ProAdventure's Expert Tentipi Tips
ProAdventure has been selling and using Tentipi tents for well over ten years. Along the way — from our own camping trips in the Swedish wilderness at -26°C and the French Alps at +30°C, to running the UK Tentipi Camps and chatting with hundreds of customers in the shop and on the phone — we've gathered some genuinely useful tips that you won't find in the manual.
Here are our favourites. We've grouped them by topic so you can jump to what's most useful.
Pitching & Pegging
1. Use the pole plate or layout cloth correctly. The guying lines on Zirkon and Safir models are not completely symmetrical — this is intentional. Tentipi designed them this way to gradually release tension on the door from the back of the tent, so you don't need to over-adjust the pegs either side of the door. Follow the pole plate instructions carefully and you'll avoid almost all zip problems.
2. Keep your storm cords within reach — and in sight. Store them somewhere accessible every time you pitch. You don't want to be hunting for them in the dark when the wind picks up.
3. Store storm guys upwards into the elastics. Pack your storm guys upward into the elastics so that when you pull them down to peg out, they won't tangle. A small thing that saves real frustration.
4. If the top storm guy is hard to reach on a Safir or Zirkon 9, store both the top and bottom storm guys on the lower elastic. Tentipi have since lowered the guying points on newer Nordic Tipis, so this is mainly relevant on older models.
5. If you're struggling to close the door, move the pegs either side of the door slightly closer together. That small adjustment makes a big difference.
6. Zip open the floor at the door when you arrive at camp. Step in on the grass, take your boots off before stepping onto the floor. Any rain that comes in as you enter soaks into the grass rather than pooling on your groundsheet.
Using a Stove or Fire Box
7. Always fold back the groundsheet under your stove or fire box — even if you're using a stand. This protects the floor fabric from scorch marks and embers.
8. A leather hearth rug works brilliantly under the stove. One of our customers had a cobbler friend cut out a piece of leather to go under their stove, and it handles flying embers perfectly. Well worth doing, especially if children are around.
9. If you've forgotten to close your stove pipe hole and the tent is already up and guyed, use the bare end of a king pole (the little spring end) to reach up and press the velcro closed from inside. Saves you taking everything down.
10. Keep the tent well ventilated whenever you're burning. Open the vents and make sure there's good airflow. We also strongly recommend a compact battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm for peace of mind — and never leave a burning stove unattended.
11. To keep children and pets away from a hot stove, a modified wire dog crate does the job cheaply and effectively as a guard.
Ventilation & Comfort
12. On a hot day, open the top and bottom vents and the door. The temperature inside will drop dramatically — Tentipi ventilates far better than most tents when you use it properly.
In Snow & Winter
13. For Tentipi snow stakes in soft snow, dig a horizontal pit for the peg, compact the snow with your boots, then leave it to set for at least half an hour before loading. Add a couple of metres of 3mm accessory cord looped onto each stake — it makes it easy to find and attach your buried stakes to the tent.
Packing Up
14. Be careful with the fibreglass rods when folding your Tentipi. Pull them out into a straight line first, fold in half, then roll them into the fabric a little before rolling the tipi around the poles. Rushing this is the most common cause of cracked poles.
Spares & Accessories
15. We stock a comprehensive range of Tentipi spares, including fibreglass rods, poles, pegs, fabric, proofer, seam proofer, measuring ribbons, porch and tarp adapters, chimney parts, zips and ground straps. If you need something, just call us on 01978 860605 and we'll sort you out.
Need More Help?
If you have a question that isn't answered here, give us a ring on 01978 860605 — we're always happy to talk Tentipi. You can also join the Tentipi User Group UK on Facebook, where you'll find a fantastic community of experienced Tentipi owners sharing tips and trip reports.
And if you haven't yet had a chance to try a Tentipi in person, we can arrange a demo at our local park in Llangollen. Just give us a call to book a time.
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