by Andrew Marshall and Ryan Jordan

Introduction

The Tarptent Double Rainbow Li is a 2-person, side-entry, 2-door (and 2-vestibule) hybrid single/double-wall tent made with Dyneema Composite Fabrics that weighs 27 oz (765 g).

Tarptent announced the Double Rainbow Li on April 23 and will make it available for sale beginning April 27. The Double Rainbow is Tarptent’s best-selling shelter, and the new DCF version will be one-third lighter.

We’ve had a few days to look over Tarptent’s specs for this product, and took it out for a spin this week to form some first impressions.

Watch the review video:

YouTube video

This article is sort of a hybrid First Look/Limited Review – it represents an initial performance analysis of a new product based on limited use in one type of climate and geographical environment. Herein, we make no claims regarding its long-term durability or performance in other environments. Learn more about the types of product reviews we publish.

Highlights

  • Weight: 27 oz (765 g)
  • Floor Dimensions: 50 in wide x 88 in long (127 cm x 224 cm)
  • Bathtub floor height: 5 in (13 cm)
  • Vestibule depth: 26 in (66 cm)
  • Trekking poles can be used to set up the shelter in freestanding mode or to create a “porch.”

Overview

  • What is new about this version of the Double Rainbow?
    • DCF construction
      • bonded seams – no sealing required
      • one-third lighter than silnylon version
    • carbon-fiber pole-set:
      • Easton 3.9 carbon series (7.5 mm dia)
      • main arch pole: 4.44 oz (126 g)
      • cross strut: 0.88 oz (25 g)
      • total carbon-fiber pole-set offers ~4 oz (113 g) weight savings over the aluminum pole-set used in the Double Rainbow
      • Quote from Henry Shires: “We have been offering and shipping the Easton 3.9 carbon pole for awhile on the Rainbow and Bowfin 1S and so far reports of breaks have been nothing statistically greater than for the aluminum. I still wouldn’t trust the carbon pole to handle more extreme stresses — carbon snaps rather than bends — but for most use we think it will be fine.”
    • partial solid interior wall (10d uncoated nylon)
    • improved trekking pole attachment points for freestanding mode
  • What has carried over from the previous version of the Double Rainbow?
    • hybrid wall design (lots of living space – a two-person shelter for people who want to save weight but don’t want to spoon overnight
    • versatile – can set up in freestanding mode using trekking poles if desired
    • large, spacious vestibules
    • “Porch mode”
drli freestanding
Photo: Tarptent

 

drli interior
Photo: Tarptent
drli opendoor
Photo: Tarptent

Field Test

Ryan had the chance to spend a few days with the Tartpent Double Rainbow Li, including one overnight backpacking trip during a winter storm in SE Wyoming.

His first impressions are outlined in this review video, now online at YouTube:

YouTube video

Photos below from Ryan:

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More Info

  • Tarptent will begin taking orders the week of April 27th. You can read more about the shelter here.
  • Questions? Hit us up in the forum below and we’ll do our best to answer them based on our brief experience with the shelter.