tarptent Comparison videos

[Franco]

Hi,
Henry Shires at TT has just uploaded two new video clips .
One has the Moment DW, the StratoSpire 1 and the Notch the other the Double Rainbow ,StratoSpire2 and Double Moment.
For reference, Henry is 5'10".
Should make it easier to work out the difference in size and features.
Very short and much better than my videos..
http://www.tarptent.com/ttvideos.html

BTW, per capita Australia is now TT number one in sales.
(in numbers of course we are a loooong way behind the US)
THANK YOU all .

[norts]

I just helped those figures, my Moment DW should be arriving any day
Roger

[Franco]

Thank you Roger.
A large percentage of our shelters are purchased by folk that have seen them in use but some are brave enough to buy them without personal experience so we try to show with photos,videos and floor plans how they look .
The, now in regular production, Double Moment should do well in Europe where they like that shape and this one is larger but not much heavier than most of the doubles from those EU brands.
(the design started with the Moment , just took a few years (5 !) to happen)
Particularly good for the tall ones .
BTW, with your Moment DW, take a good look at the sliding floor . Could come handy if you want to change the exit door or for cooking
(not that I suggest anyone should cook inside their tent....)

[Intrepid Hiker]

I was recently on the lookout for a lightweight, high quality tent. For a good few weeks I searched and read a lot of reviews until I was left with two choices, MSR Hubba Hubba NX and Tarptent shelters. I then narrowed it down to the Tarptent Double Moment. I received this tent a few days ago and all I can say is I am very happy with the choice I made, not much elaboration required everything is just as shown in the video above. Value for money indeed!
It suits me in every aspect, I don't like to be constricted in a one person tent. The Double Moment is very roomy, the dimensions are just right and weighs only 1.4kg, there's 'really not much to dislike.

[aden94]

Hi Intrepid hiker.
I am very much interested in this tent as well.
The video posted is the only one I found, and I did not find any review of it, but the specs seem perfect for what I need.

Franco, have you done a video or review of it yet?
I am just concerned about how much this tent perform in strong winds, as I could not find the info about guy points on Tarptent's website.
Cheers, have a nice day.
Loic

[Mark F]

The basic shape performs very well in wind especially if you orient an end into the wind. The shape is used by Hilleberg (Acko and the new Enan), Terra Nova Laser series and others. I have had an old model Laser Comp fully exposed to winds gusting around 100kph I did this on purpose to see what happened but wasn't expecting winds quite so strong. What I observed was that the ends need to be pulled fairly tight (this is pretty obvious) and the inverted Vs need to be well supported with either rods as in the DM (making it a 3 pole tunnel) or guying points mid way down the sides of the inverted V (newer model Lasers and the Enan). I have now added the mid V guying points and peg down points midway along the side panel hems as this also helped control the flapping when the edges of the V bowed under intense loads in my old tent.

The side guys on the centre pole need to be taut but do not over tighten.

[Franco]

Thanks guys and nice pitch Intrepid Hiker !!!
Note that Intrepid Hiker has the end vents closed but I am sure he will benefit from the large possible opening there during the warmer days.
The DM has a somewhat similar Pitch Lock corner (well end...) to the Scarps .
The benefit of that triangular set up (over other designs) is that you can put a lot of leverage on them and therefore fabric tension there.
Doing that gives the tent good wind resistance.
Not that I know in practice because I have not used one but that is the theory.
BTW good advice from Mark on the side guylines.
Always good to have just a bit of tension on those without deforming the poles or otherwise the shape of the tent.
So full tension at the ends not on the sides.

[Strider]

Interesting that Henry refers to the SS1 as TT's strongest shelter. Surely the Scarp must come a very close second?

[Franco]

I suspect that for most setting up a Scarp 1 nice and taut is easier or more obvious than doing an SS1 .

Properly pegged out , an SS1/SS2 or for that matter a Notch will still be standing (if using regular non UL trekking poles) well after the main pole on the Scarp 1, or similar, is fully bent by the wind.
However one needs to know how to do it and being able to stake/anchor down the tent correctly.

[Intrepid Hiker]

Good discussion guys! From my initial observation the only issue you will likely encounter in situations of extreme wind gusts would be a little bit of exposure coming in from the sides. However, I would hasten to say it's a very sturdy structure, it's not like the wind will carry the tent away. An extra set of guy lines, one on each side would do just fine for added stability. Also being strategic on where to pitch would help too.The other very nice feature is that the interior is a very solid protective fabric, so you won't get any real exposure.

