Tarptents

[Where's Bruce?]

I purchased the poles to use instead of the trek poles. Are you saying this will not work? I have yet to use the tent in weather but they seem substantial enough. ??

Nope, won't work. They lack the rigidity to keep the mesh and tent wall separated and this causes condensation to puddle inside the tub floor. The mfr told me this after I spent one night in it using the collapsible poles. Use trekking poles only at night.

 

[mrbillbrown]

But...still pleased with your purchase Bruce? Would you buy it again knowing about the trekking pole necessity?

I'm looking to buy my first tarp/tent set up and have been leaning towards the Stratospire 2 for my son & I.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

But...still pleased with your purchase Bruce? Would you buy it again knowing about the trekking pole necessity?

I'm looking to buy my first tarp/tent set up and have been leaning towards the Stratospire 2 for my son & I.

If you had asked before I learned the collapsible poles were not for overnight use I would have said I was disappointed. Knowing that trekking poles are mandatory at night is what their website says so I am fine with this. Until I use in foul weather, I cannot make a final recommendation. Based on what I have seen, it's worth the money but there may be a better choice...too soon to say.

 

[whitingja]

Worth it. I have the stratospire 2 and love it. Held up in 4 inches of snow. Sagged a little, but adjust the trekking poles and is good. Make sure you use long enough stakes. The Easton stake are good. I tried the msr stakes to cut weight. Didn't stay in the ground good enough because of the tension I put on them. FYI

 

[mrbillbrown]

Thanks Bruce & Whit. Appreciate your insight.

 

[Lukem]

If you had asked before I learned the collapsible poles were not for overnight use I would have said I was disappointed. Knowing that trekking poles are mandatory at night is what their website says so I am fine with this. Until I use in foul weather, I cannot make a final recommendation. Based on what I have seen, it's worth the money but there may be a better choice...too soon to say.

I couldn't find where it said the trek poles were mandatory, I saw where it said they were preferred but that their 5 oz collapsible poles worked as well.

 

[Matt Cashell]

I couldn't find where it said the trek poles were mandatory, I saw where it said they were preferred but that their 5 oz collapsible poles worked as well.

I have the collapsible pole for my Contrail. I have used it overnight and it worked OK, but a trekking pole makes for a much sturdier pitch. I have also had pretty good luck just finding a solid stick and breaking it to length.

 

[worx53]

ive used trekking poles and the mfg. poles on stratospire2 and both worked fine.
this tent beats any floorless shelter all day any day.

 

[snowcamoman]

I'm not running a TarpTent, but have a DuoMid and these guys .600 pole. It's stout and adjustable, perfect for leaving the shelter up for however long and taking the trekking poles. Not cheap, but super quality poles.

http://www.rutalocura.com/Tent_Poles.html

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I couldn't find where it said the trek poles were mandatory, I saw where it said they were preferred but that their 5 oz collapsible poles worked as well.

That's why I posted this. I slept in the tent again last night using the trekking poles instead and the condensation issue was gone. This is what happens when the weaker collapsible poles fail to separate the inner mesh from the outer tent wall. It rains inside. Do not substitute trekking poles for sleeping in the tent and especially if there's any weather. The collapsible poles won't do. This is what the owner of the company told me via email after i emailed him photos and described my problem:

Hi Bruce,

Looks to me like a setup issue (and the water is condensation dripping from the mesh touching the fly fabric) — that’s very evident from your first and second photos. I can tell by the (very) deeply curved ridge line that the initial rectangular setup wasn’t tight enough before you pulled out the two strut supported ends. What you want is a reasonably taut rectangular “A-frame” initial setup—vestibule doors staked and fabric reasonably taut across the faces from corner to corner. Then you pull out the strut supported ends and stake. The resulting structure will have a slight curve but nowhere near as curved as the one I’m seeing in your photos.

Also, I never looked at the details of your order until now but we really don’t recommend the “substitute front pole” for the StratoSpire 2. It is/they are too flexible for use in any kind of real weather. The StratoSpire 2 order link actually references the "Vertical Support Pole” which is much stiffer and stronger—comparable to a standard trekking pole—and performs much better. It’s entirely possible/likely that the setup issue is worsened by the flexibility of those poles. If you aren’t a trekking pole user and you want to keep using those poles you will really want to also employ the apex guy lines and stake them separately in the plane/direction of the ridge line. That will help tension and straighten the ridge line. Ultimately the goal is to keep the interior fabric separated from the fly fabric and that isn’t possible if the ridge line is deeply curved. In your case, assuming you keep using those poles, you will want to unclip the interior apex from the current “ring” and reclip it to the dangling shock cord loop. That will allow the interior to drop down and separate a bit from the fly.

Thanks.

Henry Shires

in a follow-up message he added:

Those pole are fine for leaving the tent set up during the day while you’re off with your trekking poles — just swap them out. What I’m saying is that your trekking poles should be used for actually living in the tent since they are so much stiffer/stronger. The SS2 with trekking poles and fully staked (including the apex guy lines as needed for wind/snow) will take most anything.

-H








You can see the subtle but all important pitch difference using trekking poles here:



It's a great little tent with the trekking poles in place and the company provides excellent customer care IMO.

 

[Lukem]

Bruce did you order the wrong poles then? If so why not swap them out?

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Bruce did you order the wrong poles then? If so why not swap them out?

I may do that yet but yeah, apparently there's multiple choices.

 

[Lawnboi]

Your going to get condensations either way pitching on nice green grass like that.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Your going to get condensations either way pitching on nice green grass like that.

Yes but if pitched correctly it won't drip on you. I experienced that problem because the inner bug netting was touching the tent wall. When I pitched it tighter the condensation rolled down the sides of the tent and watered the lawn. <g>

 

[jm1607]

Are none of the tents made to be used with the poles or just this model?

 

[Mark]

I may do that yet but yeah, apparently there's multiple choices.

So you ordered these poles: Substitute Front Pole

Instead of these poles: Substitute Pole Set for Stratospire 2

The ultralight "Substitute Front Pole" plus a bad pitch (per the email from Henry) is what caused the fly to contact the mesh and this caused the condensation problem, right?

I have the Strat2 with the "Substitute Pole Set for Stratospire 2" and have had no problems with them. Exchange your current poles for these and I think you'll be good to go.

 

[jm1607]

Is it the same way for the Rainshadow 2, that the trekking poles are required for overnight sleeping? The substitute poles seem pretty solid...

 

[Where's Bruce?]

So you ordered these poles: Substitute Front Pole

Instead of these poles: Substitute Pole Set for Stratospire 2

The ultralight "Substitute Front Pole" plus a bad pitch (per the email from Henry) is what caused the fly to contact the mesh and this caused the condensation problem, right?

I have the Strat2 with the "Substitute Pole Set for Stratospire 2" and have had no problems with them. Exchange your current poles for these and I think you'll be good to go.

I intend to discuss it with Henry when he replies to me.

 

[Stresd]

I have the Stratospire 2. Used and abused it in some really heavy weather. Love my tent!!! I went with the Stratospire2 substitute poles Item # 103 on the accessories page, as they are half the weight. Also much lighter duty than the the heavier/stronger item # 190 poles on the Stratospire2 tent page. I sacrificed strength for weight as I always use my Trek Poles whenever possible.I only use the #103 light weight poles to keep the tent erect temporarily if I decide to stay a day in the same spot and may need my Trek Poles because I'm getting into some nasty country during that days hunt.