Henry is the best. Always responsive to my questions. I was struggling with the pitch on my protrail. Henry had me send him a picture of my pitch. He returned the picture with drawn in lines of what the angles of the guy lines should be. Problem fixed.
this guy is the leader in the field of tent design. I am on my 4th Tarptent. Why? I am on my fourth tarptent "not" because they breakdown its because there is always another one that catches my eye. The notch and then the Stratospire single and then Stratosphere Li and now the Rainbow Ultra TNT DW. The service was excellent and if I had any questions Henry got back to me. Because I live in Vancouver BC I have to pay the exchange rate and these tents are pricy if you live on the other side of the border. I am excited to see what Henry's next big thing will be and he is innovative and definitely the leader in the field Sheila
What a cool interview! Glad to see Henry is just as cool as everyone says he is in the forums. I just love his designs. This year will be my first tarptent purchase, but I'm still undecided which direction to go. Definitely between the double rainbow options and the Dipole. As an Oregon hiker who experiences a lot of rain, I'm torn between the silpoly and the Ultra. I'm 6'6'' so finding a tent long enough is a quest. Thanks for putting this together! Cheers to you both!
Oh I am in the same boat as a PA/NY hiker. I need the best rain and condensation deal. Plus my husband is 6’4” so long space is important. The dipole is just so beautiful and spacious but I also think that practically the Double Rainbow DW or Ultra is likely my best choice. I am waiting for more comments about how the Ultra performs w condensation.
@@anninwhack1998 For what it's worth, I chatted with Tarptent via their website, and they did say they will likely release a silpoly version of the dipole 2. (this summer). I also asked about the longevity of each fabric, and they estimated that the silpoly would last the longest over ultra and dyneema. I don't have the numbers in front of me so they could be off, but I think they said 200/250 nights for dyneema, 300 nights for silpoly, and between the two for Ultra. At first that didn't seem like much to me, but then I realized I only backpack about 20+ nights a year, so this would last a long time for me. The ultra is intriguing for sure. I think I'll probably end up going with the dipole 2 silpoly. It looks like it has so much space. I mostly camp in forests, so I'll make do on the random nights I'm on a rock or on the beach. Cheers and good luck!
The symmetrical nature of some of these tents can’t be understated. Not having to think about head vs foot and elevation after a long day on trail is great. Just plop it down and set it up. Love my Double Rainbow Li. Actually fits 2 people on 25” pads and a palace for one.
The ultimate tent nerdery interview well done. I have been a fan of TarpTent and Henry Shires since I first spotted a Virga on the trail in 2007. I did not acquire my own TT until this year with a Moment DW. And now I want a Preamble to replace my aging OR bivy for quick and dirty day and half trips bike touring or hiking. Definitely going to share this interview around.
Henry seems great. As an european tall hiker, I asked a couple questions through his website and Henry himself immediately gave a very informative response and recommended me a product I wasn't having in consideration (the dipole dw). Now I've just got that tent through an european website that imports tarptents and sells them at a great price. I'm waiting for the tent to arrive tomorrow and I'm super excited to receive it and put it to use from this summer on. Thanks Henry!
That’s rad! Henry is so helpful and has created some incredible tent designs. Arguably my favorite tents on the market. The Dipole being one of my favorite options.
@@BackcountryExposure Thank you for putting this interview together so we can know a bit more about the man himself and allow him share some of his wisdom. Learned quite a bit from this. Keep up the good work!
Great interview. I've been scouring old forums lately and the Squall has come up a lot. It's a trip how the company evolved. They have great designs. I dig how they use struts to reduce footprint. Interesting how he thinks about the person's size. I'm small and been looking at tarps. Figured 9x7 is big enough even with a half pyramid pitch. UltraTNT is interesting. Sheds water and no stretch like dyneema but doesn't have as much weight savings. Costs less but doesn't pack down as small. Maybe a choice between silpoly and dyneema for shelters.
Thank you for the interview! Really love Tarptent. I've had one of Henry's tents for more than 10 years and it still performs well! I'm looking to buy another one from Tarptent because they stand by their products. Thanks for making content with people like Henry!
Great interview! I love my Tarptent Protrail. It's so lite, roomy and easy to setup. It takes up so little space in my pack. It's held up well. If and when it finally fails, I'll get the DCF version. Henry is a genius!
