Tarptent questions

I have a double rainbow. It's rated as a 3+ season shelter. To answer your questions:

1. Heavy snowfall. High winds in a situation where I couldn't use trees or other natural windbreaks.

2. Yes, a polycro sheet. I'm not sure it's at all necessary, but I got taught to use a groundcloth 40 years ago, and I don't think I'm going to change soon.

3. Heck no. That's completely superfluous IMHO.

> What type of conditions would you not use it for shelter

From my recommended shelters page:

winds consistently above 30 mph, standing water, or real snowfall.

> Do you use a ground cloth

Normally no. When I do its polycro

> Do you use a bivy bag inside

No

–mark

Wouldn't use my Sublite, Moment or DR in snow, unless it was light and incidental. I always use a ground cloth, because I live where it is rocky and spiny. No bivy.

1. Heavy snow/wind

2. yes, polycryo

3. no.

–Luke

1) heavy snowfall or winds expected – no tarptent
2) no ground clothe
3) Tarptent=Tarp + Bivy, so no bivy, would switch to lighter weight tarp with bivy.

Joseph
That would have been an easy question when Henry had the Squall and the Virga only…
Now Tarptent is a brand with (in my mind..) four different types of shelters.
Sublite (Tyvek) and unnamed tent .. great for hot dry climate.
Contrail, Rainshadow,Cloudburst,Squall, Hogback : three season use
Rainbow,Double Rainbow,Moment,Sublite Sil : three season plus . That is they can handle some stronger wind and a couple of inches of snow.
Scarp/Scarp 2 : 4 season but not extreme
Extreme : those places where you find dead 4 season tents.
(this is assuming that you are asking about Tarptent, not a tarp tent)
Franco
BTW, I mostly use the Contrail (3 season) , no bivy,no groundsheet. I can set it up to take some snow and strong wind, but that is another story.

I've used my Moment in sustained high winds with no problems at all. But it's strictly a 3 season tent due mainly to its excellent ventilation.

I actually don't consider the Moment a tarp tent. It is a Tarptent, however.

It is a single walled poled tent. I consider tarp tents those that require trekking poles to set up. Just my opinion. The Moment is great, by the way.

I've had snow fall on the Contrail, but that was not planned. I've also experienced misting, the pleasures of setting it up above treeline on rock and some fairly blowy wind. It's fine as a three season shelter so long as it's not going to rain excessively.
I use a Tyvek ground sheet, no bivy.

Wildlife seemed to find it tasty too. I had a Kea attack the mesh near Arthurs Pass NZ and ants eat through the silnylon in NorCal on the PCT. Good times.

Tarptent users

1. What type of conditions would you not use it for shelter?

Weather with snowfall over 1” and windy desert conditions.

2. Do you use a ground cloth?
Nope, never have.

3. Do you use a bivy bag inside?
Nope.

1. What type of conditions would you not use it for shelter?
–I used my DR on a 30 mile stretch of the Superstitions the week before Christmas. That trip saw a really damp 20 degree night (everything had frost and frozen condensation) a really windy early morning on a high ridge ( I estimate 40 mile an hour winds), and a nice calm night. With the trekking pole supports, the windy morning was not really a problem, except that the soil was not too strong for tent stakes. The cold night we were in a basin, and everything got damp. There was frozen condensation on the inside, but the DR is roomy enough to mostly avoid touching the walls. I didn't regret having it any night.

2. Do you use a ground cloth?
–No, but you may want to consider it in the prickly and rocky desert conditions as Joe said. No need in the softer forests or grasslands.

3. Do you use a bivy bag?
–No, just a BA insulated air core in winter and a Neoair in warmer weather. Sleeping bag to fit the temp.