Why should I choose Tentipi ?

We have extended our range of Tentipi for 2010.  These high quality tipis are a reflection on Taunton Leisure's ability to embrace new ideas and their commitment to bringing our customers something truly different with a very practical purpose.

Of course the idea of a Tipi or Kata is not new, they have been used as an essential shelter by many and varied cultures across the continents for hundreds of years.

Tentipi brings a wealth of knowledge in materials and design to create a structure that can be easily transported in anything from a rucksack to the boot of your car, for youth activities to family holidays at any time of year and in any weather condition.

In our experience these tipis get top marks and it is easy to see why Tentipi have named their range after some of the earth’s most precious minerals: our new range includes the Onyx, Zirkon and Safir.

You can choose from different levels of performance to match your lifestyle and budget. There is the simpler Onyx, or the eye-catching, feature rich Zirkon, (the largest of which can accommodate groups of up to 35 people!) And for all-round top performance take a look at the Safir,

Trekking, motoring, cycling, climbing, fishing, family camping — whatever outdoor adventure appeals to you then you can do it in comfort and style with a Tentipi… and you can have a warm, cosy fire inside your tent too.

Somehow as soon as you venture inside the tentipis a smile just comes to your face - these tents combine the portability and storm proof qualities of today’s lightweight tents with the comfort and homely feeling of the traditional Sami dwellings of the nomadic reindeer herding people of northern Sweden.

The tents are all very desirable so which one would suit you best?

Which Tentipi should I choose?
Unfortunately to answer this there are more questions to ask yourselves –

• Where and when are you going to use your tentipi?
• How much do you have to spend?
• Do you want to add a floor or an inner tent?

What size Tentipi should I buy?

Our Tentipis are helpfully named to indicate their size.  The range we sell are numbered 5, 7, 9 and 15.  These numbers relate to the number of people who could sleep inside.

What size is best for you will depend on how many people you want to accommodate and how you want to use your tent.  

If you want a lightweight tent that you can sleep as many as possible in then Tentipi provide floor plans and give suggested maximum number of sleeping people and people sitting.

The cone design means of course that the inside height increases as the floor space goes up (the area you can stand up full height increases too) and in this way our 15 models can accommodate 25-30 people for a social gathering.

The size you choose will depend on the amount of flexibility you want, your budget, comfort and space requirements.

Weight

The tentipis are really manageable; they weigh from only 3.8 kg for 6 people and are unbelievably quick and easy to pitch.

The size of the tent affects the weight but also our tentipis are available in different materials  - Light ripstop polyamide, or the heavier fabrics Cotpolmex C or P.  

Which one you choose will depend on how far you will want to transport your tent, how you will carry it and the amount of space you have for the packed up tipi.  

The lighterweight Ripstop tipis are cheaper than the Cotpolmex versions but the materials work in different ways which may make you decide weight and compact packing isn’t so important to you.

Which Tentipi material is best for me?

We offer the Onyx, Zirkon and Safir tentipis in Cotpolmex (CP) C and P fabrics which is a blend of cotton (50%) and polyester (50%) with an impregnated finish to keep the water out yet still remain breathable. These remarkable fabrics are not only very durable to give many years of strong service, but are also very comfortable in hot or cold conditions keeping you cooler when it's hot and warm when it's cool.  Tentipi uses two similar cotton/polyester fabrics on their tents, Cotpolmex C or Cotpolmex P; both are highly breathable, durable, and have water repellent treatment.  The fabrics feel just like canvas, and in our experience work well enough without the need for an inner tent (as condenstaion is less of an issue).

Cotpolmex C is used in the Onyx and Zirkon CP models, offering comfort and quality at fantastic prices.

Cotpolmex P is used in our Safir CP models and is ideal for extreme conditions,  Cotpolmex P is possibly the finest cotton/polyester flysheet currently available.