Anyway, I will be putting this tent to a test in a couple of weeks starting with the Australia Day long weekend. After that I will also be starting my E2E on the Bibbulmun Track from the beginning of March, so I will have up to 7 weeks of putting this thing to a good test. Watch this space for more feedback.

Cheers!

[aden94]

Thanks Intrepid.
How did you go with the double moment? Good fun?

[Intrepid Hiker]

Greetings Comrades!

It's been almost a year since I purchased the Tarp Tent Double Moment. I have used it on several hikes since then and would like to share some of my overall impressions.

Pros;
-excellent build quality
-excellent ventilation
-bug proof mesh interior
-easy and quick to setup
-good space to weight ratio, i.e. small packed size
-plenty of room with excellent gear storage for the solo hiker(it's actually a two person tent)

Cons;
-not weather resistant: protection from wind and dust is non-existent.
-the tent is drafty; there is a constant flow through it and does not handle light to moderate winds at all.
-not exactly free standing: I'm not bothered by this, so not really an issue for me.

The major imperfection for me is the severe limitation to completely keep weather elements out. The edges of the tent do not go down far enough to touch and stay on the ground hence the constant flow of wind. I guess one could argue that it's a tarp with a separate interior, so maybe that just how it should be. However, while this design is perfect particularly in fine weather it is not so good in variable weather conditions.

I hiked the Larapinta for 14 days in July and experienced a few windy nights and dust storms for a few hours at a time. Despite a taut pitch and tying down all four fly hem stake loops, the wind burrowed through the vents and inner mesh walls covering me and all my gear in dust. Thankfully there was never any rain as I'm certain wind gusts and rain combined would result in a very unpleasant experience.
The structural integrity is very good and can be further improved by the addition of guy lines on each side of the arch pole sleeve. The optional crossing pole can also be used to provide even more stability.

Necessary Modifications:
-I would like the option to change the interior mesh wall to a solid fabric wall with mesh vents at the top about 3/4 up.
-Solid fabric has to be windproof and water resistant, that way you're protected from dust or spurts of rain during a heavy storm.
-Unfortunately, Tarp Tent DO NOT have this option for the Double Moment even though it's an option on the Moment DW (a solo version of the Double Moment). I do not actually understand why. I emailed them and apparently they simply do not have that as an option for this model.

Bottom Line:
-This is great lightweight tarp tent to add to your fleet and use in fine weather conditions. I wouldn't use it as a primary shelter and certainly not in variable weather conditions.

Final Thoughts:
I think tarp tents are a great lightweight option, however, my idea of a perfect hiking tent is one that is more of a survival shelter that can keep out bugs and weather elements. The Tarp Tent Double Moment with the mesh interior does not fair very well on that front. While the mesh is bug proof, I still wouldn't take it into stormy conditions.
Despite the negatives I've outlined, I still have some love for Tarp Tent. The build quality is excellent and I intend to keep my Double Moment and use it as a secondary shelter only in good sunny weather conditions.
I'm also holding out on the hope that at some point Tarp Tent will probably release a solid interior option, then I might make use of it a lot more. So it's not all doom and gloom.

I now own a Hilleberg Enan as my primary shelter and so far I'm loving it. It's the same design but a lot more refined and lighter at only 1.1kg. It has certainly addressed the issues I have with the Moment.


Here is a couple photos of the two side by side.

[Franco]

Hi Intrepid Hiker,
Good to get a long term report.
Your Laripinta experience is not unusual with this type of shelters.
They are designed for air flow, to minimise condensation, but are not good at keeping sand out.
The DM was specifically designed for very tall hiker , that finds it hard to get bug /rain protection under a tarp.
I will discuss a solid inner option with Henry.

BTW, I noticed that you did not add side guylines to the DM. (nice pitch otherwise)
We don't provide those but are VERY important in keeping the shelter stable in the wind.
(a lot of TT owners like to add their exotic lines and pegs)
Without them the tent will wobble, as your Enan would too if you did not use theirs.


As for the comparison with the Enan, (it does look more like a Moment than an Akto, doesn't it ?) it will be interesting to know how it performs in humid weather.

