Cloudburst 2 or Rainbow 2?

[Sassafras Lass]

So my husband and I find ourselves stuck between these 2 designs. This tent is for our GA-ME thru next March.

We don't need a ton of room and like the idea of leaving a smaller footprint.

On the other hand, the maximum amount of ventilation sounds great, as does the ability to use it freestanding.

I suppose we could always buy one, try it, return it, and buy the other to try, but it seems like a lot of fuss and hassle and I hate returning products I've used, so we're hoping to not go that route.

Thoughts, comments, experiences? I welcome good and bad :)

[Two Tents]

The double rainbow has better ventilation in good weather and gives you a door on each side. For what you stated you want, this one fits the bill.

[The_Saint]

I started with a cloudburst 2 and switched to the rainbow. Freestanding is a nice feature to have. Plus, having two doors is extremely nice in the middle of the night for your wife.

[tuswm]

I have the rainbow 2. Even dirty with all guy lines and foot print and extra stuff sack to split the weight up its still under 2 lbs.

Its easier to pack if you take out the top cross pole as well.

I recently had it on a real windy ridge in Zion and it held up better in the wind then some big name 2 pole dome tents. We did have dust blowing in the mesh but we just put some rocks and leaves there and solves that problem.

The bathtub works great

Goes up easy free standing or non free standing

My GF and I are both 5'8" and we can sleep in there with both our packs at our feet or even packs at head and feet.

I do like the duel vestibules, last drizzly trip we invited another couple over and the two guys cooked out of both vestibules with hiking poles holing them up like tarps.
http://tarptent.com/photos/ttdoublerainbow3.jpg
set up like this there is room for 4 people sitting Indian style cooking on 2 stoves with 4 sets of boots and 2 backpacks in the vestibules. We did put out sleeping bags in the other tent to save room and not spill food on them.

I have been several places where we wanted to set up for awesome views that we could not have done if the tent was not free standing.

I was with a group in canyon lands UT and we got lost and lost 2 hours in the winter. We found the trail but followed it up to the top of a ridge where we lost it. It was so dark and not safe going back down so we set up camp on a ridge not much wider thent he tents. This was on solid rock, no sand. We also had wold cats chasing the mice that were chasing our food. That was the night that I was glad I had a free standing then and didn't go with another 2 person TT to save a few onces.

I'm sure either tent will be fine, sorry for the ramble.

[Sassafras Lass]

No, not at all, tuswm, I love hearing real-life stories about gear and how it's used. We're only focused on our AT thru-hike, but I've never been west of Minnesota and I wouldn't say no to hiking there - or even going back to Europe and hiking there as well.

It sounds as if the Double Rainbow is a lot more versatile, am I right?

[tuswm]

I have never seen cloudburst in person, and I have only hiked the AT from the south end of SNP in VA to boiling springs PA. I have done most of my hiking out west were its much drier and rains less. But twice now I have been on the AT and got to a shelter where boy scouts were and we decided to set up on tent pads, you know the ones with the small Grey gravel? Well it was hard enough that driving steaks in to it was getting to the point I was worried about breaking the steaks, they were just not going in to I just set it up free standing.

I should also say there are two trade off that I have noticed with this tent. 1 when you lay down the sloping walls are not that far from your face. This doesn't bother me in the least but it might if you are claustrophobic. The cloud burst looks to have much more room over your head when you are laying down. But it looks like in that tent you would have to scoot your but to where your head is to sit up. My solo tent is like that and honestly I dint care either way. I think the side entry is slightly easier to get in and out of but when you are camping if the other person gets up to pee they will wake you up. #2 The top of the tent and the head and foot end doesn't go down to the ground, about 6" It looks like rain could get in if its wind. I have not had that problem but I have 2 ways of dealing with it. stuff things around the outside of the tent, or lay your packs at both ends as extra splash guards. While I have never gotten wet I have never had this tent out in a rain storm, just ended up in shelter. Other people say its never a problem but I cant comment on this.

oh yea and one night my girlfriends girlfriend forgot he poles to her tent and we did squeeze 3 in the DR with the bathtub down. The sleeping pads overlapped a few inches but it was all good.

[bigcranky]

We had a Double Rainbow, and I've been inside a Cloudburst. I prefer the double doors, excellent ventilation, etc., of the DR. However, we didn't like the inward sloping long walls, as we felt they cut down too much interior room. Made a great solo shelter, though. For couples hikes we got a Lunar Duo from Six Moons Designs. All of these shelters are about 2.5 pounds, well made, and very cleverly designed.

[skinewmexico]

I like my DR, but the Lunar Duo is a lot roomier. And I've never used the freestanding feature on the DR, except to seam seal it. Set your trekking poles up inside the DR though, and it is rock solid in big wind.

[Sassafras Lass]

SkinNewMexico ~ it's my understanding that there are several places along the AT, I suppose most often in state parks, where you are required to use pre-approved tent platforms and such in which your stakes wouldn't penetrate. Or am I misinformed?

Plus, this is not my last hurrah, and would hope to get back to Europe to do some hiking and go out west, where it's exceptionally rocky and not condusive to staking.

What do you think? And do you all feel that the Six Moons design is superior to the TarpTent design?

[tuswm]

They are all trade off. I have seen the SMD and its also a nice tent. I made my choice because I wanted a free standing tent that was good in the wind. I would not say my tent is better then either the cloud burst or the SMD its just different.

I love talking gear but I have a hard time saying one piece is better then another. I am surprised the lite or light heart two person tent has not been mentioned.

[bigcranky]

it's my understanding that there are several places along the AT, I suppose most often in state parks, where you are required to use pre-approved tent platforms and such in which your stakes wouldn't penetrate. Or am I misinformed?

There aren't all that many "free standing" tents that can be pitched without any stakes at all. Every one I can think of offhand requires stakes for the vestibule(s), including the Double Rainbow.

There are a couple of places that have tent platforms, sure. Some creative work with guylines, and maybe some little eyelet screws, will work just fine. Same with Out West, just bring some extra guylines and be creative.

[skinewmexico]

What Big Cranky said. I'd probably run some loops from the corners off the platform, into the ground. You still have to stake out the vestibule on every tent that has one.

[Franco]

BTW, the new version of the Double Rainbow (next delivery) will have a much simplified "freestanding" mode.
Franco
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Tarptent%20Double%20Rainbow/NewDR4.jpg