More Tarptent Rainbow pics

[Franco Darioli]

Hi
First I am posting the link ( since I now know how) and then I will attempt (with an arm behind my back and blindfolded) to post the pics directly. If I fail (very likely) I am sure that Ryan will declare me completely incompetent and proceed to do it for me.
Ryan, I have been working in various photographic shops for the last 27 years, I started by knowing a little about everything and then slowly I have become such an expert, to the point that, I now practically know everything about absolutely nothing. The way I get things done is by asking someone else to do it for me ( the shop employs 64 staff members !)
Sadly they don’t come home with me.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Tarptent%20Rainbow/cooking-3.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Tarptent%20Rainbow/cooking-2.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Tarptent%20Rainbow/cooking-1.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Tarptent%20Rainbow/Wind-stop-2.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Tarptent%20Rainbow/wind-stop.jpg
Franco
Att new size, I started with huge, then tiny and now medium.
Variety is a spicy wife.

[Franco Darioli]

Maybe next time

[Franco Darioli]

[Ryan Faulkner]

There you go, I t is not that hard with photobucket, all you have to do is copy the tag under the picture. much easier than the way I was doing it from the links you posted :-P

[Franco Darioli]

Even the village idiot could do this. I am glad that I was up at six because I wanted to post this before lunch time. So easy, so quick.
Here is the text from another forum…
Well I slept in the tent again, (in my backyard).We had a very still night so I finally got some condensation. I woke up at 3:55 to have a pee and by touching the top I got my finger wet, there was a very faint wet patch covering the diamond formed by the cross strut. At that point I opened the vent and relieved I went back to sleep.
At 6AM there was the same amount of moisture but could not get it to drip. So much for condensation and my idea of not having to go down to the river to collect water.

BTW the light that comes in the tent in the morning is of a very neutral, diffused, natural colour ( not surprising since the silnylon is gray), if you have a green or dark blue tent you should try this …….

The wind stop 1 (Aether 60 inside tent) is to show my idea of…….deflecting strong winds,( the bag is not touching the tent) but it really shows the length of the Rainbow, wind stop 2 is the other end, the bottom of the 6′ WM Highlite is about 3″ away from the fly, you can see also my version of the Cat stove with idiot proof pot stopper ( you can guess why I NOW do this), a windscreen normaly would be around it.
The others show possible uses for the beak.
Before Henry asks for his tent back… the second picture has the two visible corners undone, nothing to do with the tent, it’s just me. You may occasionally spot the correct set up for this beauty in some of my pics.
The tent is at the moment owned by Mr Card, a well known short term money lender.
Again I like to apologise for the undue stress on minds and wallets that I might have caused.
Franco

[Joshua Mitchell]

What are you using for base poles in your setup? I notice you are using one pole to prop up the beak…

[Franco Darioli]

No, I don’t plan to use my poles since when I use my “free standing” tents (Bibler and BD), the first thing I do is to peg down the corners. The pole in the picture is simply my way of creating a larger area for cooking under the rain, one of the reasons way I wanted something different to my Lighthouse. I did make a front porch for the Lighthouse, but it was a bit fiddly (as is their vestibule) and added more weight again. With the vestibule, the BD is more than twice as heavy. Don’t tell Henry, he may stop trying new ideas.
Franco
PS Just for fun, I set up the Rainbow in the freestanding mode and took it for a spin around the house ( the neighbours don’t mind anymore, nor anyless), and yes it does work.

[Franco Darioli]

So that you don’t get the wrong idea, I am not belittling the freestanding mode, as a matter of fact having purchased or tested a few tents ( is a dozen considered more than a few ?) what I wanted was in order of preference:
Lightweight (strange that)
Fully enclosed (wimp factor,also mozzies)
Built in vestibule (boots and cooking)
Quick, dry inside, set-up (very unusual request)
Freestanding ( at times it is very handy)
Rain proof ( better than Epic, that BTW only wets out where under pressure and after many hours of rain)
The Rainbow does all of the above.
The annoying part of the all thing is that I had been trying to come up with a way of using my walking poles to make a freestanding tent, for some reason ( think Bibler) I had the poles in exactly the same way HS did but I was stuck using the two cross poles. I am sure that if I had another decade or so I would have got it.

