Tipi 4x4
Nerio Cintron
A tipi or tepee (/ˈtiːpi/ TEE-pee) is a conical lodge tent that is distinguished from other conical tents by the smoke flaps at the top of the structure, and historically made of animal hides or pelts or, in more recent generations, of canvas stretched on a framework of wooden poles. The loanword came into English usage from the Dakota[1] and Lakota languages.[2]
Historically, the tipi has been used by certain Indigenous peoples of the Plains in the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies of North America, notably the seven tribes of the Sioux, as well as among the Iowa people, the Otoe and Pawnee, and among the Blackfeet, Crow, Assiniboines, Arapaho, and Plains Cree.[3] They are also used west of the Rocky Mountains by Indigenous peoples of the Plateau such as the Yakama and the Cayuse. They are still in use in many of these communities, though now primarily for ceremonial purposes rather than daily living. Modern tipis usually have a canvas covering.[4]
Non-Native people have often stereotypically and incorrectly assumed that all Native Americans in the United States and Indigenous peoples in Canada have at one point lived in tipis,[5] which is inaccurate, as many Native American cultures and civilizations and First Nations from other regions have used other types of dwellings (pueblos, wigwams, hogans, chickees, and longhouses).[4]
Tipi is a loanword from the Dakota and Lakota language.[6] Stephen Return Riggs' 1852 Dakota-English dictionary, which was sponsored by the Minnesota Historical Society spells it as tipi.[7] Eugene Buechel spells it as tipi in his Lakota-English dictionary.[8] Dakota ethnographer Ella Deloria used the spelling tipi throughout her writings, including in her essential book The Dakota Way of Life.[9] Lakota linguist Albert White Hat developed his own Lakota orthography and used tipi as the spelling.[10] The tipi image is used on almost all Dakota/Lakota tribal flags or seals,[11] and tipi is the spelling used by Dakota and Lakota tribes today.[12][13][14][15]
The spelling tipi is the one most common in Canadian English[16] whereas the spelling tepee is the most common one according to American English dictionaries and the Encyclopedia Britannica and the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia.[17][18][19][20]
The wigwam or "wickiup", a dome-shaped shelter typically made of bark layered on a pole structure, was also used by various tribes, especially for hunting camps.[21][22] The term wigwam has often been incorrectly used to refer to a conical skin tipi.[23][note 1]
The conventional translation in French and English for all Indigenous dwellings at one time was "lodge," resulting in many compounds and place names such as sweatlodge, lodgepole pine, Red Lodge, and so on.
A tipi is distinguished from other conical tents by the smoke flaps at the top of the structure.[24][25][26] The tipi is durable,[27] provides warmth and comfort in winter,[28] is cool in the heat of summer,[note 2] and is dry during heavy rains.[29][30] Tipis can be disassembled and packed away quickly when people need to relocate and can be reconstructed quickly upon settling in a new area.[31][32][note 3] Historically, this portability was important to Plains Indians with their at-times nomadic lifestyle.[33] Tribes would have well-organized camp circles of family units living in multiple tipis arranged in order depending on rank or roles in the family unit, community, or ceremony.[34] Generally, the door and camp openings face east in the direction of the sunrise.[34]
Ropes (historically rawhide thongs or babiche) and wooden pegs are required to bind the poles, close the cover, attach the lining and door, and anchor the resulting structure to the ground. Tipis are distinguished from other tents by two crucial elements: the opening at the top and the smoke flaps, which allow the dwellers to heat themselves and cook with an open fire; and the lining that is primarily used in the winter, which insulates. Tipis were designed to be easily set up or taken down to allow camps to be moved to follow game migrations, especially the bison. When dismantled the tipi poles were used to construct a dog- or later horse-pulled travois on which additional poles and tipi cover were placed.[4]
Historically, most tipis in a village were not painted. Painted tipis often depicted noteworthy historical battles and often featured geometric portrayals of celestial bodies and animal designs. Sometimes tipis have been painted to depict personal experiences such as war, hunting, a dream, or vision. When depicting visions, "ceremonies and prayers were first offered, and then the dreamer recounted his dream to the priests and wise men of the community. Those known to be skilled painters were consulted, and the new design was made to fit anonymously within the traditional framework of the tribe's painted tipis."[37]
During the later reservation era, retired warriors would paint on canvas tipis depicting different events in tribal history, including battles with Americans. He Nupa Wanica (Joseph No Two Horns), a Hunkpapa Lakota warrior who fought in 40 battles, including the Battle of the Little Bighorn,[38] is one such artist known for his many tipi paintings, shields and horse effigies now in museums.[39]
Tribes today use the tipi as a means to convey traditional, scientific, and psychological teachings. The Siksika (Blackfoot) nation's worldview is based on the shape of a tipi, which inspired Maslow's hierarchy of needs teachings.[40][41] In Cree communities, the tipi can represent the power of women and their role as the foundation of the family unit.[42] In Lakota communities, youth are taught how to assemble tipis, with each pole representing different traditional virtues, and are simultaneously taught geometry and teamwork.[43]
The tipis are furnished in a Zen style. They have beautiful stone floors with rugs, warm and comfy beds with down comforters and wool blankets for the cool Oregon summer nights. For a more traditional sleeping experience, there are the cabins or the rooms. All tipis and cabins have access to a centrally located bath house with two full bathrooms. The Master Bedroom Suite and the Studio have their own private bathrooms. There is an additional bathroom available in the main house.
