Pura Loco !
www.oasisofthetoucans.com
I have to say my Rainbow Tarptent-actually a Double Rainbow, has been a great tent for me. I've had several other tents, although none of those listed-although I did look at them all.
If pitched correctly, the Rainbow does a fantastic job keepin the weather out, and shedding snow too. It also has extra points where you can tie off into or use your trekking poles to hook into, to add extra stabilization in bad weather. The Double Rainbow comes with an optional inside fly that takes seconds to put up, needs to never be taken down, and helps considerably with condensation, misting, and adds a bit of insulation to the inside of your tent. Dual entry and spacious vestibules only add to its appeal for me. That is my go-to tent when I think the weather may be iffy. For good weather trips, I take my Contrail.
Water pours in the sides of a tent? Which tent is this? Never had it happen to me.
Tarp Bails: On my last trip(Nov 22 to Dec 6), I ran into 3 backpackers from Chattanooga who got caught in a mean snowstorm at 5,300 feet and one guy had a tarp with everything covered underneath in blown snow. See fotogs below. He later lowered it but then bailed before the second night, an even colder night at 7F.
The last fotog shows a typical winter windstorm and the effects of spindrift on a tent. Ergo, no tent should have unsealable mesh if you expect to keep blown snow out.
The best tent for bad weather? When I think of really bad conditions, I think of 60mph winter blizzards or summer thunderstorm windstorms at 5-6,000 feet on an open bald or mountaintop. Like with staying warm, security in such conditions requires weight: more poles, more stakes, more guylines, beefier shelter, double walled preferably. And enough living space to keep your sleeping bag dry and not touching any part of the tent. Most of the tents listed will touch the foot of a lofted down bag, including the highly vaunted Akto.
It's all about head and foot tent angles and if the fabric touches the sleeping bag. With any touching will come a wet bag. Very few tents have vertical head and foot ends, and Hilleberg has this problem too. In fact, in their Tent Handbook they recommend covering your sleeping bag with a rain jacket before you go to sleep. Why? Cuz their tents are too short and too angled.
Have never had that problem and have been out in some pretty windy/rainy weather.
As with any of the ultra-light shelters, it's best to set up in a relatively protected area, and with The One, place your tent so that the back wall is into the prevailing wind. The tent height can be adjusted so that three walls are right at ground level. It also contains extra guy loops so that it can be very securely pitched. The bottom edge of the vestibule will be within about 5 or 6 inches of the ground in this lowered position and plenty far enough away from the tent proper that you will stay dry. This space is needed to assure some ventilation, which is extremely important in single wall tents.I have had no problem with wind-driven rain entering the shelter.
Have never considered a single wall tent for the reasons listed numerous times above - tent wall touching a sleeping bag, or condensation problems....outside surfaces of things touching inside surfacing of things = a conduit for water....mesh tents (or any tent for that matter) with a properly designed rain fly should never have a fly that touches any part of the tent, much less anything inside it...have carried a Kelty Windfoil Breeze for years (don't even Google it, it's long gone) and it's the best tent I've ever seen...16 hours of wind-driven rain, no problems...all the condensation, if any, will be on the inside of the fly, and will never be a consideration....shake out the fly before packing and the 1/2 pound of condensation that flys off it is but a memory and doesn't have to be packed down the trail...a real full-coverage fly on a tent that is properly pitched (in a good location) will not allow water to splash in even by stong wind-driven rain...if your fly is not totally independent of your tent and your tent can't breathe freely to allow condensation to settle on your fly you'll eventually get wet...
We shout out "I exist!", and it stirs not the slightest sense of obligation from the universe...
Marmot Aura 2p, I have the Aeros 3p which is just the bigger version. The 2p is smaller but is just as bomb proff, the bug netting is excellent, super roomey due to 90 degree angle corners, It withstood golf ball size hail this summer in Yellow Stone for two nights. Super roomey, not the lightest but very weather proff,
Half of the people can be part right all of the time,Some of the people can be all right part of the time. But all the people can't be all right all the time
this would have to be my choice for severe winter.....
