Kiva Light

[Lost Arra]

Mountain Hardwear Kiva Light
I picked this up for a nice price and thought I would give it a test run. (My daughters love the hand-me-downs that I don't use.)

5 sided, floorless design (they have a mesh liner/floor available).
66 sq ft. (probably a less when pitched tight to the ground)
5 stakes and a pole weigh in at 3.5#.
Color: ugly.
Shown next to my paratarp for size comparison.
Simple to pitch but not as simple as the PT.

Anyone else tried one of these?
I'll update with my opinion after using it for a while.
I was thinking of sending this to Woods Walker since he does such professional reviews but I don't think he travels without a stove. /images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/LostArrow/Shelters/Kiva005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/LostArrow/Shelters/Kiva006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/LostArrow/Shelters/Kiva004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/LostArrow/Shelters/Kiva001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/LostArrow/Shelters/Kiva003.jpg

[Cleve]

A buddy of mine, Dan, has a MH Kiva (don't think it was called a "Light" 7-8 years ago when he bought it -- it was ripstop nylon or polyester, not sil-nylon). We used as a Sept elk hunting spike camp for three of us several times. Not quite as big or wind stable as the Kifaru 4-man which is the closest comparison size. The flat planes of the pentagonal shape offer a bit more "purchase" for wind to pound on than the oval shape of the tipi, but far better wind sheding profile than the square/rect shape of a Black Diamond megamid. But it shed hard rain and stood up to early season snow when I was in it and I know Dan has camped in it when doing winter climbs on 14ers.

Of course I missed the stove.

[Lost Arra]

I noticed the wind "purchase" today. This is Oklahoma and the wind blows on a calm day.

[poel]

Before discovering Kifaru, I bought a BD mid that they now call the Mega Light, essentially a four sided, silnylon pyramid, somewhat smaller than a 4-man. I used it quite a few times recreationally and still sometimes pack it as emergency gear or for quick ski touring shelter. I think observations about the sides catching wind are true, though it hasn't been a major problem. The mid isn't in the league with Kifaru shelters, but it is already on the gear shelf and has a role similar to the Kiva.

I've had good results using a hobo-type stove in the partially open door and a Bushcooker works much better yet. With the door just open a bit, you can sit inside, out of the rain and wind and move the Cooker in or out slightly depending on draft and flame height. It is not a smoke free process though you can get some warming and drying while keeping the smoke within reasonable limits. Obviously, you have to take care not to sizzle the nylon, but the containment can be moved with sticks and also allows controling the burn with a little practice. Not like a real stove in a tipi or an annex, but more efficient than a fire and an open tarp. Might be worth experimenting with the Kiva along similar lines.

[Smokepole]

I like my Mega Lite for camping right up through September, as long as I don't have to be up on a windswept ridge. I agree Poel regarding wind (and snow) being a disadvantage for this kind of shelter, but at under three pounds all up, I can get two large guys and their gear inside. Plus, I like the option of pitching it with several inches of space between the tent and ground at the bottom for ventilation if need be, or tight to the ground.

[elkstink]

Yes I've tried it. In fact just Rafted the John Day river here in Oregon and Loved it.....truth be told I sewed a stove jack into and used my KIFARU PARASTOVE!!!

It took only about four and half hours to sew in, and works great.

There was TEN Fireman in my KIVA light the Third night. I'm looking to buy the Mesh insert soon as well to use when car/camping with my two young girls..........kjf

P.S. I'm at work or I'd enter some photos, but will in a couple days when I get home.

[Jason]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: elkstink</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There was TEN Fireman in my KIVA light the Third night.
</div></div>

Did your tent have all the beer? /images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

[Scoutin' Wyo]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jason</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: elkstink</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There was TEN Fireman in my KIVA light the Third night.
</div></div>

Did your tent have all the beer? /images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif</div></div>


I'm betting it was the heat, not the beer, that brought them in. /images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

[Scoutin' Wyo]

double post

[elkstink]

Jason, you could say I had all the beer--AFTER ten of the fourteen on the trip crawled in--The biggest topic,since it was snowing was, "This stove is AWESOME!!" The next night my good buddy that I back-pack and snow-cave camp with stayed the night, as he had only a bivy for the trip. He loved it. He's an ex-Ranger........wishes he had a stove years ago on maneuvers.

