Rainbow in the winter

[Jeff Jeff]

Has anyone tried using the a tarptent rainbow in winter with mild snow conditions?

It has been a mild winter in the PNW so far and I think I can get away with it. I know wind and snow loading would be bad, but the forecast looks good for a few days. Would the mesh lower cause it to just fill up with snow drifts from any light winds? I'm not worried about it being cold (compared to a proper 4 season) since I have a 0 degree bag and it shouldn't get below 20 or so.

All of my shelters are for mild weather. I usually dig a cave in winter, but there isn't enough snow up here yet.

[Tipi Walter]

I've read about several examples of spindrift blowing into Tarptents due to the low perimeter mesh but I can't find these reviews after a cursory search. Here are some other neat links—

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/78304-Tarptents-in-snow

http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=684624
Some negatories in this link.

http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/shelter.html
Mark Verber goes into some detail and talks about wind and condensation.

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Shelters/Tarps%20and%20Bivys/Tarptent%20Double%20Rainbow/Owner%20Review%20by%20Edwin%20L.%20Morse/
In this review Edwin Morse has alot of good things to say and a few not so good.

And if you really want to go nuts, check out this—

http://eastonmountainproducts.com/pdf/condensation-article.pdf

[Rick Adams]

I have used my double rainbow as well as other well ventilated 3 season tents in similar Tahoe area conditions and been comfy. The rainbow can be pitched low if conditions aren't great and the windward side can be blocked with a small snow berm or any extra clothing to block the vent.

I also found cowboy camping in chilling but pleasant weather to be pretty nice. Which is kind of funny since I don't cowboy camp at any other time of year.

[Franco Darioli]

You can "beef it up" by adding trekking poles to the sides

(grommets located under the vents)
and extra guylines to the main pole too (not illustrated)

[Edward Jursek]

Great title for a heavy metal song.

[Todd T]

I've only had my Rainbow in falling snow once, and it readily sloughed off about 2 inches of dry snow. There was no wind, so I can't say for sure, but I suspect some spindrift would indeed come in thorough the perimeter mesh.

[Anonymous]

"Has anyone tried using the a tarptent rainbow in winter with mild snow conditions?"

I tested mine inadvertently up in Humphreys Basin a few years ago when I got caught out in an early storm that dumped 10" of light snow overnight, accompanied by gusting wind in the 20's. There was a little spindrift infiltration under the vestibule and a little thru the perimeter netting, but nothing I couldn't handle with a bandana. The main problem was that I had to periodically bang the sides of the tent to slough off snow buildup and eventually go outside and push the sloughed snow back away from the bottom foot or so of the tent where it was pressing in on the walls as it accumulated. The good news there was that it eliminated the spindrift infiltration. The bad news was increased condensation inside the tent. All in all, I have spent more comfortable nights in the Sierra, but the Rainbow held up just fine, and I stayed warm and dry. The Rainbow is a darn good tent, IME, well suited for just about any conditions other than winter.

[jimmer ultralight]

It speaks well of the Rainbow.

Did you use trekking poles on each side as additional support that snowy night?

[Anonymous]

"Did you use trekking poles on each side as additional support that snowy night?"

No. I was pitched in the lee of a very large boulder, which took the brunt of the wind. We could see the storm forming up at sunset, so we had plenty of time to make sure our tents were well placed.

I used the standard 4 corner stakes and 2 side guy lines, and that worked just fine. The Rainbow sheds moderate wind really well, even broadside to the wind, as it flexes a lot.

[jimmer ultralight]

Thanks for the additional onfo.
Living on the Great Plains makes me take note of such wind performance..

I keep looking at the double rainbow for upcomming co-ed trips, as an alternative to the lighter,more expensive Zpacks Duplex etc.

The Rainbow's layout is great and the overall design just puts a smile on my face..

The profile reminds me of a VW Beetle.

[Anonymous]

"I keep looking at the double rainbow for upcomming co-ed trips, as an alternative to the lighter,more expensive Zpacks Duplex etc.

The Rainbow's layout is great and the overall design just puts a smile on my face.."

There are lighter tents out there, and probably even better tents, but for the price I think you would be very happy in a Double Rainbow with a significant other. It is a bit narrow for two guys with the bathtub floor up, but coed works fine. It is a solid, dependable, well made tent, and Henry stands behind his products 100%.

Here's a link to a video clip of a Rainbow in very high wind conditions, to give you some idea of just how wind worthy a properly pitched Rainbow is.

[Author]

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