Looking for a 2 person tent...REI? Tarptent?

[MEHikerFamily]

I am requesting some of the wisdom of the board. I am looking to purchase a 2 person three-season tent for an adult and a nine year old. We are familiar with REI's Quarter Dome 3 and are happy with it so far. So naturally we are considering the Quarter Dome 2. I am fairly new to the backpacking world and do not know much more about tents other than my QD3.

But upon reading past posts it seems the Tarptents are often recommended. I was checking out their website but it's a bit harder to get a "feel" for the tent when not seeing it in person.

I am wondering if anyone who is familiar with these tents could give a short list of the pro's and con's of the QD2 versus a tarptent (The Double Rainbow seems to be in my price range)?

I suppose I would be looking for the usual qualities in a tent: lightweight, low volume, ease of setup, durability, good in rain... and am looking to spend $300 or less (although I'd shell out a few extra bucks if it was *really* worth it).

I became more interested in the Tarptents as they look extremely easy to set up and would not cause much issue if I had to set up in rain.

As a note I usually do not hike with trekking poles.

Thank you.

[hubcap]

TarpTent's are very popular, and for good reason. You'll not go wrong with that option.
REI's QD series are and excellent choice as well.
Both tents are easy to set up, durable, great in tough weather (with seam sealing).
Pro:
The DoubleRainbow is a lighter option by about 1/2lb.
QD2 is a double walled tent

[Gambit McCrae]

Choose Tarptent. Its is a durable, singular owner that cares about his customers and takes care of them.

[soumodeler]

100% TarpTent. While I do think REI makes great gear for most uses, a TarpTent is the way to go if you are going to be serious about backpacking. I have a REI Passage 2 and I am pretty sure it hasn't been taken out of the bag since I got my TT Notch...

[bigcranky]

I like Tarptents and have owned quite a few over the years. The Double Rainbow is a well-made tent, but the main walls slope in at a fairly steep angle, reducing interior room more than we liked. We traded it for a Six Moons Designs Lunar Duo.

Some links:

http://hikeitlikeit.com/2011/tale-of-three-duos/ (note the photo feature where you can click the thumbnails and see comparison views of each tent)

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/7052/

[DuneElliot]

I would also +1 on taking a look at the Six Moons Lunar Duo. I have the solo and really love the quality.

[soumodeler]

I like Tarptents and have owned quite a few over the years. The Double Rainbow is a well-made tent, but the main walls slope in at a fairly steep angle, reducing interior room more than we liked. We traded it for a Six Moons Designs Lunar Duo.

Didn't TT recently redesign some of their tents to fix this issue? Franco from TT might chime in and clarify.

[colorado_rob]

Soooooo many excellent choices. We live in a Golden Age of gear, IMHO.

Have you looked at Big Agnes? I keep wanting to check one of the Scout models out. Here's one on sale, the Scout Plus:

http://www.backcountry.com/big-agnes...t-bag000z?rr=t

And here's a review:

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Ultral...Scout-Plus-UL2

I've been a long-time BA fan, having used them for a lot of years, recently switched to the zpacks cuben Hexamid, but pricey. Never tried a Tarptent tent, sure get some good reviews here on WB. Choice, choices.

[Venchka]

StratoSpire 2. Palatial for 2. Dry shelter for a small herd. The most volume under cover per pound out there.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[HooKooDooKu]

Have you looked at Big Agnes? I keep wanting to check one of the Scout models out.

The BA Scout tents require trekking poles which the OP says he doesn't usually hike with.

[Hosh]

TT will sell separate poles for the Stratospire II, as it also requires trekking poles. You lose some of the weight advantages assuming you consider the trekking poles as redundant/multi use. I've owned a Rainbow, SS II, and BA Scout UL 2. Any of the single wall or minimal double wall tents will end up with some condensation issues. If you toss and turn the TT slick floors will slide you to the low spot. I also found the SS II awkward to set up on standard tent pads/site, especially in some of the older areas, RMNP for instance. It's unique geometry makes for great space utilization and takes a little practice to get everything aligned. Since it's not free standing, final adjustments take a little longer.

