Tarptent ArcDome Ultra

[passinggas33]

What am I missing here? Why isn’t this tent getting more traction? Lightweight 4 season tent. Fairly spacious. Is it the price? I figured this would be a highly sought out tent. Has anybody on here actually had their hands on this?

ArcDome Ultra

The ArcDome is a double wall, two-person, lightweight 4-season freestanding backpacking tent, made from high-performance Ultra TNT laminate.

www.tarptent.com

I’ve got the SG Skyscraper and just wondering if dropping some weight to go with this is a no brainer.

What flaws do you all see with this??

 

[nnmarcher]

I think it was a hot topic when they first hinted at its release this winter/spring. I know several members on this site have described this as their ideal tent and were excited about it. I think Durston Gear is also planning to release something similar (the X-Dome) in the near future, maybe October if I recall.

Looks like a sweet tent though, I can’t wait to hear from some users once it’s in the field. I think this is a good application for the Ultra TNT fabric.

 

[Beendare]

The TarpTent stuff is top quality....and has been for decades.

I own a discontinued model of theirs that is 20 years old and still in great shape....

And I just bought a Double rainbow- about 2.5#...and glad I did over the floorless tipi options I own as the early archery elk season was hot and the mosquitos and flies were really bad. It's plenty long for my 6'3", with upright walls that give me more usable space- unlike the tipis and other trek pole options that swoop down low, limiting space and getting condensation all over your stuff.

Nice to have a full tent with floor and bug mesh vs the floorless.

 

[passinggas33]

The TarpTent stuff is top quality....and has been for decades.

I own a discontinued model of theirs that is 20 years old and still in great shape....

And I just bought a Double rainbow- about 2.5#...and glad I did over the floorless tipi options I own as the early archery elk season was hot and the mosquitos and flies were really bad. It's plenty long for my 6'3", with upright walls that give me more usable space- unlike the tipis and other trek pole options that swoop down low, limiting space and getting condensation all over your stuff.

Nice to have a full tent with floor and bug mesh vs the floorless.
View attachment 764518

I too have the double rainbow and love it. Most used tent in my arsenal. Just wouldn’t consider it a 4 season so looking at different options.

Hopefully somebody gets their hands on one of these and shares some insight.

 

[406flyfish]

It was released the other day and they don’t start shipping till Monday so I don’t think you’ll find any reviews till later next week at the earliest. I did place an order and will report after I test it out. I think the price and the newer material (TNT) has some people skeptical.

 

[passinggas33]

It was released the other day and they don’t start shipping till Monday so I don’t think you’ll find any reviews till later next week at the earliest. I did place an order and will report after I test it out. I think the price and the newer material (TNT) has some people skeptical.

Good to know about that. Didn’t realize it was that new. Would love to hear your feedback after you’ve had a little time with it.

 

[Grady.J]

I'll wait for the silpoly version to be released, hopefully in a solo size. Love my scarp 1, but fully freestanding would be nice.

 

[TURNER208]

I’m looking at picking one up soon. Can let you know once I’ve had some time in it. The Ultra TNT fabric is pretty intriguing

 

[MountainTracker]

I’m also interested to see what durston puts out weight and price wise vs tarptent.


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[Roosterstraw]

Durston said his will be comparable to the copper spur so should be around 2lbs for a 1 person in silpoly.

 

[westsloper]

There was some drama with Durston when Tarptent announced it. Durston basically accused Tarptent of stealing his offset tent concept from his x mid tent and forcing him to make his dome tent concept public early. So that was fun for people who enjoy that kind of thing

 

[Beendare]

I too have the double rainbow and love it. Most used tent in my arsenal. Just wouldn’t consider it a 4 season so looking at different options.

Hopefully somebody gets their hands on one of these and shares some insight.

Yeah, that Double rainbow is perfect for me....I don't late season hunt where there is a big snow load. The DR can take a few inches I'm sure.

Is that Ultra TNT fabric the same as the DCF stuff?

I bet the snow just slides right off of that enhancing the 4 season capability.

 

[dailyherold]

Eager to see this up against the Durston X-Dome! Oct 8 we'll get details on the Durston 1+ model, with 2 person model "late 2024".

 

[passinggas33]

The only thing I would love to see about this tent is how it handles strong winds and truly performs. The materials should make this thing bullet proof. That sail fabric faces some strong winds and high force on the boats and rarely, if ever, tears. It’s the seams and sewing that has me concerned with the weather durability portion.

Some people are scared of the price. Not me. Pretty much same price as an SG, Hilleberg, or KUIU tent. 2 pole design? Maybe but shouldn’t be a huge concern as many 4 season tents have 2 pole designs.

Seriously, I’m just trying to convince myself to not buy one right this second…

Not sure how Durston is going to be able to beat this design, unless it’s in weight. But I feel if going to silpoly or nylon, it might not have the same strength as the sail fabric for a 4 season. I guess time will tell.

 

[nnmarcher]

Yeah, that Double rainbow is perfect for me....I don't late season hunt where there is a big snow load. The DR can take a few inches I'm sure.

Is that Ultra TNT fabric the same as the DCF stuff?

I bet the snow just slides right off of that enhancing the 4 season capability.

From Tarptent’s website:

“The key difference between Ultra TNT and 1oz/yd DCF (CT2K.18) is that Ultra TNT has more widely spaced but thicker fibers of UHMWPE and those fibers run in three directions rather than just two as in DCF.

In our testing, Ultra TNT matches or outperforms 1oz/yd DCF in most ways. The biggest performance advantage of Ultra TNT is that the fabric is stabilized by UHMWPE fibers in three directions instead of just two. This means Ultra TNT is more dimensionally stable than DCF which decreases the amount of deformation of the fabric under load. This superior stability reduces the strain on the Mylar films increasing durability along with making the fabric extremely rigid when well pitched. The coloration of Ultra TNT is also more opaque than DCF, meaning more privacy inside.

The main weakness of Ultra TNT compared to DCF is that the wider gaps between UHMWPE fibers mean that it does not like to be sewn without added reinforcement. When stitched, needle holes tend to tear the Mylar up to the next UHMWPE fiber. This also occurs in DCF but to a much lesser degree as the fibers are much closer together. Because of this, we use fully bonded construction for Ultra TNT rather than the hybrid sewn and bonded construction we use with DCF. These gaps are also why Ultra TNT does not make for a good floor material as small points (such as a stick) can puncture the areas of mylar between the UHMWPE fibers. Interestingly, both puncture resistance and abrasion resistance of Ultra TNT are lowest when it it brand new. As the material softens with repeated crumpling abrasion and puncture resistance go up. This is because initially, the spans of Mylar between the fibers is flat and tight, and just like any tightly stretched piece of material it is easier to puncture then when loose.

The other benefit of Ultra TNT is cost. At roughly half the price of DCF, Ultra TNT is not only better performing in many ways but also leads to much more affordable tents.”

Buyer's Guide

www.tarptent.com