Occasional two person tent – Stratospire 1 or Double Rainbow?

[Adam Rothermich]

I'm in need of a tent that will fit me and my new hiking companion, a Corgi named Max. I've currently got a Bearpaw Luna 2 but I'm not in love with it and want something that affords bug protection. I've considered getting an net tent for the Luna but since I'm not in love with it my eyes have wandered. It's also yellow which I thought would look cool but seems to attract bugs. In addition to bug protection I want something that has a small footprint and could also fit another adult (but not the dog) for a weekend if needed. I suspect 80% of the time it will be used by just me or just me and the dog.

That being said I've been eyeing the SS1. Before we got the dog I almost pulled the trigger on a Notch so I like the general idea of the shelter. Having two vestibules and a separate net tent I can leave behind when I don't want it are appealing. The TT website shows two pads fit inside the net tent but I'm concerned it could be uncomfortable for two adults. Has anyone who owns the SS1 actually tried to sleep two people in it? Like I said, it would only be for a night or two at most.

In the event the SS1 will be too tight I think the DR might be my next best option. I prefer side-entry shelters and the DR would obviously be more comfortable for two people. My big concern is that its a single wall tent. I live in a place where I've woken up with significant condensation on a flat tarp pitched in a lean-to configuration. With two people in the DR with the beaks closed up I'm concerned it will be condensation factory. I know I can simply wipe the walls down before I start moving around but its certainly a con compared to the SS1 where I'd be separated from it. Plus its heavier, requires a dedicated pole, and I lose the modularity.

Unfortunately I've had to rule out the SS2 because its foot print is too large and its out of my price range. And since I know it will come up, the Luna works ok for just me but I think its going to be too cramped for two, especially with the pole in the middle. And I don't like that someone's gear is going to get wet when we open the door while its raining. I've had to rule out larger pyramids due to the large foot print as well. I'm open to other option, the Tarptents are just what have stood out to me. The cheapest option would be to just get a Pyranet 2 for my Luna and deal with being a little cramped and the possibility of a little water getting on my gear. At least we'd be cramped and dry in a SS1 :D

TL;DR – Anyone used a Stratospire 1 with two people inside? Too cramped? Or liveable for a night or two? Any better options for a mostly-solo-plus-dog-but-sometimes-two-person shelter with bug protection?

Adam

[bjc]

You might look at smd's haven tarp and net tent combo. $280 right now on sale . Designed for two and lighter than the DR and would be a double wall. The lunar duo is also on sale this month. Both would give you the room you want at a good weight. Both are side entry.

[Kim Fera]

We have a SS1, and have found it 'snuggly' but quite acceptable for 2. I should temper this by saying that we are small people (I'm 5'1" and my husband is 5'4") and we're both fairly lean, so this is not a 2-persons-of-larger-volume tent, thats for sure. My husband calls it a 1.5 person tent, but we have actually fit 2 in a ONE man tent under duress, so we don't mind it so much. And I did buy it for the dual door/dual vestibule setup (LOVE not having to climb over Bernie to get out of the damn tent…). And it's also light enough that I have been happy to carry it on solo trips too.
Hope that helps,
Kim

[Larry De La Briandais]

I haven't used any of the mentioned tents, but I have sleep several ( 10 or so) nights in 40" wide tents with my wife (and kids before that). They all had single front entries. It is small, but as long as you are only in the tent at bed time it was fine for us. Neither of us were that small. We are not tall (5'8" for me, 5'6" for my wife) and at the time a little on the round side. ;^)

Note that these do not leave much, if any, room for gear storage. If there is much of a chance of rain for more than a single day, even dual doors and vestibules will probably start becoming an annoyance. But for summer, why not.

[Franco Darioli]

This shot well illustrates the size of the SS1 :

(the inner is the width of those two 20" mats)
As you can see the vestibules are much larger than most so although the inner is small for two (however larger tan in some "two person" tents) having the two large entry/vestibules allows easy access and storage.
The vestibules are 35" deep from the pole to the bottom of the door panel .
Note the difference between the Notch and the SS1:

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Love to talk tent design. Can't get enough.

The StratoSpire 1 and 2 are so deucedly clever that sometimes I think Henry gets his designs from Area 51.

So, that said, I'd go with the SS1 as being plenty big enough for you and your Corgy and your gear in the vestibules – plus cooking in a vestibule in crappy weather.

[Kevin Gurney]

Just concurring with other opinions and experiences here.

My wife and I (both 5'8", fairly trim) spent 3 nights in our SS1 this summer and, while there certainly wasn't a lot of extra room (using the inner netting) it was fine.

I use it as a solo tent all the time and it excels at that, space wise. I have plenty of room to have all my stuff under cover. I can imagine adding a corgie inside and still having plenty of room.

[Herman]

I have a DR and it served me well with a partner for 14 days in the Brooks Range. I felt we had the room we needed. With a dog it would be plenty big. That SS1 looks huge for a hiker and dog. I've never seen one in person though.

[Adam Rothermich]

Cool, thanks for the validation everyone! I knew I could count on you guys to spend my money wisely :D
When I think about the times I might use this as a two man tent I'm envisioning taking friends that don't have their own backpacking gear which means its only going to be in nice weather. So we shouldn't be confined to the tent for much more than sleeping.
Here's who will probably share the tent with me most of the time:

Adam

[Brock Graves]

Good looking dog.

I had the dr which worked great for just myself but, when I would take my dog with me she would tend to move around too much and knock the condensation off the walls. I sold it and opted for the dw moment. It works great for winter time for me and my dog.
One thing that I did have to change for winter time with my dog is swapping from a thick exped ul 7 to a thin montbell ul. 90 , so that we would be close to the same height to snuggle together and share my quilt.

[Sumi Wada]

I did the same exercise a few years ago and, in the end, decided to go the route of multiple tents instead of the one-size-fits-all solution. My decision was based mostly on the fact that when I'm hiking with my dog, I have to carry everything, while a second person means splitting up the load. Also found that the multi-tent cost wasn't necessarily more expensive.

When I hike with my dog, I take a Contrail. Small footprint, bug protection, easy tent to use and fits us both comfortably. Picked up a used (but in super condition) Contrail for about $100.

About the only time I share a tent is when my son hikes with me. I got a Squall and we really like this tent. Picked it up used for $100 as well. The two of us hike in the GC often, so I splurged last year on a cuben Trailstar. Great for the two us but light enought for solo or solo+dog in no-bug conditions.

Now, if the used Contrail and Squall hadn't been available, I was planning to buy a cuben Lightheart SoLong 6. Big enough for two, bug protection, great ventilation (I have a Lightheart Solo), light enough to carry solo. I think it would be a palace for hiking with a dog. A little pricy but there's a 20% sale going on…

[Anonymous]

I recently picked up a SS1 to use when taking my 70 lb. Boxer. I am 6' 190 lbs. Enough room for minimalist gear, dog, and I. Will use this shelter, when not using a Hexamid solo plus tent…

[Author]

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