Free or semi free-standing tent suggestions?

It might depend on what advantages of freestanding are important to you. As someone who's owned a Rainbow for seven years, I would not consider it freestanding. I suppose you could call it semi-freestanding, but what advantage does it confer over non-freestanding? Yes, you can strap it onto your trekking poles and it "stands," but it's hard (impossible?) to get a good taut pitch that way. So are you after ease of fine tuning placement? Ability to set up on rock slabs? Easy setup that avoids futzing with stake placement on uneven ground? I'm not sure I'd consider the Rainbow good at any of that. I actually find my Notch easier to set up than my Rainbow, though there was a learning period.

I'm getting away from using hiking poles and just want a poled tent, and a little more headroom. I don't need it to be completely free-standing but, whether it is or not, isn't all that important.

Check out the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Platinum. Weighs about 2 lbs. It's semi free standing, you still need to use a few stakes. I had a Fly Creek UL1 a few years ago and it was just too small for 1 person.

Unless you are unhappy with your current tent, or cannot find an "trekking pole supported" tent with acceptable headroom, why no simply replace the trekking poles with dedicated poles. Almost every mfgr offers such poles for those who do not use trekking poles. FWIW, I only use trekking poles on hikes with significant elevation changes…for flat land I don't need them. I have a pair of dedicated poles that I carry on those trips.

"I'm getting away from using hiking poles and just want a poled tent, and a little more headroom. I don't need it to be completely free-standing but, whether it is or not, isn't all that important." Ah, then the Rainbow probably meets your needs. It definitely has decent headroom and is palatial for one, probably plenty big for one plus a dog, depending on the number of digits in said dog's weight. :)

That's a BIG dog you have. I have a Moment DW and it's freestanding with the optional crossing pole. Your dog could fit in the "front" vestibule and you could use the rear vestibule/door. This tent has two inner tent options: >floored netting >floored ripstop with netting top vents If you get it be sure to ask for the 4 fly hem loops to be sewn on. (small fee for that) They help keep fly flapping down more than you'd think in strong winds.

"I had a Fly Creek UL1 a few years ago and it was just too small for 1 person." I have a very large friend who is quite happy with his Fly Cr UL1. Never complained about it being too small. billy

The Moment is tiny. I would never want to stick a dog (especially a big one) in one of its vestibules. The Rainbow might work for you. As would one of the 2-person Big Agnes Fly Creek models, or similar tent designs (like the Mountain Hardwear Super Mega UL2). I think things could still be tight on occasion in either of these, especially if you have a wet/dirty dog, but maybe that is an acceptable trade-off for you. A Big Sky Mirage 2P would offer you more room than either of these (its weight would depend on how much you want to spend). There are also some new tents coming out or are already out, like the Nemo Blaze 2P and MSR Freelite 2, which weigh around 2 lbs.

You are probably on the right track. Most of the "freestanding" tents are what the moderator, Roger Caffin, calls "pop-ups," or tents that go up inner first. (Unless you can master setting one up fly first and then inserting the inner.) If you get caught backpacking in a long downpour in one of these, you are absolutely $crewed. They cannot be pitched dry due to netting open to the rain. With the Rainbow, be careful to keep the tent mostly zipped up so rain does not pour into that one also. If you backpack only in arid or semi-arid areas and are sure you will have no prolonged rain, this is not so much a concern; but that does not appear to be your case, and certainly not mine. That's what got me into MYOG. Could not find a light tent that pitched with a good covering fly first or at the same time. You might look at the Kuiu Mountain Star 2P, that they state runs 3# 3-5oz, depending on whether you order carbon or ALU poles. Quite expensive, though. http://store.kuiu.com/mountain-star-2p-p/12002.htm You might also consider the TT double moment, which is really a tunnel with carbon triangles at each end instead of hoops, and unlike the Rainbow, is double wall. Getting the basic cover up with just two well-placed stakes is a major plus in a downpour. Was thinking of clipping some of the weight with a center carbon hoop pole, but it wouldn't take off that much. Also, have tried three of the TT tents, and none of them had the desired robustness, stability and space, especially headroom. (Wear a flak jacket on BPL, so aim high). For some reason, quick pitching tunnels appear much heavier (see Roger's review on this site), except Warmlites, and those allow rain to pour in when the door is opened, not to mention quality issues. Perhaps this is because trekkers who need something reliable for severe weather would not look twice at a gossamer weight tent. That's a shame, because 20D 6.6 nylon can be quite robust in a good design, and could produce an excellent tunnel tent. The main thing holding me back is the clumsiness of a large clip-in inner and thinking about a better MYOG design for that. Agree that you might also look at the Big Skies. Have no experience with them, so can't comment. Be sure to bring a hefty towel for drying off your excellent dog. Happy Trails.

The Moment DW is too small for an adult and a large dog. "Also, have tried three of the TT tents, and none of them had the desired robustness, stability and space, especially headroom. (Wear a flak jacket on BPL, so aim high)(/i>." This is the Rainbow with a six foot person inside : still from the 3D clip at the end of each product "slide show" (under main photo) Just a few days ago, on a different forum, Markskor reported : "After only ~500 Sierra bag nights, my Henry Shires Rainbow has given up the ghost…" That was less than 50c per night for him. He has now bought another Rainbow.

Thanks for all the feedback. I should probably clarify that my intention is for a strictly lateral move. I use a Contrail right now for local hikes when I have my dog and we fit fine. He's a big monster at 105+ pounds but I'm only 5'2". My Contrail weighs 26oz and if I were to make poles for it, I figured it would be 6-7oz, hence the 2lb target. But then I thought I might be able to find a poled tent that would give me a little more headroom. I'm happy with the Contrail, so not interested in carrying a 3lb tent for a "better" tent. I'm getting away from hiking poles because of a medical issue; hands and wrists can't take them anymore. It's also making me really stiff and a total klutz in the morning; a poled tent would probably be less accident-prone, i.e. pole getting knocked down by me or the dog, and require less crawling than my tarps.

Tarptent sells a very sturdy 0.49 in. aluminum pole for the Contrail that costs $16 and weighs 4 oz. https://www.tarptent.com/cgi-bin/surfshop1/shop.cgi?ud=BAQBCAsPBgUFAxQXFx0XHQQDBQYDAAAIAggRFAAA&t=main.htm&storeid=1&sortby=itemid&cols=3&c=detail.htm&itemid=190&bcount=13&categories=00011&fromcat=00011 Edited cause the forum software won't allow an embedded link of that complexity :|

Sumi, I can see now that you appear to want your dog inside the tent. For that the Contrail is perfect, even for a dog the size of yours. My first Tarptent was a Contrail. Though I have no dog, interestingly my first thought when I got inside was, "Wow, this tent is big enough for one person and a dog." Just take one of Henry Shire's aluminum or carbon fiber poles for the front end since you no longer use hiking poles. I think they are shock-corded 3 section poles. Also look at Franco's photo of how he rigged the Contrail to have an / shape at the foot end of the tent. That setup makes the Contrail much more wind worthy than the flat end. Plus it sheds rain much better with no chance of it pooling on a sagging roof. Keep on truckin'