Feedback wanted - Lightwave tents / Tarptent Rainbow

[eddie the eagle]

Hi All,

I use a Mont Moondance II and am very happy with it.

I'm looking at a one man tent with a smaller footprint, probably the Tarptent Rainbow, as well as this one for another person -> http://www.lightwave.uk.com/en/tent_t1trek.php

Is anyone able to comment on the pro's and con's of either tent? The lightwave's on sale as runout stock at my local outdoor store - below $200.

Yes, I did search and found http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4435&p=51705&hilit=+tarptent+rainbow+#p51631 and http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=2882&p=40993&hilit=lightwave#p40993

Is the Rainbow 4 seasons? Looking at the images, I'm unsure of this one - it's no worse than my current Moondance tent, which works well in all but extremely high winds. Looking to use the Rainbow in October in winds whistling off Antarctica on the Bass Strait, so I'd appreciate any comment. (I need a small tent as I need to fit two or three one man tents on a pad 3m x 3.5m for the group I'm leading.)

The lightwave looks to be a single skinned tent with a mesh inner - I've only seen it on a computer screen at the moment. Correct? Any condensation issues?

So, having digressed and rambled -- -- -- does anyone have any experience with these tents?

Thanks in advance for any help, insight or advice you can provide,

eddie

[Franco]

Is the Rainbow 4 seasons?
No
The only two Tarptent shelters rated 4 season are the Scarps.
As I pointed out before some do use them where most use a "4 season rated" tent however it has to do with skill level rather than just design.
By that I mean, those are the guys that use tarps in the middle of winter and where it can and does snow.

The 2010 Rainbow is better suited to rough weather than mine (from a 2005 pre-production run) having two guyout points on the main pole and two at the end of the cross strut. Using all of them it can do well
in moderate winds. (ie not 100 kmph type gale force...)

One that I am waiting for a report on is the Moment.
So far I have seen good comments from previous TT owners and or guys that have used many shelters before, but not so good from some others , particularly regarding condensation (see liner comments)
Theoretically having a more aerodynamic shape (lower, no flat areas) and using the optional (not supplied...) pole guylines, if set up taught it should do really well.
If you look at the Backpackinglight "first impression" review, you will see there a good example of a bad pitch.
To get the most out of it in the open (not the 3 season protected area type of camping) long stakes (particularly the 8" Y stakes" in my opinion) are better suited.
You would also need to fiddle a bit to better understand how to get the right tension on it.
On easy ground and once you know how, it can go up in one to two minutes (under one if you try...). However again it will work a lot better if the pole is spread out correctly and the same for the "pitch lock" (the end triangle)
A friend of mine is using it in Canada around the Queen Charlotte Islands on a kayaking trip.
Hopefully he has had some wind too ( all I know right now is that he is alive according to the Spot messages...) . He is a very experienced outdoor person but has never used a tent like this before.
( he works part time for a local outdoor shop ,and has hiked for over 30 years including guiding in Nepal)

Soon there will be an optional "liner" essentially an inner that covers the top area only ( about 100g extra)
Same as the one available for the Rainbow .
Franco
I know Henry and "look after" Tarptent in Australia, so no comments about the Lightwave ....

[vichar]

I took the lightwave t2 (2 person version) to the indian himilaya earlier this year. Materials and build quality are first class. It's a good quality 4 season tunnel tent going dirt cheap in Oz it's not well known here.

MIne's all material inner inner with a 1/4 mesh door. It kept me warm and dry at 4000m while I lay on the floor sick as a dog with a chest infection wishing I'd chosen a surfing holiday! Only issues are inner first pitching and the fly is very close the inner along the side.

If you want a quality tent for cheap, consider the lightwave.

[trmj]

Hi,
I have a Lightwave Trek T0 for nearly 2 years.
I have done a couple of walks in Tassie (as well as elsewhere) and have been very happy with it - except for one incident on a recent 11 day walk.
Camped up on the Du-Cane range near Mt Massif, very windy gusty night, one of the tent pole sections has bent somewhat.
It didn't get any worse over the rest of the walk, but the tent is a bit deformed now when up.
I have just emailed Lightwave to ask what can be done about it.

The Trek T0 needs to be pitched tautly or the sides can flap / be noisy in wind.
The little 'brow' pole that makes the awning at front taut is a bit of a pain to insert when erecting.
It has an inner and fly; I've had no problems with condensation.

I have a friend with a Mont Moondance and it also looks like a great tent.

I wasn't aware they could be bought in Aust, I had mine shipped out from the UK (cost me nearly $400 with freight!).
Who sells them in Aust?

[Dale]

Hi Eddie
I went through a similar exercise last year in deciding upon a two person four season tent. I also saw an ebay listing in the Western Suburbs of Sydney for a Crux tent at a ridiculously great price - it was under $300 and from memory the retail in the UK was the equivalent of $800 +. Before I dived in and bought 2 I was a tad suspicious as there is no Australian distributor for the Crux / Lightwave brands (same group) and I was also surprised that a niche player which probably doesn't have huge manufacturing runs would have excess stock floating around the other side of the world at possibly below cost. I emailed Crux with the ebay details - they responded saying the tents were not genuine products and they would be pursuing their remedies against the retailer... Being out in 4 season conditions with a dodgy tent didn't sound like a great idea so I passed (and am now the happy owner of a Hilleberg Nallo 2).

The retailer you are looking at may not be the same one but the situation looked similar enough that I wanted to flag it with you. I checked my email correspondence with Crux and the person I contacted was Shelley Palmer shelley@dmmwales.com

Anyways, good luck with the tent hunting.

Cheers

Dale.