Our 2 year old demo models are made of Cotpol and these tipis are still providing outstanding service and have been used almost daily throughout the summer months and on a few winter trips complete with a fire. Only minor repairs have been carried out, they have never been re-proofed yet they are still as good today and show no signs of giving up. Proof indeed these tents are designed to last and a sound investment for the future.

The Tentipi Zirkon Light is available in size 5 and 7 – they have an outer made of ripstop polyamide, One of the strongest and finest lightweight fabrics available. Extremely light, waterproof super fabric that is ripstop reinforced, silicone-coated on both sides and UV-protected with reinforcements to the edges and base of the flysheet.  With these light tents you could choose an inner tent to give best protection against insects, or to minimise condensation problems in these non-breathable tents.

Swedish Know How

The Tentipi company are based in the north of Sweden and have the ideal testing grounds to take their shelters to extremes with snow in the winter and wet and warm summers. Choose the right model and you could be camping in deep snow though the winter and still have the ideal shelter for the family trips in the summer without having to compromise on size and space or change tents!

Fire! Fire!  Do you want a fire in your tent?

These tents are unique in every way, from the high quality materials used to the quick and easy way in which they are put up. A suitable branch could replace the collapsible alloy centre pole!

We don't generally recommend you light a fire in a tent but Tentipi is designed to be used with their Hekla Firebox, Eldfell woodburning stove or Etna / Heat Pal spirit burner for cooking and heating. The unique style of adjustable roof venting allows the smoke and excess heat to escape, and the Comfort ground sheets are designed to fold back from the centre to prevent heat damage. It has to be a great way of extending the use of your Tentipi throughout the year.

The ability to have an open fire inside the tentipis is a unique experience. But if you do decide to have a fire in your tent then your choice of tent may be affected.  The tentipis all have different features that can make each fire option work differently in the tents.  For example an open fire can be used most effectively in the Safir because this has three lower vents in the tent.

Do I need a Tentipi Floor?

We have special groundsheets for all our tipis.  The Tentipi Comfort Floors are cleverly constructed to fit easily and perfectly.  They all have four flexible zip openings to access the ground when needed for example a zip extends from the door to the middle, so that the floor can be folded back if the outer door is open during inclement conditions.

The zips can also be undone from the centre pole to allow the use of a Fire Box rested on the bare ground.

Another helpful feature is that the floors can be left attached when taking the tent down and repitching. If you choose an inner tent, you don't need a floor as well because the inner tents already have the floor built in.

Do I need an inner tent or a basic inner?

Adding an inner tent can reduce the effect of condensation on the inside of the tent adding a cosy feel to the inner in cooler conditions and giving greater protection from unwanted insects.

Although the inner tents will fit both lightweight and Cotpolmex C and P models, they are more commonly used with the lightweight fabric flysheets where condensation may be more of an issue than with the Cotpolmex fabrics.

The inner covers the full area of the tent with Teflon treated Ripstop polyamide fabric attached to a sturdy groundsheet.  The groundsheet features a zip running away from the door so it can be pulled back to prevent water settling if the door is open during inclement conditions.

This year we also have available a “Basic” Inner for the tentipis.  As the name might suggest, this is an entry level inner tent but it still offers a high degree protection from the damp and flying or crawling insects.

Perhaps the key difference between this model and the Comfort model is the lack of centre zips on the groundsheet to facilitate an open fire or heat source.

In essence this inner will provide the best protection from wet ground as the material is fully taped to prevent any water ingress. Despite its title the basic model still uses superior fabrics designed to give many years excellent service.

Once attached the inner tents can be left in place with no need to detach for setting up and taking down.

Can I try before I buy?

As you can probably guess, we are excited and impressed with this concept and all that Tentipi embraces and we hope that you will be too. Indeed if you are unsure about this concept and taking a leap of faith then why not hire a Tentipi from us. If you choose to take this option and then decide to purchase you can have the hire charge deducted from the purchase price, we can't say fairer than that?

What else is available?

