Tarptent Double Rainbow Carbon or Al pole?

[J C]

Couldn't find a thread about this.

Seriously considering getting a TT Double Rainbow, but at the ordering screen I noticed there is the option for a carbon pole. Anyone have any experience with these vs. the aluminium poles? -2oz is tempting but not if its going to need babying.

[Troy Hawkins]

I think this option is relatively new…I wish it was there two months ago when I ordered the DW Moment!

[JP]

–

[Ken Thompson]

Carbon fiber pole option only adds $15

[J C]

Yeah, the breathable clip in liner costs much more…

I guess I will go CF and hope for the best.

[Erik Basil]

Looking at the weight savings to dollar cost, that's a pretty good option. Man, I am jealous of you shrimpy little fellas that fit in this tent…and Porsches. I want a "Rainbow LT" :)

To make myself feel better, I'm going to go into the kitchen and get something off the top shelf.

[J C]

What? How tall are you? I'm 6'4 and from what I've read the Double Rainbow is pretty good for tall people. See: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=22603

[Todd T]

What? How tall are you? I'm 6'5" and have more room in my TT Rainbow than in any other tent I've tried.

[Nick Gatel]

"To make myself feel better, I'm going to go into the kitchen and get something off the top shelf."

That statement was a nice read for me to get my day started on a positives note.

[Henry Shires / Tarptent]

The carbon pole option is a recent addition. We're now offering Easton 6.3 carbon poles for the Rainbow/Double Rainbow and Moment DW. The carbon pole saves 2 ounces and no one can feel the difference in a loaded pack. Do, however, consider it for the additional stiffness. It's noticeably stiffer than the standard Easton 0.340" aluminum pole. I will say that the carbon pole isn't as crush/abrasion resistant as aluminum so if you tend to be rough on poles–tossing them on the ground, stepping on them etc,–then stick with aluminum. The Moment DW main arch pole is a hybrid aluminum/carbon pole–mid sections are prebent aluminum, end sections are carbon–and that one saves 1.3 ounces. Easton built it that way to alleviate stress concerns in the tightest bend areas of the pole. The Moment DW crossing pole is all carbon and saves a whopping 0.5 ounces over the standard Easton 0.344" aluminum pole (but the stiffness difference is dramatic).

-H

[J C]

Lol OK OK Henry I get it. 60 grams is nothing. But 60 grams saved per piece of carried gear is something.

Anyway, so the carbon poles are stiffer. Does that mean they are more or less likely to fail under high wind load?

[Troy Hawkins]

When will the poles be available to buy separately from the shelters?

[Erik Basil]

Jeremy, Todd: I'm 6'5" and I had the impression from reviews on this site that the D-Rainbow was a little tight –lengthwise– for the normal-sized backpackers like we three. I mean, I noted the Oompa Loompas are nearly unanimous in praise for this tent, but I honestly had it in my head that it's a tad short for us.

It is two inches shorter along the floor than the (heavier, slower pitch) BA Copper Spur UL2 I'm using. You regular fellas are fitting fine without dragging the toe of your bag into the ends of the tent, etc? That fast-pitch video on the Tarptent site is very compelling.

[Henry Shires / Tarptent]

> When will the poles be available to buy separately from the shelters?

Troy, I'm sending you order links for the Moment carbon poles.

-H

[Eric Blumensaadt]

I'll be getting a Moment DW later this year with the ripstop inner. Now that carbon and carbon hybrid poles are available for that tent I'll order them.

For winter use I think they will make a difference in resisting deflection by high winds and wet snow loads. Henry just keeps on improving his products and that is a sign of a good company.

[Todd T]

Erik: Mine's the single Rainbow, not Double. There's plenty of length for me, at least in the center. But the end walls slope inward more at the sides, so if I were to try to sleep over against one side I might have trouble with the bag hitting the end wall. Whether that is an issue with the Double, which is 10 inches (IIRC) wider, I can't say.

[diego dean]

When can we expect to see the 18 inch pole sections for the CB3? Hopefully they will come optionally in carbon?

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