The stove is a hit. I told the Kifaru story to the ten, and I know that two or three that hunt are gonna save their $$ for future purchases...........kjf

[Jason]

On a cold night those little stoves pretty much sell themselves don't they. /images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

I'm guessing that if I bought an 8man and large stove I'd have more friends than I knew what to do with. Or at least a stockpile of beer. /images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

[Lost Arra]

Just an interesting note.
I slept in the Kiva this past weekend but put it up on Sunday.
Monday night we had a typical great plains spring storm.
Lightning hit the tree shown behind the paratarp in photo 2 above.
Tremendous explosion about 4am.
Here is the tree the next morning, completely debarked. The bark is completely disconnected from the trunk and hanging by the upper branches. I had considered staying in the tent during the storm to see how it handled the wind and rain. That would have been exciting. Being 30' from a lightning stike on wet ground, do you think I'd have been de-barked too?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/LostArrow/LightningTree008.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/LostArrow/LightningTree011.jpg

Bark hanging from upper limbs:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/LostArrow/LightningTree010.jpg

Exit wound with the soil trenched from the base:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/LostArrow/LightningTree009.jpg

Being a selfbow builder I am planning on cutting this tree soon. This will be the easiest debarking ever. Cherokee Indians felt that bows from lightning-struck trees were powerful medicine. We'll see.

[MrFisherman]

Man, I bet you anything there is a lightning globe in that scorched earth. I would carefuly dig it up and put it on the mantle.

[Lost Arra]

Could you describe a lightning globe?

[Lost Arra]

MrFisherman: I found some info here.
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/env99/env065.htm

Sounds like a treasure hunt to me.

[MrFisherman]

Dig at the base of the tree where the strike went to ground. Be careful not to break it. It may be pretty deep. The heat from the strike fuses minerals in the ground. It turns sand to glass. Pretty cool stuff. A friend of mine used to stick rebar into the sand of a high mountain lake to try to get strikes to make them. Some of the patterns are way cool. Post pics if you find one.

[Vernon]

Lost Arra,

Cool find on the Kiva. I had a Moss Superfly IV and now have a Golite Hex 3. In my opinion, almost any of these tipi/pyramid shaped shelters is usually better than a regular tent. If for no other reason I love the headroom. In my Hex I can stand stooped to put on pants or on my knees to just stretch out. Using an alcohol or canister stove inside is no problem.

[elkstink]

I hope to post the pictures that I said I would back in April w/ the Kiva in use w/ the para stove. Hopefully before I leave for archery Elk...kjf

[MrFisherman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lost Arra</div><div class="ubbcode-body">MrFisherman: I found some info here.
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/env99/env065.htm

Sounds like a treasure hunt to me. </div></div>

Sorry about the nomenclature error... was using a layman term. They are more commonly refered to as Fulgurites. Clink the link for more info. I am pretty certain one is at the base of that tree... I would love to dig it up /images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Fulgurites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulgurite)

[elkstink]

I finally have the photos of the stove jack insert into the Kiva.
My daughter Libby and I went Christmas tree cutting/camping.

I'll send them and hope they go through....My wife's out of town.......wish me luck! http://forums.kifaru.net/uploads/572-img_1767.jpg http://forums.kifaru.net/uploads/573-IMG_1768.jpg http://forums.kifaru.net/uploads/574-IMG_1769.jpg http://forums.kifaru.net/uploads/575-IMG_1770.jpg http://forums.kifaru.net/uploads/576-IMG_1771.jpg http://forums.kifaru.net/uploads/577-IMG_1772.jpg http://forums.kifaru.net/uploads/578-IMG_1773.jpg

[chippewawarrior]

Elkstink, the pictures didn't take. They won't open up. Try again, I'm really interested because I have a Kiva. Thanks.