Tarptent Stratospire LI

[JCH]

Not sure about the 1+ reference but the SS Li is designed for 2

For us large ‘mericans, that’s called 1+  :)

[JCH]

The Stratospire Li and the new Durston tent both look set to give the Duplex a run for it’s money. Certainly some design aspects of these new shelters will be much more appealing to some, such as zippered doors, removable inner, better wind performance, etc.   I would guess a head-to-head-to-head review of these 3 would be of immense value and interest to the BPL membership and the kind of content that has been missing from this site of late.

Now, is anyone at BPL listening?

[Tarn Faulkner]

Has anyone seen how much mesh or venting is available on the solid inners, and how high it is placed (to avoid letting wind in)?

I’m interested in the Stratospire Li especially for cold, wet and windy northwest shoulder seasons where I need to both block wind well and allow reasonable airflow to fight condensation.

[Lester Moore]

a head-to-head-to-head review of these 3 would be of immense value and interest to the BPL membership

Big +1 on that. Would love to see photos of the partially solid inner too.

[Paul S.]

Has anyone seen how much mesh or venting is available on the solid inners, and how high it is placed (to avoid letting wind in)?

Based on the SS2 pictures it goes up about 2/3rds solid and 1/3rd mesh on top.

[Tarn Faulkner]

Based on the SS2 pictures it goes up about 2/3rds solid and 1/3rd mesh on top.

Ah, thanks, that looks like a decent compromise for ventilation vs. airflow.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Still some in stock after 4 hours. Hopefully it sells out soon so the temptation will end.

[Paul S.]

Still some in stock after 4 hours. Hopefully it sells out soon so the temptation will end.

Now that you’re a tent maker any new tent you buy comes from the business fund for “research.”

[Franco Darioli]

Not sure about the 1+ reference but the SS Li is designed for 2

“For us large ‘mericans, that’s called 1+ :)”

Fair enough, but if a 45″x 86″ floor is considered 1+ I would think that the vast majority of the so called doubles should be re-named 1+.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Now that you’re a tent maker any new tent you buy comes from the business fund for “research.”

Right. It’s a tax write off. Even less reason to hold off. If they’re still in stock on Wednesday I’ll flip a coin on it.

“If a 45″x 86″ floor is considered 1+ I would think that the vast majority of the so called doubles should be re-named 1+.”

I was looking at the Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL2 tent yesterday and that thing is tiny – only 35″ wide at the foot end. Hardly more than a 1P by this standard.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Website now says only 10 left in stock.

[Jeff Gerke]

How would this tent stack up against a Duplex or Triplex?  From what I can gather the SS Li would be better in stormy conditions, it would probably be better with condensation as well since it is double wall.  The SS Li a little heavier than the Duplex and even the Triplex.  The weird thing is the SS Li looks like it has a larger footprint than the Triplex and much larger than the Duplex.  The exterior width of the Triplex is 101″ and the SS Li is 111″.  So the Triplex has much smaller vestibule space.  I have a SS2 which has been a great tent but it is hard to pitch in a tight area.  I’ve been shopping for a tent for when I take my wife and son.  So it is either the Triplex or get a SS Li and take a second shelter like my Duomid when I have my wife and son along.  Right now we all squeeze into the SS2 but the SS Li is smaller.  The Triplex might be better for what I need right now and maybe next year get the SS Li.

[Paul S.]

So the solid inner has a +3 oz difference from the mesh.  I wonder why TarpTent isn’t using a solid interior as the same weight of mesh.

[Franco Darioli]

“I have a SS2 which has been a great tent but it is hard to pitch in a tight area”.
If you don’t have strong winds, you can pitch it without the vestibules in place , just use the apex guylines to hold the rest taut.
But you need to set it up the way I do, that is set up the four floor corners first.

Something like the right side in this photo. The fly would then just hang down.

[Franco Darioli]

In a couple of forums I commented that the Side Car (the insert to take a child or a dog, takes a short mat) does not fit the SS Li.

Turns out I was wrong as we just discovered yesterday. (Henry found the time to try it out…)

So the website has been updated with this photo :

 

[Serge Giachetti]

Anyone have experience with these yet?

I love my duplex, but when camped above treeline (my preference ;) I’ve had some restless nights between the flapping noise and getting the walls blown on my head/feet.

This looks like a better alpine/winter shelter. 43 inches does seem a little narrow though for two.

 

[Kosta K]

I’ve fit a wide and regular pad in there, and we slept fine. There’s absolutely no extra space though. That’s not a big deal since you have a the massive vestibules for gear.

I consider it a 1+ palace with plenty of room to stretch out, and in a pinch you can fit a 2nd. I probably wouldn’t want to use it as my main 2 person tent though, as I like having some room for gear inside the tent itself.

[Author]

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