So many questions-

[hoosiergose]

What caused the hikers to leave their tent? What proof do we have that the hikers actually cut open the tent?  Did any of the hikers have a knife on them when they were found?  Perhaps trashing the tent was done by their attackers. Perhaps to destroy its future usefulness as a shelter and insure the hikers demise. It appears Dyatov had injuries around his ankles that indicate someone had bound him. Who did this? And why? Also of all the hikers it would appear that Dyatlov suffered far less injuries. Why?
Why did Semyon Zolotaryov choose to take his camera but not shoes or adequate clothing? Why were there two hikers with eyebrows missing? Were they shaved off as a prank while they slept or was this done by scavengers?
What proof do we have that the hikers were the ones who actually built the fire? What caused the severe injuries of at least 3 of the hikers? Why were the hikers who died in the snow shelter NOT laying on the pine branches and boughs that were laid down to insulate them from the cold snowy ground?
Why did the Soviet Goverment suddenly shut down the investigation into the hikers  deaths?
Why did the Soviet Government declare the Dyatlov Pass area strictly off limits for 3 years? What were they hiding?
Was this entire scene staged by someone to confound & confuse the investigators and obscure what really happened? We may never know. So many questions. So few answers.

[mishka]

I always thought of a staging, I already said it before , they were forced to leave the tent by armed people,maybe  by the military could be, and ordered them to leave the tent, the group wanted to take back their cloths but the soldiers did not want, and a fight took place, but unfortunately the helpless group to defend themselves without a weapon....
from where the reason of  the injuries, and therefore by force of arms, the group had no choice  to leave the tent, the soldiers cut the tent, to be sure  they will not be able to come back anymore , but the good question at this point is  the why !!! would you tell me.,?l think  ,no  witness  about a missile launch ........by the way keept in mind , nothing in the tent was stole so   l believe is not some  simple people  want fight for fun and leave ......no.....some more importante people l suppose
the next day they decided to make it look like an avalanche accident....that'it

a beautiful scene staged with not witness, and I think this group of soldiers military, did not inform their superiors ... I am sure, and now that leaves all theories in doubt

[alecsandros]

What caused the hikers to leave their tent?

An unknown compelling force...

What proof do we have that the hikers actually cut open the tent?

Two more cuts that didn't go all the way through the canvas - indicating that all of the cuts were made from the inside.

  Did any of the hikers have a knife on them when they were found.

No, none had any knives on them when they were found.

Perhaps trashing the tent was done by their attackers. (For whatever reason) Perhaps to destroy its future usefulness as a shelter.

Maybe, but it would have been more important to destroy the water and food - or mess with them. Neither were done.

Why did Semyon Zolotaryov choose to take his camera but not shoes or adequate clothing?

Either there was something remarkable outside, or he carried the camera with him all the time (never or seldom took it off).

What proof do we have that the hikers were the ones who actually built the fire?

No proof that I know of.

What caused the severe injuries of at least 3 of the hikers?

Unknown.

Was this entire scene staged by someone to confound the investigators and obscure what really happened? We may never know. So many questions. So few answers.

Maybe... Who knows ?

[sparrow]

Hello hoosiergose.  Regarding who cut the tent, we don't know.  A seamstress said it was cut from the inside. But, would she be considered an expert?  Regarding the knives, there were three pocket knives (I believe) and there also seems to be a kitchen knife unaccounted for.