Anyone have any experience with Tarptents?

M

msiley

Joined
Aug 19, 2006
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542
http://tarptent.com/products.html

Just wondering if anyone has tried the above.

Seem pretty light but also not cheap for basically a tarp for the
top and a tarp for the bottom.

Anyone find anything cheaper? I'm going to hike up Mt. Whitney
and want to go as light as possible.
 
I don't own one, but I assure you, if you check around on the various backpacking forums, the tarp tents on your link come very highly rated.
 
I have the Squall 2, swear by it. Have been in heavy, lengthy rain in Sierra's and Olympics. Not a mountaineering tent though. Sustained high winds would challenge it, particularly if swirling, or the campsite was such that you couldn't orient the low end of the tent into the wind. Happy to answer any other questions.
 
BushcraftBrainTrust said:
You could also go with a just a tarp. You could save some weight and some cash. The first link shows how to make a tarp into something like the product you are looking at. The second link show more options.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=624832
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aQ2H3XobXA&feature=channel_page
Click to expand...

I would use just a tarp, unfortunately that's not an option for my girlfriend.
she asked me if the tent would protect her against bears. :rolleyes:

Luckily, she owes me a birthday present so I'll be cashing that IOU in. :)
 
If you're going to hike Mt Whitney, you will have to go through Lone Pine (at the foot of Mt Whitney). There is a hiking/climbing/camping store there named Elevation, which is owned by a friend of mine. She's a top rated climber and very knowledgeable about the area and what you'll need for the climb, and what tent would be best for that climb.

The URL for the store is http://www.sierraelevation.com/ or you can email her at kastlelund@earthlink.net and simply ask her what she recommends.

She's very friendly and helpful. Tell her I said hi!
 
I have an older one that is a large single. I have the bug net and sewn-in floor. I have had it in severe wind on the Channel Islands, in serious mountain rain, and even a surprise Sierra snowstorm (about 4" is the maximum snowload before you have to clear it off). I have been quite pleased with the Tarptent, especially considering the light weight. However, when I am rafting/canoeing in Alaska I bring a much larger four-person, four-season tent. You wouldn't want to be pinned down by bad weather for any substantial period in a solo Tarptent!

DancesWithKnives
 
It's not any cheaper, but you might look at the Six Moons Lunar Duo. I really like the design and it gets great reviews. I had pretty much decided on a Tarptent as my next tent until I found the Lunar Duo.
 
I have the 3 person one, I think it's the Rainshadow. It's very light, roomy for two and handles rain well. I've only had it out a few times so I can't give you a complete review.

Tarptents are well regarded on backpacking lists and sites.
 
I have the Rainbow with a floor. Excellent product with top notch customer service. They seam sealed it for me at no charge and had it at my door in under 2 weeks. Henry Shires (owner/founder) is a great guy that takes care of his customers. If (by some freak of nature) you have a problem with your TarpTent, you will have your new one probably before Henry gets the old one.

Take a look at the Double Rainbow or the Scarp 2, both are pretty versatile (especially the Scarp 2).
 
Yipes! Those are steep! I just use a tarp tarp. All you need is a tarp and some rope. Just string the rope between two trees, drape the tarp over and peg it down- et voila! There's your tent. Not so great if it rains hard though. Then you need another tarp for the floor.
 
I have not used those but I have used a lot of similar shelters.

I like that those(some) have netting.

The main thing you want to keep in mind with these is #1 there will be condensation on the inside and #2 is the tent the right shape for you and your hiking partner to be able to sleep and get in and out without getting into the walls and getting wet?

I have an REI Gimme Shelter Tarp Tent (thanks Joezilla for turning me onto these) and I like it. It does not have the bug netting which is ok but once in my sleep I rolled over and my arm went outside and at some point something small and furry ran over my arm. That woke me up;)

But then I thought I would "upgrade" to an Outdoor Research Night Haven, which had more square footage, AND a strip of screen around the bottom.

The problem was the Night Haven was pitched so low that it was nearly impossible for 2 people sleeping in it not to roll into the very wet ceiling.
Even worse only 1 side of the front of the tent opened, meaning if you needed to go out and take a leak you had to go around the trail pole, over your partner and out the door which almost guaranteed you'd get wet:rolleyes:

So if you get one pay attention to not only the square footage but how tall the walls are.:thumbup:
 
Id like to know how you like it if you get one. Ive been considering the contrail and the rainbow.
 
One thing that surprised me is that even with only netting all around the base, my Tarptent is appreciably warmer than outside air temps. Because of the 360 degree ventilation, I didn't think there would be any significant thermal benefit.

I have experienced condensation only part of the time. I think the fact that I am using a solo model and often camping in dry climates may account for my good luck.

DancesWithKnives
 
msiley said:
I would use just a tarp, unfortunately that's not an option for my girlfriend.
she asked me if the tent would protect her against bears. :rolleyes:

Luckily, she owes me a birthday present so I'll be cashing that IOU in. :)
Click to expand...

There is'nt a tent made that will 'protect you from a bear':rolleyes: if a bear wants in it does not always use the front door. Please discuss these fears your girlfriend has before selecting a tent. A tent purchased based on those fears is called a motorhome:D What you need to ask her is what tent is going to be more comfortable to sleep in, because, essentially that is what one does in a tent at the end of a slog. Most times I can't wait to get OUT of the tent, which is why I am wherever the tent is setup in the first place.

Secondly, the TarpTents ARE a quality product, and NOT over priced for what you get. If you think they are then buy something else. I have had great success with the one's I've owned, 4 different models; and even after loaning them out have never had a failure returned to me in 8 years.:thumbup:
 
I used a nylon ripstop 11' x 11' tarp for years when I backpacked. I made it myself. It was hideous - two strips of orange - one of green. But it worked great. On a Sierra club trip along the Selway river in Idaho we got hit by a nasty thunderstorm and half of the camp ended up under my tarp while their tents floated on the wind down the river. I hiked half of the Appalachian trail using the tarp and my bamboo walking stick as a tent pole. Of course now I would use a tent to keep the tiger mosquitoes at bay, but a tarp is lightweight and can be strung up in many configurations. I used mine one night as a barrier against thirty mile per hour winds. Alas my tarp has gone missing and the replacements I bought for it look very frail in comparison.
 
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