Rainshadow 2 and “rain” vs. StratoSpire2

[BPLwiia]

I'm looking pretty hard at the RS2 for use with GF in the Adirondacks. It's always wet there and rain is ever present. I'm wondering whether the RS2 will hold up with blowing rain.

I seriously considered a pyramid cuben setup but don't want to spend that kind of money at this time. That would have satisfied all of my needs. Too bad.

The Hogback is attractive but heavy. The Scarp 2 is also heavy, and only 45" height, as is the Lunar Duo. I'd like 48"+. The StratoSpire 2 is my other choice as I suspect it can be locked down better in the rain than the RS2.

Having said all of that, my choice would give a slight edge to the RS2 over the SS2 if the RS2 is storm worthy.

Any thoughts, or experience, about the RS2 in the rain?

[Greg F]

If you use the midpoint tieouts on the rainshadow it performs well in the rain. Without the midpoint tieouts the side panels sag in alot. Although with two people this would not be an issue like it is with 3.

RS2 is a great tent with a huge amount of space for the weight especially for two people. I haven't used an SS2 so I can offer a comparison.

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

The bathtube on the Rainshadow II is a few inches tall on flat ground. You loose some of the height on uneven ground, but I have never had a problem in the rain. The Rainshadow II is a BIG tent with lots of surface area. I have used it out on really windy days and there are probably better tents out there. There are ways to pitch the tent down to the ground to reduce the effect, but again, there is a lot of surface area. Best regards – Jon

[Kevin Schneringer]

I agree with Greg F. I have 2 and they are nice! Definitely use the low side tie outs in wind and rain.
If you get one I would practice at home getting the floor/side walls set right.

I have also seen a post on BPL that had a "hack" for the RS2. By laminating tie outs in middle for more rain/snow support.
Look in techniques postings it is fairly old but informative.

[BPLwiia]

Am I reading too much between the lines that the RS2 might not be as seaworthy as I'm looking for in a tent?

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

The Rainshadow II is an excellent tent in that it suites my needs. I don't think that there is a bigger (as in floorspace) tent out there for the weight, it is palacial and yet weighs 2.5 lbs. All tents have trade-offs and I had long discussions with Henry at Tartptent about this tent and the Double Rainbow. In the end, I decided that floorspace was what I valued the most.

Upside – Huge tent that is lightweight
Downside – Needs a large setup area / tent will deflect in the wind
Neutral – Takes a little time to figure out how to pitch and adjust the tent for different conditions.

Best regards – Jon

[Greg F]

Define storm worthy.

I had mine in one big storm it was fine. The one issue is the sides bend in inthe wind so you lose interior space. This was an issue with 3 six foot tall guys in the tent as the outside people are really close to the edge. With two people you wouldnt have that problem as you have much more room. With a 78" width you can have over a foot of space between you and the walls and a foot between you. So in inclement weather you can yout pads side by side and have 18" between you and the walls.

My only complaint with the tent is the end entry. I decided that I dont like end entry tents in general.

[Cary Dwiggins]

I have camped in serious rain on a chilly night in Oregon, and I was not impressed with the Rainshadow. I have used it in a warm climate and thoroughly enjoyed it. But, that night in the rain was my most miserable night of sleep in my life. I was constrained to one spot, since my 1 year old daughter was fretfully sleeping on me, and the tent drip, drip, dripped on my husband's and my head all night. Not fun.

Cary

[Travis Leanna]

Cary, I don't mean to insult your intelligence, but did you properly seam seal the Rainshadow? Where was it dripping from?

[Cary Dwiggins]

The issue was not the seams, I believe the condensation was dripping onto our heads from the force of powerful raindrops.

Cary

[Travis Leanna]

Ew. That's humid.

My guess is that it's not a fault particular to the Rainshadow, but of the crazy high humidity that would suffocate any single wall shelter. But obviously, I wasn't there, so who knows.

[BPLwiia]

I will only be using this tent in forested areas. No high-elevation, above treeline usage. I want the tent is to be able to handle rain in a swirling wind without it blowing inside.

Clearly, a vertical rain is no problem for the RS2. Can it keep rain, during a gusty storm, from splattering inside the front entrance?

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

Not a problem. The front and rear beaks provide great protection.

[Herbert Sitz]

The problem people complain of most with single wall tents is not general stormworthiness (and certainly not a tendency to leak or inadequate protection against windblown rain), but rather the tendency for condensation to form on the inside of the tent surface in humid conditions. Ventilation can help prevent this, which is why good single wall designs always place a priority on ventilation (but of course if the outer air has 100% humidity then ventilation won't help much).

The condensation has two consequences: (1) if you brush up against inside of tent you get wet, and (2) in some cases if it's raining the pounding on outside of tent will jar free condensation on the inside that then "rains" on you.

Double wall tents can get condensation on inner wall of tent, too, but it occurs on the inside of the outer wall, so the inner wall shields you from it. If you're going to be using your tent in extremely wet and humid conditions you might prefer a tent with two walls, something like the TT Stratospire.

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