We are really excited about another addition to our Tentipi range… New for this season the Muurikka originates from Finland where this skillet cooking is more popular than barbequeing directly with Charcoal. The Muurika iron skillet is ideal for cooking over an open fire or even a simple gas ring.  We have the 58cm and 48cm skillet and a picnic versions

The Muurikka is fun to use and an alternative to the charcoal taste often associated with barbeques.

Summary of our Tentipis 

Onyx
Price from £479.00
An entirely new model for the 2010 season, the Onyx is the entry point in the Tentipi range but there is no compromise on the fabrics as it still features the Cotpolmex C fabric.

A simplified top vent cap is adjustable from inside the tent and there are no lower vents making it less suitable for an open fire or the use of the Edfel stove. It does however feature a zipped mosquito net door as featured on the rest of the range

Onyx 5 Price £479, Code: 15619
Onyx 7 Price £579, Code: 15620
Onyx 9 Price £669, Code: 15621

Zirkon
Prices from £575.00
We have the Zirkon available in both the Light ripstop polyamide or the heavier duty Cotpolmex C.  

The Zirkons feature a superior top cap venting system that enables multi stage adjustment from the inside of your tent, you don't even need to get out of your sleeping bag!   In addition there is mosquito netting to the door, and a large base vent for increased ventilation, a great help if using a Fire Box in the tent.

This model is available in the 15 person which can accommodate 25-30 people for a social gathering. Or you can just have a great time with your family and friends, camping together with plenty of space – and plenty of comfort.
    
Zirkon light 5 Price £575, Code: 12160
Zirkon light 7 Price £685, Code: 12161
Zirkon CP 7 Price £889, Code: 15622
Zirkon CP 9 Price £1,039, Code: 15623
Zirkon CP 15 Price £1,649, Code: 15624

Safir
Prices from £989.00
The Safir is at the top of Tentipi's range and offers an excellent combination of design and materials to create a perfect shelter for year round use. The Safir has been strengthened and refined to withstand expedition use. This is not to say they cannot be used for less demanding conditions, they are equally at home on family adventures.  Cotpolmex P is used in our Safir CP models and is ideal for extreme conditions,  Cotpolmex P is possibly the finest cotton/polyester flysheet currently available.

The Safir is the ideal family or group choice when you need the comfort and space.

The two piece ventilator cap with mosquito netting is infinitely adjustable on the inside of the tent for airflow and letting smoke out, should you choose to have a fire in the tent. There is also mosquito netting to the doorway and three base vents, plus a hardened alloy centre pole for increased strength in adverse conditions.

Suitable for use with a heat source inside the tent  - An open fire can be used most effectively as the Safir has three lower vents to help the smoke draw and features a zipped mosquito net door.

The Safir is also suitable for use with the Eldfell stoves.

Safir CP 5 Price £989, Code: 15618
Safir CP 7 Price £1,149, Code: 15617
Safir CP 9 Price £1,299, Code: 15616
Safir CP 5 (limited stock) Price £820, Code: 13419
Safir CP 7 (limited stock) Price £975, Code: 12158
Safir CP 9 (limited stock) Price £1,085, Code: 12159

Tentipit Inner Tents
Inner-Tent Comfort 5 Price £350, Code: 12167.
Inner-Tent Comfort 7 Price £529, Code: 12168.
Inner-Tent Comfort 9 Price £639, Code: 14017
Basic Inner-Tent 7 Price £469 Code: 15626
Basic Inner-Tent 9 Price £379 Code: 15625

Tentipi Comfort Floors
Comfort Floor 5 Price £148.50, Code: 12169.
Comfort Floor 7 Price £198, Code: 12170.
Comfort Floor 9 Price £229, Code: 12171.
Comfort Floor 15 Price £299, Code: 13421

Hekla / Fire Box
Hekla / Fire Box Mini Price £49.50, Code: 15643
Hekla / Fire Box Max Price £72.00, Code: 15644

Etna / Heat Pal 510 £184.50, Code: 12172