Never looked before today why is he one of the only tent companies that actually make 2p tents that actually fit 2 25 inch pads? Thanks for great video
Being a smaller company, I think they have the ability to make changes to accommodate changes in user preferences faster. It’s also clear that Henry listens to his customers feedback.
Ridiculously underrated company. I desperately wanted a tent with a 50” wide floor and almost gave up, people had recommended Tarptent but I wrote it off. Luckily I checked them out quickly right before settling for another tent that tapered. Ended up being better in literally every way.
Fantastic video - most grateful to hear so much from Henry Shires, I get the feeling he's not a publicity-seeker so this really helps get to know the man behind the tents. Unashamed Tarptent fanboy here, I have a Scarp 1 and a Notch which is all I need to deal with anything I'm likely to encounter. The problem is often in choosing which to pack! Both silnylon, I know it stretches and absorbs water, but it just works for me - I'll wait until the new miracle fabrics have been around a bit longer before changing.
Thanks for the very interesting interview w Henry. I am always drawn to the Tarptent designs between their simplicity fabrics and also the inclusion of a lot of visibility they always check a lot of my concerns. Now I get to enjoy the agony of deciding exactly which one I want while I am saving up.
What a nice interview!😊 And quite a coincidence because I’ve just received a brand new Tarptent 1P Rainbow three days ago to replace my 1P Notch. I loved my Notch but the condensation got to me. Because of it the tent sagged and when I got a natural emergency in the middle of the night my head dragged up on the ceiling. Too refreshing to my taste! I think that the pole shape of the Rainbow will be a great thing to keep me dryer and also that it’s floor is a tad wider, almost twin sized. As I’ve mentioned on another thread, the best model for windy areas is the one with the metal backbone . It’s heavier than the carbon one but it won’t flex as much on blustery days.
Glad you enjoyed it! Hope that Rainbow treats you well! I am kind of waiting to see if they will release the single rainbow in the 20D Polyester before I get another one.
Very cool interview Devin! Enjoyed hearing more about TT as I don’t see them much around the social space. The rainbow and dipole are cool designs. Enjoyed learning more of the technical details of what goes into tent making.
This is an awesome video. It was great to see how much thought Henry puts into his designs. I was a Zpacks person, but I'm thinking of buying a new Tarptent of some kind.
As others have said I appreciate your focus on this underrated and unique company. I can’t narrow down what product of theirs I want next. You mentioned a new freestanding tent they’re hinting at, how can I get a clue about it, is it on the site?
@@BackcountryExposure wow bro , that’s looks like a Tarptent version of a Hilleberg dome tent. A real Tarptent winter tent. That’s exactly what I was missing in Maine this year! This looks like it might really nail all my stuff I can’t decide on just like the Rainbow did for me years ago. Man this cat is good, thanks ! 😊. Help me talk him into a hot tent 😊❤️🇺🇸❄️☃️🛷🔥⛺️🌄
On my quest to find the perfect I can attest to the fact that I too indeed had been suffering from dyneema dissonance. Id be willing to spare a few ounces to enjoy added rigidity/flexibility and rid that humiliating translucence associated with dyneema. He seems to be spearheading tent innovation, I'd like to see a two wall 3p/4p tent that uses 4 trekking poles to erect for multiple parties who are already using more than one set of trekking poles and require the additional space and don't want the added weight of traditional tent poles. Uncertain of the logistics but there's a banger of an idea.
Great discussion, thankyou. As far as tent floor seepage over time, I think many people myself included hike in areas where tent site locations are designated and, over time, develop an impression that naturally collects runoff either from the tent itself or surrounding areas. Can you use a dwr on these impervious fabrics?
That's a fair assessment. DWR can be applied for sure, but will wear off pretty quickly from abrasion. I think the ground sheet application is the better solution.
I still have my single wall Moment that I purchased in 2012 and it's still working great. When Henry discontinued the single wall version when he started offering the double wall version I emailed him and asked him why he didn't just produce both a single and double wall version. His response was "because the double wall version is better". Perhaps that's true but I still love my single wall version and when it comes time to replace it I'm sure I'll be looking at Tarptent.
This was amazing! With pros and cons I think(?) I am glad I bought the OSMO 3p Dagger, and I am extremely excited to look WAY more into Tarptent because he/they are very realistic and open to fabric, dynamics, and trends.
