Help choosing between the Double Rainbow or Rainshadow 2

[snaplok]

Ok I've gotten my Big 4 weight down to 9.5lbs with a Golite Jam2, Thermarest Prolite 4, Montbell UL SS #3, and a Eureka Zeus 3. Unfortunately the tent is my biggest weight hog at just under 5lbs and that's with replacing the original stakes with gutter nails, cutting off the labels etc. It's also really big for 2 people, though I do need a 3 person one now and again.

Now I need help in choosing a new tent and have, kinda, narrowed it down to a Tarptent. I've heard more good reviews about both, though I've also heard of production problems like bad stitching or holes in netting with the Double Rainbow which I figure is rare.

So does anyone one out there have experience with either the Double Rainbow or the Rainshadow 2? What are the pros and cons?

[droptopbenz]

try a hennessy hammock! the ultralight backpackpacker a-sym is 1lb.15oz and is on sale for $150ish! http://www.hennessyhammock.com/catalogue.html

[skinewmexico]

I like my DR, and I chose it because it is a side entry. The only way to get 3 people in it is if you stack them. I wouldn't worry about production problems, because Henry stands behind his products and will replace anything defective without hesitation.

[GeneralLee10]

Just the HH hammock weighs 1lb 15oz not including the Tarp you will need. You do the math, if you were to buy one of there tarps the bigger one weighs close to 1lb 15oz too. Now I know there is other tarps out there you can buy that weigh less but the cost is more. The HH combo is a waste of money if you ask me I did it.

[snaplok]

Just the HH hammock weighs 1lb 15oz not including the Tarp you will need. You do the math, if you were to buy one of there tarps the bigger one weighs close to 1lb 15oz too. Now I know there is other tarps out there you can buy that weigh less but the cost is more. The HH combo is a waste of money if you ask me I did it.

Besides the fact that I seriously doubt I can fit another person in there with me, I have to agree with you. :D

[Grinder]

not to muddy the waters, but there is the light heart two person tent, It was supposed to be available this summer.
http://lightheartgear.com/lighthearttent2.html

I can't fine weight or price, but I saw the one person in April and it's a beaut.

[skinewmexico]

Classic Whiteblaze. Someone asks a question about a specific tent, the the first answer is "get a hammock".

[droptopbenz]

Classic Whiteblaze. Someone asks a question about a specific tent, the the first answer is "get a hammock". he's trying to "lighten up"! you should try it too!:D

[snaplok]

Classic Whiteblaze. Someone asks a question about a specific tent, the the first answer is "get a hammock".

Can't blame them for trying. :)

I am looking for a tent though as I'm not a hammock kinda guy. And btw, thanks for the input. I'm leaning more and more towards the Double Rainbow, unless someone out there has any other suggestions as to why I wouldn't want one.

[snaplok]

he's trying to "lighten up"! you should try it too!:D

I am trying to lighten up, just with a girlfriend in tow. I said hammock, she said no.

Hey, that rhymes! :banana

[humunuku]

I've had a DR for 3 years now and still think it a great tent - wouldn't trade for any other tent - tons of set-up options and roomy (i'm 6'3" so roomy is good). The only production problem i've heard of were back about 3 years ago, and that was due to an issue with the sil-nylon, not bad construction), H. Shires completely stood behind his product made a after market fix... There are no issues that i know with in any DR since. Get one, you won't be disappointed

[bigcranky]

We owned the first Rainshadow, when we hiked with our teenage daughter. Now we own the Double Rainbow, and also the Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo.

Rainshadow: plenty of space for three people, a veritable palace for two with gear. Most of the headroom is in the center near the pole, but two people can sit up inside. One door. Good vestibule. The new design puts the door in the middle between the two hiking poles -- this provides much easier access than our old model.

Double Rainbow: a little tight for two people and gear, good vestibules, two doors on the long sides for great views, ventilation, and ease of access. The long sides slope inward, reducing headroom. After several tries using this with my wife, I now use it as a great solo tent. The easiest to pitch quickly. Good stability in wind using hiking poles as extra support on the long sides.

Lunar Duo: IMHO the best of the bunch for headroom and general space. Two doors on the long sides, vertical side walls, huge vestibules. Four people can sit up inside. Plenty of room for me to put gear at my head and my feet (as a tall person with a long bag.) Good vestibule/door design. So far it's been a little finicky to pitch, but that may get easier with more experience.

These are all well-made shelters.

[snaplok]

We owned the first Rainshadow, when we hiked with our teenage daughter. Now we own the Double Rainbow, and also the Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo.

Rainshadow: plenty of space for three people, a veritable palace for two with gear. Most of the headroom is in the center near the pole, but two people can sit up inside. One door. Good vestibule. The new design puts the door in the middle between the two hiking poles -- this provides much easier access than our old model.

