View Full Version : New Tarptent Contrail set-up
My last 5 day trip was cut short to three by foul weather, my hiking mate had enough after two days of heavy rain and wind. On the last day it hailed and in surrounding areas it was snowing, for the first time here in November for decades.
After a particularly heavy downpour, I noticed that the almost flat area at the bottom of the Contrail, just above the struts, was pooling water, so after guying the middle line out ( the one in between the struts ) I started to think of a different set-up for the back area. Yesterday I noticed that Henry Shires mentioned something about it on a different forum.
The first picture is my version of a rainstorm set-up. By using the pole at the back, the minimum height is 22" and the sides of bathtub floor rise to 6". This could also be useful during a sudden snow drop. With the two poles guyed out pulling away from each other,the Contrail remains very taut.
The second one has the sides completely lowered to the ground, doing away with the struts to achieve a double A frame set-up.With the lower profile, 37" at the front and 21" at the back, the Contrail should be ready for some strong winds. The vestibule cover is also only a couple of inches away from the floor. To stop the wind coming in from the back just use the backpack,this will still let in enough air to reduce condensation.Please keep in mind that this lower profile will flatten the floor, so it is not ideal if it is also raining, but it would work on soft or sandy ground. For heavy rain and strong wind, choose something in-between the two.
The third picture is to give an idea of the space inside.
BTW, we did not get any rain inside the Contrail or the Rainbow, unlike some other tents, and condensation was not there because of the shifting winds.
Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/Contrail-wind-2.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/New-Contrail-wind-mode.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/New-Contrail-interior.jpg
MedicineMan
11-18-2006, 07:22
deserve pools of water! ascend to the heights my friend! evolve into a being of more lofty intent and aspiration....and when your grandson asks how's it hanging you wont have to say you shoveled ***** in Louisiana..
Big Dawg
11-18-2006, 09:21
deserve pools of water! ascend to the heights my friend! evolve into a being of more lofty intent and aspiration....and when your grandson asks how's it hanging you wont have to say you shoveled ***** in Louisiana..
Been there, done that,,,, didn't like the burrito effect.:D
Frolicking Dinosaurs
11-18-2006, 10:03
deserve pools of water! Ascend to the heights my friend! evolve into a being of more lofty intent and aspiration....and when your grandson asks how's it hanging you wont have to say you shoveled ***** in Louisiana..Alas, science says our primitive ancestors lived in the trees and evolved to living on the ground. :D
Hi Medicine Man
Your hammock propaganda is all good and fair except that here in Aussie we have a lot of gum trees that like to drop limbs at random and for no reason at all. A mate of mine has one of the HH traps, he is one of those Mariposa/Solomon Techamphibian types, so likely it is the Ultralight. I see if I can borrow it , spend some nights in it and then I will be able to go on about the advantages of down to earth solutions. ( no preconceived opinion here)
Keeping in mind my Italian background, I still remember my grandfather telling me of his invasion of Britannia with Emperor Adrian to discover that most of the inhabitants were still living on trees. They soon discovered the advantages of houses, roads, aqueducts, bridges, baths and more importantly beds and later on 1 lb. silnylon tents.
Franco
Creek Dancer
03-12-2007, 10:52
Just got my Contrail! Woohooooo! I set it up and I can't seem to get the bathtub sides to stand up. The corners are fine, but the middle sags. Any suggestions?
Also, do you seam seal the seams from the outside or the inside. Dumb question, I suppose, but the directions do not say.
terrapin_too
03-12-2007, 11:48
Just got my Contrail! Woohooooo! I set it up and I can't seem to get the bathtub sides to stand up. The corners are fine, but the middle sags. Any suggestions?
I had the same problem at first with my TarpTent Rainbow. But it was due to improper setup. The elastic bands at the corners of the bathtub floor need to be brought out the tent stakes. They need to be under tension. Again, I'm speaking with reference to the Rainbow, not the Contrail -- but your problem description sounds very familiar.
Creek Dancer
03-12-2007, 12:58
Thanks Terrapin. I did not see any elastic bands, but I will check when I get home.
Did you seam seal the outside or inside?
terrapin_too
03-12-2007, 13:20
Did you seam seal the outside or inside?
. . . Outside.
Creek Dancer
03-12-2007, 13:28
:mad: Crap! Now I have to pitch the thing inside out!
:mad: Crap! Now I have to pitch the thing inside out!
Why would you do that. Set it up normally and seal the outside seams only.