~32:00 Ive never experienced my tent floor wetting out on ground, but I have in spring on water saturated snowpack. In those conditions, its hard to avoid a super wet surface.
Getting ready to sell my moment DW and get a double rainbow. I seem to have trouble keeping splash100% out of the moment during heavy rain. Also at 67 I prefer more room. My son prefers his 8yr old double RB for himself and has had zero issues with it.
... Interesting interview .. Materials over time have changed greatly ,, as well as backcountry hikers .. I have spent lots of time in the backcountry with and without a designed tent ,, but probably have set up a couple dozen different shelter designs using a single tarp .. depending on terrain and expected weather .... just can't get a grasp on the masses of hikers willing to cover the costs of these types of tarp-tents trekking pole shelters ... most of the outdoorsman, ,and woodsman that rely on a quick simple shelter probably couldn't afford most of the leading brands on todays market ,, I know I can't .... besides ,, creating a simple tarp set-up is fun and over time usually rely on one of a few to do the job ....
I disagree on being over priced. Comparatively to brands like Big Agnes or Sea To Summit, you get an amazing tent for the price. Not everything made in China is “cheap”.
These interviews with different companies are terrific. You are one of the few on You Tube that talks about Sierra Designs and Tarptent.
Thank you! More to come!!
About time they get some recognition for being one of the top brands in the game.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Notch is my 1p GOAT tent. What a great company
This is why you’re the best, consistent original content.
Thank you!
Love tarptent. I have always found Henry Shires to be very helpful.
Henry is the best. Always responsive to my questions. I was struggling with the pitch on my protrail. Henry had me send him a picture of my pitch. He returned the picture with drawn in lines of what the angles of the guy lines should be. Problem fixed.
this guy is the leader in the field of tent design. I am on my 4th Tarptent. Why? I am on my fourth tarptent "not" because they breakdown its because there is always another one that catches my eye. The notch and then the Stratospire single and then Stratosphere Li and now the Rainbow Ultra TNT DW. The service was excellent and if I had any questions Henry got back to me.
Because I live in Vancouver BC I have to pay the exchange rate and these tents are pricy if you live on the other side of the border.
I am excited to see what Henry's next big thing will be and he is innovative and definitely the leader in the field
Sheila
What a cool interview! Glad to see Henry is just as cool as everyone says he is in the forums. I just love his designs. This year will be my first tarptent purchase, but I'm still undecided which direction to go. Definitely between the double rainbow options and the Dipole. As an Oregon hiker who experiences a lot of rain, I'm torn between the silpoly and the Ultra. I'm 6'6'' so finding a tent long enough is a quest. Thanks for putting this together! Cheers to you both!
Oh I am in the same boat as a PA/NY hiker. I need the best rain and condensation deal. Plus my husband is 6’4” so long space is important. The dipole is just so beautiful and spacious but I also think that practically the Double Rainbow DW or Ultra is likely my best choice. I am waiting for more comments about how the Ultra performs w condensation.
@@anninwhack1998 For what it's worth, I chatted with Tarptent via their website, and they did say they will likely release a silpoly version of the dipole 2. (this summer). I also asked about the longevity of each fabric, and they estimated that the silpoly would last the longest over ultra and dyneema. I don't have the numbers in front of me so they could be off, but I think they said 200/250 nights for dyneema, 300 nights for silpoly, and between the two for Ultra. At first that didn't seem like much to me, but then I realized I only backpack about 20+ nights a year, so this would last a long time for me. The ultra is intriguing for sure. I think I'll probably end up going with the dipole 2 silpoly. It looks like it has so much space. I mostly camp in forests, so I'll make do on the random nights I'm on a rock or on the beach. Cheers and good luck!
Henry is a genius. Love his tents. The Notch and Aeon are really engineered masterpieces.
I had a notch for a short time. Excellent tent! Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm here for the Notch gang! What a perfect 1p tent.
I don't know how he makes such great tents right here in the US at competitive prices, but I love seeing it.
Just bagged a Tarptent Protrail Li, imported to the UK and about to set out on a long distance trail with it. It is a thing of beauty!!
The symmetrical nature of some of these tents can’t be understated. Not having to think about head vs foot and elevation after a long day on trail is great. Just plop it down and set it up. Love my Double Rainbow Li. Actually fits 2 people on 25” pads and a palace for one.
