Lightweight 3 person shelter (1 adult + 2 kids)

Have you looked into the TT Rainshadow 2 or Zpacks Triplex? Rainshadow has plenty of space for 3 and is close enough in weight to your Double Rainbow.

I still think the supermid is the best group shelter. Me, wife and 2 kids, either all together or a mix of 3 of us, no problem at all. Even in a group hiking situation (5+ people), the supermid becomes the party tent if in camp and raining…enough room for everyone to come in and sit and huddle, play cards, etc.

As john mentioned any big mid would be the ticket with an inner net when needed. A MLD Supermid, HMG Ultamid 4, an Oware, or Golite Shangri la 5 would fit the bill

Thanks Lou. The various tarptent options are definitely ones I've been considering – both the official 3 person as well as the scarp 2 (I think I read on a thread here that 3 might fit, especially if they're small?) I've seen the triplex, but am thinking that may be more than I would prefer to spend for our low mileage family trips since my kids don't have great stamina at the moment. But I'm looking very seriously at the zpack options when planning for solo trips.

Hi Melissa
This is a Scarp 2 with 3 mats inside :

as you can see they are a bid squashed in but they do fit.
(there are 5 clips on the inner, you undo N1 and N5 to let the floor down as it is in that photo)
The 2 grey/black mats are 6'long (the near one is not pushed against the end) so there is still a bit of spare space inside the floor,about 1 foot, as well as the two vestibules.
However you could also look at the Cloudburst 3…

Thank you John and Bradford. I will look into the mids. Have to admit that's the shelter I'm least familiar with – started backpacking with tarps then moved to tarptents and haven't really explored the other options.

The mids are a good option for space and weather protection, but they can be more expensive and potentially heavier than the Rainshadow 2 if a net skirt or inner net is added. Of course, that will vary brand to brand. Something to keep in mind.

Franco –

Thank you for this. You bring up the Cloudburst 3, which is definitely something we are considering. But what about the Stratosphere 2? It seems like that might work for us since 2 of the 3 people I'm trying to fit are small, and by the time they get bigger they will hopefully also be OK with me sleeping in a separate solo setup.

Hi Melissa,
Yes for your requirement the SS2 could also work.
Take a look at this thread :
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=90986
and no , my photos are not an optical illusion…
Here is one

Thank you. I had seen that thread and it was one of the ones that got me leaning in this direction, as I think it could fit even better with us set up head to foot to maximize space, since right now my kids are only ~50" and 42" tall.

I also have a 3 person overnighter coming up, and would be pretty happy if we could get away with just the SS2 versus bringing 2 tents since we'll be carrying water (arid conditions). I know it's pretty tight with the inner, but I'm also hopeful we could get away with just a groundsheet since it's low bug season.

Lots to think about. Thank you for your help.

Hi Melissa,

I agree with making your trips as fun as possible – our granddaughter (now 5 and totally in to camping and adventures of all sorts) did her first overnight walk at 20 months! That trip had 2 adults & 2 kids in a Rainshadow 2, but I think we were lucky it was dry! The RS2 would be perfect for 3, but it's quite open so might not be so much fun for kids in bad weather.

The SS2 is an awesome tent, flexible in its setup in that it will fit 3×20" mats, and can be closed down in bad weather – incredibly windworthy too. We love our SS2 – we're now on our second 2 month trip in it – it's our tent of choice if not gram counting to the extreme.

A more spacious but slightly heavier option is the Hogback – but that's 4P.

SS2 would get my vote!

Enjoy your adventures with your kids!

Karen –

Thank you so much for the feedback – I think you have me sold :) Hogback looks like a great setup, but probably more than I want to deal with flying solo with just me and the kids. And if we get to go as a family of 4 we can always add in another shelter when we have another adult to help carry it all.

I did consider the Rainshadow and like the sleeping vs. weight, but I do want to be prepared to (comfortably) wait out the rain with kids, and I also think I really prefer the side entry.

All the best with your upcoming trip!

I am selling a Nemo Meta 2P which is like a palace. Has 2 doors with 22 square foot vestibules and weighs in at just over 3lbs. with footprint and stakes. It will accommodate you and two little ones for sure and with the side pull outs it creates more room

I never had any issues with the rain or wind in my old squall 2 (smaller version of the rs2). It pitches much faster than any tent I have ever owned. I guess the SS2 has the bomb proof thing going for it. My SS2 is used mainly for snowy excursions or short distance overnighters, but it is quite a bit more finicky when pitching.

We use both a Scarp 2 and a Hogback for our family of 6. (I'm the Sherpa. Know any good chiropractors?) The Hogback is only 5 oz heavier than the Scarp 2, and it takes up nearly the same pack space. It does have a larger footprint and less wind resistance due to the larger size. Both have the removable inner tents of course.

The Sherpa has decided that we actually might cram 5 of us into the Hogback on the next trip with me sleeping in a bivy bag to save weight and setup time/complexity.

For the record, the Meta 2 is a great shelter, IMHO. Been my go-to for the last couple of years. Definitely palatial for a 3# 2p tent.

I don't think that you can fit three mats inside a Meta 2.

True that, Franco. But it might very well suit her stated needs, and she might be able to get a good deal on a used one. I have no doubt that a Statospire 2 would suit the OP's needs better, if she wants to spend the extra money.

Went ahead and ordered a SS2. Will be sure to report back with my assessment of how it works for us.