I am always on a quest to refine my gear kit, looking to increase functionality while decreasing weight. I was excited to try an Argali tent when the Boise-based company began producing shelters a few years ago and was confident that founder Brad Brooks’ minimalist design philosophy would align with mine.
Fast forward to 2023, and Argali announced the release of their first one-person (1P) tent, the Argali Owyhee. I had been almost exclusively using a floorless tarp for several years at that point, and I was intrigued by the prospect of a lightweight one-person shelter that pitched with a trekking pole but also had a nest insert available to protect against insects. We reached out to Brad, and before we knew it I had one of the Owyhee tents in-hand just before summer scouting season kicked off.
How It Was Tested: Argali Owyhee
I had a full slate of hunts on the docket for the year, including mule deer and whitetail deer hunts in Idaho, an Idaho antelope hunt, my brother’s Idaho mule deer hunt, and a Wyoming elk hunt. With a full fall schedule and multiple scouting trips planned throughout the summer, I was confident that I would be able to test the Argali Owyhee Tent in a wide range of conditions and get enough time with the shelter to assess durability..
The Specs: Argali Owyhee Tent
Argali describes the Owyhee as “built for solo missions where light and fast principles are what matters most.” Consequently, I had high expectations for this ultralight shelter to have really impressive specifications. Let’s take a look before diving into performance details.
| Element | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Weight – canopy only | 14 oz |
| Weight – canopy and stakes | 16.4 oz |
| Weight – canopy, insert, and stakes | 34.2 oz |
| Height | 50” |
| Length | 106” |
| Width | 71″ |
| Footprint | 39 sq ft |
Materials & design: Argali Owyhee
MATERIALS USED – ARGALI TENTS
SilNylon (silicone-impregnated nylon) has been the dominant backpacking shelter material for a long time, and Dyneema has gained a lot of traction with the ultralight crowd. This Argali Owyhee 1P shelter went a different direction, though, and utilizes a 20D Nano-Ripstop SilPoly (silicone-impregnated polyester). This SilPoly has virtually no stretch when wet because it does not absorb water like nylon. This reduces sagging and helps the tent maintain usable interior space.
Since the tent relies on a trekking pole to be pitched, Argali integrated a reinforced top cone made of X-Pac material which is extremely durable and abrasion resistant. Quality YKK #5 zippers are sure to provide years of reliable use. The tent comes with six Argali 7075 aluminum Piton tent stakes which are needed to secure the tent to the ground, but the tent also includes five supplemental 2mm guy lines with mini line-locs that could be deployed for extra stability in high winds (if you pack extra stakes).
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Finally, as with all Argali Tent offerings, the Argali Owyhee 1P must be seam sealed to be fully waterproof. Argali includes seam sealer with every tent, but they also offer the customer an option to have it seam-sealed by Argali prior to shipment for an additional $45.
The Argali Owyhee 1P Insert features a robust 30D Nylon bathtub floor and 15D lightweight mesh canopy to provide double wall coverage when deployed inside the Owyhee.
DESIGN – ARGALI OWYHEE TENT
Argali designed the Owyhee 1P Tent to be an ultralight shelter that pitches quickly and easily but is also spacious enough to contain you and all your gear. With a modified hexagonal shape, 50” pitch height, and side entrance door and vestibule, the Owyhee can be run as a floorless shelter or with the Owyhee 1P Insert that provides full protection from bugs and other crawling critters.
The insert occupies approximately two-thirds of the tent, with the remaining space being created by the vestibule which is an ideal spot to store gear out of the elements, separated from your immediate sleeping area but quickly accessible.
The tent height is perfectly suited to pitching with a trekking pole (the Argali Carbon X trekking poles worked great for me), but if you prefer to have a dedicated tent pole to keep your trekking poles available for hiking and navigating off-trail obstacles, Argali offers their Rincon 2P Carbon Fiber Pole that is also works well with the Owyhee.
The tent is designed to accommodate sleepers up to 6’3”. I’m around 6’1”, and although the dimensions accommodated me well, I suspect that anyone much taller than me would find it a bit tight, especially when the insert is being utilized.