One day I will write a book entitled ” How and why smart people spoil it for others”

[EndoftheTrail]

Franco:

This tent is ‘freestanding’ with the supplied tent pole and two trekking poles.

Is it practicable to set up this tent with hiking poles and stakes — leaving the supplied tent pole at home?

If do-able, and for folks who carry hiking poles habitually, leaving the tent pole at home can save some weight.

[Miguel Arboleda]

I’ve been giving the Rainbow a serious look now for several days (thanks, Franco, for the pictures and information!) and am considering ordering one, but I have one question: no matter how I look at it the Rainbow only seems to be freestanding when the doors are open. When the doors are closed and the back is pulled out two extra stakes are needed, no? So the Rainbow is freestanding only when the tent is open?

This is no big deal, really, since I would be battening down the tent for storms anyway. Just wondering if my visualization of the tent is accurate.

[Franco Darioli]

I did mention somewhere that I picked up the tent and took it for a walk,( this was no joke , I actually did that) what I meant was that it remained in shape and I could put it down somewhere else and that was it, in this mode however it is not very stable and you lose the advantage of the vestibule and some cross ventilation, all I can tell you is that it is much better than the pictures that HS and myself posted really show.
Franco

[Franco Darioli]

Sorry I missed your question. The short answer is no. However ( there is always one)the point of using the two poles to prop up the middle strut instead off the arch ( keep in mind that it would not be a Rainbow with out it)was mentioned by me to HS ( you know great minds…). Once you see the Rainbow correctly set up you will not want to do anything to it.
I just had a look out of the window and it looks just sweet, never mind saving a few Oz. You can shoot me for this comment by I will stand by it.
Now it is about time that Henry does some work so that we can all get some intelligent input.
Franco

[EndoftheTrail]

Miguel,

With very few exceptions, the vestibules of most freestanding tents need to be staked down if intended to be used.

I think the Hilleberg Staika is one of the few exceptions.

[EndoftheTrail]

Hi Franco:

Yeah, I was wondering whether it would be possible to prop two hiking poles vertically — underneath the short “ridge pole” — one at each end. I am thinking the vestibule will help secure one of the poles, but the other one will need to be guyed out. With the addition of 4 corner stakes, maybe this can work?

[Miguel Arboleda]

Ben, of course. I have never used a tent with a vestibule that did not need to be staked down (and I have used a lot of tents!). I just wonder if the Rainbow can be used without the benefit of the vestibule and still be closed up against the rain or wind. If not (ie. that doors must always be staked out to keep the tent fabric from flapping about) then woudn’t that mean that the Rainbow really isn’t freestanding, in the way the BD Lighthouse or ID MK1 (which of course don’t have integral vesitbules) are? If one were to use this as a bicycle touring tent, where sometimes you have to camp out on very hard surfaces, like concrete, with no chance of hitting in stakes. or in some of the mandatory campsites in the mountains here in Japan which have hardpan or rock surfaces, then you might have some trouble with the Rainbow (nothing that a little ingenuity can’t handle, of course).

Don’t get me wrong, I like that the Rainbow can stand up on its on the way it does and really love the design, but I have to ask what the benenfit of a freestanding lightweight tent is if you have an arch pole plus two walking poles. Why not just get the BD Lighthouse? I rarely use more than one pole when hiking, if at all (I just find my balance and free hands are better when going up and down the usually steep trails here), so it would seem to negate the purpose. My Squall would seem to take better advantage of weight and efficiency.

I AM seriously considering the Rainbow, though. Just need a little more convincing.

[Miguel Arboleda]

.

[EndoftheTrail]

Miguel:

HS might want to confirm this, but looking at the photos, if you close up the beak, you will need to guy it out and secure it with a stake or with stones or something — to prevent flapping.

But I agree with you about classifying this tent as freestanding. As far as I am concerned, this tent doesn’t come freestanding, since a user must supply his or her own hiking poles (or find suitable sticks) to make that happen.

But freestanding or not, it comes with a vestibule, so it can’t be directly compared to a BD Lighthouse.

