Free standing dcf

[Michael Y]

Have a double rainbow li. Need /love the freestanding feature . Would like to find a double walled free standing dcf tent.

[Sam Farrington]

Have you checked out the optional clip-in liner?  The pix on the site appear much better than the cheesy liner previously offered.  You don’t need a double wall on the sides of the side-entry tent.  The net doors and vestibules accomplish the same purpose.  And having a solid liner overhead should stop drips if the condensation is intense under the roof, which can happen in very humid conditions + heavy rain.

Tarptent has introduced a double wall version of the silnylon rainbow.  Note Stumphges recent thread: https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/new-tent-tarptent-double-rainbow-dw-double-wall/

Maybe if you wait a while, they will do that for the DCF version.  Note the inner in the sil version is mostly netting.

[Stumphges]

I think Sam is on the right track – wait for the Double Rainbow Li DW. It must be coming. The way Tarptent designed their just-released Double Rainbow DW, with the fly on the outside of the main pole, that silnylon fly could easily be replaced with a DCF one. In fact, it could be modular and you take either fly depending on conditions/whims.

Is the Rainbow freestanding enough for you, or were you thinking a dome? Domes and DCF don’t get along very well. The only one doing it now is Big Agnes, and there are rumors that they are going to get out of DCF.

[Michael Y]

I have the inner for the DR LI. I live in northeast ohio and condensation is on another level here. I need the complete freestanding option the DR offers. Also need to be able to store the wet fly separate from the tent body.Didn’t think any other manufacturer had a freestanding dcf tent.… might have to make the jump to myog???

[Sam Farrington]

Michael,

Haven’t met these products, but not sure how a net inner would be better than a solid, in terms of stopping condensation from dripping.

If water on the outside of the DCF is a problem, a water repellent spray on the outside could make the water bead up and shed, and minimize swabbing.  As currently discussed on the ultra lengthy DCF thread with cautions about toxic PFOA durable water resistant sprays.  From the exchange with Roger, the Atsko silicone water guard might work.  Or maybe you need something different for DCF, which is not supposed to absorb water.  Or a DWR treatment for the inner that you have.  This is the first I’ve heard of DCF collecting lots of water.  I would pick out a few of the SAFE dwr sprays and try them on the surfaces that collect water.  Applied sparingly, they don’t add much weight and can make packing up much quicker.

[Michael Y]

Thanks for the reply Sam. I am looking for a double wall dcf tent with a freestanding option. At this point I have about given up and am waiting for the liteAF double wall dcf tent to make its debut. Not freestanding but a double wall dcf tent.

[jscott]

Notch Li is double wall, with an option for a mostly solid inner. It’s not free standing, but from what you’ve written, it would seem that condensation management is your primary concern. I think this design addresses that concern.

[Michael Y]

I own a notch li, way to small for me with my winter set up. I have a terrible gear addiction and own almost every dcf and ultralight tent out so far. None address the key factors I am looking for.  Freestanding, dcf double walled

[J-L]

Trekkertent Saor DCF: http://www.trekkertent.com/home/home/55-saor-dcf.html

[Michael Y]

John, any info on the dimensions of that tent ?

[jscott]

Michael, perhaps you need an intervention rather than another tent. I’d suggest sending me your Notch (my unaffordable ideal tent, in theory) to begin the process of freeing yourself from this condition.

[Michael Y]

jscott, you might be right. I know it’s not ultralight but last night I completed the Nemo shield series and picked up a coda 1.5. Two years of searching and finally got the last one

[J-L]

No idea on the dimensions of the Saor – you’d have to contact Trekkertent.

[William Chilton]

The dimensions are here

[Sam Farrington]

Re: Saor –  41 oz is pretty steep for a DCF 1P tent.   Trekkertent’s Phreeranger (~ to TT Rainbow) is 24.5 oz in DCF with a DCF floor, a bit heavier if a silnylon floor – click on the link:

http://www.trekkertent.com/home/home/39-phreeranger-dyneema-composite.html 

The site states that the floor pitches fly first (for a dry pitch), although that is not clear in the photos.  But to make it freestanding, you’d need to do some MYOG modifications.  Since you have a TT Rainbow, you know the drill for that.  Better, would be a hub on each end of the hoop pole with spreader struts, not a new design.  For alloy poles this would work fine.  For carbon, hubs can cause breakage, so extensions must be added to the the hub, which is already done by some companies.  To keep the weight down, you’d have to find a couple ultra light hubs with keepers extending in all three directions.  Some companies are also doing this already, and it would take some research to find ultralight hubs with extensions.  Tentpole Technologies is often worth a call.

Your criteria do not cover a fly first or other dry pitch, and the first time you have to pitch in a downpour, you’d wish you added that to your criteria.  So mentioned that above re the Phreeranger.

Please note:  My brother has collections of everything from carved ducks to high-end folk guitars.  To keep afloat financially, he has become expert at selling and shipping stuff on Ebay, and actually comes out ahead.  (When we were kids, we nick-named him “downtown charlie.” ) Just a thought.

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