Cooking under vestibule of your Tent

**RockStar** · 03-02-2007, 18:35

Please don't be mean...I am delicate

I know only I can prevent forest fires and tent fires but, is there anyone who has cooked under their vestibule? I am curious to know how many ppl have done it, would do it again and advice on safety. And to save the smarty pants responses Ill go ahead and say it for you "Safest thing is to NOT do this" Now on with it...

**Jack Tarlin** · 03-02-2007, 18:40

You're right.....it ain't a particularly smart or safe thing to do.

That being said......yeah, everyone's done it.

I always try to pack at least a day or two's worth food that doesn't require cooking (bread, cheese, tuna, meat, etc.) in case I run into weather so awful I can't use my stove. This has come in handy many times.

P.S. I have also seen people cook IN their tents. This frequently ends badly,
mainly for the tent.

**Lilred** · 03-02-2007, 18:50

cannister stove, maybe.... alcohol stove, not on a bet!!

**RockStar** · 03-02-2007, 18:52

Yes Dad.

I had to ask. Good advice about the no cook food. I do that for lunch but, didn't consider dinner.

**Frolicking Dinosaurs** · 03-02-2007, 18:53

This is part of the reason we carry a large silnylon tarp and a tiny tent. Having space to cook is important to us.

**RockStar** · 03-02-2007, 19:01

Originally Posted by Frolicking Dinosaurs

This is part of the reason we carry a large silnylon tarp and a tiny tent. Having space to cook is important to us.

I thought about getting a tarp instead of using my vesti. but, I thought maybe it would be more weight than the Vest. and wouldn't keep me as toasty. Do you have a pic of your tiny tent and large tarp?

**ed bell** · 03-02-2007, 19:01

Originally Posted by Jack Tarlin

P.S. I have also seen people cook IN their tents. This frequently ends badly,
mainly for the tent.

No pictures?

Not making light of misfortune, but that's a "they had it coming" if I ever heard of one.

**hopefulhiker** · 03-02-2007, 19:16

I have cooked under the beaks of the Tarptent once or twice....

**Frolicking Dinosaurs** · 03-02-2007, 19:18

Don't have any pics, but we are an older couple and I have mobility issues - we use a Campmor 10' x 12" silnylon tarp and (for now) a TexSport Knollwood tent (primarily because of the door design - it is the only small tent I've found that I can get in and out of) I'm in the process of making us a cross between a double bivy and tent that will hang under the tarp and be both bigger and lighter than the tent. Even with that in place, we would have plenty of room to cook.

You could use something like a poncho to tarp over your cooking area while you sat in the vestibule.

**RockStar** · 03-02-2007, 19:27

Originally Posted by Frolicking Dinosaurs

Don't have any pics, but we are an older couple and I have mobility issues - we use a Campmor 10' x 12" silnylon tarp and (for now) a TexSport Knollwood tent (primarily because of the door design - it is the only small tent I've found that I can get in and out of) I'm in the process of making us a cross between a double bivy and tent that will hang under the tarp and be both bigger and lighter than the tent. Even with that in place, we would have plenty of room to cook.

You could use something like a poncho to tarp over your cooking area while you sat in the vestibule.

That Tarp is pretty light. I use a Kelty Crestone1 tent, bought a New Kelty Stick 1 but, considering selling the Stick 1 and going with a Hubba. However...the Stick1 is pretty spacious for the weight. And I THINK it may be a few ounces lighter than the Hubba. hrmmm...Thanks.

**Lone Wolf** · 03-02-2007, 20:32

Originally Posted by RockStar

Please don't be mean...I am delicate

I know only I can prevent forest fires and tent fires but, is there anyone who has cooked under their vestibule? I am curious to know how many ppl have done it, would do it again and advice on safety. And to save the smarty pants responses Ill go ahead and say it for you "Safest thing is to NOT do this" Now on with it...

yes. lots and lots of times

**rafe** · 03-02-2007, 20:35

Originally Posted by RockStar

Please don't be mean...I am delicate

I know only I can prevent forest fires and tent fires but, is there anyone who has cooked under their vestibule?

Obviously yes.... but not me.

**Jester2000** · 03-02-2007, 20:37

Vestibule? Everyone's done it. It's fine as long as you pay attention.

This from the guy who burned Mala's tent using a Coleman 2 burner and a bakebox.

**RockStar** · 03-02-2007, 20:45

So what kind of vestibule height are we talkin to be the safest? I have the new kelty Stick 1 and that thing has got some room under the vestibule! A midget could camp out under there. No offense to midgets...*shrugs

You guys think Ill be better buying a tarp to go over Lik Frol. Din. Suggested...

**Toolshed** · 03-02-2007, 21:08

Isn't the stick vesty like 48" high - Definitely fewer worries than say a Clip Flashlight.

**ed bell** · 03-02-2007, 21:09

Originally Posted by ed bell

No pictures?

Not making light of misfortune, but that's a "they had it coming" if I ever heard of one.

This comment was aimed at inside the tent stove use. Vestibule? It can be done, and I do it quite a bit. The exit is never closed tight and I prime the stove outside the footprint of my rig.

**RockStar** · 03-02-2007, 21:23

Originally Posted by Toolshed

Isn't the stick vesty like 48" high - Definitely fewer worries than say a Clip Flashlight.

Dimensions: 6 ft. 11 in. x 2 ft. 9 in.
Floor Area: 16 sq. ft.
Vestibule Area: 10 sq. ft.

I am 5'2" and it is so roomy! I wish they made tents in sleeping bag lengths...

**Mother Nature** · 03-02-2007, 23:57

Everyone knows that tents and fire don't mix with good results. Everyone also knows that pouring rain, freezing cold and the feeling of starvation can inspire taking a chance.

I wouldn't EVER cook inside my tent. Kind of like being trapped with a skunk in the privy. Things could happen fast with long lasting results.

Vestibule cooking (if properly ventilated and carefully screened with a windscreen) could be done if you are very comfortable with your stove's mechanics. I have seen a friend light her alcohol stove under a tarp and the homemade stove separated under pressure sending flames six feet in the sky creating a nice skylight and singed hair.

I am with Jack, I feel safest with carring foods that are nourishing and don't require cooking. Anticipating the worse that could happen if you had a stove flameout in the vestibule or tent proper is that you would melt your tent onto your body, set your hair on fire. One advantage is that it would be unnecessary to carry tent stakes as you would be wearing the silnylon tent laminated like a glove to your seared skin, Mostly this result would also emiminate the need for raingear.

Each to his own. A canister stove would be much more reliable than an alcohol fueled stove.

MN

**hikerjohnd** · 03-03-2007, 01:13

I use the vestibule to protect me and put the stove just outside the tent (assuming I am not camped in a hurricane) just to be on the safe side.

As seems to be the consensus - everyone's done it - you'll figure out what works for you!

**Trailwind** · 03-08-2007, 00:29

I've cooked under the vestibule with a canister stove. I've eaten foods that don't require cooking a lot more times than I have cooked under the vestibule though, and I have cooked out in the rain (boiled water). I tend to select the easiest/quickest foods to prepare when the weather is bad. I wouldn't cook under the vestibule with a white gas or alcohol stove though. Last Saturday I was talking with the ATC Caretaker that stays at Springer Mountain during thru hiker season. He said he had to carry a half burned tent out of the woods earlier in the week. Sure enough, when I walked back to the parking lot there it sat in the bed of his truck.

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