TARPTENT DOUBLE RAINBOW

I believe the primary difference is that the Double Rainbow is a single wall vs the BA is a double wall (meaning there is a separate rain fly). The double wall (supposedly) reduces condensation, and allows you to shed weight by leaving the rain fly at home, or leaving the tent and just bring the fly, poles, and ground tarp.

I have the BA Copper Spur (perhaps more similar to the Double Rainbow in terms of door configuration) and love it. I'm sure more experienced people will chime in with some additional info as well.

Also, just a bit of advice (not that I'm an expert on our language by any stretch of the imagination), but using ALL CAPS is generally not common in settings such as this.

I have the impression that a "tarp tent" has bug netting permanently attached to the waterproof outer.

A tarp tent has areas where you just get bug netting, like ventilating panels around the top of the groundsheet. And there are areas where you just get solid fabric, like the roof. And there are usually inner doors made from netting and outer doors made from waterproof fabric, so you can alter the balance of ventilation/shelter/views/privacy.

A "normal" tent doesn't mix fabrics like this. It will have a waterproof outer layer, and maybe a separate inner layer of mesh (for insect protection with ventilation) or nylon (to block wind and splashes).

The "tarp tent" saves weight and space by not doubling up layers where it doesn't need to. You don't need insect netting at the roof, you need it at the doors and around the edges.

The "normal" tent may sometimes be optimised by changing components — you bring a mesh inner for insects in summer, and a solid inner to block wind and blowing snow in winter.

Henry Shires' Tarptent company, who make the Double Rainbow, make both types of tent. If you look at the setup videos on their website it will be clear which you're dealing with.

(duplicate post)

Yes the Double Rainbow is a single walled tent with a netting permanently attached.

The BA Copper Spur is a traditional tent, meaning you set up the tent and THEN the rain fly.

Good answers so far.

Alexandra, if you are trying to decide between the two for your trip, you would be happy with both. I think the double rainbow weighs less and packs up smaller – less to carry.

But the Copper Spur has the ability to be set up with the net only as well (no hard cover, just a mosquito netting as the tent) so you could camp out with far more ventilation (might be helpful in jungle areas).

So it depends on which is more important to you. But you'd be happy with either of them. And both will be sturdy enough for what you want to put them through.

When do you leave on your trip, by the way????

Hopefully by the 8th of June! So if I don't have a hiking pole, what do I use to hold the tent up??

The double rainbow uses tent poles that come with the tent. No worries!

And good luck….you're going to have a great adventure!!!! And all the criticisms on here aside, you'll figure stuff out as you go. Do be careful tho!!!

It's not freestanding without hiking poles though…am I correct? I thought it was best if I opted for a freestanding tent?!

You are correct. It will only be freestanding with hiking poles/ extra poles.

While I never use a free standing tent, if I was traveling to places I have never been with little chance to swap out my gear for something else I would probably bring a freestanding tent.

If you've never used a non-freestanding tent, let me tell you: it's really not that big of a deal.

In all reality you will find that most tents labelled as freestanding are not. With very few exceptions, almost every tent on the market requires stakes on the vestibule area. without those stakes in place, the structure and strength of the tent can be greatly compromised. You can count both of the BA tents into this category. I figure that as long as you have to drive stakes anyway, the free standing benefit isn't as great as it sounds.

Also of note, if you are planning on camping in windy environments please do not plan on setting up a "free-standing" tent with only stakes holding down the vestibule. It may be perfectly fine without wind, but is not a safe practice when the wind kicks up. Those two stakes in the vestibules are not enough to keep a tent from going airborne in strong winds.

one piece vs. two pieces.

I have a DR tarp tent and it's a genius design. It actually feels like a reg tent because the netting is separated from the rain fly giving it an appearance of "a tent under a rain fly" and feel and usage of a reg tent, minus the extra weight. In all my hiking experience with it (5 yrs plus) I've yet to suffer from 1. condensation 2. needing it to be "freestanding".

if it helps, we trusted our 8 month old baby sleep in that tent with us.

By my count, freestanding tents have exactly one advantage over non-freestanding: ease of fine tuning placement. Beyond that, you better stake the thing down anyway, or a wind gust can make a real mess.

I have never owned a freestanding tent (in 35 years of BPing) and have never had any need for a tent to be freestanding. I would think that you would do fine with a Tarptent Rainbow if it is just you and your pack– it would save a little weight over a Double Rainbow. Hard to beat for weight and price (well within your budget price!)