Just in time for Mother's Day, I received my new Wyoming Lost and Found Tarp Tipi, a prize in the Zombie Squad 2012 Fall Mock Bug-out Contest. Between a pregnancy, new born and being laid up from the past month or so with dental surgery, I haven't had a chance to field test it yet, but we took the first chance we had to put it up in the front yard this weekend.

We couldn't put it up right away when we unpacked it, so we rolled it up and secured it with some spiffy ranger band-like gear bands. Here it is beside my BG knife for a size perspective. Sorry, scales are banned from our house, so I have no idea how much it weighs. (It does weigh less than my 12 pound 4 month old, if that helps at all.) Here's the manufacturer's specs:

Small 6 sided Tipi

Weight: (w/ stakes and pole) 3.5 lbs.
Diameter: 11 ft.
Center Height: 5 1/2 ft.

This the most pack-friendly way we found to pack it, was rolled up with stakes and rope inside. We'll keep playing with it to try to find a better configuration:

Not apologizing for the knife, you BG/Gerber haters. It was a very thoughtful Mother's Day gift from my kids this year!

Unrolled, and folded in half:


My young Cub Scout had a bit of trouble getting his line in the tree just right...


...so we ended up with part of the tipi in the trunk, but it was good enough for our first look see. There is a tie-out on the top of the tipi, to use for suspending it from a tree or ridge pole/line. We connected to it by putting a carabiner on the end of our pitching rope with a bowline, and then tied the pitching rope off with a simple cow hitch-slip knot thingy* since we were playing with pitching heights. (*Knot patent pending. Excited nine year olds. Geesh!)




Bottom zipper open:



Zipper stitching and tie outs. There is a tie out on both sides of the door, so you can easily secure the doors open better more light or air flow:



Double stitching between top of door and top of tipi:


Stove Jack:
[img]http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums...8df30.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums...38c85.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums...e3e5b.jpg[/img]

Note: On the inside shot, you can see one of the interior tie-outs. There is one on each seam, I assume either for a gear loft or something to do with the stove chimney.

First impressions? This is a neat piece of gear. I can't wait to sleep under the stars with it. My son asked if it could be his, and the kids have already claimed for their summer no parents allowed camp out..

It's basically a silver and blue poly tarp, that's been cut and sewn into a tipi. It has one door with a zipper, grommets like a regular tarp (didn't count/measure them, sorry) and seven tie-outs for stakes or guy lines. All closed up, it's pretty bright inside on a sunny day. Even only semi-pitched, it is plenty big enough for my son and I and our gear, and maybe one more adult, depending on how we pitch it.

Ours didn't come with a centre pole or stakes, so I can't comment on them but It's really easy to put up by hanging it from a tree, and I really like that it's adjustable that way. We raised it and got some nice air flow from the bottom, and lowered it, so my son could easily reach to the top of the door opening to pull down the zipper. I've got a 6 ft oak walking stick that I'm going to try to rig up as a centre poll, but I'm liking the tree hanging because it's just so simple. My nine year put it up by himself, no problem.

Not being a tent stove user, I can't comment on the stove jack. I have no idea about them at all. It does seem like it would do it's job and keep the rain out as it is though. With my camping track record, it should pour rain the first time we take it out and I'll come back with a review then.

Here's a link to the Tarp Tipi specs on the Wyoming Lost and Found wesbite: http://wyominglostandfound.com/tipi.html

That looks pretty neat!

I don't think I'd buy it for what the manufacturer wants for it, but I have a pretty low budget. As a contest prize, the price point was perfect for me. It is pretty neat. Fairly light weight, probably comparable weigh to carry a couple of poly tarps, and just as bulky. Much smaller and lighter than my four man Eureka, and better quality than my $25 - $70 Walmart/Canadian Tire tents.

The boy loves it. We'll see how it is after backpacking with it. It's mostly just single stitched, so I'm skeptical of the durability of the seams, but it's definitely a step up from the plain old blue tarp of despair.

When throwing a line over a treebranch it helps a lot if there is something attached to the end of line as weight.
Just in case you haven´t thought about it.

Agreed Herman. It's really the only safe way to get a line up there. We use that technique for bear bagging too. (We often play in black bear turf so we hang our food and toiletries - and anything else smells or has come in contact with something that does - 12 feet up and at least three feet out from the tree trunk.) You can use a stick, rock, water bottle, or bag, but this time we used the baggie of tent stakes and guy line rope we bought for the tipi. It takes a little practice to hit your target branch but not get the rope wound around it. (It helps to have a long stick to poke it back of the branch if needs be.)

Here's a video about bear bagging, that clearly shows you need patience. And - don't throw anything up into a tree that you don't want to get back.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=aKPmwfHxRsc

My family's favorite tent is our Korean war era green canvas that could sleep our entire 10 person family growing up and house every night campouts from kids throughout the summer. Really, really good times, and I hope your kids take full advantage of the tipi in the backyard!

A small drawstring bag can contain a rock from the campground and easily attaches to your paracord for going over the branch. Can't remember what kit I took my bag from but if you look around you'll find one already in hand.

Thanks Lono. I expect there will be lots of backyard campouts this year. :-)

Ya know, I was cleaning out an old junk drawer the other day and found a small cotton stuff sack. I knew I kept it for something. Thanks for the reminder. It's just big enough to house 100 ft of paracord too.

A little to expensive for what it is considering the fabric materials it is constructed with. I would probably pay a little more and go for a Golite Shangri La 3 or 5, which would include the nest. (tent inner) if going for a tipi shelter.

http://www.golite.com/Shangri-La-3-Tent-P46713.aspx

I think I agree, Liath. I haven't really used it yet, but my first impression was that I'd be disappointed if I paid full price. Of course, mine didn't come with a centre pole or stakes, but I don't think that would have swayed me on the cost, especially if I factor in shipping costs and exchange rates. Those Shangri La's are NICE! Kifaru? WOW! Maybe I'll be able to afford one some day.

My brain tells me that I could make one of these for much cheaper, but my track record tells me that that is never going to happen.

The more I think about it, the more I like it, but I didn't pay for it so it's all gravy to me. I'm liking it more and more now though. It's simple, easy to set up, light, and gives me a combo of the tent/tarp camp experiences.

FWIW, the boy set it up in the backyard tonight, in dark except for the May Two Four fireworks and his headlamp. Easy peasy, except for that darned pitching rope.