The VIAM Outdoors CC Divide is a very different shelter than the others I’ve reviewed. I wanted to test this one out because it offers so many options. The VIAM Outdoors CC Divide is offered in two different material weights, as well as with or without a floor. The CC Divide gives you the ability to use a wood stove inside the shelter for those late season trips. This is an absolute game changer!
VIAM Outdoors CC Divide Review
Shelters by VIAM Outdoors are typically made to order. This allows you to customize your preferences. It does, however, take a little more time to receive because it’s custom built. If you are someone who prefers the floorless style shelters, the CC Divide can be made that way as well. The floorless model in the 1.1 SilPoly comes in at only 27oz. The shelter fits in a medium size G3 (Glacier Gear Grab) offered by VIAM Outdoors. If you choose the 3/4 floor option, the weight comes in at 3lbs 11oz. Given the size of this shelter, that’s impressive!
Basics
Non-Freestanding, Single Wall
This is not a free-standing design and requires staking out to be usable. You can set the CC Divide up with two trekking poles or the pole set offered by VIAM Outdoors.
Similar to the other single wall tents, condensation is always a concern, so you may need to allow for some ventilation to prevent too much buildup. This shelter does not feature vestibules, but does have two zippered doors.
The Good
CC Divide Versatility
The CC Divide is extremely versatile and can be ordered with your choice of two different fabrics. The 1.1oz SilPoly gives you an ultra-light shelter while the 1.9oz SilPoly offers more durability. The CC Divide can also be ordered with or without a floor and has the option to add a wood stove! You can customize this shelter to fit your needs, all the while getting a ton of interior room.
VIAM Outdoors CC Divide Size
The CC Divide is very tall for a lightweight shelter, giving you a height of 5 feet at the tallest point. It tapers down to 2 feet at the foot of the shelter. The interior is massive, so if you want all of your gear and a wood stove inside, or you just enjoy the extra space, this tent is perfect!
Viam Outdoors CC Divide Weight
This huge shelter comes in at just 3lbs 11oz with the 3/4 floor and stove jack options (in the 1.1oz SilPoly). Without the floor, the weight drops down to just 27oz.
Shape
The shape of the CC Divide is unlike your traditional backpacking tent. It is much wider at the head of the tent and tapers down both in width and height at the foot. The CC Divide is 12 feet long, 6 feet wide (at the widest point) and tapers down to 3 feet at the foot of the shelter). Entrance to the shelter is through either of the two zippered doors. Both doors give you access to the vestibule space located at the head of the shelter.
Stove
One of the incredible options the CC Divide gives you is the ability to run an ultralight wood stove. While this likely won’t be a factor for your early season trips, once October rolls around, the wood stove is an absolute game changer.
Clothes Line
The CC Divide has a built in clothes line inside the shelter. Pair that with the wood stove, and you can dry your gear after a long day in the rain. This could be the difference in going home early or being able to stay out for the rest of your trip.
The Bad
Number of Stakes
One of the downsides to having such a large shelter is that it requires 12 stakes to fully set it up. You could get by with 10, but to get the full benefit of the shelter, you’d want to fully stake it out.
CC Divide Setup
The setup on this shelter is a bit awkward at first and definitely one you would want to practice setting up before heading into the backcountry. Having a second person to help makes it much easier, but you can set it up solo with a little practice. In reality though, you likely wouldn’t be taking a shelter this large if you were going solo, unless you wanted to run the wood stove during late season.
Viam Outdoors CC Divide Footprint
Another downfall to having such a large shelter is the large footprint. Finding a flat space this large could prove to be a challenge, depending on the terrain.
Note: I was unable to test the CC Divide in rain as the weather didn’t cooperate.
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The CC Divide is by far the most versatile two person shelter I had the chance to test. If you split this already lightweight tent with a friend, you won’t be disappointed. It’s loaded with features like the wood stove and floorless options. See how it stacks up against some others I tested in my full Backpacking Tent Review!
Check out Backcountry Camp Part 1: Basics of Selecting a Tent to help you select the right tent.
Do you think two hunters with gear and the stove would have enough room?
Good question! You could get 2 hunters and a stove in there ok I think, but there wouldn’t be a ton of extra room. Let me know what you think if you end up picking on up!