping in mud? What about warm weather camping? I was kinda looking toward the 6 or 8 man tipi, with a medium sized stove, but may well do the sawtooth for now and upgrade again in a few years. Thanks in advance.
I'm also curious about their backpacks, but haven't done much research on them just yet.

I have spent a LOT of nights in a tent.

When I was first a Boy Scout we had Explorer tents with NO floor.
We raised enough money to have floors installed... It was like moving into the Waldorf Astoria.

On ANY small tent I was using I would want a floor.

On big wall tents, where you have a wood stove, it is common for them not to have an attached floor, but most of the time you are sleeping on a cot and you use a tarp for the floor.

That way you can pull it out and clean/dry it out as the weather allows.

But on ANY kind of backpacking tent, I recommend a Floor.

I have spent a few nights in tents, as well, for over a half century in BC, Alberta and "the Territories". I have and do own many tents from most of the best makers and have also made my living advising on gear and selling it.

I have had three Kifaru tipis and currently own an 8-man, liner, mossy netting and large stove with 12-man pipe. This CAN be backpacked to base camps, CAN be flown in Supercubs or 185s on floats and CAN be horsepacked or jetboated. Wall tents, after YEARS of longterm living in them while working in the wilderness, I HATE the phuqing things with a passion.

I have had two fully rigged Kifaru packs amd currently have one Siwash, which I intend to sell. It/they are excellent packs, but, I have used many different packs and currently have nine different Dana Design and Mystery Ranch packs, all made in Bozeman, Mt. and have owned two others of this make, my all-time favourite and my choice as "best" pack, except for the full-custom McHales from Seattle.

Fit is crucial here, but, Mystery Ranch gives the best customer service I have ever experienced and they LAST, my oldest is from 1978, used huge and looks almost new.

For a dad and son, the Sawtooth looks perfect with a medium stove and while costly, Kifaru stands behind their gear and they WORK.

I also have, use and highly recommend Hilleberg and Integral Designs tents and, again, you pay for these, but, their performance is worth it.

My "base camp" is the 8-man K-tipi, a Hilleberg Saivo and XP20 tarp and while very costly, this will keep two guys comfortable and happy on a 2-3 week northern BC hunt, or, a couple more guys if necessary.

So, yeah, I think you will be happy with a K-tipi and I would only prefer a floored tent in poisonous reptile areas as a floorless tent is DRYER in wet country than one with a floor...BC has the highest annual rainfall in North America and it is WET, here, believe me. HTH.

Dewey,
Thanks for your reply. I know we've butted heads in the past, but I do respect your experience and opinion in matters like this, and was hoping you'd be one of the ones to reply. We definitely have the poisonous reptiles, and I hadn't thought about that. I'm not knocking your account of rainfall, but we also have flat land, and I'm just trying to wrap my brain around how the floorless thing works. I have also spent nights in a floored tent with ground fly underneath, that took in water and held it, and I wouldn't imagine that being a problem with the tipi. Are you just using a ground fly inside the tipi? Does the interior area pretty much stay dry no matter what? What about the "hole" at the top for the pole? I guess I'm just looking for a tutorial on these things and how they work in various situations, as this concept is new to me, though my interest is peaked. Thanks again.

N E 450,
Thanks for your reply as well. I too graduated form the Boy Scout school of camping and was even privileged to go to Philmont. I hope to do that again with my son someday. I know what you mean about the floor in tents, and that is why I'm asking. I also know that the terrain we have here is different from the stuff in the mountains. That's why I'm wondering if it'll work everywhere. I'm thinking that if the tipi is big enough, and you're in a good spot, the interior, at least, will remain dry. Maybe not. I just don't know and don't want to spend $1200 to find out. thanks again.

In some situations and I suspect yours is among these, you need to "trench" around the perimeter of the tipi to ensure drainage. This, to me, absolutely precludes use in a wilderness alpine setting as I am a hardcore "enviro" of nearly 50 years and I "walk my talk". However, in fast growing rainforest ecosystems, this is what I do and, yes, I use Integral Designs groundsheets inside my 8-man, both a single and a double, others prefer Tyvek.

There is no hole for the pole, the only hole is for your stovepipe and that has a cover for when you are not using a stove. I see the tipis as being better suited for cool to cold weather in relatively dry environments,than in regions of high precip.-humidity. However, their excellent venting design allows comfort in "wet" regions, as well.

IF repeat IF, you select your site and erect your tipi properly, yes, they stay bone dry inside and any condensation is handled by the liner, a must have, IMO, and the door venting plus stove heat. These CAN be, in most situations, the most comfortable shelters available, but, it takes a little time and preparation to learn how to get the potential from them.

I do not see a K-tipi as a "take-along" shelter for where I live; they take time and need space to erect and also finding dry wood can be a problem. What they REALLY are "best" used for, IMO, is a deep wilderness base camp and, there, with some preparation, you can have an excellent camp with shower, cooking and sleeping all in one......I NEVER do this in Grizzly country,using a separate sleeping tent, my Saivo, but, most areas in the Lower 48 should be fine.

For camping in spots not pre-selected, where poisonous organisms exist and with little ones, a tipi would not be my first choice. For what you are doing/considering, my first choice would be a Hilleberg Staika SAND coloured tent, with footprint and XP tarp(s) plus extra cord and stakes. I just spoke with Kris at Hilleberg last Friday and they still have some SAND coloured Staikas in stock, much cooler in really hot weather than my revered green Hille. Saivo, the best tent I have ever seen, owned, used or even imagined....NO bullshit, they are honestly that good.

Call Charlie at Bear River Outfitters, 435-764-1111 and talk to him about Hille. and other options in hot weather camping; he often calls me for my opinion on gear and he has a lot of experience more directly relevant to your situation than mine is, I hate hot weather. He is a Hille. and Integral dealer and an outstanding man to deal with, tell him I sent you and he can really help.

So, for a basecamp, yeah, go 8-man, the space is worth the weight and for shorter, daily setup type trips, go Hilleberg. Lotsa bucks, but, worth it.

Thanks for the advice Dewey. I took a quick look at the Staika and my first thought was it is about the same size, though better quality, than my old 2-man dome tent we're using now, which is somewhat well suited to fair and warm weather camping. We have stayed in it in weather just below freezing and did okay. Now, I want more room for more comforts. The headroom and stove feature are what I really liked about the k-tipis. I'll check out the Hille site some more, for sure, and thanks again.

I have the 8 Man Kifaru tipi, & a stove pipe that I got from Kifaru. I have a Sheephearders stove (packer jr) (not a back packing stove)
I can fit the stove, two cots, and all my hunting gear for two in the 8-man. It is a little smaller than I thought it would be, but it is sufficient in size. Also, I disagree with the gentlemen over the floor. I love the simplicity of a floorless shelter! (love the 2 doors too) I will say that these are bomb proof shelters, VERY well made, but IMO they are over priced. But they are the best, so if you pay less, you will get less. Cost aside, they are a great product no doubt...