Seek Outside Redcliff Shelter Review (With Titanium Wood Stove)

Introduction

The Seek Outside Redcliff is a floorless shelter that uses a modified-pyramid design with a single carbon fiber pole at the center. It weighs 4 lbs, 10.0 oz (2.1 kg) and is highly modular; you can add one or two 2-person nest inner tents, one or two liners to create a double wall space, dual sewn-in screen doors, or a titanium wood stove for a full “hot tent” setup. The result is a lightweight shelter for a family or small group that can double as a hot tent, for winter camping with a stove. The base price of the Redcliff tent is $729.

The Seek Outside Large Titanium Wood Stove is a box-style wood stove that integrates easily with Seek Outside shelters. It weighs just under 3 lbs (1.4 kg) including the stove pipe, and it can quickly turn the Redcliff into a toasty cabin in the woods. It is a fully-featured and highly functional stove that also works for cooking. With a base price of $384, it is not cheap, but it is, however, comparable to other titanium box stoves of its size.

Features & Specifications

Features- Redcliff Tent

• Dual doors with two-way zippers;
• Single peak vent with no-see-um mesh that closes with an adjuster;
• Silnet seam sealer included (factory seam sealing $75 extra);
• 12 perimeter ground level stake out points;
• Six mid-height guy-outs for increased interior space and storm protection;
• Supported by included carbon pole, or overhead tie out;
• Integrated stove jack with waterproof cover;
• Integrated sod skirt with interior and exterior stake points (exterior for internal sod skirt, interior to cover sod skirt with snow);
• Adjustable height for increased ventilation, or increased storm protection;
• Color choices- olive green or brown (olive green tested);
• Options: interior double-wall liner ($132.50 for half), 2-person inner tent ($179), and Seek Outside stoves, sewn-in screen doors ($110).

Specifications- Redcliff Tent

• Sleeps: 3-6 (2-3 with a stove);
• Materials: 30 denier silnylon;
• Weight- floorless shelter: 3 lbs 13.7 oz (1.8 kg);
• Weight- carbon pole: 12.3 oz (348.6 g)(pole extends 78.5 in – 84.5 in [199.4 cm – 214.6cm]);
• Total Weight- tent and pole: 4 lb 10.0 oz (3.1 kg);
• Floor Width: 131 in – 103 in (332.7 cm – 261.6 cm);
• Floor Length: 192 in – 167 in (487.7 cm – 424.2 cm);
• Interior Height: 83 in (210.8 cm)(variable, based on pole height);
• Protected area: 134 sq ft;
• Stakes Required: 12;
• Packed Size: 8.0 in x 9.5 in x 15.0 in (20.3 cm x 24.1 cm x 38.1 cm);
• Cost: $729.
• Includes: tent, 1.3 oz (36.9 g) tent stuff sack, carbon pole, .6 oz (17 g) pole stuff sack, 10 aluminum stakes (.5 oz [ 14.2 g] each), .4 oz (11.3 g) stake stuff sack, Silnet seam sealer.

Features- Large Titanium Wood Stove

• Integrated damper with spark arrestor;
• Shelter packs flat with a roll-up pipe in a heavy-duty zippered storage bag;
• Sliding draft control with sliding, removable door;
• Options: rain/snow cap for stove pipe ($25), utility tray ($42.50), different length stove pipes.

Specifications- Large Titanium Wood Stove

• Materials: titanium 1.1 oz (30g);
• Weight: 2 lbs 15.1 oz (1.3 kg);
• Weight- included bag: 3.8 oz (107.7 g);
• Total Weight with bag: 3 lbs 2.9 oz (1.5 kg);
• Fire Box Width: 8 in (20.3 cm); Height: 8 in (20.3  cm); Length: 14 in (35.6 cm);
• Assembled Height (with legs): 12 in (30.5 cm);
• Stove Pipe Diameter: 3.1 in (7.84 cm);
• Volume: 940 cu in;
• Cost: $415.50 as tested with 8 ft (2.4 m) pipe ($384 with 5 ft [1.5 m] pipe).

Review Context

For several years, I’ve used hot tents (shelters that use an internal wood stove) a great deal.  My first was a Golite Shangri-La 5 that I converted to a hot tent, thinking it would work well for our family of four.  The truth, though, was that the stove made this 4-person shelter ideal for two people, but way too small for four.  We kept bumping into the stove, and melting our excellent gear!  For this review, I was considering the use of the shelter both with a stove and without it, and how well it worked with a stove for up to four people.

Someone who is looking for a hot tent might want to consider the following factors:

• The shelter needs to be designed for a wood stove, with an integral stove jack.  Shelters can also be modified for this purpose if desired.
• The shelter has to be bigger than you would usually need.  Extra space is required not just for the stove, but for wood, fire starting supplies, and to be able to walk around the stove.
• More than one door is very helpful.  This feature makes it easier to get in and out without bumping the stove and makes it simpler to bring in firewood.
• Airflow is a slightly different concern with a hot tent.  You need to have sufficient airflow for safety, but open airflow at the bottom of the tent allows more cold air to enter.  Having a seal at the bottom, but good ventilation at the top is a good setup.  Also, the heat from a stove can reduce condensation quite a bit, especially if you’re not on snow.

Description of Field Testing

I tested the Redcliff and stove on multiple trips.  I carried the shelter alone on a multi-day solo trip in the Superstition Wilderness of Arizona.  On this trip, conditions were dry but windy.  I also used it on a multi-day trip on the coast of Olympic National Park where conditions were very wet and windy, with sustained downpours and temperatures just above freezing.  I also used the Seek Outside 6-Person Tipi in similar circumstances, and this allowed me to compare the shelters.  Lastly, the Redcliff was set up in my yard for weeks to see how it worked over multiple days of rain.

Performance Assessment- Seek Outside Redcliff Shelter