Another tent question – double wall, roomy, UL, freestanding for 1 small person?

[Franco Darioli]

The new version of the tarptent Bowfin 1 is now beign posted.
Integral pitch (fly and inner together) but can also be pitched inner only.
34.5 oz

https://www.tarptent.com/product/bowfin-1s/#tab-id-2

The blue mat is 25’x77″

[SIMULACRA]

Personally i would not get a double wall tent that can not be pitched in the rain without exposing inner tent …

If you use the “fast fly setup” first with the Copper Spurs groundsheet you can easily set up the inner after as well as take it down first.

This would go for most any other double walled tent I believe as well.

[Sam Farrington]

Franco, that is great for those who do not care to carry two trekking poles, and the weight is just a tad over two lbs, which from TarpTent I’ve found is the real weight, not the “trail” or other measure of weight .  And I like that TT has beefed up the waterproofing and used a proven design.   If I needed a solo tent, that would be an easy choice.

[J-L]

The new Bowfin looks really good. I like the ability for integral pitch but also able to peel the fly back for stargazing. Nice work on the partial solid inner. I also never realized the Bowfin only needs 2 stakes to setup.

I wonder how pitching it will be though. The pole sleeve looks like it would be hidden under the fly, so is it intended to be pitched inner first most of the time? How would it do in wind compared to the Moment?

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Tarptent Moment DW with the optional crossing pole.

[Sam Farrington]

John, RE: “I wonder how pitching it will be though. The pole sleeve looks like it would be hidden under the fly, so is it intended to be pitched inner first most of the time? How would it do in wind compared to the Moment?”

Watched the set up video listed on the first Google page (the date was 2017), and it seemed fairly clear, and workable with the 2019 changes. Looks like both the long arch pole and the short top strut both attach from outside the outer. In other words, none of the tent inner is exposed during the pitch. If I’m missing something, would like to know.

[JCH]

Looks like both the long arch pole and the short top strut both attach from outside the outer.

That is true of the original Bowfin 1, however the new Bowfin 1s moves the poles UNDER the fly.  While the Tarptent page lists “Fly first or interior first pitch” as a feature, I have not yet found a setup video for the new 1s.

Bowfin 1

Bowfin 1s

[bradmacmt]

I really don’t understand how feeding the pole through its sleeve while the fly is attached will be an issue: Peel the rainfly back. Feed pole through sleeve. Set up tent. Done.

I also agree, the partial solid inner is a nice touch. I just wish the new Bowfin were available with a full (or mostly full) solid inner… I’m surprised its not. I’m looking to replace my Hubba HP and this would be the perfect candidate (I don’t do trekking poles).

What a nice design…

[Henry Shires / Tarptent]

I really don’t understand how feeding the pole through its sleeve while the fly is attached will be an issue: Peel the rainfly back. Feed pole through sleeve. Set up tent. Done.

Yes, the Bowfin 1S follows the same general design goal of all our other tents in that the interior and fly clip together and can be set up and taken down as one piece (for full interior protection in the rain).  What’s different about this one is that the underlying support structure lives with the interior — pole sleeve and Pitchloc+ ends — so that the fly can come partially or fully off as desired without affecting the structure and/or interior just set up by itself.  One last thing is that the top strut can attach to the top of the interior or to the top of the fly. If the desire is for standard fly-first setup, then it’s just better to leave the strut attached to the top of the fly and/or remove at takedown and reattach there for next setup. If the desire is for interior only (with the ability to throw the fly on over the top if needed) then the strut attaches to the top of the interior.

-H

[Sam Farrington]

Thank you JCH and Henry S.   Some more clarification would be helpful.  One photo of the 1s on the TT website, captioned, “Double side entrance, end and apex venting,” seems to show the top strut attached on the outside of the the fly, which would make it possible to pitch in a downpour without swamping the bathtub floor.  Picture the wind blowing like he**, the tent thrashing about half pitched, falling darkness, and the floor close to overflowing.  A ‘no exit’ situation as Sartre wrote, or as they say these days, an ‘existential’ one.

Perhaps this will become clearer with a new setup video or otherwise.  For well watered locations, like northern New England or Colorado, Tarptents are one ot the few brands that provide double walls that allow a dry pitch, and do it without a lot of finagling.  While this is not important to some in dryer areas, it is a big deal for many, as evidenced by many experiences posted on BPL.

[Henry Shires / Tarptent]

.. seems to show the top strut attached on the outside of the the fly, which would make it possible to pitch in a downpour without swamping the bathtub floor.

Yes, the top strut can install on the outside / topside of fly OR or onto the interior. For fly first pitch and setup /takdown in rain, it goes on the outside.  There are connection points between the fly and interior for mechanically locking them together as desired.

[George]

@07100, does the Bowfin 1S use the same PitchLoc strut supports as the original Bowfin? I’ve found those to be a little fussier than I expected. Thanks!

[Henry Shires / Tarptent]

does the Bowfin 1S use the same PitchLoc strut supports as the original Bowfin? I’ve found those to be a little fussier than I expected. Thanks!

Similar structure but, we think, much improved ease of setup and foldable takedown due to the quick release and retension.

[Sam Farrington]

Thank you very much, Henry. That settles it for me.

[Author]

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