Little details that make the difference!
The ultimate tent nerdery interview well done. I have been a fan of TarpTent and Henry Shires since I first spotted a Virga on the trail in 2007. I did not acquire my own TT until this year with a Moment DW. And now I want a Preamble to replace my aging OR bivy for quick and dirty day and half trips bike touring or hiking. Definitely going to share this interview around.
Henry seems great. As an european tall hiker, I asked a couple questions through his website and Henry himself immediately gave a very informative response and recommended me a product I wasn't having in consideration (the dipole dw). Now I've just got that tent through an european website that imports tarptents and sells them at a great price. I'm waiting for the tent to arrive tomorrow and I'm super excited to receive it and put it to use from this summer on. Thanks Henry!
That’s rad! Henry is so helpful and has created some incredible tent designs. Arguably my favorite tents on the market. The Dipole being one of my favorite options.
@@BackcountryExposure Thank you for putting this interview together so we can know a bit more about the man himself and allow him share some of his wisdom. Learned quite a bit from this. Keep up the good work!
Great interview. I've been scouring old forums lately and the Squall has come up a lot. It's a trip how the company evolved. They have great designs. I dig how they use struts to reduce footprint.
Interesting how he thinks about the person's size. I'm small and been looking at tarps. Figured 9x7 is big enough even with a half pyramid pitch.
UltraTNT is interesting. Sheds water and no stretch like dyneema but doesn't have as much weight savings. Costs less but doesn't pack down as small. Maybe a choice between silpoly and dyneema for shelters.
Love my OG Rainbow! Back country in The White Mountains it does great
That’s awesome!
Thank you for the interview! Really love Tarptent. I've had one of Henry's tents for more than 10 years and it still performs well! I'm looking to buy another one from Tarptent because they stand by their products. Thanks for making content with people like Henry!
Thank you for watching and the support!
Great interview! I love my Tarptent Protrail. It's so lite, roomy and easy to setup. It takes up so little space in my pack. It's held up well. If and when it finally fails, I'll get the DCF version. Henry is a genius!
Never looked before today why is he one of the only tent companies that actually make 2p tents that actually fit 2 25 inch pads? Thanks for great video
Being a smaller company, I think they have the ability to make changes to accommodate changes in user preferences faster. It’s also clear that Henry listens to his customers feedback.
Ridiculously underrated company. I desperately wanted a tent with a 50” wide floor and almost gave up, people had recommended Tarptent but I wrote it off. Luckily I checked them out quickly right before settling for another tent that tapered. Ended up being better in literally every way.
My single Rainbow has a 45 inch floor. That’s one of its positives, extra floor space for gear. A 1 1-2 person tent
Fantastic video - most grateful to hear so much from Henry Shires, I get the feeling he's not a publicity-seeker so this really helps get to know the man behind the tents.
Unashamed Tarptent fanboy here, I have a Scarp 1 and a Notch which is all I need to deal with anything I'm likely to encounter. The problem is often in choosing which to pack! Both silnylon, I know it stretches and absorbs water, but it just works for me - I'll wait until the new miracle fabrics have been around a bit longer before changing.
Very insightful, loved to hear about future changes and improvements. Looking forward to!
Delightful interview. Thank you both for sharing the time.
Thank you!
Thanks for the very interesting interview w Henry. I am always drawn to the Tarptent designs between their simplicity fabrics and also the inclusion of a lot of visibility they always check a lot of my concerns. Now I get to enjoy the agony of deciding exactly which one I want while I am saving up.
What a nice interview!😊
And quite a coincidence because I’ve just received a brand new Tarptent 1P Rainbow three days ago to replace my 1P Notch.
I loved my Notch but the condensation got to me. Because of it the tent sagged and when I got a natural emergency in the middle of the night my head dragged up on the ceiling. Too refreshing to my taste!
I think that the pole shape of the Rainbow will be a great thing to keep me dryer and also that it’s floor is a tad wider, almost twin sized. As I’ve mentioned on another thread, the best model for windy areas is the one with the metal backbone . It’s heavier than the carbon one but it won’t flex as much on blustery days.
Glad you enjoyed it! Hope that Rainbow treats you well! I am kind of waiting to see if they will release the single rainbow in the 20D Polyester before I get another one.
