I have been thinking about getting a tarp tent for my wife and I for our thru hike next year. We would like a two person tent with room for our gear inside, but we probally won't be using any treking poles. Which one of the tents works best as a free standing tent with out the poles. Also for the people that own a tarp ten are the dependable tents in foul weather and cold climate.

thanks in advance Chad B.

I have been thinking about getting a tarp tent for my wife and I for our thru hike next year. We would like a two person tent with room for our gear inside, but we probally won't be using any treking poles. Which one of the tents works best as a free standing tent with out the poles. Also for the people that own a tarp ten are the dependable tents in foul weather and cold climate.

thanks in advance Chad B.

Tarptents are not cold weather tents, anyone who's ever spent a muggy summer night in a four season tent will know why (you'll think you are going to roast). Tarptents depend on their designed in ventilation both to keep you cool and vent condensation away. You can't have it both ways. You can use one in the cold and stake down the windward side but unless the tent is flapping enough to bellows the condensation outside you might have a little frost on inner surface of the tent in the morning.

I own a double rainbow and think its great. You don't need poles for its set-up, but if ya got them, it allows you to have more options (eg porch set-up). I've use mine down into the teens, and yes I had frost on the inside, but it wasn't any big deal, so i'd say its fine in cold weather-I haven't tried it in real snow though. As far a foul weather, the only draw back is single wall sil-nylon has a misting effect from HARD rain drops, you just feel a very fine mist inside the tent. Not any big deal at all, not enogh moisture to get you wetter than humidity would.

I totally recommend TarpTents- Light, great quality, roomy (i'm 6'2"), good designs, and Henry stands behind his products.

Double Rainbow would be fine even in the winter as long as you don't expect it to keep you warm. It is noticeably warmer inside, though. You might even consider a single model Rainbow if you sleep with your bags zipped together entwined.

just buy a real tent instead of an enclosed tarp and do away with all of the related problems.

geek

I love my Rainbow 2 and never thought I would. Double wall tents were all I would ever own .............. then, I thought I'd try Henry Shires out. I loved the weight and pack-ability of the R 2 and with a floor and bug netting. Just gave my last double wall tent away to a friend, I'm sold :cool:

just buy a real tent instead of an enclosed tarp and do away with all of the related problems.

geek

Your dissmissal of tarptents defies physics. The "mesh" tents like the Hubba and Seedhouse get condensation as easily as a tarptent, so all you are gaining is extra weight to carry. If you are suggesting a true double wall tent for use in the southern appalachians in the summer, then I don't think you've ever tried one on a eighty degree night. Of course, I use a hammock, ESPECIALLY when it is warm.

I've never had condensation problems with my Hubba. Rain problems, yes, but not condensation.

I could not get warm in a hammock no matter what I tried, I just sleep too cold. Sold mine on eBay.

It can be a struggle to stay warm in a hammock but it can be done, some can make it a lot lower than others of course. What drove me to a hammock was roasting in GA in double wall tents in the summer. I've made it down to the mid twenties on a calm night in my hammock, I don't know how low I'd try it. There is no substitute for a GOOD tent in the winter, the really good ones are too hot in the summer, not to mention the extra weight. Tipi Walter swears by the Hillebergs, and he's a real winter camper.

Highly reccommend the Tarptent... You might be able to get one of their Cloud burst models too...

My wife and I use a Tarptent Rainshadow 2. There's plenty of room for the 2 of us plus extra room for gear, or in our case a dog. While we support the front of it with our hiking poles Tarptent does sell a pole for dedicated use in that position. It's not freestanding, in the traditional sense, but we've always been able to find logs or rocks to attach the lines to so that it stands up.

We've weathered several big storms in it and kept perfectly dry. We used it last weekend and did have some frost on the inside of the roof as condensation froze over night. It only seems to geet condensation on nights when there's absolutely no breeeze. Just the slightest breeze and the moisture is carried out the large front doors. Plus there's plenty of ventilation to keep the tent cool in the dead of summer.

Your dissmissal of tarptents defies physics. The "mesh" tents like the Hubba and Seedhouse get condensation as easily as a tarptent, so all you are gaining is extra weight to carry. If you are suggesting a true double wall tent for use in the southern appalachians in the summer, then I don't think you've ever tried one on a eighty degree night. Of course, I use a hammock, ESPECIALLY when it is warm.

Those tents' rainflies do get condensation in the right conditions, perhaps even moreso than the tarptents, but the mesh inner tent does prevent accidental contact with it, and it also catches most droplets that fall. Mesh isn't waterproof, but I've seen it hold many drops of water without getting me wet inside the tent. For total protection from dew, it would be ideal to have DWR nylon on the top portion of the inner tent, but mesh does work. That said, Tarptents have some definite advantages to these double wall tents. For one, the Tarptents are actually designed to promote ventilation and air circulation, so they simply won't accumulate as much condensation, and in hot muggy conditions, the Tarptents will be somewhat cooler than a double wall tent where the rainfly goes almost down to the ground.

Your dissmissal of tarptents defies physics. The "mesh" tents like the Hubba and Seedhouse get condensation as easily as a tarptent, so all you are gaining is extra weight to carry. If you are suggesting a true double wall tent for use in the southern appalachians in the summer, then I don't think you've ever tried one on a eighty degree night. Of course, I use a hammock, ESPECIALLY when it is warm.

I've never had any condensation or weather problem with my Hubba...haven't seen a tarptent yet that didn't have problems. I rarely carry a tent, usually use a 10'x10' tarp...still no condensation or weather problems. Most people that I met on the PCT that loved their tarptents also spent a large portion of their camping time attempting to keep it taut and functioning.:-? The rest sent them home and used something easier to work with.
Warm and humid weather is not a problem with a double wall tent...venting a single wall well enough for it not to have problems is a problem in itself.

geek

I've never had any condensation or weather problem with my Hubba...haven't seen a tarptent yet that didn't have problems. I rarely carry a tent, usually use a 10'x10' tarp...still no condensation or weather problems. Most people that I met on the PCT that loved their tarptents also spent a large portion of their camping time attempting to keep it taut and functioning.:-? The rest sent them home and used something easier to work with.
Warm and humid weather is not a problem with a double wall tent...venting a single wall well enough for it not to have problems is a problem in itself.

geekDon't have condensation problems, problems keeping it taut, or any other problems with my Tarptent. It's a Rainbow model.

Have you ever actually used one? I think it's great when people have valid criticisms to make based on experience.

If you are suggesting a true double wall tent for use in the southern appalachians in the summer, then I don't think you've ever tried one on a eighty degree night. Of course, I use a hammock, ESPECIALLY when it is warm.

I dare say geek has the experience to back up his claims. And you? :-?