Creek Dancer
03-12-2007, 15:09
I was just kidding. I have already sealed the inside, but forgot to say that.
Hi Dancer
Stuco at the moment is in love with his ULA Circuit and therefore missed your funny bit.
Just to confuse everyone, I seam seal both sides, to be sure to be sure, and that is the Irish in me
( I like Guinness, that is Irish and it is in me).
After you posted the description of your obviously flowed set up, usually you would get a comment from Franco telling you that,and in no uncertain terms, because he always knows better. He must be busy at the moment.
Enjoy the Contrail.
Franco
Another one that thinks he knows about Tarptents, Henry something, recommends to do the outside only. What a waste of seam sealant. From my point of view , why do we have two sides if we only need to do one ?
hopefulhiker
03-14-2007, 08:32
I have not seen the Contrail set up live but my question is: Is there enough vertical room at the foot area for someone to use a Big Agnes airmattress and a lofty bag and not worry about the heat hitting the roof?
I mean 14 inches is not that much.. or maybe you just dont have to sleep that far down in the tent.
terrapin_too
03-14-2007, 08:33
I have not seen the Contrail set up live but my question is: Is there enough vertical room at the foot area for someone to use a Big Agnes airmattress and a lofty bag and not worry about the heat hitting the roof?
If you want headroom, get the Rainbow.
Big Dawg
03-14-2007, 08:39
I have not seen the Contrail set up live but my question is: Is there enough vertical room at the foot area for someone to use a Big Agnes airmattress and a lofty bag and not worry about the heat hitting the roof?
I mean 14 inches is not that much.. or maybe you just dont have to sleep that far down in the tent.
How big are you????
The Contrail is for the minimalist. You should have enough room/height at the end for your mattress & lofty bag, but not much. The Contrail was WAY to tight for me, but then again I'm 6'5" and 270 lbs. For 1 lb more, my Double Rainbow is a palace.
Creek Dancer
03-14-2007, 09:14
Hi Dancer
Stuco at the moment is in love with his ULA Circuit and therefore missed your funny bit.
Just to confuse everyone, I seam seal both sides, to be sure to be sure, and that is the Irish in me
( I like Guinness, that is Irish and it is in me).
After you posted the description of your obviously flowed set up, usually you would get a comment from Franco telling you that,and in no uncertain terms, because he always knows better. He must be busy at the moment.
Enjoy the Contrail.
Franco
Another one that thinks he knows about Tarptents, Henry something, recommends to do the outside only. What a waste of seam sealant. From my point of view , why do we have two sides if we only need to do one ?
Hey Franco. Well, I called Tarptent. They recommend sealing the outside, mostly because it's easier. But they also said sealing the inside is fine, which is good, because I already did the inside. (Maybe he just said that cuz I screamed when he said to do the outside. I dunno.) :o He did recommend sealing the corners and the spot where the pole is inserted from the outside for extra protection. So doing both sides is not all that nutty. Not that you are nutty. Just sayin'...
As far as set up goes, the Contrail does not have any elastic bands at the corners. But I finally got the bathtub walls to stand up better. You have to guy out the corners at an angle using nearly all of the line. (Don't shorten the line.) Then, using the line tighteners, pull the line tight until the walls stand up. Also, don't extened your hiking pole longer thinking that your tent will be tighter. This just screws up the whole thing. Keep the pole at the recommended height.
Creek Dancer
03-14-2007, 09:26
How big are you????
The Contrail is for the minimalist. You should have enough room/height at the end for your mattress & lofty bag, but not much. The Contrail was WAY to tight for me, but then again I'm 6'5" and 270 lbs. For 1 lb more, my Double Rainbow is a palace.
I find the Contrail to be a mansion. Of course, my other solo tent is a SD Lightyear and that thing is a cocoon.
I think I'm gonna trade in my Texsport for a Contrail.
I just got a contrail too, set it up in the back yard yesterday, seam sealed it (pretty bad job, and I did both sides too ... can't wait too see how much weight I added ... :cool: ). I slept in it last night, had some rain and even snow with no problem.
I'm 5' 10" tall but longer than average in the torso. I found that to sit upright without my head (or maybe more typically my sleeping hat) brushing the "ceiling" fabric I need to scoot my body as close to the door as possible. Just sitting directly up from where I was sleeping doesn't work.
That said, it is indeed roomy; my previous solo hiking experiences have been with a bivy sack and a hammock. In that context this is indeed a mansion.
