The TIPITENT® is an idea that has endured
the test of time. Inspired by the cone-shaped shelters traditionally
used by the plains Indians and the northern Scandinavian natives (the
Laplanders who herd Caribou), Alpine Outfitters Inc, (AOI) has taken the
advantage of modern lightweight materials to reinvent the classic tipi.
The
classic tipi was made from hides and was supported by many poles placed
around the perimeter leaning in towards the center. The tipi was heavy
and several persons had to assist when setting up or taking it down. AOI
saw the need for a tipi made from modern tent
materials and fabrics, thus the TIPITENT® idea came to life.
The TIPITENT® is modular design thus you
can tailor the TIPITENT® for each trip. For instance,
you can reduce the overall weight by leaving the center-pole at home and
use a pine (cut to length) instead. For this purpose, the TIPITENT®
comes with a widened TOPCAP™
to that a pine easily fits into it. The single sturdy aluminum
center-pole breaks down into four sections that fit into each other, and
packs into a 36”by 3” stuffsack.
All TIPITENT® models from Alpine
Outfitters Inc, comes with two air vents, optional screened doors and a
screened TOPHAT™
for keeping those pesky insects away. In addition, the solid TOPHAT™
will keep a tight seal around the stovepipes’ heatshield thus keeping
rain from dripping inside.
The smallest model, the “Mountain
TIPITENT ®”, is approximately 10.75m2 (115sqft);
weighs 9kg (20lbs) and packs into a sturdy stuffsack of 9”x 34” with
shoulder straps for easy carrying. This TIPITENT® can sleep
4-6 people at floor level. We like to promote this as a 2-3-person model
where the occupants’ sleep at ground level with ample room for all the
backpacks and gear inside.
The mid sized model, the “Camo
Hunter TIPITENT®”, is 16.5m2 (178sqft), weighs 11,5kg
(25lbs) and packs into a sturdy stuffsack with shoulder straps for easy
carrying. This TIPITENT® can sleep 6-8 people at floor
level. We like to promote this as a 2-3-person model where the occupants
sleep on cots; a woodstove is used, and ample room for all your
backpacks, camping chairs and gear inside, or as a 4-5-person model
where the occupants’ sleep at ground level with ample room for all the
backpacks and gear inside.
The largest model, the “Outfitter
TIPITENT®”, is 22m2 (236sqft); weighs 14kg (30lbs) and
packs into a sturdy stuffsack of 10”x 42” with shoulder straps for
easy carrying. This TIPITENT® can sleep 10-12 people at
floor level. We like to promote this as a 3-4-person model where the
occupants sleep on cots; a woodstove is used, and ample room for all
your backpacks, camping chairs and gear inside.
Substantially higher than most commercially available
tents, the TIPITENT® has a waterproofing of
3000mm. This means that you
can rub against the tent fabric and water won’t leak through. Another
important feature to mention is that all tent fabric panels are adjoined
by four seams running lengthwise (i.e. top to bottom) on the TIPITENT®
that are both taped and reinforced with a nylon band. In addition,
the TIPITENT® TENTPEGLOOPS™
are adjustable so that you may use sticks, skis or poles in addition to
TENTPEGS to support the TIPITENT® where the soil or ground
isn’t firm, i.e. on a sandbar or on snow.
The TIPITENT® is a floor less design, but
don’t despair if you need a floor.
The TIPITENT® groundsheet can be purchased separately
and easy to attach to the buckles around the lower part of TIPITENT®.
In addition, if you are venturing out in areas where the
mosquitoes just won’t leave you alone, an accessory such as the
TIPITENT® Mosquito Tent can be advantageous. The TIPITENT®
Mosquito Tent attaches to the inside loops and can be pegged down
in each corner.
Staking or setting up the TIPITENT® is
actually very quick and easy once you’ve done it a few times. You
simply stake down the corners adjacent to the main opening, then with a
pre-measured rope stake down the corner(s) perpendicular to the opening
followed by the remaining corners.
Assemble the center-pole and insert it into the TOPCAP™
and extend it upwards until the TIPITENT ® is stretched
tight.
The TIPITENT® is not freestanding as
opposed to the traditional tipi with many poles, and therefore it must
be securely staked out along its perimeter and by its guy ropes. If the
wind is relaxed, you may opt not to use all the guy ropes, but in strong
winds, peg the tent down with all the guy ropes.
What about ice fishing???? Bring your cordless drill,
pop a few holes in the ice where you want the TENTPEGS to be placed,
insert some long nails, fill after with water (so that the tent pegs
freezes in place), insert the center-pole and your ice fishing hut is
ready for use.
The TIPITENT® footprints are large, and
you will need some space. The
trick is “thinking not to have a perfectly flat surface”, but rather
considering pitching the TIPITENT® overtop of stumps or
rocks. With time and experience,
these previous obstacles start to look more like useful furniture rather
than a hindrance to set up the TIPITENT®.
Inside the TIPITENT® you may use an open
interior cooking fire or use the woodstove of your choice for heating,
cooking or drying your clothes. If
using an open interior cooking fire inside the TIPITENT®,
ensure that only kindling fuels the fire. This is because a kindling
will burn hot and create enough of a draft to wick the smoke out of the
TIPITENT®. Regular
firewood doesn’t burn hot enough and you will get smoked out!. When
using a woodstove inside the TIPITENT® always ensure that a
heatshield (bi-vent) goes around the stovepipe where it touches the main
TIPITENT® fabric. (This is to ensure that the stovepipe
won’t melt or damage the TIPITENT®.)
Temperatures inside the TIPITENT® will
vary with the outside temperatures. This also reflects the size of
woodstove that you select to use. A large woodstove should be used for
severe cold weather conditions and a smaller woodstove for those warmer
days. If the woodstove is too large you will get cooked out of the
TIPITENT® in even 20 below.
The TIPITENT® has been tested in harsh
weather conditions, exposed to fierce rain pours, thunderstorms, hail
and snow. From northern
Norway (close to the Russian border) to northern Canada (Yukon) the
TIPITENT® users have DISCOVERED THE ADVANTAGES with a warm,
cozy and portable shelter that you can dry your wet or damp clothes
inside. In inclement weather we’ve found that we had a tendency to
disappear inside the TIPITENT® to play cards or just to hang
out and rarely look out despite the opposing double doors with mosquito
netting.
When using a woodstove it is essential that you
monitor the ground just below as it might get very hot. Simply cover the
area below your woodstove with rock or sand or simply periodically wet
the area down. For added safety, please ensure that you have a
spark-arrestor inside the stovepipe. If you don’t have one, you can
make a makeshift one by simply adding some steel wool inside the
stovepipe. We all want to
preserve our forests, so please take every precaution necessary to avoid
a forest fire.
It is also important to remember that in many
locations it is very unwise to store or cook food inside the TIPITENT®
because of the presence of wildlife (predators).
Overall, the TIPITENT® is an amazing
shelter, particularly for base-camp oriented trips. There is nothing
like coming back to camp cold and wet from a day out hiking or boating
and walking straight into the TIPITENT® with your gear and
boots still on, and light the fire you prepared before departing. Soon the warmth will spread throughout the TIPITENT® and
you slip off your wet gear and hang it on the clothesline to dry.
With smoke coming out of the stovepipe, be prepared
to get visitors. All your buddies will abandon their wet, cold and
cramped up little dome tents to share the warmth and the atmosphere
inside the TIPITENT®.
Furthermore,
be prepared to have discussions with complete strangers, as you’ll
attract company.
Fellow campers will want to know more about the TIPITENT®.
Share a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate and be prepared to make
new friends.