I too am a big BA fan, CS UL4 & UL3, not the lightest but well designed and good quality. We sat out a wind driven hail storm, size of marbles, at 10000' for a couple of hours. The ten was on a marked site in RMNP that flooded 3 inches deep. No tears, bent poles nor interior leaking, it took a pretty good beating.

REI QD are an excellent value, can catch on sale and/or 20% member's cooupin coming up. The TT Double Moment is worth a look. Another consideration is longer term. As your son grows a 3 person might be a better option especially if you or he move around a lot when you sleep and/or need to sit out bad weather.

[Franco]

MEHiker,
Slightly unfair comparison because the REI is a full double wall tent whilst the DR is an hybrid (fly with mesh doors and floor atached to it) so weight and packed size is in favour of the TT but that is why it is our best selling shelter.
For most people it looks and performs like a two wall tent but sets up dry inside (as you noted) packs to 18"x4" (versus 20"x7" fro the QD2) and is 43oz all up vs the 57 of the QD2.
The walls do slope inward so not ideal top have two facing the same way sitting up but unless both are over 6' the two can sit up and face each other.
The floor is rectangular so it is easy to sleep foot and tail whilst the QD2 works better if both sleep with the head at the same end.
The SS2 is a great design but more weight efficient if using trekking poles and can be tricky for some to set up.
The Double Moment has more shoulder and head room (2x 6'5" people will fit with spare space) but heavier and more expensive.

[Flounder940]

Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo Outfitter. $169, 3.5 pounds.

[MEHikerFamily]

Thank you everyone, I will need a lot of time to go over these responses and research the tents. I much appreciate all the replies and help.

[nsherry61]

I think most of the tent suggestions above would probably be lovely tents for your use. I think you should buy whichever one is the best color.

[HooKooDooKu]

As you look at online specifications for tents... check, cross check, and recheck. I keep finding specifications that are anywhere from misleading to flat out wrong.

Because many tents now sport a trapezoid foot print, some retailers just always us the words "Max Width" when specifying dimensions regardless if the tent has a trapezoid or rectangle foot print. You've GOT to find some image or specification somewhere that lets you know the shape of the footprint to know what you're getting.

All tent manufacturers seem to specif the width and length of their tents based on where the tent pole hit the ground... NOT the usable space inside the tent. Case in point, years ago I looked at a Mountain Hardware Drifter 3 that listed an inside width of 66 inches. That means I should have been able to use my large 25" wide pad and my two kid's 20" pads inside the tent and had an inch to spare. But the reality was that even trying to take advantage of pad mummy shapes, it was IMPOSSIBLE to get those three pads inside the tent.

Some places simply seem to get the details flat out wrong. Current case in point: Mountain Hardwear Shifter 2. If you look at Mtn Hardware web site, they don't specify a length of the tent, only floor space. Yet I found website after website that quoted the size of this tent at 83" x 54" with a floor space of 33 sqft. But 83" x 54" makes for only 31 sqft. (A little backwards math and comparisons to other tents would seem to suggest that the actual dimensions are 88" x 54", but somewhere someone misread a spec of 88 as 83... and the mistake has just been perpetuated everywhere).

Having said all that, I took a few minutes to check out what I could find at REI, Campsaver, and Backcountry. I pretended that I had about $300 to spend, and I needed to get a new tent for me and my son to use.
Hands down, the best thing I could come up with was the Big Agnes Ripple Creek UL2+

While I don't like the fact the tent has only one door (i.e. one vestibule), it has a weird footprint where the 2nd vestibule should be is instead inside tent space. A great spot to stow your gear (like cloths) inside the tent while still leaving a relatively large size rectangular footprint for the sleeping pads.
The tent spec says a packed weight of 3lb 10oz.
REI has the tent on sale for $300 (regularly $400)
Campsaver has the footprint on sale for $40 (regularly $80).