Lots of room at the end. I don't have an air mattress or a particularly big bag, but unlike the two-person tent my wife and I have used (and I've gotten the foot end of my bag wet from), there's no risk for me of touching the foot end of my down sleeping bag to a tent wall unless I were to thrash around a lot or lift my feet a ways off the ground. Lots of room at the sides. I'm not prone to claustrophobia but for a solo tent this feels roomy.
Things that I did encounter that were a little surprising:
I hadn't understood how the rear struts work; there's a special page you can find on www.tarptent.com (http://www.tarptent.com) that describes how to adjust them. I haven't tried that yet, but was pretty puzzled when looking at the actual tent.
I'm not completely enthralled with the way the tent door closes --- not the bug netting, but the actual tent wall door. It's velcro. Easy to work from outside the tent, not as easy to close when you're inside the tent. No big deal, just a little awkward.
I like the various tie-down points, and they're intelligently placed. I'm not quite sure how many stakes I'm ultimately going to take; I might rely to some degree to finding useable sticks on windy/rainy days.
Weight: if I recall correctly the tent is advertised as weighing 24.5 oz, including tent stakes (included), but without pole (I use a trekking pole, which I'm not counting in the weight). My measured weight literally right out of the box was 24.9 oz (705 grams). That includes the stuff sack and a little sack for the four titanium nail-type stakes. The outer stuff sack alone weighs 0.5 oz (13g). The bag of nail-stakes with stakes in it weighs 1.5 oz (42g). Each stake alone weighs 0.4 oz (10g). So some high-powered mathematics suggest that the tent itself (no stuff sack or stakes) weighed 22.9 oz (650g) before I seam sealed it.
Franco, I want to say that I really appreciated your photos. I think you're tilting me to hike with a poncho (rather than a packa or umbrella), assuming that I find I'm comfortable actually hiking in one (!). Your picture of the extended vestibule looks like a great idea; it would allow keeping the "front door" completely open to maximize airflow. I tried your idea last night too of opening up the back with a second trekking pole; in the morning it was raining, so I put it back in original configuration for better draining, but I do like the fact there's some flexibility in how this can be used.
In summary, based on my vast one-night experience with this tent, I like it a lot.
Brian Lewis
GitRdone
04-09-2007, 19:49
I received my Contrail about 2 weeks ago... seam sealed the inside.. didn't even consider the outside but, since the seams are not taped that sounds like a reasonable thing to do. I've set it up 3 times now and camped overnight once. I'm still getting the hang of setting this tent up... certainly different than my old Sierra Designs Clip 3 which I still have.
I'm 6' 3" and about 210.... I had plenty of room in the normal set up. I'd like to be able to sit up in the middle of the tent but, I knew that couldn't before I purchased it. That is probably the only thing I compromised when buying the Contrail... at 1 1/2 lbs and that it packs small.. among other amenities I decided I could live with scooting to the front of the tent to sit up. Besides, it's a solo tent... no one in there but me :).
Henry Shires has been great. I emailed and called him with lots of questions and I appreciate his patience. I am sure he gets the same questions all time. BTW Henry... you might post more FAQ's and the pictures and directions for the other ways to set it up on your web site.
I really like my Contrail and it does exactly what I wanted. A dry place to sleep that doesn't weigh me down.
Bud
Hi all
Nice to see that some get some immediate pleasure from the Contrail, I believe in love at first sight. Because I spend more time in my backyard with my tents than using them on the trail ( I will do more of that soon) to me the various set ups come "naturally" . Definitely there is a need for some better "how to" with a Tarptent and if people like you and me stopped pestering Henry with questions, we would have some video clips on his web site by now. ( That was my problem with retailing, damn customers)If he does not get his donkey into gear ( we call it arse over here) I will do it myself.
Franco
For those not familiar with my sense of humor, some of my comments are not meant to be taken seriously. This is my equivalent to the "scattered showers " comment used by weather forecasters.
This sounds like a great tent, but the velcro part would make me not buy it. Did that with my Lunar Solo and hand sewed a zipper in (a week later the 'new' model came out with the zipper in it!) because the velcro was so cumbersome, and also collected pieces of 'stuff' in it, fuzz, leaves, etc.
Thanks for the photos, looks roomy! :)
This is my latest discovery. If you have poles that can extent to around 55-57", you can use them sideways so that you have a pole free entrance and a very strong set-up. This was prompted by a question from my friend Adam , "can I use my Gossamer Gear carbon fiber poles to hold it up ? "
His poles are 55" long.
Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/contrail-2-carbon-ples.jpg
LostInSpace
04-30-2007, 19:47
This is my latest discovery. If you have poles that can extent to around 55-57", you can use them sideways so that you have a pole free entrance and a very strong set-up. This was prompted by a question from my friend Adam , "can I use my Gossamer Gear carbon fiber poles to hold it up ? "
His poles are 55" long.
Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/contrail-2-carbon-ples.jpg
I guess you can do this with your Black Diamond poles, as they top out at 53".
My post in a way was badly phrased and inaccurate.
You can use any pole in the standard position if it can be adjusted to about 45".
First :the GG poles that Adam has, are 53" long tip to tip ( 135 cm I discovered is not 55").
Second : because the poles can be set up at a different angle and the Contrail can also be set up at different heights, the length of the poles can vary several inches. I tend to peg the Contrail down and then shove the pole in at whatever length I have it set , about 46" on flat ground. If the height is not correct for the way I set the tent up, I adjust the pole. The ideal height is around 45"
If you have fixed length poles, anything between 50" and 56" or so can be used by varying the angle of the inverted V set up. As I prefer having the handles up (that carbide tips have a better grip on the ground ) I only tried the GG and the BD, so I don't know how well it will work with other shapes, but it should not be a problem. Like most of my se-ups, they are not meant to be a replacement for the original nor something for the beginner. Nothing complex but the user needs to be careful and should try them before they are used on the trail.
BTW if the center pole is too short, not that it should be a problem with the Tarptents but maybe one of the tipi/pyramid types, you can always insert the pole inside your boot, fill the hole with your socks and you have a good grip on the soil. ((good on snow or soggy ground)
.
Franco
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-29-2007, 12:06
Franco, are you using two poles in an inverted 'V' or a single pole when using the poles extended to 50" - 56"?
hopefulhiker
05-29-2007, 14:43
I took a tarp tent Contrail up for a little hike between Carver's Gap and Erwin the week before Trail Days..
It worked pretty well for me at 5'9'' tall and pretty damn fat.. I used a short 20" BA airmattress and a down blanket with a silk liner..
The nights were down right hot considering the mountains..
The tent was easy to set up. I had forgotten my tent stakes and just used some sharp sticks..
The last night on open bald of Beauty Spot the inside walls of the tent did suffer some condensation but nothing got wet enough to worry about..
I did try (was it Franco's?) set up with a line running from the center rear(between the two small posts up and over the other hiking pole and then staked down.. this gave me a little more foot room..
I really liked the small packed down size and light weight.. Actually I thought the Squall 2 was a little too much for one person. The boxed end of the Contrail seems to collect water a little more than the hoop design and also might not be as stable..
but in good weather the tent is plenty roomy. I see how pulling down the back corners could increase stability and still provide enough room for a person six feet or less. that is sleeping on top of a two inch mattress and a cutdown ridgerest.. I used the ridgerest to sort of level out my sleeping plane relative to the slight hill I was on.. There were plenty of bugs in that field too and the Contrail kept them out nicely...
I am ready to try the Contrail in an out right downpour, that is, if we ever get any rain..
Creek Dancer
05-29-2007, 15:07
I used my Contrail on a section hike of the GA AT. I am still not 100% confident with the rear strut design. Are they supposed to stand straight up or at an angle?
The standard correct set up is very clearly illustrated by the HS pictures in his Contrail page.
http://www.tarptent.com/contrail.html
Any other pitch is simply something that can be done not necessarily better.
Renee, the double pole set up is done using them on an inverted V position. A bit fiddly to do, but gives a fixed, pole free entrance. First you position the Contrail with one pole, than you insert the other one sideways and lengthen the first one. About 1 minute extra. The slanted one pole version is really only to facilitate the entry and exit but the pole should be put back to a straight position for the night.
Franco
This is the latest, and IMHO, the best version of the raised back. It is made with one pole section with the end connector reversed so that the existing red guyline can go through it.
This, pole and stake, will add just over one ounce but it raises the foot end just enough to help the rain flow to one side, increases the room/ventilation at the foot end and makes the ridgeline nice and taut for more wind resistance. To me it also looks nicer as well, particularly from the inside the walls look really round and are "drum tight".