Double Rainbow: a little tight for two people and gear, good vestibules, two doors on the long sides for great views, ventilation, and ease of access. The long sides slope inward, reducing headroom. After several tries using this with my wife, I now use it as a great solo tent. The easiest to pitch quickly. Good stability in wind using hiking poles as extra support on the long sides.

Lunar Duo: IMHO the best of the bunch for headroom and general space. Two doors on the long sides, vertical side walls, huge vestibules. Four people can sit up inside. Plenty of room for me to put gear at my head and my feet (as a tall person with a long bag.) Good vestibule/door design. So far it's been a little finicky to pitch, but that may get easier with more experience.

These are all well-made shelters.


Thanks and now a 3rd tent to the mix. Don't know anything about the Lunar Duo, so any thoughts on that one?

[bigcranky]

There's a recent thread:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=49872

[skinewmexico]

If I was in my DR with 2 people, I'd want the other person to be my girlfriend. But the additional room of the Lunar Duo is pretty well documented, although some say it is affected more by the wind. My Lunar Solo is a well built, well thought out tent.

[Tagless]

My wife and I started with a Double Rainbow, but upgraded before our AT thru hike to the Rainshadow 2. The Rainshadow provided plenty of room for both of us and our gear, especially nice during rainy nights. We slept in it for well over 140 nights and it never failed us.

Both are great tents, but for just a few additional ounces, the Rainshadow makes a roomy shelter which is exceptionally comfortable for two people. The larger area makes for excellent ventilation (i.e. less condensation issues).

[slowandlow]

If you prefer side-entry get the DR, If you prefer end-entry get the Rainshadow. Both are fine shelters.
If you get the DR be sure that you seam seal thoroughly and test afterward with a hose or garden sprinkler as it has lots of nooks and crannies where water can get in. Better to find out you missed a spot in your back yard vs. on the trail in a storm.

[garlic08]

I've had three other Tarptent products, unfortunately neither of the two you're considering, and can verify the overall excellent quality and customer service. You won't go wrong with a Henry Shires product, I think. I've got over 5000 trail miles on my Contrail and it looks ready for 5000 more.

[thecaptain]

My vote is Rainshadow 2..... I have one and it is great

[LIhikers]

My wife and I use a Rainshadow 2 and like it a lot. We originally got it so our dog, a large shephard, would fit in our tent with us. There's that much room. For 2 people it's a palace. The workmanship is great and it's never failed to keep out the bugs and weather. We've used it in cold weather and hot and it works well. I'd buy another one in a heart beat if I were in the market for a tent.

[snaplok]

My wife and I use a Rainshadow 2 and like it a lot. We originally got it so our dog, a large shephard, would fit in our tent with us. There's that much room. For 2 people it's a palace. The workmanship is great and it's never failed to keep out the bugs and weather. We've used it in cold weather and hot and it works well. I'd buy another one in a heart beat if I were in the market for a tent.

Ok so now I've taken the Double Rainbow out of the mix and added the Luna Duo.

So now it's a toss between the Rainshadow 2 and the Luna Duo.

[Rocket Jones]

I just got home from work to find my new Double Rainbow had arrived. Didn't even change clothes before setting it up in the yard. Took maybe 5 minutes without reading the instructions. The tent is huge for a single person, which is how I'll mostly be using it. Plenty of room for me, my gear, a dog.

For two? I dunno, need to lay out pads and bags, but I think it would work well.

[bigcranky]

So now it's a toss between the Rainshadow 2 and the Luna Duo.

Right, and they are about the same weight, so that doesn't help. The Rainshadow has more interior floor space for gear, but my feeling is that the Lunar Duo has more usable interior volume (and plenty of vestibule space for the gear.) By usable volume I mean space to sit up and do stuff. The Rainshadow is easier to set up in my experience, and it provides a huge covered area out of the rain (hence the name, I suppose.) Also, if you do need to take a third person or a large dog, the Rainshadow will do that; the LD won't, not easily anyway.

Tough choice. I have owned and used both tents, and like them a lot.

[skinewmexico]

It all comes down to - do you want a front entry, or side?

[bigcranky]

It all comes down to - do you want a front entry, or side?

Right, and two doors or one? The Lunar Duo offers some great views out both doors with the vestibules open. I like being able to lie down and look outside -- which was tough to do in our Rainshadow. (I also like that feature in the Double Rainbow.)

[snaplok]

Thanks to both of you for the input. :) Saving a ton of trial and error purchasing.

Looking at the designs and space of both, and trying to convince my girlfriend too, which would also have a good usable space to carefully cook in a downpour? I know the DR can be configured to have a porch, can the same be set up for the Rainshadow 2 or the Luna Duo?

[bigcranky]

Yes, but not quite the same. The Lunar Duo vestibule/door can be zipped up or down or any position in between. If the rain is coming straight down, then both doors can be about halfway and provide excellent protection. If it's raining sideways, then close one side completely, and open the other halfway or more to cook. (I'll leave it to you to decide which side is which....)

