I see far too many people who are worried about making their tipi look Just Right. That can take a lot of the fun out of camping. And this is supposed to be fun, above all. It's a lot better to have a tipi with wrinkles that you set up yourself than a perfect tipi set up by a professional buckskinner.

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad to provide advice on how to set up your tipi. There are some cardinal rules, like which way the tipi should face, how to put the first three poles in place, and so forth.

My video, Pointy Side Up, comes with every tipi, and takes you step-by-step through the process of setting up your tipi. Naturally, there is a true, right way to set up your tipi. Click here for a brief explanation.