Features & Function: Argali Owyhee Tent Review
SETUP
They Owyhee is not a freestanding tent and is prone to some of the same setup challenges as most shelters in that category. Since there is not an independent system of poles dictating the shelter dimensions, it is very important to get the corners positioned correctly so that the angles align properly. You also have to get a feel for the correct initial tension when placing the stakes so that, when propped with the pole in place, the edges do not sag.
With a little practice, I found the Argali Owyhee Tent quite easy to pitch and my speed of setup increased dramatically. Here are a few tips/steps I found useful.
- Spend time locating a relatively flat site and removing debris to prepare it for your tent.
- Lay the outer shelter flat.
- Stake the four primary corners with the guy lines at 45 degree angles away from the tent. Do not pull the guy lines tight prior to staking. There needs to be a little give here to avoid the sag referenced previously.
- Insert your trekking pole set to roughly 50 inches (this dimension can be varied depending on how much height you want or clearance of the walls from the ground for increased ventilation).
- Stake out the front doors.
- Stake out the midsection guy line on the side opposite the doors.
- Return to each guy line and pull through the mini line-locs to achieve the desired tension.
- Use additional stakes to guy out the supplemental lines if needed for stability in high winds or to give yourself a little additional interior space.
The tent requires a minimum of six stakes to be pitched. This is pretty reasonable compared to some other non-freestanding tents which require closer to 10 stakes.
ACCESS
Access to the interior of the Owyhee is provided through one large side door. A single stake holds down the guy lines for both door flaps, and you can easily unhook the larger flap, unzip the door, and peel that flap back to provide a large opening to enter the tent. The Owyhee comes with an integrated tie-down to pin that flap in the open position if desired for easier access, visibility, or increased ventilation. The door size is plenty adequate to navigate around the center pole.
MESH INSERT
The Argali Owyhee 1P Insert is one of the things that sets this shelter apart from many other floorless one-person tarps. The modularity of this component allows you to utilize the insert for full bug protection in the summer and then save weight and run just the outer shelter when fall hunts roll around. Many folks find it reassuring to have a full bathtub floor and mesh enclosure year-round, so if that is you, the mesh insert is your ticket.
INTERIOR SPACE
On face value, the 106” x 71” dimensions seem quite large for a one-person shelter. However, you have to factor in the hexagonal shape, 50” height, and gently sloping edges which quickly eat away at the usable interior space. However, I found the Owyhee to be comfortable to both sleep in and sit up in to get dressed or change. I found that if I did not get the pitch quite right and there was any sag in the shelter, I would sometimes make contact with my head or toes while laying down, but this could usually be addressed by correcting the pitch.
The interior space shrinks dramatically when the mesh insert is utilized. Since the insert is suspended inside the shelter, it reduces the functional space by a few inches and increases the likelihood of contact with your body. While not ideal, it can be a worthwhile trade when the bugs are bad, and I found that I could minimize the amount of lost space by attaching the insert to the outer shelter guy lines rather than the loops inside the tent.
PACKED SIZE & WEIGHT
The Owyhee outer shelter packs down to a very modest 4” x 5” and only weighs 16.4 ounces with the included six stakes. The Insert has a similar packed size (3” x 6”) but adds 17.8 ounces, resulting in a full kit that comes in at just over two pounds (34.2 ounces). This is very reasonable for a double wall shelter and offers the versatility of shaving half that weight in favor of the floorless shelter when conditions are conducive to it.
PRIVACY
Unlike some of the Dyneema shelters we have reviewed, transparency was a non-issue with the 20D Nano-Ripstop SilPoly material featured in all of the Argali tent offerings. This means there is no potential concern with being visible to your hiking partners or others passing through the area once you are inside the tent. This is not a concern for most folks but is something a few may be interested in.
VENTILATION
Most single wall shelters are prone to developing condensation. Argali incorporated several features into the Owyhee 1P Tent to help promote ventilation. First, the shelter can be pitched with a gap between the walls and the ground. Second, the door can be pinned open. Third, there is a vent at the peak of the tent that allows moisture to escape. Finally, when the insert is deployed, although you may make contact with the mesh, you are less likely to contact any moisture buildup on the solid wall of the shelter.
