Camping using my H Revo - am I kidding myself?

As far as stoves go I have 3 I use depending on need.  1st is the old standby  MSR pocket rocket. Nice and light and great for short trips where most food utilizes boiling water.  2nd is my old whisper lite international multi fuel,  I don't use it as much as I used to but I still like it for multi day trips, if its liquid and flameable it will burn it.  3rd, I cook right on top of my Kifaru small wood stove that I use to heat my tent on cold weather trips.  Works awesome and there is nothing like a heated shelter (open floor tepee style tent) in the wet cold months (collapsible wood stove with stove pipe under 3 lbs).

and you gotta try the Bacon/PBJ before you knock it.. Bacon needs to be crispy for it to work well.

Hola Pelegic Paddler:  Could you elaborate on the Kifaru product.  I am intrigued with the ParaTipi and the small wood burning stove. Wondering if the tent can handle the rain here in the PNW (did not pick up that it has a rain cover,  ).

Is condensation an issue?

How is living space affected if it is set up on damp or wet sand, dirt or grass due to the open floor concept?

How is venting handled other than the stove pipe?

Is wind blowing into the tent a factor due to the open ground as the floor?

How long in a normal situation (not sure any of us kayakers are normal) does it take to set the tent up?

Am thinking this would be my only tent.

Thank you. Holt
 

anyone seen these?

http://www.lippiselkbag.co.uk/store.cfm?deptid=50

It may not help the packing, but it would help with a good nights sleep. Now you can roll around freely at night without getting all twisted up in your bag. Not to mention when you curl up in the fetal position, then stretch back out into a freezing bag.

As far as stoves go I have 3 I use depending on need.  1st is the old standby  MSR pocket rocket. Nice and light and great for short trips where most food utilizes boiling water.  2nd is my old whisper lite international multi fuel,  I don't use it as much as I used to but I still like it for multi day trips, if its liquid and flameable it will burn it.  3rd, I cook right on top of my Kifaru small wood stove that I use to heat my tent on cold weather trips.  Works awesome and there is nothing like a heated shelter (open floor tepee style tent) in the wet cold months (collapsible wood stove with stove pipe under 3 lbs).

and you gotta try the Bacon/PBJ before you knock it.. Bacon needs to be crispy for it to work well.

Hola Pelegic Paddler:  Could you elaborate on the Kifaru product.  I am intrigued with the ParaTipi and the small wood burning stove. Wondering if the tent can handle the rain here in the PNW (did not pick up that it has a rain cover,  ).

Is condensation an issue?

How is living space affected if it is set up on damp or wet sand, dirt or grass due to the open floor concept?

How is venting handled other than the stove pipe?

Is wind blowing into the tent a factor due to the open ground as the floor?

How long in a normal situation (not sure any of us kayakers are normal) does it take to set the tent up?

Am thinking this would be my only tent.

Thank you. Holt
 

I don't have a Kifaru tent, they are nice but spendy, I will get a 6 man someday.  I have a Black Diamond Mega Mid that I sewed a stove jack into (from TIGOAT online).  It is about the same size as a 4 man kifaru tepee, not quite as well designed as the kifaru's but has work well for me.  I love the space and flexibility no floor gives you, I can stand hunched over in it no problem (6'2"). 

Without a stove a single wall tent will have condensation, but its not a problem if you are mindful of it. I also use a candle lantern (KISS ) for light and this will help with condensation if you are not running the stove.  With the stove running its a non issue.

I use a lite ground cloth (tyvex house wrap) under my bag and my gear and that stops any moisture from wicking up. With the stove on the floor dries out fast (within reason).  Wind is not an issue as you can stake the sides down tight, but there is still plenty of venting to safely run the stove.

Takes me about 10ish minutes to set the tent up and about the same to get the stove put together and running. I would recommend that you go with a tent larger than the Paratipi and go with something in the ball park of a 4man or mega mid size.  Things get tighter than you might think when you have a glowing wood stove in the tent with you, I like a little buffer between my sleeping bag and the fire, and have a little room to move around and not feel boxed in.  If bugs are an issue you need a thick skin as it is hard to make totally bug proof, not an issue in cold season camping though. I had a chipmunk that visited me one morning that gave me a hell of a wake up call.

What I really like about it is it allows you and your gear to dry out if needed and to actually feel like you are "living" out there. Not just diving into your bag and praying for dawn.  I have read, whittled (hard not to with the stove wood there), practiced harmonica, cooked, had a cup of tea and just plain relaxed even though it was cold rainy and windy outside.  Also awesome to wake up and start a fire while still in your bag get coffee/breakfast on and get dressed after the stove brings the temp up.

Nice information, thank you. Yes the tent is spendy and sure like your solution. Would love to use a proven cheaper alternative and will search around for Blackdiamond or similar. Your explanation on use/comfort etc is great. For me bugs not an issue, chipmunk for company certainly would be a surprise, not big on skunks 
Later on this winter when I purchase a tent will PM you regarding how far from the side walls you placed the stove.
 
