Tarptent designs & winter snow

1. Comparing the Lunar with all the HS Tarptents, the Lunar will deflect wind the best (due to its downward sloping hexagon shape). The HS tarptents are mostly longish tents with unsupported sides, so you need to pay attention to pointing the foot end to the wind. The newer Rainbow and Double Rainbow are sturdier, but they also present a taller profile — acting almost like wind walls instead of wind deflectors. But the tradeoff is that you get much more headroom in a Rainbow then the Lunar.

Properly guyed out, the SMD is fine with a light snowload. With the HS tarptents, again, I would pick the Rainbow over any of the other longish models. No direct experience, but I would expect the Rainbow to handle snowloads a bit better because of its longitudinal pole.

2. Mesh — The mesh of the Lunar rises straight up for a foot or so — meaning no drooping to the ground and all the floor space is usable. The Lunar’s “wings” can be raised or lowered to an extent, but lowering won’t cause the mesh to droop.

The mesh of the Rainbow rises up from the floor as well, but angles (slants) upward and outward to the edges of the fly, rather than straight up. Depending on set up, there may be some “excess” mesh, so parts of it nearest to the floor could be droopy and touching the ground — before it rises up to meet the “fly”.

But if you’ve got lots of snow accumulated on the ground, I can see some of it coming into contact with the mesh — probably more so with the Rainbow, less with the Lunar.

Aside from tent structure and potential mesh contact, tarptents are going to be colder / draftier than double wall tents — esp. those with solid-fabric inners. For me, I don’t like having the cold winds blowing across my face all night.

> Aside from tent structure and potential mesh contact, tarptents are going to be colder / draftier than double wall tents — esp. those with solid-fabric inners. For me, I don’t like having the cold winds blowing across my face all night.

I don’t mind the cold wind – I just pull my head under the quilt. But it can be a damn nuisance having spindrift blowing over your sleeping bag!

Yes, I am a dedicated believer in a double wall tunnel tent in the snow!