Easton Kilo vs Tarptent Double Rainbow

I bought and returned a Kilo. Was too small for two in my opinion.

I have no experience with tarptents, but people here seem to really like them.

I really like Big Sky tents. Might require a bigger budget. I really like the free standing design and simplicity of setting them up. Probably not as light as the tarptents though.

You should consider 3P tents as a lot of the so called 2P tents really aren't adequate for 2 real people. What is your current tent and what do you like about it. What don't you like other than weight?

I like room. My choice was between SMD's Lunar Duo or one of the Tarptents.
I went for the Duo, which I am very happy with, though I think I would have been happy with either. All very nice tents. The Duo had a little more room for the same weight, I believe. I didn't really consider the DR freestanding as it wasn't really fully functional without staking + I wasn't sure if it would put undue stress on my trekking poles. If you want freestanding, you'll probably have to settle for less room.

You'll appreciate the 2 door side entry of the Double Rainbow. It costs a little less. You can't take the fly off, but to me that's not a big deal. It vents great. It has plenty of room for two people. I've used the freestanding option one time and it worked pretty good provide your poles are long enough. Definitely get the roof liner if you know you are going into a place where condensation could be an issue.

Good to know from everyone that the Kilo will be too small. I was interested because it was lighter and it's only $296 on Backcountry right now, but not interested anymore!

@NathanWatts – Thanks for the idea to look at Big Sky. The Mirage 2P (http://j.mp/179ytBC) looks awesome! No need to use poles, has 41.9 sq ft, and is 6oz less than the Double Rainbow! Definitely has jumped to the top of my list so far. Any idea if there are condensation problems with this single/double wall mix?

@ScreeRide – I like the Lunar Duo though I don't usually use poles, so that might be a limiting factor. Also, it looks like the Big Sky is a bit lighter and bigger, too.

@CorbinCamp – Good to know about the condensation, if I go this route I'll definitely get the liner.

Also, another person hit me up and mentioned LightHeart tents. They look really nice, bigger and lighter than TarpTents (as far as the 2P single/double wall mix is concerned). Anyone have an opinion on the Duo (http://j.mp/179z7ip) ?

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