Tarptent Scarp 2 Tent Review

[Addie Bedford]

Companion forum thread to:

Tarptent Scarp 2 Tent Review

[Hendrik Morkel]

Will, thank you for the very insightful review, the video is great and a very novel approach on how to present equipment. If I would get the girlfriend to go hiking more with me, the Scarp 2 would have been my tent to go to, but so I just bought a Scarp 1 and will squeeze in there with her if she comes along =)

Because the storage pockets are so small, I wonder why they are there in the first place – it almost seems they could have been eliminated.

[Pamela Wyant]

Another plus for the Tarptent over the Big Sky models is the excellent service and great communication from Henry & Tarptent.

[CW]

Some of the Big Sky numbers are off in the table. Ex. The Montana has 1 door, not 2. Also, the 3 lb 6 oz weight quoted for the Scarp 2 includes the stakes, guylines, and stuffsack where the Big Sky weights don't include any of those. You can add another 4-6 oz to each Big Sky model assuming you were to buy their stuff. Also add another $20-$40 for the same items.

[Matt Lutz]

Thanks for including video in the review.

[Will Rietveld]

Chris, you're right, the MSRP's for the Big Sky Tents do not include a stuff sack and stakes. We will make a correction. The weights are correct, with all tents including stakes and a stuff sack.

The Montana has only 1 door as Chris notes.

[a b]

The Terra Nover Laser 2009 model offers two doors now. The old model had only one door. The weight is still the same.

Philip

[CW]

You list the Revolution 2P at 3 lb 0.9 oz.

BS has it at 2 lb 12.3 oz with carbon poles.

Add 4.6 oz for aluminum poles.
Add 1.3 oz for stuff sack.
Add 2.2 oz for their lightest stake set.

Guylines are probably not necessary like on the Scarp so I'll leave those out.

That comes to 3 lbs 4.4 oz. 3 lb 0.9 oz is the weight with aluminum poles but not stakes or sack unless I'm reading the BS sight incorrectly.

Not trying to be a PITA, just keep things even.

[David Ure]

In 4 season mode, the weight is very close to the Hilleberg Nallo 2….

[Lynn Tramper]

"In 4 season mode, the weight is very close to the Hilleberg Nallo 2…."

Indeed, and the Nallo is a very much more storm worthy tent. However, the usable space in the Scarp 2 seems a lot greater, and the Nallo2 has poor ventilation, making it less than ideal for warm weather. Also, the Nallo2 is not suitable for tall folks due to the shallow taper of the foot end…then there's the cost difference.

Having said that, we are not tall, and have made a summer mesh inner for our Nallo2 (which weighs 300g less), so we are happy campers ;)

[David Ure]

For a winter tent, a little less ventilation is probably what one wants anyway. I guess my point is that the Scarp 2 for winter is not UL and the weight puts it into the range of some serious mountain tents, including some ID and Rab shelters.

[Lynn Tramper]

Yeah, but I guess Henry was going for the "one UL tent for all seasons" market, which requires compromises. I wonder (Will/Henry), if some main pole grommets to allow use of trekking poles in strong winds/snows would beef it up, as per the Double Rainbow?

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Thanks for this timely review AND the great comparison chart. I'm still buying the Scarp 2 for a winter tent but will add my own snap on snow flaps near the vestibule areas. Heavy duty plastic snaps can do the job.

Also I may use click on attatchments from another tent vendor for the crossing poles. Speed is everything when setting up in bad winter weather. Then, for better setup weather, there is the Fanco Daroli method of putting the crossing poles under the fly. Here some Velcro wraps sewn under the fly (and sealed) to hold the crossing poles may be the way to go to reduce the "fiddle factor" of the poles slipping around during setup. This option is nice if one expects truly severe weather because the fly is tensioned all along the crossing poles, not just at the attatchment points. Also, I can buy shorter (and thicker) crossing poles from Tentpole Technologies for this purpose. that would keep the fly's bottom hem down where it needs to be in winter.

The roof vents can always be stuffed with, what else, stuff sacks to keep out spindrift.

I like the design, quality and TarpTent customer service. Those are big selling points.

Eric
UPDATE: Talked to Henry Shires in early September when I was ordering a Moment solo tent. I said wanted to get a Scarp 2 but W/ a longer fly in November. He said that was "in the works" with the Scarp 1 now and to "hold off" getting the Scarp 2 until he modified that fly as well. So a change IS coming. And maybe more than one if I know Henry.

[Lynn Tramper]

I must add that IF Hilleberg decided to enter the UL fray, they would make available a UL mesh/silnylon summer insert. Since the Nallo can be pitched inner-only, it makes it a truly versatile and weather proof design. However I still like the roominess look of the Scarp 2, and double entries are also pretty nice.

