GEAR REVIEW: Tentipi Onyx 5 Light

Manufacturer: Tentipi

Weight (outer tent only): 3.6 kg

Weight (with inner tent): 5.4 kg

Seasons: 3

Price (outer tent only): 7,300 SEK

Price (with inner tent): 13,600 SEK

Pros: versatility - floor space - weight for size

Cons: price - no snow skirt (available on other models)

Overview:

The brand Tentipi is a Nordic based company with very high standards for their products. They sell their products all over the world. They have a wide variety of tents, and cover everything from lightweight tents for hiking to huge canvas tents for events like concerts and weddings. Needless to say, if you want a tipi style tent this is the place to go, regardless of your specific needs. They have a long list of addons, which are further discussed in the ‘versatility’ section. The company works hard to make those addons compatible with as many different models as possible, making a purchase of one of their tents a great base tent to customize for your specific needs.

The Onyx 5 light is their second lightest tent, only being beaten out by the Olivin, a tent specifically designed for hiking. It is made of a non-breathable ripstop that has been PU coated on one side making it very waterproof. When you are stuck in your tent during a rainstorm, that's a plus. However, whenever you switch from a heavy cotton polyester material (like their original tents) to a lightweight material you have a higher risk of tearing. I wrote that this is a 3 season tent, but it can definitely be used in the winter as well. By just using the outer tent, you have an even bigger interior space, and even less weight to carry. The tent has enough fabric to cover the ground and create an improvised snow skirt, however, without a true snow skirt there is a risk of the fabric tearing with extended use in that way. If your main use for this tent is winter camping, I would recommend a model with a snow skirt.

Pitching:

This was an interesting experience. We watched a lot of videos that exclaimed how easy it was to put up the tent. This is true, but (all caps now for emphasis), YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! I have set up many tents by just winging it; color coded tent poles and pole sleeves, basing it on the pitching style of another tent, easy peasy. Not this tent. If you have never pitched a tipi, take the time to understand the process, and you’ll save yourself a lot of frustration and possibly setting your tent on fire out of anger. It is a very easy pitch, as long as you read the directions first. It comes with some vital tools that only are used to pitch the tent (shown in picture below), if you’re the kind of person that loses those small things take that into consideration.

Interior space:

That is probably the best part of the tent, the space space space space! We took this tent to a three day tracking course to use as our accommodation, and had a blast drinking beers and playing cards together in the tipi. With the ability for us to stand up fully it was a great place to sleep as well as chill. For use with dog sledding it's great because you can bring in some furry friends with you into the tent with plenty of space for yourself and your stuff. It claims it can fit 6 people, but I don’t think you would have space for much else. For two people its huge, and I think four would be comfortable.

Versatility:

I talked about addons before, we did not get a chance to use any of them (other than the inner tent), but it’s a good thing to consider if you’re looking for some key features.

It does not come with a vestibule, but if that’s a deal breaker for, you fear not. They have a vestibule accessory which they call a ‘porch’. This of course will give you more space for gear, however, if you’re just two or even four people I would skip it unless you’re carrying the proverbial kitchen sink.

All Tentipi tents have the possibility to put in a wood stove! You read that right, a wood stove. They sell portable wood stoves, but you don’t have to use their product necessarily, any wood stove can work.

You’ve been out all day in the rain, and you’re soaked to the bone. Just light up your wood stove and hang your clothes on the drying rail addon. You’ll feel great in no time!

These are just a few of the long add on list, which you can check out on their website.

Summary:

This tent is cool! I’ll say that. If you’re the adventurous type, it’s great for winter use when you need the space for extra gear. It is however, very expensive. Though, if you’re looking for a tent for the family, it might be worth the money. A family of five will fit comfortably in the tent without descending into arguments, ‘Benjamin! Get your foot off of my face!’, and instead giving you a peaceful sleep. If you are going out with dogs, it could be worth the space if you want them or need them to sleep inside. All in all I give the Tentipi Onyx 5 light a thumbs up!