This question could best be answered by finding out where he wants to camp and for what part of the year. I've done a lot of research and field testng of "four season tents" and here's the problem: Generally speaking, with more weight comes more protection. There's a reason mountaineers look for bombproof tents like the North Face Mountain or the Mt Hardwear Trango, and you'd think they'd be overkill for the southeast. And they are very heavy. But if you're perched atop a 6,000 foot peak in a January blizzard, they start to make more sense. Throw into this mix the Hilleberg domes and tunnels. And several other makes and models.
Franco is the expert on TarpTents, I know they make a new four season thing with two outside wedge poles, something to consider. Me? I'd go for something with no open mesh and double walls and a lot of guylines. For me this means something in the 8lb range, if I'm lucky, but way beyond what the normal crowd would carry.
Have you considered the TT Moment? It's a newer design so would benefit from customer feedback since the Rainbow. It sells for $10 less, weighs 4.5 ozs less (though if you add the additional overarching pole needed to make it freestanding, it'd weight a few ounces more than the Rainbow). The Rainbow is a bit higher (3 inches) and has somewhat more floor space (18 sq ft for the Moment, "23-30" for the Rainbow). Both are pretty sharp looking.
This is mostly theoretical since the comments will be about design rather than practical use.
( but I do own a Rainbow and a mate had The One...)
Tipi of course is right about his comments on tent weight (providing we discuss well made tents...)
the more poles you have the lesser the risk. The converse is also true and at some point we need to decide what is an acceptable risk.
(any tent can be flattened, see the Everest Base Camp tent cemetery...)
Based on the way the OP question was asked I would also suggest the Moment. The reason is that it is more aerodynamically (read wind-resistant) designed than the Rainbow and The One.
Essentially the bigger the flat area to the wind you have the more likely it will behave like a sail.
The Moment has a lot of features built in that to help overcome some of the weak points of lightweight shelters.
Easy to set up (2 pegs only but you can use more if required)
Full bathtub floor that can be lifted on the side to deflect wind ingress.
Fully covered supported vestibule that offers a somewhat protected entry. You can also slide up the vestibule to increase ventilation.
Bottom end vents that can also be closed up.
With the optional pole it becomes freestanding and will offer some snow support.
See this pic of the Moment under 10" of snow.
Franco
(some of those comments are based on users feedback in other forums. Note that many do not post here due to the rather common ad hominem attacks)
Wow- that is an awesome picture Franco! Where was this picture taken? (And to think, I was excited with the 7" I got last week...)
2010 AT NoBo Thru "attempt" (guess 1,700 miles didn't quite get me all the way through ;) )
Various adventures in Siberia 2016
Adventures past and present!
(and maybe 2018 PCT NoBo)
the real question is what were the conditions inside that like during that picture? nobody will know b/c you weren't in it. just set it up to take a picture of the outside
" It's what people know about themselves inside that makes 'em afraid." ~Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
and wyominglostandfound THAT is an awesome looking shelter. if i lived in a colder environment i'd definitely be scooping up one of your tipis
" It's what people know about themselves inside that makes 'em afraid." ~Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
That was from Henry's backyard.
This is what the inside looked like . Of course if he were inside he could have knocked some snow off the shelter.
Keep in mind that the OP was asking about The One vs the Rainbow , not about expedition/high mountain tents...
Franco
Is there a reason that I am NOT seeing any of the pics people are posting?
Computor problems- I can't always see photos, and I can never see what I post.
2010 AT NoBo Thru "attempt" (guess 1,700 miles didn't quite get me all the way through ;) )
Various adventures in Siberia 2016
Adventures past and present!
(and maybe 2018 PCT NoBo)
The photos I post, I mean.
2010 AT NoBo Thru "attempt" (guess 1,700 miles didn't quite get me all the way through ;) )
Various adventures in Siberia 2016
Adventures past and present!
(and maybe 2018 PCT NoBo)