Breakfast is served either by the creek or on the patio. Your stay includes a wholesome gourmet breakfast of organic free-range eggs, smoked salmon, breads, hot cereals, fresh fruit, milk, yogurt, orange juice, coffee and tea. Ken also cooks up some amazing Spanish Paella feasts in the outdoor kitchen. Dinners are available by prior arrangement.
Constructed from 30 Denier Nylon 6.6 Ripstop, The Six Person Lightweight Tipi is the ultimate backcountry retreat, accommodating up to six people during the summer months, or three individuals with a stove and plenty of headroom. With its conical shape, this tipi is designed to withstand even the most inclement weather conditions, and effectively deflects wind from any direction. It's the perfect choice for family camping trips, late-season hunting excursions, or winter adventures. Handmade in Grand Junction, CO.
For the non tipi version, you can do a mock up very easely and for a few dollars just using painter's drop sheet and wide masking tape.
see Matthew's link/suggestion below.
That will give you a much better idea of what size or shape can work for you.
I moved to hammocks many moons ago, but there are times I need to go to ground, such as above tree line, in the high desert here in Oregon, on the Oregon coast/beach, etc. In those instances I use a pyramid or hex-type tent. Awesome room inside, very easy to pitch, single pole, floorless,able to handle below tree line snow loads, etc. The down sides are they are sometimes finicky to pitch (hex shape like a Shangri-La 3), floorless (bugs), must be pitched higher to get ventilation, condensation, have to get up and shovel out the sides in snow or they dramatically cut down on interior room. All these issues can be eliminated/mitigated with a little work and forethought. For example, I added 18 inches of bug netting to my old Golite Hex 3 and pitch it a bit higher than normal for some good ventilation. All in all, I will never go back to any other type shelter if I cannot be in my hammock and tarp combo. Of course, YMMV, so HYOH. LOL.
Tipis are taller than most pyramid shelters and of course rounder. The extra height offers more room and better snow shedding, but the additional height can also mean higher weight from extra fabric used. Look at the taller tipi offerings from Ti Goat and others and you'll notice they come in heavier than pyramids with similar foot prints. A rounder shape means better wind shedding, but again you have to balance that against extra height catching wind. Tipis have kept humans sheltered and safe for millennia, so they do have quite a track record.
I like tipis, but have come to the conclusion that I'd prefer to use them without fabric inners to max space and keep weight down, by using a bug net door behind the fly door in bug season, and if you want further ventilation you can use bug netting around the perimeter. Keep in mind that bug netting sticks to snow like mad, so either use a dedicated winter shelter or have a way to remove or retract that bug netting in winter.
Something I suggested sometime ago and now implemented by Michael at luxe Outdoor .
Pitch two sides first as a rectangle and then the other two staking point will be in the correct place just by pulling the fabric out
(leave some slack in the fabric but make sure the first two sides are parallel )
See this instruction sheet from the luxe Sil Hexpeak :
Two lengths of 1mm Dyneema line to fix the width of the rectangle (as depicted in the diagram above) would weigh 0.3 oz total. (You could use much lighter line, but it would be more prone to tangling.)
Thanks.
Maybe it's better to explain some things:
1) currently, I have no interest in buying a pyramid or tipi.
2) however, I'm in a forum-discussion about which form for tents is best to resist the wind and someone came up with how strong tipis are in such a case. However, I have no direct experience with pyramids or tipis and since I just wanted to know if their are other pros and also cons for such a design, I hoped people here had more experience with it.