The 17" pole still fits inside the stuff sac (just) and this allows me to use both poles at the front for an unobstructed entrance (no pole, no guyline)
Enjoy
Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/1-oz-fix.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/tent-city.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/Detail.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/connection.jpg
socalhiker
07-03-2007, 12:39
Franco, do you happen to know if the Mini Peak II pictured in one of the photos will be sold here in the U.S.?
Thanks, Franco. Not to be a total gram-wonk, but I prefer your former approach using a trekking pole. One pole at the front entrance is fine for me.
If I want to use (also your idea) a poncho-as-extended-vestibule --- for which I'd need my second trekking pole --- I can often find something in the woods to hold up the foot end of the Contrail rather than carrying a dedicated pole for it.
But each to their own, and I really appreciate you trying out and very clearly (with pictures) sharing your results!
Brian Lewis
Brian
Variety is the life of Spice ( and for $20 m, I would also put a micro mini on and pretend to sing)
Because the rear lift does not support the structure, a small branch will do or ( if you promise to put it back afterwards) you could use a stone , so whatever you like really.
A few months back I gave the Contrail to a friend of mine thinking that it was the Rainbow, so of course when he unfurled the tent he could not find the pole inside. Luckily he had seen the Contrail up and just tied the front guyline to a tree. ( Tree provided by Parks Australia)
Socalhiker
This is a Tarptent thread, however since occasionally I digress also ( in fact most of the time...) Luxe is preparing right now the 08 line up and by then they should have a US outlet. I will ask Luxe about the best way to buy one right now from over there.
Franco
thelifejunkie
07-23-2007, 21:41
I am wondering where one might find room for a pack inside the contrail? Is it big enough for your pack to be right next to you, or do people recommend keeping it under the beak?
I wouldn't trust it under the beak. Depending on the nature of your pack, you could perhaps put it beside you if it was emptied out, or even lay it under your legs if that's not uncomfortable, or some might put it outside the tent, under a tree, handing from the tree, in a plastic garbage sack, whatever. My pack gets pretty small when contents are removed, so it sits inside the tent with me, just alongside my body, typically with other gear strewn on top of it.
Most packs should fit next to you, however I prefer to have that area free for my after dinner bits. That is my hat,top,MP3 player,kitchen cloth,socks,watch (to check the temperature as well as the time) water bottle and pee bottle ( when it is cold) . Also some chocolate but only for close to or below freezing temperatures.(The two bottles are very different....)
I used to put the pack at my feet, now it goes between my head and the mesh door on the opposite side to the zip opening. That stops direct wind on my head and helps to minimize my nocturnal wandering. (sliding). Obviously if the wind blows in from the foot end, then the pack goes there.
Franco
Franco, do you happen to know if the Mini Peak II pictured in one of the photos will be sold here in the U.S.?
I've got this little green Luxe X-Rocket poncho/tent for review. It's actually quite nice but only just 200 cm inside
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Contrail/tent-city.jpg
http://www.luxeoutdoor.com/eng/catalog-topic-gallery-view1.asp?id=821&selfpath=/12/125
Got their chaps too, they are GREAT !
http://www.luxeoutdoor.com/eng/catalog-topic-gallery-view1.asp?id=834&selfpath=/12/125
Mr. Michael Wong of Luxeoutdoor in Hong Kong is a very friendly person talking with :sun
This thread is great, I have been considering a Contrail for my new ultralite setup but now may be leaning towards a Rainbow for the little extra room.
- Tobias
iliketacos
07-28-2007, 21:59
I like my contrail too, what I found that instead of staking the rear middle upwards in an upside down V with a stick/pole-but rather staking it so that it created a downward V shape at the rear helped a million times better when dealing with rain. It took a long time to figure that one out. The opposite set-up of post #31 photo 1. If you just stake it down it will work too. This set-up will allow you to handle some serious rain and wind provided you aren't pitched in a bad spot for run-off.
Argh! Contrails, and Rainbows as well, are now out of stock for at least 3 weeks.
I was now thinking of going with a Contrail instead of a regular tarp (mainly for built in bug protection) but I guess I'm going to have to go back to thinking about a regular tarp if I want to make this Sept. 1st trip.
- T
Midway Sam
08-02-2007, 14:48
Popular items. I ordered a Double Rainbow four weeks ago tomorrow. I hope to see it soon.
UPDATE: I just received an e-mail from UPS. My Tarptent is enroute. WooHoo.
UPDATE: I just received an e-mail from UPS. My Tarptent is enroute. WooHoo.
Awesome. Henry has floorless models in stock but is still several weeks behind on the models with floors.
- Tobias