BUILD QUALITY
The Owyhee continues Argali’s tradition of quality craftsmanship, utilizing innovative materials to meet the demands of the discerning backcountry hunter. Throughout the fall, I noticed no issues with durability and am confident in the product’s longevity.
What I liked: Argali Tent Review
My first opportunity to put this Argali Tent to the test came on an early July mule deer scouting trip in the mountains of central Idaho. My mission for that trip was to cover as much country as possible, dial in areas I would want to go back and spend more time in, and hopefully locate a few bucks. Normally I would use my dyneema tarp and bug bivy for a trip like that, but the Owyhee with the insert provided an opportunity to have more protected space.
As it turned out, as soon as the sun started to dip each night, the mosquitoes came out in full force. When it became too dark to glass, it was really relaxing to be able to retreat to the insert in the Owyhee with no concerns about the bugs getting in.
After that first experience, I continued to utilize the Argali Owyhee 1P for my remaining summer scouting trips, a Wyoming archery elk hunt in September, and a mid-October Idaho rifle mule deer hunt. The Owyhee proved its versatility ranging from a shelter with insert, to floorless shelter only, to overflow gear storage. I also got to spend a few nights in the Owyhee this spring on a raft trip on the John Day River in Oregon. There, mosquitoes and ticks were a possibility, but I was really looking for the insert’s bathtub floor to deter a snake from cuddling up next to me at night. Mission accomplished!
Here are some of the things I really appreciated about the Argali Owyhee 1P tent.
- Mesh insert for protection from bugs and other crawling/slithering creatures.
- Minimal stretch from the Sil-Poly material.
- Versatility to utilize the shelter with the insert or as a floorless setup.
- Vestibule for gear storage.
- Adequate sleeping space.
What I Disliked: Argali Tent Review
There is a lot to like about the Argali Owyhee but it does come with some compromises. I have grown accustomed to the relatively roomy configuration of my two-pole dyneema tarp, and in comparison, the Owyhee does not provide as much clearance around your head and toes. While this may not be an issue for shorter folks, it is noticeable for the 6-foot and over crowd and becomes especially impactful with the mesh insert in place.
On a related note, the Owyhee is heavier on a weight per square foot basis than something like a dyneema tarp, but as discussed previously this is not a completely fair comparison because of the Owyhee’s versatility and ability to exclude bugs when the mesh insert is utilized.
Manufacturing, Availability, and Affordability: Argali Tent Review
Argali Outdoors is headquartered out of Boise, ID, and they primarily offer a direct-to-consumer sales model with products available for purchase through their website. This approach cuts out some of the middleman markup sometimes found with similar products from other large manufacturers. However, Argali also partners with select retailers to offer their products to a broader audience.
This tent was marked as being a product of Korea and sewn in China.
At the time of this writing, The Argali Owyhee 1P tent is available for $215 for the outer shelter/shell alone. Seam sealer is included with every tent, but you can elect to have Argali apply the sealer for a $45 fee. If you want the mesh insert, add another $130. For the full package as we tested it, the complete price comes in at $390. This feels like a fair price, more expensive than a basic tarp of similar material, but in-line with other one-person double wall shelters.
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WARRANTY
I did not experience any issues during testing that required communication with Argali, but they strive to make the customer happy and offer a refund for unopened, unused, undamaged products within 45 days of purchase. Beyond the initial 45-day window, Argali’s warranty covers defects in workmanship and materials for the life of the product from the original owner. The customer is responsible for return shipping costs.
Conclusion: Argali Tent Review
After a year of extensive testing with the Argali Owhyee 1P tent, it has found a place in my quiver of backcountry shelters. The Owyhee is not the lightest or most roomy one-person shelter on the market, but its versatility is really what makes this tent shine. The shelter’s modular design allows you to run only the outer shelter for minimalist outings or include the mesh insert with bathtub floor for full bug and moisture protection. Although it may not be my pick on every adventure, for someone looking for a single one-person tent that can do it all, you would be hard pressed to go wrong with the Argali Owyhee.
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