Tarptent Rainbow Li

[Franco]

just like the old days, I get to announce the new Tarptent Rainbow Li.
just under 700g, it's larger than most solo tents , I think very easy to set up (I don't have one but it is like the sil Rainbow)

https://www.tarptent.com/product/rainbow-li/
Henry shot a short video clip with his drone on a recent outing with his family. The clip is on the product page.
BTW, I don't have a business relationship with TT any longer but I am a friend of the family so every so often I will chime in with some comments.

BTW, Henry takes most of the photos that are on the TT web site.

[Zapruda]

Another nice DCF adaption from Tarptent.

I’ve been happy with all my Tarptents and think the designs are the best on the market.

However it is sad to see how much the price of DCF is creeping up. Of course this isn’t Henry’s fault. I’ve always thought the Sil versions where competitively priced considering the thoughtful designs and workmanship.

Hopefully TT will offer something in SilPoly one day soon.

[Franco]

as you know Henry was more or less forced by the market to get into DCF. however TT did extensive testings before releasing the products onto the market. Part of the "delay" was that TT designs are a litle bit more complex than some , particularly hard to get certain curved panels to look right with DCF.
As Henry and co spent a considerable amount of time fiddling with DCF , they also already have done that with sil-poly, so once the patterns are worked out to Henry's satisfaction it is possible that it will happen. not just now...

[north-north-west]

Nice looking tent. Wish there was a double wall version.
Neat campsite too.

[crollsurf]

Had an old Rainbow and the livable space and vestibule was excellent.

[Franco]

Nice looking tent. Wish there was a double wall version.
Neat campsite too.

Henry was inspired to design the Rinbow when he saw the Macpac Microlite in NZ.
The Microlite is a double wall tent but rather small and, at the time in particular , the Rainbow was already a bit too tent like compared with the previous more tarp like shelters.
The reason he did design and make the tent was that he used to hike with his 50 lbs dog, so he wanted a tent large enough for him and his dog.

[Bam]

Must admit, having now owned & used my Tarptent DR Li for quite a while now, I think that I would still choose the double version over this latest offering even if I only wanted a tent for solo use.

For me, the positives of having double doors & vestibules along with a palatial interior capable of holding 2 large sleeping mats & people (or dogs!) if required far outweigh the negatives of the slight additional cost, increase in weight & packed volume when comparing the two versions.

Admittedly the initial purchase price was high but that shock has diminished over time, overall I’m really pleased with the tent performance & functionality-wise plus I definitely don’t miss carrying my old tent along with its additional 2kg of weight!

Only slight downside, as mentioned in the above posts, is that DCF doesn’t pack down as small as a conventional same-sized tent so you might have to modify how you load your backpack other than that, it’s all positives apart from the cost!

[wildwanderer]

Interesting add-on for the rainbow Li I just noticed.

https://www.tarptent.com/clip-in-liner/

It's a clip in liner to provide a semi double wall to the rainbow. The goal being to reduce the condensation impact.

I couldn't see a mention of the cost or weight of the liner though.

[Franco]

The liner works with all of the Rainbows. $30 USD
https://www.tarptent.com/product/rainbo ... bow-liner/

[headwerkn]

We've had our Double Rainbow Li for a bit over a year now and it's been great. Survived strong winds on the Western Arthurs and Mt Olympus without any fuss. Being able to set up semi-freestanding with hiking poles is very useful. My only (minor) criticism is that broad internal comes at the expense of vestibule space... hard to tuck in your pack underneath and maintain easy access through the door.

We have the internal liner... it doesn't prevent condensation so much as provide a very light physical barrier to contacting it when moving around inside. It does help make the tent a bit warmer though, and provides a little extra privacy through the partially transparent DCF.

[Speedgull]

I've got the double version of this tent and can't fault it, it is extremely versatile, light weight and with enough room for 2 people comfortably.

Also have the "Liner" but don't use it as haven't needed to here in WA. I wouldn't recommend this. I also have the Rainbow Roost which is awesome, allows you to store nick nacks above you suspended from the roof.

This tent is easily packable and can be quickly set up. With the addition of 2 walking poles it can be free standing.

Only word of caution is keep these DCF tents away from heat. On other forms seen a few stories of people using a gas stove to close to the tent and melting it.

The price is high but I believe this tent will be my primary shelter for years to come provided I show it the TLC it deserves.

[Stamina]

How does the 1P Durston compare to the Tarptent Rainbow?

I haven’t seen the rainbow up close but they both seem like great UL tents.

Just completed the PCT with my Nemo Hornet 2P. It’s been a great tent and had a lot of use. Still in good condition.