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I've been reading and reading and trying to decide which 2 person freestanding tent to buy. I already have a lightweight bivy for solo but sometimes good to bring someone along. I've been thinking about the tarptent double rainbow. Any other suggestions? Small pack size and lightweight as well as quick set up are important.
Thanks for all sugestions.
For two people sharing, also take a look at the Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo. It has the typical "bathtub floor" sidewalls to prevent water pooling on the ground from flowing into the tent — and it's 54 inches wide. In comparison, the Double Rainbow in bathtub floor configuration is only 48" wide — and that's pretty narrow compared to most other two-person tents.
Henry Shire's website gives the lengths for the Double Rainbow in both clipped (bathtub) and unclipped (flat) configurations. However, when it comes to width, ONLY the unclipped/flat configuration is given — even though many tent users prefer a bathtub floor. I find this omission quite confusing, so I thought I would highlight this difference.
At the risk of stating the obvious, single wall tents made with non-breathable fabrics — such as the two tarptents above — perform better in temperate climes with low to moderate humidity. If you are interested in "all weather" three-season camping, then take a look at double wall tents as well. A perennial favorite is the REI Half Dome HC.
Sorry, I missed your criterion that the tent be freestanding. Of the two tarptents above, only the Double Rainbow can be made freestanding — although doing so requires two trekking poles.
You specified freestanding, so that rules out most of the tarptent-type tent, which are really light.
The Big Sky Products Evolution 2P is really a great lightweight tent, and is freestanding. They should have an adequate supply soon.
A good value is the REI Quarter Dome. Its very similar to the BSP Evo 2P, weighs slightly more, and costs less.
The new Black Diamond HiLight, made of Epic, is also very light. BD tents are very well designed and tight as a drum.
Henry:
Big Sky tents are indeed some of the very lightest freestanding tents out there. HOWEVER, I was very hesistant — and ultimately decided against — mentioning Big Sky tents to you because of the way this company jerked its customers around — promising 4-6 week delivery times that turned out to be an entire year or even longer for some. This outright deception (folks had to pay up in advance!) was relentless in 2005 and 2006.
Given Big Sky's pitiful track record, "soon" sounds awfully vague and "iffy" to me. As seductive as the tents are — be careful when dealing with Big Sky.
For its anniversary sale on Friday, May 4th REI is selling the BIg Agnes Seedhouse SL 2 reduced by $100, for $219 rather than $319. The trail weight is 2# 14oz. Pretty great for a 2-person tent. At that weight a lot of people use the SL2 for their solo tent. I have the SL1 & love it. Plus, Big Agnes has great customer service. Here is the SL2:
http://www.bigagnes.com/str_tents.php?id=sh2sl&PHPSESSID=bbe2fe20b3825a029ea990f77e94b140
Henry, I suggest you check out the Black Diamond Superlight series. I bought the HiLight; its 1180 grams minus stakes. Has two huge peak vents, and packs down to the size of a cantalope because it is single-wall. Truly free-standing; I set mine up last night in literally two minutes to seam-seal it.
Some of these epic tents have tested extremely water-resistant; some have leaked after 8 hours of rain; it is best to seam seal it well and buy if from REI so you can return it if necessary.
http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/gear/tents_overview.php
For a lower price, I echo the recommendation for the REI QuarterDome; I own one, and it has all the features I want in a freestanding tent, including big peak vents. Only problem is the bulk and weight. But a GREAT value, and a bomber tent. I knock the weight, but at 3lbs 10oz with two big vestibules, It has a high sheltered area to weight ratio.
If I expect a lot of vertical climbing, I would carry the BD; a flat stroll to a campground, the QD.
Thanks for the suggestions.
I just bought the Big Agnes from REI for $319. Where's the information on the sale for $219? Unfortunately I'm going to be going out of town on May 4-12. Hopefully they'll let me get the price on May 3 or 13… Otherwise I can get it from Moabsports for $210 free shipping no tax but I like getting REI's return policy.
It's very easy to set up and I'm quite happy with it except it is a bit bigger than I would like pack size wise.
I have a BA Seedhouse 2 SL and I really like it — although I use mine strictly as a solo tent. I view this tent as a "1.5 person tent" — meaning that two people can technically fit inside, but they should expect a lot of coziness. It's very light weight compared to most other tents of comparable size. While it's a bit heavier than some single-wall tents, the BA is practically 'bombproof' for most all 3-season camping — and no worries about condensation drenching you or rain penetrating through!
As for the REI sale, follow the link below. The site provides a list of items that will go on sale, although the specific discount rates are not mentioned. Your BA SL2 is on the list — my guess is that it will be listed at a 20% discount. You'll have no problems whatsoever getting the sale price when you return on May 13th.
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