Rainbow passes Aussie inspection

I recently read the book, and am also interested in everyone else’s thoughts. Perhaps we should start a new thread on that topic?

I liked it, overall; very rigorous, thorough treatment. I didn’t have quite the same “Wow!” reaction as when I read The Complete Walker (the original, and the following 3 re-writes. Yes, I was there when dirt was invented.) But overall, I liked the book. (I did put a brief review in the Reader Review forum – not much detail there, though.)

Miguel, is this Franco’s doing?

Miguel please start a thread on the book, I would rather read some intelligent comments rather than Franco’s silly take on everything.

Right. Okay. Just give me some time to put together my thoughts. I’m off to the mountains tomorrow (yes, there are real-life applications to all this talk here!), so it might have to wait until next week. Besides I want to do my evaluation carefully, and make my comments useful for anyone who might read them.

Let me get back to you all.

We had a very hot and humid day yesterday and a lovely storm in the evening, so I decided that a condensation test was waiting for me. The rain stopped, apart from a brief shower around 10PM, the temperature changed from 35c to a minimum of 21 at around 6AM, the humidity remained high but cannot tell you the exact level.
Sometime during the night a very light layer of condensation formed only at the very top, around the cross strut, then we had a few minutes of light wind and the tent was bone dry again. In the morning I found a bigger area covered by condensation, similar to what you get on the bathroom mirror, no drips. Very, very happy with this test.
Once again I have tried to capture the rounded lines of the Rainbow, but failed. I need more space and a different lens. What you see here is the tent after the rain and the high humidity without any adjustment from the way it was set up last night.

Hi Franco:

In your test above, what were the positions of the tent’s vent and vestibule?

Hi Ben, the vent was open and the vestibule was as you see it in the picture.

Thanks, Franco. My Rainbow should be coming “any day now”.

Hi Ben
Can’t wait for your comments.
Franco

Franco, your passionate (some might say, “inkangaroous”) endorsement of the Rainbow has leaked through my rainshell and infected me somehow (Franco the Roo’s cuteness factor didn’t help, either. It melted right through the fabric). I’ve been waiting for funds to align themselves to make my own order. Tomorrow is the day!

Pretty soon the Rainbows will position themselves at strategic points around the globe, as one giant triangulation exercise intended for locating the position of Franco the Roo on his nightly forays (or Henry on his yearly autumn wanderings). Franco, Ben, and Miguel will each use the top strut as beacon locators and, with the aid of Henry’s optional “aluminum foil parabola” (doubling as a water scoop), depending on the orientation of the tents, even concentrate the sun’s rays to create artificial rainbows at desired, romantic locales. Hence the name “Rainbow”. Henry’s sitting at his desk now, planning ever more devious inventions. “Mwuah-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaa!”

Franco, just one question. In your photo above the strut sits at a slight angle. Does the strut “give” a lot in a side wind or if you push it down with your hand? How do you think the Rainbow would do in a strong wind? Do the staked down ends and the staked down vestibule doors contribute much to the stibility of the tent?

This is my greatest concern about the Rainbow. Henry assures me it is okay, but if the Rainbow cannot handle winds then I will end up not being able to use it much here. So I just want to make extra sure.

Miguel the strut is at an angle in that pic because of my testing and prodding, I have pulled all of the guy out points to an extreme level just to see what would happen ( back to normal now). I did notice the angle after I posted the shot. I am expecting a “no more tents for you” from HS .Sorry I cannot help you with a “from experience” comment on wind resistance, but I would be surprised to find a better tent for that under 3 lb, maybe the BD Firstlight (?)( of course the Stephenson’s 2x/3x)
You could try different pegs to get a better grip.
Henry was pleased with the wind performance during his field tests and I have found his comments ( including private E Mails) to be conservative.
I was very surprised to get a drum tight fly on a “Tarptent” because I see a lot of comments about “flapping” in the wind with most pole or hoop tents.
Franco

Henry has already reassured me about the wind performance and in the few years I’ve been dealing and corresponding with him I trust his words. I just wanted to get some other opinions to clinch the decision for me. If the Rainbow solo does a good job, then there’s a good chance I’ll eventually be buying the Rainbow 2 for my wife and me.

Your words are very encouraging, Franco. I’ve made up my mind.