[GPSGuided]

With a sand storm, I can't think of any 3 seasons tent with at least decent ventilation that will keep the dirt and dust out. Just a contradictory requirement that can't be a criticism of the tent.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[stry]

I now own a Hilleberg Enan as my primary shelter and so far I'm loving it. It's the same design but a lot more refined and lighter at only 1.1kg. It has certainly addressed the issues I have with the Moment.

How do find ventilation/condensation in the Enan ?

[Franco]

[quote="GPSGuided"]With a sand storm, I can't think of any 3 seasons tent with at least decent ventilation that will keep the dirt and dust out. Just a contradictory requirement that can't be a criticism of the tent.



it is a bit of a hard situation because when it isn't blowing you want airflow and views so the mesh is better for that, but with sand blowing about the solid inner , particularly ours because they do breathe well, would cope better.
Having a zippable solid wall with mesh under it would solve one problem but create another (extra weight/bulk and cost)
In the end it has to do with the compromise that works best for self.

[GPSGuided]

I agree with you Franco. I'd say OP had unrealistic expectations. Even with a solid inner, a dust storm would still pile enough dirt and sand inside through the meshed section.

[slparker]

Perhaps owners could assist me with a Tarptent choice? I am looking for a 2 person tent for myself and wife to use in 3 season weather. The tent might have to withstand summer alpine conditions in Victoria and tasmania. Sustained use in alpine environments, or in shoulder season or winter is unlikely. I've looked at other manufacturers and the TT looks like a winner.

I am leaning towards the Double moment; mainly because of my main requirements:

1.capacious interior - my wife and I are short - we don't need the height of the tent but room for getting changed, two exped mats side by side and ample vestibule space for packs is a must. The Double rainbow looks a little narrow.
2.Sufficent headroom - i am starting to get claustrophobia in narrow head spaces.... I simply can't stand the tent inner anywhere near my face during the night. So bad that my preference is a tunnel tent with my head at the big end - but the DM looks like it has plenty of room at the head end.
3. lightweight. Not critical as it is mainly for two users but If I could use it as a solo option it would be great. my hilleberg akto is 1.4 kg, it's cramped, hot and overkill for most of my solo walking.
4.Ventilation. I'm sick of cramped hot tents like my old minaret and my new akto. I walk mainly in summer or shoulder season. a 3 season tent will fit my needs.
5. Durability. If I could 'winterise' it I might even sell the akto: however winter use, or ability to withstand winter gales is not the highest priority for me. I can always hire a tent for the very rare snow camping that I do, or intend to do.Ventilation, weight and space is what I'm after

So is the Double Moment the best option?

[Franco]

OK, I'll try ...
1.capacious interior - my wife and I are short - we don't need the height of the tent but room for getting changed, two exped mats side by side and ample vestibule space for packs is a must. The Double rainbow looks a little narrow.
Either the Double Moment or Double Rainbow will do

2.Sufficent headroom - i am starting to get claustrophobia in narrow head spaces.... I simply can't stand the tent inner anywhere near my face during the night. So bad that my preference is a tunnel tent with my head at the big end - but the DM looks like it has plenty of room at the head end.
The DM is better here.

3. lightweight. Not critical as it is mainly for two users but If I could use it as a solo option it would be great. my hilleberg akto is 1.4 kg, it's cramped, hot and overkill for most of my solo walking.
The DR wins on weight but the DM is still lighter than the Akto (fly/inner/pole and pegs)

4.Ventilation. I'm sick of cramped hot tents like my old minaret and my new akto. I walk mainly in summer or shoulder season. a 3 season tent will fit my needs.
Plenty of ventilation options with either

5. Durability. If I could 'winterise' it I might even sell the akto: however winter use, or ability to withstand winter gales is not the highest priority for me. I can always hire a tent for the very rare snow camping that I do, or intend to do.Ventilation, weight and space is what I'm after
Both will take a few inches of snow but are not winter tents.
To get a TT that can do all of the above as well as snow loading you need a Scarp 2 with external poles and that is a bit over 2kg.
(or Scarp 1 plus poles at around 1700g for one )

BTW, going back to the Enan, the Hilleberg version of the Moment DW, I have noticed that they dropped the "Kerlon 600" and the new version will be made with "Kerlon 1000" adding about 80g to the final weight (not a big deal...)

Franco