Tarptent: Momwnt vs Rainbow Vs Scarp

[zebee]

I have a Stratospire 1 and it is a lovely thing but... I suspect I may need freestanding at some point.

So looking at the others, and trying to work out the differences. I don't use poles (bicycle tourer) but the Strat has fibreglass poles supplied so I presume I can do the same with others.

I won't be going near snow (see bicycle above...) so don't need 4 seasons.

I like the double entry and large vestibules of the Strat and the amount of headroom. I'm short but still appreciate head room....

Looking at the 3D rotations, the Scarp seems to have the closest inner and outer shape to the Strat having the square floor and the big vestibules but is also heavy and expensive...

It would seem that the Moment is the best bet if I want free standing and dual entry and plenty of room for Stuff. I found the dual vestibules good as I could bung the big bike panniers in one side and have a lot of space to get in and out the other at night plus room to put the cooking kit. I can live with the narrower end for the dual vestibules.

It looks like the Rainbow vestibule is not as large as one side of the Strat?

If I didn't go Tarptent but some other freestanding item of similar size with dual entry and lots of storage what might I look at?

Zebee

[GPSGuided]

Would you really consider the Moment to be freestanding?

[Franco]

The SS1/SS2 have the largest vestibules in the TT range.
The Scarp 1 can be freestanding with the external poles but you are up to about 1700g for that combo.
Still competitive for the usable space inside but the two vestibules are much smaller than the SS1.
(not many vestibules I can sit up inside like I can on the SS 1/2)
The Moment can also be freestanding with the external pole, still as with all freestanding tents you need to peg it down but it can be done with two pegs as you can also without the extra external pole.
So the X pole on the Moment is really only useful for snow loads.
(yes with the X pole you can pick it up and move it without losing its shape but it is just as easy for me to do with the standard pole only)

Here is my video clip on setting up the Moment freestanding mode:

[zebee]

BUt with the moment you need the pegs only to stop it getting up and walking away, not to have it keep its shape? So if you were on something hard you could use rocks or your gear inside?

I can't see how you can move the moment without the cross pole, as wouldn't the ends droop?

[Strider]

What about a Big Sky Chinook?

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[Franco]

"I can't see how you can move the moment without the cross pole, as wouldn't the ends droop?"
You are correct, if you only have the standard pole when you pick it up and change spot it will droop.
However it is pretty simple and fast to pull out one end peg, walk to the centre, pick the pole in the sleeve up , keep walking towards the still pegged end and pull that peg out to.
Now do that on reverse in the new spot.
It really is not that much slower at all than moving it in freestanding mode given that it takes longer to insert the X pole and that when you get to the right spot you need to peg it down anyway.
You can use stones to hold it up in either std or freestanding mode.

This is where, to me, the X pole comes handy :

[Strider]

BUt with the moment you need the pegs only to stop it getting up and walking away, not to have it keep its shape? So if you were on something hard you could use rocks or your gear inside?

I can't see how you can move the moment without the cross pole, as wouldn't the ends droop?

The inner is held to the fly with mitten hooks. If you loaded your gear into the tent the fly/poles would still blow away because the mitten hooks would likely just snap.

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[Franco]

You can use rocks over the end tie outs to keep it standing and secure.
Note the size of the rocks, I would recommend a minimum of 20kg at each end.
(protect the tie-out ropes with cloth or stuff sacks to avoid abrasion)
The side (pole) guylines should be used. Have them long enough so that they can be tied to rocks /trees or shrubs.
Shrubs are the best windbreakers.
Here is a photo from a happy user, Alex Wallace :



This is a way to avoid damaging those corner tie outs.
Make yourself a tie out extension , it will be of good use also if you want to use 2 pegs there or a single peg in a spot further away from where it should because say there is a rock under that particular spot :

you then pile up rocks on top of that peg .
(another reason why I prefer using the longer, 8", pegs)

[zebee]

Hmmm.... that method would work on the Strat too. Must experiment.

[Franco]

It can work with many tents, sometime needed with that last peg that just happens to be over a too hard or too soft area.