Of course, if Roger Caffin decided to enter the fray, it would probably turn UL tent design on it's head…

[CW]

I agree with Lynn completely. I'd buy a Caffin.

[Tony Beasley]

"I agree with Lynn completely. I'd buy a Caffin."

Me too, about 5-6 years ago Roger was making some of his tents for sale, I was in contact with him at the time, I was procrastinating while deciding which of his excellent tents I wanted, when I had finally decided he had stopped making them.
(word meaning "expression of annoyance" the forum filter regarded what I originally wrote as a profanity.)

Tony

[David Ure]

Eric – it is more than just the upper vents. It is also that the fly does not come down all the way. On newer Hille's the vents are covered with snow proof fabric that is actually breathable. In deep snow you could bury the sides and plug the vents – I would be interested in what color blue you would be in the morning.

You indicate compromises but yet, if a mainstream tent maker came out with a convertible type tent that was 4.5 pounds all managed out, you would respond by saying that one would be better off having a tarp for the summer and a pyramid for the winter – both much lighter than any convertible offering. I look at this as being average at everything but not truly good at any one thing.

[CW]

As always, how good something is depends on a lot on where it's being used. The Scarp 2 is pretty close to perfect for me and my gf on duo trips in the SE with the mesh inner and single pole. We were previously using a Hubba Hubba and the Scarp saves us almost 1 lb plus adds a little more room and better ventilation.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

David,

You would never catch me suggesting either a tarp or floorless pyramid. Just don't like 'em.

I realize any double wall 3-4 season tent is heavier than I'd like but the Scarp 2's space, double entries and versatile designed-in options make it the best current choice.

I love to mod my gear when I feel it would help. Done it many times. Id' have to use the Scarp 2 without mods for a while to see how much it "needed" them. I may like it just as it is but I'll bet the vestibule area snap on snow skirts would be the first mods.

Eric
UPDATE: When ordering my TT Moment solo tent I asked Henry Shires if I could get a Scarp 2 with a "custom" fly that is longer. He said to hold off ordering as he was, at that time, making the Scarp 1 fly lower and would do the same with the Scarp 2. It sounded like he may have the lower Scarp 2 fly ready by late November or sometime in December of 2009. With the lower fly, ripstop inner tent and crossing poles I see the Scarp 2 as a true four-season tent.

[Stephen CAUDWELL]

Trekked with the Scarp 2 on Tour du Mont Blanc, French-Italian section, this summer. With the secondary poles, it coped well with high Alpine winds at altitudes up to 2200m.

The Scarp's space and relative lightness appreciated.

The proposed longer fly option mentioned above, sounds great for 4 season use.

[Bart Kempny]

Anyone knows if this year's Scarp 2 has the lower fly?

[Jeffs Eleven]

The features on the 2010 revision of the Scarp 1 are going to be applied to the Scarp 2. They can be found by looking at the Scarp 1 on the TT website.

[Tony Hobbs]

Hows this tent a year after last comment.
Any improvements or changes to note?
The fly reaches the ground now as per the website pix.
The weights of tent in review are less than on TT website so that good.
I am seriously thinking of getting this tent for myself and my dog.

I wonder if the reviewer would re-review the S2, as I think many of the issues raised have been rectified? Is this not now a highly commended tent and if not why not?
The fly is lower.
The vents appear to have velcro to close them.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Please go to BLP's "COMMUNITY" pages and the WINTER HIKING page to see photos of my winter mods for the Scarp 2

WINTER MODS:

1. moved shortened crossing poles to the INSIDE of the fly for more support They are secured with Velcro cable wraps sewn inside at the reinforced external X-ing pole attatchment points.

2. got a heavy duty main pole (from Tentpole Technologies) with larger diameter and thicker tube walls

3. added four fly hem stake loops

4. pre-made guy lines for two main pole sleeve and two end guy points

5. snap closure for end vent zipers to prevent opening under wind/snow pressure

6. coated the top 2/3 of the fly with a 5:1 ratio of odorless mineral spirits to clear GE silicone caulk and wiped down the excess with a paper shop towel. This is mainly to pevent the rumored "mist-thru" in torrential rains. Naturally I've seam sealed it on both sides.

With all of these mods taken as a whole I feel my personal Scarp 2 is now completely winter worthy. I've tested it in wind gusts officially recorded up to 65 mph. and found NO flapping or pole deformation when properly pitched, staked and guyed. Any reservations regarding canopy support Will Reitveld had in his review are well founded, as his photos show. I think my mods answer Will's concerns and then some. And, yes, my Scarp 2 came with the new, lower fly that goes to the ground.

BTW, I talked to Henry Shires as he looked at my mod photos online and he was "interested" in them. He has my written blessings to use any and all of my mods as he sees fit.

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