[Miguel Arboleda]

Ben, I’ve been thinking about your idea for using the tent without its arch pole. Do you mean in the way the Mountain Equipment AR Ultralight is set up? If so, that is an interesting alternative. If you string the two vertical poles together with the guylines across the top of the tent, you could even stand the poles futher out, away from the entrance. Hmmm. More to think about…

[EndoftheTrail]

Similar but not exactly. Here’s a different illustration:

http://www.wanderlustgear.com/tents_nomad242.htm

The second pole — the one away from the door — can be propped up inside the tent — or just outside and secured with a guyline.

I hope Henry won’t be stealing our idea! :)

[paul johnson]

My understanding was that the generally accepted definition (this, at least, is how manufacturer of non-L/UL tents seem to define it) of a freestanding shelter would go something like this:

it it doesn’t require any stakes (or stakes and guys) to maintain it’s shape and be utilized for its intended purpose, then it’s freestanding.

-OR-

if you can pick it up from one place, with it maintaining its shape, and move it to another and set it down and climb into it without the need to stake it out, then it’s freestanding.

---

perhaps an easier way to understand this is to compare the HS Rainbow to some, obviously, NOT freestanding shelters. the difference then will be easily seen.

is the HS Rainbow more like the freestanding MSR Hubba or the non-freestanding MSR Zoid series?

is the HS Rainbow more like the freestanding BA Seedhouse 1SL or the non-freestanding SD ClipFlashlight?

---

basically, a freestanding shelter must get its shape from a “skeleton” of poles (or one pole with junction/joints from which shorter poles emerge – ‘a la BA Seedhouse SL series/MSR Hubba/HubbaHubba).

a non-freestanding tent, whether or not it uses trekking poles or tent poles, MUST be staked (or staked and guyed) in order for it to remain erect and keep its shape.

keep in mind, we’re talking freestanding tents/shelters, not freestanding vestibules.

just my two cents.

EDIT:
my words above, viz “it it doesn’t require any stakes (or stakes and guys)” do NOT mean that you shouldn’t use stakes (and optionally guylines) to keep from becoming a piece of “tumble-weed”, so to speak, in a strong wind.

[EndoftheTrail]

Hi Paul:

Your point is valid. For me, I have a certain expectation that if a tent uses the term ‘freestanding’, then it should come freestanding. After all, if I have to supply my own sticks or beams, I can make many tents ‘freestanding’ — eventually.

But I am not going to say that my expectation is “authoritative” or even common (I’m sure it isn’t).

[paul johnson]

Benjamin,

i get your point.

maybe think of it this way, a non-freestanding shelter or tarp is often used with trekking poles for support. this doesn’t make it NOT a shelter or tarp.

like you (if i understand you correctly), i might object to being required to carry BOTH Mfr supplied tent poles AND trekking poles in order to erect my tent. however, having said that, it probably saves weight by using the trekking poles instead of additional Mfr. supplied tent poles. this is similar to pitching a shaped tarp. many Mfr’s, optionally, supply Al and/or CF poles for tarpers to use when pitching the shaped tarp. however, most L/UL-ers go for using their trekking poles instead to save weight.

i would only add that if trekking poles, branches, whatever are required, AND those actually form the skeleton of the shelter so it keeps it shape when moved from location to location, then it’s still freestanding. what i mean is that if the trekking poles are inserted to form the frame/skeleton, and can reasonably remain in position while picking up and moving the tent a few feet away, or placing it under a tree after erecting, then it still is freestanding (as long as the trk. pole “frame” does NOT have to be setup again in the new location).

however, i don’t know of any that can actually do this without Mfr. supplied shock-corded, sectioned pole(s).

maybe a two-person shelter, requiring four trekking poles, is possible? – even if it req’d a central “hub” or “shaped-cap” with extensions/legs to connect the four poles together forming a teepee/pyramid shaped shelter. the hub or cap could fold for storage & open for use – folding would allow it to be larger to give more usable head room by permitting the walls to be steeper. [not sure if i’m communicating the “picture” in my mind clearly here]

i think it would be a very neat design if such a shelter (especially a one-person) could be designed. no single-duty poles for the freestanding shelter. just use two trekking poles to create a truly freestanding shelter. some type of “binder” ring, velcro wrap, cord, etc. is permissible to “bind” the two trekking poles into a single unit for pitching purposes.

is such possible? i don’t think so (even bound together – stakes or guylines are probably going to be needed to keep it erect), but i could be wrong. i’ll leave that to cleverer, more creative minds to decide. (Fornshell-san, you copy?)