[Franco]

yes, numbers can be misleading particularly if one does not know what and where the measurements are taken , given that there are no fixed standards for that.
Visiting the product page on the TT site you will note that there are many photos for each tent (for example the one with the two 25" mats inside the Dr...) a detailed dimensions drawing as well as a 3D video clip showing from every angle you choose how the occupant/s fit inside the tent based on a 6' person on top of a std mat. (20x72x1.5)

[Time Zone]

I am requesting some of the wisdom of the board. I am looking to purchase a 2 person three-season tent for an adult and a nine year old. We are familiar with REI's Quarter Dome 3 and are happy with it so far. So naturally we are considering the Quarter Dome 2. I am fairly new to the backpacking world and do not know much more about tents other than my QD3.

But upon reading past posts it seems the Tarptents are often recommended. I was checking out their website but it's a bit harder to get a "feel" for the tent when not seeing it in person.

I am wondering if anyone who is familiar with these tents could give a short list of the pro's and con's of the QD2 versus a tarptent (The Double Rainbow seems to be in my price range)?

I suppose I would be looking for the usual qualities in a tent: lightweight, low volume, ease of setup, durability, good in rain... and am looking to spend $300 or less (although I'd shell out a few extra bucks if it was *really* worth it).

I became more interested in the Tarptents as they look extremely easy to set up and would not cause much issue if I had to set up in rain.

As a note I usually do not hike with trekking poles.

Thank you.

You're in Maine ... have you considered LL Bean's Microlight 2 tent? They have just redesigned their Microlight series to be even lighter, and jacked the price, but you can still find the 2015 model (sometimes on a big sale).
lightweight: 2016 model has min weight of 2 lbs 11 oz; 2015, 3 lbs 14 oz.
Low volume: both roll to 16.5" x 7", or 10.4L.
ease of setup: both are freestanding, standard mesh inner + rain fly. In theory you can set up fly first to get out of rain, and then set up inner, but I've never walked through that. It has just 1 articulated pole plus a cross member to pull out sides and give a bit more volume.
durability: simply put, the 2016 model shaves weight by using lighter materials (e.g., 15 denier fly vs. 30). So your choice - durability vs. weight. Bean has lifetime satisfaction guarantee, so that could give you peace of mind for choosing the lighter materials.
good in rain - well, fly is silicone coated on outside, PU on inside.
Price: 2015 model is currently $229 and bean has run a couple 20% off clearance sales already since Dec 25. The new lighter model is $349.

I have the 2015 model. I got it on sale, then 20% more off, then used a gift card ... got quite a deal.

As for a two person tent: it could be good for an adult + kid, or two adults who are both slim and not over 6' tall. Here's why: I think you can get 2 20x72 sleeping pads in there but no more. So only one 25x77, and not a 25x77 plus a 20x72. It's tapered too - narrower at foot than at head. And as someone noted, virtually all manufacturers and retailers quote dimensions based on pole-to-pole, not interior measurements. It has a big effect. I'm 73" tall, and my head and feet both touch on a tent with quoted length of 84"! With 90" (the Microlight), I have a 2-3 inches of clearance. The Microlight also does a pretty good job of getting the walls more vertical than a typical X-pole dome design, and that helps a lot with room by your head and feet.

If you're an ultralighter you can do better, but you'll pay more. The new model is more competitive weight-wise, but again, at a higher price and with lighter material. At the moment you have a choice there.

Whatever you buy, use at least polycryo for a footprint to protect the floor. It is surprisingly tough and super light. These ultralight tent fabrics feel incredibly flimsy to me, so I'm protecting mine.

[Venchka]

I think most of the tent suggestions above would probably be lovely tents for your use. I think you should buy whichever one is the best color.

TarpTent Drab is the only thing I wish I could change about the TarpTent line. Otherwise, there are too many good choices in the TarpTent inventory. Too many. I can't decide. Decision paralysis has set in.

Wayne

[garlic08]

Good stuff above, but one thing not considered yet is type of use. I'm a huge fan of Tarptent, but my style is to hike all day and then sleep. If I were going to hike a few miles, set up base camp, and stay there in possibly adverse weather with a nine year-old, I'd want a palace and would carry ten more pounds.