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Author Topic: Tipi Question?  (Read 1961 times)

Offline Elksong

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Tipi Question?
« on: July 01, 2008, 10:00:20 PM »
I just recieved an 18' Souix style lodge from RK.  I LOVE IT!  My one question is - do you guys put down a floor of any kind?

Offline Three Hawks

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« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2008, 11:57:26 PM »
That is always a personal decision.  I had a 14' tipi for a while and never used a floor covering.  I had a bit of heavy tarp 3 1/2' wide and 7' long I put under my bedroll, and some smaller bits for guests to sit on.   I used my bedroll as a seat.   I never did feel the need of a floor tarp.   Of course I always pitched my tipi on clean grass.  

My $0.02

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Online rollingb

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« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2008, 02:24:02 AM »
When I had my tipi, I used 4 tanned elk hides for ground covers,... somehow, I can't imagine a canvas "floor" lending a tipi the proper atmosphere. :)
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Offline Wyoming Mike

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« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2008, 08:17:50 AM »
I just used canvas tarps for ground cloths in the sleeping area and storage areas where the parfleches are stored.  I just left the rest of the floor clear.
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Offline Elksong

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« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2008, 09:13:18 AM »
Thanks guys.  I was mostly think of using a tarp just to flatten out the grass, 12"-24", in a couple of the places I plan on setting up.  
I plan on using hides, Elk or Buffalo, in the future.

Offline Captchee

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« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2008, 09:19:02 AM »
through the years we have had many tipis
 growing up my mothers was a 24 ft .  as a boy i would climb the poles to lace the frount LOL .  our floor in that one was of canvas which was covered in  deer hides


 my wife and i had a 14 ft for 15 years  but list it recently  do to a fire .
we now have a 20ft Reese tipi .
 i have never used a canvas floor in either .
 to me its kinda  like a floor i a pop tent . everything gets tracked in and  makes a mess .
so when we  feel the need  we only put an oil skin down in the bed area .
 however  as my wife and i age, she has  demanded more comfort so  frankly now i bring 3 or 4 small rolls of carpet  and i lay them out as the floor . keep in mind we don’t  take part in the  period lodge  events .

 If your going to do that then you need to have either no floor or  cover the floor with hides

Offline Mike Ameling

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« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2008, 10:48:18 AM »
Over the years, I have done both - no "floor" and full "floor".  In good weather, usually just that tarp under the bedroll and gear.  Wet/muddy weather I used more tarps - both to keep things dry, but also to cut down on "mud" from foot traffic.  

Winters were different.  I took extra steps to "insulate" the ground from the inside of my tipi.  I would put down a waterproof tarp, and then cover it with some heavy woven carpet padding.  That "insulation" of the floor helped our comfort, but it also helped keep the ground from thawing out and turning to mud.  There were several winter camps where all the snow melted during the day and we had mud everywhere.  But when I struck camp, I left a nice "donut" of froze ground/snow  where my tipi had been - just the firepit area melted and melted all around the outside up to the floor covering.  At one camp, some guys who were staying a couple extra days then moved their tipi over onto that ... high and dry spot.

It's all a matter of your personal choice, and the level you wish to achieve within your camp as to gear and set-up.  Mud/dirt/wet is all too accurate, but some steps can be taken.

Just my humble thoughts to share.   Take them as such.

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

p.s. I ran with a 16' RK Lodge for many years during that "mountain man" period.  Traded it off years ago.  But now I picked up an old 18' cover/liner to "play" with.  It's almost 30 years old and needs some ... patching.  I'll cut some select cedar poles out of the deep timbered hillsides around here.  It will be nice to "go round" again - in selected areas/events.
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Offline Riley/MN

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« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2008, 12:52:15 PM »
Our Troop has an 18' Spring Valley. We cover the floor with Boy Scouts...
~Riley
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Offline woodman

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« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2008, 12:25:44 PM »
In our 16' foot lodge we have a burlap floor that we put down. It's made out of cotton sacks. Then over it have an old large buffaloe hide and a couple of elk hides (hair on) that we put down over it.
  The burlap in wet weather  helps to keep mud from tracking around and the weave is course enough that after it drys it filters down thru it.
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Online rollingb

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« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2008, 01:41:35 PM »
Quote from: "Riley/MN"
Our Troop has an 18' Spring Valley. We cover the floor with Boy Scouts...


:clap :bow
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For only $1.25 per-month, you too can help preserve our traditional muzzleloading heritage.
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Offline Chairslayer

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« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2008, 01:53:05 PM »
Quote from: "rollingb"
Quote from: "Riley/MN"
Our Troop has an 18' Spring Valley. We cover the floor with Boy Scouts...


:clap :bow
Don't they whine when you step on them?
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Offline Minnesota Mike

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« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2008, 03:24:00 PM »
Quote from: "Riley/MN"
Our Troop has an 18' Spring Valley. We cover the floor with Boy Scouts...

But I hear that keeping them waterproof can be a problem . . .

r/
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Offline Riley/MN

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« Reply #12 on: July 07, 2008, 03:44:08 PM »
Nope, no problem...Scouts come waterproof from the "factory"
~Riley
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Offline Mike Ameling

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« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2008, 03:53:39 PM »
Quote from: "Riley/MN"
Nope, no problem...Scouts come waterproof from the "factory"

Yes, that is probably true.  

But, depending upon the level of "excitement" and the quality of the "cooking", some can still leak a bit - from either end!   ;)

Sorry, couldn't help myself.  I'll go crawl back under my rock.

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
"Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."
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