BTW did you use the 48" pipe?  How high above the tent is it?
Holt

For three season kayak camping, I've been using REI tents.

They're not as stylish as some or as rugged as others, but they're a heck of allot more affordable, and I think good quality for the price. If you want to go for the gusto, I'd look at MSR, hilliberg, mountain hardwear, etc. 3 & 4 season.

The one I have I've owned for 4 years with no problems. It has survived 30 days kayak camping. can't remember the name, but it's a 3 man 3 season around 4 pounds.

I agree get a 3+ or 4 man tent. Sitting up right, not being cramped, big vestibules for gear are all things worth taking up a little mores space in the boat.

kayak camping to me is more a mix of car camping and backpacking. You can haul allot more stuff in a kayak than a pack.

For three season kayak camping, I've been using REI tents.

They're not as stylish as some or as rugged as others, but they're a heck of allot more affordable, and I think good quality for the price. If you want to go for the gusto, I'd look at MSR, hilliberg, mountain hardwear, etc. 3 & 4 season.

The one I have I've owned for 4 years with no problems. It has survived 30 days kayak camping. can't remember the name, but it's a 3 man 3 season around 4 pounds.

I agree get a 3+ or 4 man tent. Sitting up right, not being cramped, big vestibules for gear are all things worth taking up a little mores space in the boat.

kayak camping to me is more a mix of car camping and backpacking. You can haul allot more stuff in a kayak than a pack.

Those are great tents, but they all lack one thing... HEAT

that's what your clothes and sleeping bag are for!

that's what your clothes and sleeping bag are for!

Oooooooohhhhhh to be young again, however, HEAT sounds soooooooo much better to these ol bones and this musssssshy brain. Just think, yak camping and retreating to a warm tent, sitting and talking, reading, working on yak stuff, popping pop corn, making smorze, tying flys, clothes and gear dryhing and yet the rain is doing its thing with hopefully no or minimal affect inside.  These are nice, doable thoughts.   Holt

that's what your clothes and sleeping bag are for!

Once your clothes are wet/damp from sweat/etc and your bag picks up moisture from your body at night over a couple days (to wet and cold to dry it out during the day) you will need more than warm thoughts to stay comfortable.  After college I spent 3 research seasons (late spring to early fall) doing field work above the Arctic circle in Canada and I can tell you from experience that in bad conditions (not 60+ deg summer camping) a heated shelter can be the only bright spot in an otherwise miserable situation. Only two things create heat, your body burning calories (sleeping bags/clothes just try to contain it) and fire.  If your core temp or insulative layers gets compromised it can ruin your trip or even turn life threatening, and I've had enough of that kind of fun already.  When conditions warrant it I'll take a heated shelter every time.

I've never heard of a tent with a heater unless your talking about a wall tent w/stove and that aint going in the yak.

Should I scroll up and see the tent with the heater? must have missed it.

synthetic sleeping bags and synthetic clothing still insulate when wet.

you can always hang a tarp and build a fire. another reason for white gas stoves...it keeps the fire going in the rain and helps burn wet wood.

The problem I have with heat in the tent, is that it will condensate on the inside of the tent, and then all your stuff really will be wet and nasty.

I'm sure you could get away with a small portable heater, but be careful man, polyurethane and the other tent components, sleeping bag, gtex & fleece burn better than white gas.

I've done plenty of 2 week winter steelhead camping trips, snow camping etc. and never have taken a heater.

you just gotta have the right gear. if your gear gets wet or comprimised or whatever, I use a space blanket. to get my core temp up.

If you have the right gear for the conditions, and use your noodle and don't let yourself get wet and cold, it's not a problem. if you do than your screwed and you need to re-evaluate your cold wether camping strateies.

Never saw any of the guys doing the antarctic kayak expeditions use a heater of any kind.

Should I scroll up and see the tent with the heater? must have missed it.

wouldn't be a bad idea . There might be actually something you don't know everything about   Check out the Kifaru tents and stoves as thats what we are referencing. 

kewel

You don't have to get all touchy I don't know everything, I just know my opinions really well

Oh yeah, I have seen those. Have a couple of buddies who use them for snow camping.

They look pretty cool.

I was referreing to 3 season tents mostly in my recommendation. 4 season is a whole 'nother ball game.

I'd be into that if I was camping in less than 20F for more than a couple of days or in the freakin arctic or something. Not exactly what I pictured Holt doing based on what he's said, but then again, there's no reason to not have a stove. Although seems like you'd have condensation issues if it wasn't cold as sh*t.

If it's not snowing but raining, I prefer a bathtub style floor rather than a tarp or the ground. helps keep water out.

kewel

This link helps regarding the Kifaru Tipi 4 man w/ stove
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=350441
Holt