Very cool interview Devin! Enjoyed hearing more about TT as I don’t see them much around the social space. The rainbow and dipole are cool designs. Enjoyed learning more of the technical details of what goes into tent making.
This is an awesome video. It was great to see how much thought Henry puts into his designs. I was a Zpacks person, but I'm thinking of buying a new Tarptent of some kind.
As others have said I appreciate your focus on this underrated and unique company. I can’t narrow down what product of theirs I want next. You mentioned a new freestanding tent they’re hinting at, how can I get a clue about it, is it on the site?
It’s called the ArcDome. I’d go use the search on their site to see preliminary information.
@@BackcountryExposure wow bro , that’s looks like a Tarptent version of a Hilleberg dome tent. A real Tarptent winter tent. That’s exactly what I was missing in Maine this year! This looks like it might really nail all my stuff I can’t decide on just like the Rainbow did for me years ago. Man this cat is good, thanks ! 😊. Help me talk him into a hot tent 😊❤️🇺🇸❄️☃️🛷🔥⛺️🌄
On my quest to find the perfect I can attest to the fact that I too indeed had been suffering from dyneema dissonance. Id be willing to spare a few ounces to enjoy added rigidity/flexibility and rid that humiliating translucence associated with dyneema. He seems to be spearheading tent innovation, I'd like to see a two wall 3p/4p tent that uses 4 trekking poles to erect for multiple parties who are already using more than one set of trekking poles and require the additional space and don't want the added weight of traditional tent poles. Uncertain of the logistics but there's a banger of an idea.
Great discussion, thankyou. As far as tent floor seepage over time, I think many people myself included hike in areas where tent site locations are designated and, over time, develop an impression that naturally collects runoff either from the tent itself or surrounding areas. Can you use a dwr on these impervious fabrics?
That's a fair assessment. DWR can be applied for sure, but will wear off pretty quickly from abrasion. I think the ground sheet application is the better solution.
I still have my single wall Moment that I purchased in 2012 and it's still working great. When Henry discontinued the single wall version when he started offering the double wall version I emailed him and asked him why he didn't just produce both a single and double wall version. His response was "because the double wall version is better". Perhaps that's true but I still love my single wall version and when it comes time to replace it I'm sure I'll be looking at Tarptent.
It'd be nice if brands could produce every variant possible of a design. Sometimes it just doesn't make sense from a numbers perspective. Thanks!
This was amazing! With pros and cons I think(?) I am glad I bought the OSMO 3p Dagger, and I am extremely excited to look WAY more into Tarptent because he/they are very realistic and open to fabric, dynamics, and trends.
Thank you!
I would love to see a 1P Dipole DW in either DCF or Ultra.
~32:00 Ive never experienced my tent floor wetting out on ground, but I have in spring on water saturated snowpack. In those conditions, its hard to avoid a super wet surface.
Getting ready to sell my moment DW and get a double rainbow. I seem to have trouble keeping splash100% out of the moment during heavy rain. Also at 67 I prefer more room. My son prefers his 8yr old double RB for himself and has had zero issues with it.
Moving to the DR over the moment would be a great option!
... Interesting interview .. Materials over time have changed greatly ,, as well as backcountry hikers .. I have spent lots of time in the backcountry with and without a designed tent ,, but probably have set up a couple dozen different shelter designs using a single tarp .. depending on terrain and expected weather .... just can't get a grasp on the masses of hikers willing to cover the costs of these types of tarp-tents trekking pole shelters ... most of the outdoorsman, ,and woodsman that rely on a quick simple shelter probably couldn't afford most of the leading brands on todays market ,, I know I can't .... besides ,, creating a simple tarp set-up is fun and over time usually rely on one of a few to do the job ....
❤ from 🇮🇪
Nice video, but sound level is too low. Please adjust for future videos.
Does LI really mean Lithium as regards tent names?!? Or does it mean Light?
Li is short for Lithium. We chose Lithium (Li) as a way to brand the Dyneema series as Lithium is the lightest metal.
the only thing i hate is the color of the dcf tents .......if tarptent could offer Camo and other Colors they would sell far better
Over priced, good tent but made in China, labor cost is ? Nice interview
I disagree on being over priced. Comparatively to brands like Big Agnes or Sea To Summit, you get an amazing tent for the price. Not everything made in China is “cheap”.