This photo shows our new LD. Dragonfly is sitting in the open door on one side. The silnylon vestibule/door is split with a zipper, so the vestibule can be both sides up, both sides down, one up/one down, or either/both sides in any intermediate position along the guy line. (In this post, when I say "door," this is what I mean, not the interior mesh door.)

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/2/6/6/20090906hike0385_web_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36381&c=member&imageuser=266)

Both sides of the tent are identical, so you have all these choices on both long sides. In this photo, note where the zipper is at the top of the door/vestibule. You can't really see it here, but that overhang is providing almost a foot of coverage over the interior wall. By sliding the zipper down a few more inches, it will provide even more covered space for cooking. (The interior side mesh walls on the LD are vertical, which means the door/vestibules provide better coverage and there is more interior room.)

What I like about the Lunar Duo is this: while I was cooking our breakfast that morning, sitting just inside the tent with the stove outside, Dragonfly was able to sit up, move around, pack gear, get dressed, and pretty much have the full run of the tent. In the front opening tents we have used (Rainshadow and Squall), there really wasn't enough interior volume for that. Even the Double Rainbow was kinda tight. (But I love it as a solo shelter, Henry.)

With our original Rainshadow, with three people, cooking in the rain was not an option. There were three packs in the vestibule, and three bodies in the tent, and if I were sitting in the doorway, they would have to lie down the whole time. So we carried a 5x8 silnylon tarp and rigged it over the door as an awning. That provided a ton of space for gear, hanging out, cooking, packing, whatever. It was also dual use as a rain awning when we stopped for lunch or breaks on the trail. I can dig up a photo if you want. (I have some photos of the Rainshadow in my gallery, but I hesitate to link them here b/c it's the old model. The new one has a lot more headroom and volume.)

I'm trying very hard to avoid recommending a specific tent. I like both companies, and they both make great products. Each tent has specific advantages over the other, and every hiker has different needs. I happen to prefer two doors on the sides for the views and the airflow, but that's a personal choice and I don't want to project it on anyone else.

[snaplok]

Yes, but not quite the same. The Lunar Duo vestibule/door can be zipped up or down or any position in between. If the rain is coming straight down, then both doors can be about halfway and provide excellent protection. If it's raining sideways, then close one side completely, and open the other halfway or more to cook. (I'll leave it to you to decide which side is which....)

This photo shows our new LD. Dragonfly is sitting in the open door on one side. The silnylon vestibule/door is split with a zipper, so the vestibule can be both sides up, both sides down, one up/one down, or either/both sides in any intermediate position along the guy line. (In this post, when I say "door," this is what I mean, not the interior mesh door.)

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/2/6/6/20090906hike0385_web_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36381&c=member&imageuser=266)

Both sides of the tent are identical, so you have all these choices on both long sides. In this photo, note where the zipper is at the top of the door/vestibule. You can't really see it here, but that overhang is providing almost a foot of coverage over the interior wall. By sliding the zipper down a few more inches, it will provide even more covered space for cooking. (The interior side mesh walls on the LD are vertical, which means the door/vestibules provide better coverage and there is more interior room.)

What I like about the Lunar Duo is this: while I was cooking our breakfast that morning, sitting just inside the tent with the stove outside, Dragonfly was able to sit up, move around, pack gear, get dressed, and pretty much have the full run of the tent. In the front opening tents we have used (Rainshadow and Squall), there really wasn't enough interior volume for that. Even the Double Rainbow was kinda tight. (But I love it as a solo shelter, Henry.)

With our original Rainshadow, with three people, cooking in the rain was not an option. There were three packs in the vestibule, and three bodies in the tent, and if I were sitting in the doorway, they would have to lie down the whole time. So we carried a 5x8 silnylon tarp and rigged it over the door as an awning. That provided a ton of space for gear, hanging out, cooking, packing, whatever. It was also dual use as a rain awning when we stopped for lunch or breaks on the trail. I can dig up a photo if you want. (I have some photos of the Rainshadow in my gallery, but I hesitate to link them here b/c it's the old model. The new one has a lot more headroom and volume.)

I'm trying very hard to avoid recommending a specific tent. I like both companies, and they both make great products. Each tent has specific advantages over the other, and every hiker has different needs. I happen to prefer two doors on the sides for the views and the airflow, but that's a personal choice and I don't want to project it on anyone else.

Thanks Big Cranky for taking the time to give honest and thorough descriptions and opinions, especially with the disclamer about avoiding recommending a specific tent. :D It's all about different strokes.

Going to be making a call next week to SMD for the Luna Pro as it seems perfect for what I need it for.

[Just Plain Pete]

The Light Heart tent looks similar to the old Wanderlust. I have had a Wanderlust for about 6 years, and can testify that its size and light weight are super. If the Light Heart comes close, it may be the one to buy.

[paintplongo]

If you're sleeping one person, the single, but if you have two, you HAVE to get the double, the single is just too narrow.