Tarptent Notch Lithium

I would imagine seeing how successful the ZPacks Duplex has become just might have gotten Henry’s competitive juices going. After all, the Duplex seems to be the ultralight tent that everybody’s been talking about over the past couple of years. And with SMD, Big Sky and mainstream companies upping their game in silnylon tents, maybe TT’s gotten to where it’s not as relevant as it used to be.

But if Tarptent offers a freestanding or semi-freestanding DCF tent, Joe will have some real competition on his hands. I think this is very wise of Henry because even if you don’t have the profit margin with DCF tents, It provides credibility and brings more attention to your company. Gives the image of being a cutting edge ultralight gear maker.

The way I see it, I really don’t care whether what Henry has up his sleeve appeals to me or not.  What I do care about is that someone out there is trying new things. Yay for TT on that!  I bought a Duplex almost the moment it was available, in Nov 2013, because it was clearly an innovative approach to a 2-person shelter.  To me it seemed many times better and more sensible that any other shelter available and I “happily” paid a ludicrous sum to own one.  I have loved it for the past 4+ years.

I have not seen a single shelter since that made me even momentarily consider replacing the Duplex.  I’ve been asking myself from where will the next innovation come that dims my view of that shelter and separates me from my cash?  Could this be it?  Who knows.  The important thing is that somebody may be trying to do that.  I really hope that TT is on to something.  I’m a sucker for new and better :)

Wonder if theses will be designs not found in other makers (MLD, Zpacks, etc..)?

I’d be really surprised if this is a new tent. My guess is that manufacturing with the new fabric is complicated enough, that they don’t want to deal with refining a new product at the same time.

I’m expecting cuben versions of 1 or 2 of their most popular designs, and then if those sell that might expand their cuben offerings.

Since cuben appeals to really weight conscious folks, I think we’ll see cuben versions of their lightest 1P and 2P tents first. So either the Notch or ProTrail (1P), and then either the MoTrail or Saddle (2P). The StratoSpire is TT’s larger/tougher double wall design, so I don’t think that will be first up.

Just going by the short teaser, especially the very beginning of it, if a current design, I’d put my money on the Notch and not the Protrail.

Henry has certainly gotten one thing he must have hoped for – lots of buzz and speculation! As with others, I can’t wait to see what he’s done.

I only wish he’d do some 1.5 person shelters for those of us who like a bit more room. :-)

Agreed Doug…I’m willing to bet its a Notch also.

“Since cuben appeals to really weight conscious folks”

Not necessarily, at least not as a sole reason to purchase. I bought my Duplex as much for the extra room as for the weight at which that the extra room was provided. I’m not really all that weight conscious – I almost always carry camp shoes, often a Helinox chair, a Reactor, extra clothes just to sleep in, etc. But I like my room, I like to have my pack and stuff in my shelter with me, and I don’t like having a tent wall 2-3 inches from my face when I’m lying down. The Duplex was the only shelter I could find that met that criteria at a reasonable weight. Like JCH, I haven’t yet found anything that comes close to replacing it for those reasons.

Cuben appeals to me because it is a “set and forget” shelter – no sagging when it rains or gets cold.

That is the principal reason I started with cuben, and continue with it.

What Doug said!

I too carry camp shoes, a Helinox Chair Zero, sleep clothes, down socks etc. all in the name of comfort.  I got my base weight down to 9 lbs and was pretty uncomfortable.  Now at 11 lbs I’m very comfortable both hiking and in camp and never feel like I wish I had something that I don’t.

Re shelter size: All I had to do was setup/tear down my notch (which I loved) in the rain (real, Hough Rain Forest rain) and I decided never again.  A 2P shelter allows me to get in one side wet, get un-packed into the dry side, then mop up the wet side.

My hope is that some of the products in the Lithium line will easily fit into a small volume pack without struts getting into the way.

Henry should show it at the GGG.

Does anyone have any info we could blackmail Henry or Franco with to make them talk?

Since cuben appeals to really weight conscious folks, I think we’ll see cuben versions of their lightest 1P and 2P tents first. So either the Notch or ProTrail (1P), and then either the MoTrail or Saddle (2P). The StratoSpire is TT’s larger/tougher double wall design, so I don’t think that will be first up.

On the other hand, it seems like the really weight conscious folks already have a number of spartan options.  The luxury of a Strato at the weight of a Notch, though…could be some market there.

My money is on the Protrail, with some tighter dimensions to go with it eg at the foot end.

I only say Notch because of the yellow guylines at the very beginning of the teaser.

I’m with Todd, I believe it’s NOT going to be a trekking pole supported design. Even though the Duplex is a masterpiece, the freestanding upgrade leaves a lot to be desired. A freestanding (or semi-freestanding) cuben fiber tent is what the marketplace has been starving for. Sierra Designs tried a freestanding DCF design a few tears ago ,but it was way too expensive.

I say we start placing bets on it now.

Due to dcf prices the working name of this tent is the “Po’ Trail’

“A freestanding (or semi-freestanding) cuben fiber tent is what the marketplace has been starving for”

Big Sky International has a couple offerings in the same price ballpark as a duplex+freestanding poles

That video teaser is quite the teaser!  If you go to Tarptents website coming soon page with vimeo’s scripts blocked in place of the teaser video is the text: “Side entrance with vestibule” Can’t trust a semi-loaded/broken web page but I think interesting enough to toss into this rumor mill

I’m excited to see what design made cuben worth it!

Henry is one sharp cookie…just look at all the hubbub created with one simple post :)

“Side entrance” rules out Pro/MoTrail now doesn’t it?  Odds are increasing for the Notch or…a completely new design????

I think this will be a new design.

You could do a side entrance on a Pro/Mo trail as an additional entrance easy enough. Just need a zip on the side as well and a detachable corner on the fly. Of course that entrance wouldn’t be rainproof.

I also agree with Matthew K’s comment above, that it would be good to see a tent that can go into small spaces without built in strut or pole issues, whatever it is. The original Moment was a pain to pack  because of its struts.

A protrail that has a much shorter foot end with struts, and then utilises one or two trekking poles at the head end would be relatively more stable and freestandin; two pegs like the Moment. This is a lot of freestanding to be honest. Cycle tourists are often keen on “freestanding” so that they can stealth camp on hard surfaces eg in suburbia or inside abandoned buildings etc. I used my Moment for nine months in a couple of dozen countries cycle touring and only a couple of times couldn’t peg at least one end. Each of those times I could easily make do with other “anchors”. Not hard. With a pyramid or a trad a frame though that’s a completely different kettle of fish.

I wouldn’t want a Protrail any smaller than it is now and I doubt the weight saving would attract many if it was only 12% as the current Silnylon is quite UL enough; for me anyway. If I had my choice I’d pick Silpoly for the Protrail and save for a much more spacious tent at a weight saving given the choice and the cash

I love the name anyway. Lithium is, “under standard conditions, … the lightest metal and the lightest solid element.” [Wikipedia]

Maybe NOW Six Moon Designs will bring back the Skyscape X… or not.

Doug may be right, a Cuben Notch. Makes more sense than a Moment, given Cuben does not stretch.

OR Ben may be right, it’s something TOTALLY NEW! (And those Pitch Loc struts may be Unobtainium.

On the other hand… she had warts.