EDIT:
i’d even go for two trekking poles, some type of “binder”/joiner for the two poles, pole tip covers to protect the tent fabric, and two short “legs” which afix/clamp to the trekking pole skeleton (one for each trk. pole) to provide the required free-standing form. even a design like this would save on tent pole weight for those who use trekking poles. regarding peak height, since we’re using trekking poles, even with extensions, i think this would have to be a real minimalist shelter with minimal peak height, sorta’ “super”-bivy like; so, maybe 25″-30″. it would be very lightweight though.

[Miguel Arboleda]

i think it would be a very neat design if such a shelter (especially a one-person) could be designed. no single-duty poles for the freestanding shelter. just use two trekking poles to create a truly freestanding shelter. some type of “binder” ring, velcro wrap, cord, etc. is permissible to “bind” the two trekking poles into a single unit for pitching purposes.

is such possible? i don’t think so (even bound together – stakes or guylines are probably going to be needed to keep it erect), but i could be wrong. i’ll leave that to cleverer, more creative minds to decide. (Fornshell-san, you copy?)

EDIT:
i’d even go for two trekking poles, some type of “binder”/joiner for the two poles, pole tip covers to protect the tent fabric, and two short “legs” which afix/clamp to the trekking pole skeleton (one for each trk. pole) to provide the required free-standing form. even a design like this would save on tent pole weight for those who use trekking poles.

Paul, what a great idea for a contest here on BPL. What do you think? How about we start another thread with your criteria above and see what all of us can come up with?

[Henry Shires / Tarptent]

Let me try and clarify “free-standing” with regards to the Rainbow. I designed the Rainbow to be a shelter that will stand up on its own with our supplied arch pole and user supplied trekking/ski poles. In good weather that’s it. You can pick it up, move it around, and plop it back down somewhere else. If you don’t have trekking poles, or choose not to use them, or need maximum wind and storm performance, then stake the 4 corners. The beak/vestibule doesn’t HAVE to be staked to make the tent stand up but should be staked or otherwise tied out to function well since the whole point is to pull it away from the netting door for space, ventilation, and cross-wind performance. With another piece of velcro (not currently part of the design though I did think about adding it and may yet if anyone cares), the beak could be pulled tightly against the netting door and function pretty much just like a storm door but then you would loose all the desired functionality. The rear wall pullout is there for increased fabric tautness/wind resistance and to slightly increase the interior volume. In most cases you’ll want to use it but you don’t HAVE to and, like the front beak, the Rainbow stands up whether you use it or not.

Frankly, I really don’t like the term free-standing but the rest of outdoor world uses it and it does conjure up a certain look and feel with most people. My goal with this shelter was to design something unique that incorporated, but did not require, trekking poles to maximum advantage. Free-standing is a nice benefit and is great for calm weather and camping on slickrock but the reality is that nothing free stands in wind and every shelter needs to be staked down when conditions dictate. I think the real meat and potatoes of the Rainbow is the geometry created by the large arch with cross strut. There’s just no way to get that kind of interior headroom and usable volume with trekking poles alone and no way to get it done for/with less pole structure.

-H

[paul johnson]

Go for it – one and all. We could end up with some neat designs. Maybe someone will actually want to manufacture the design or an established manufacturer might do so and give some small royalties to the designer for each one sold? [yes…i know…don’t mention his name, please. we’re all friends here and the same won’t happen amongst us, right?!! – Forum regulars know of which i speak.]

This one is a lot tougher than Spreadsheets.

Even if fabrication of the design is not required, a good CAD program might be necessary. Or, engineer/draftsman skill with the pre-electronic tools-of-the-trade.

it could be a fun project though.

[Author]

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