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Reviews > Shelters > Tarps and Bivys > Tarptent Cloudburst > Graham Blamey > Long Term Report Personal Information:
Backpacking
background:
I
first went camping at about age five and have been
camping, on and off, ever since. I started serious walking about
22 years ago and backpacking a few years later. I have
backpacked, with my wife Ginny, mainly in Europe
and the UK.
We have
spent
three weeks of each year for the last seven years, backpacking on
variations of the GR11, a long-distance, high-level route that follows
the spine of the French/Spanish Pyrenees. We are fortunate
in living in an area surrounded by countryside and are able to walk
daily on a network of public Rights of Way that exist in the UK.
We additionally spend at least one day a week on long day-walks in
different areas within a two-hour drive of our home. We
take a number of three- to four-day backpacking trips throughout the
year and take part in several night and weekend orienteering
events. Our backpacking style, although essentially traditional
(mid-weight backpacks, Therm-a-Rests, tent etc.) is getting
increasingly
lighter as we explore
the possibilities brought about by new materials
and designs.
Product Information:
Some general features of Tarptents, taken from the manufacturer's website. "Tarptents are ultralight, mobile shelters that shed everything from flying bugs to summer snow. Elegant and airy, Tarptents set up virtually anywhere. Designed by and for the outdoor enthusiast, Tarptents keep you dry and sane no matter the elements. Made in the U.S.A and constructed of the lightest and highest quality materials available, Tarptents let you focus on the joy of the journey, not on the pain of getting there."
Manufacturer : Tarptent Manufacturer's website : www.tarptent.com Model : Cloudburst (with extended beak and sewn-in, clip-up 'bathtub' type floor) Year of manufacture : 2004 Technical details: Stated weight : 1120 g (39.5 oz) (as this is a new version of the Cloudburst a weight is not given. I have added together the weights of a standard Cloudburst, an extended beak and a sewn-in Ripstop floor). Stated packed size : 50.8 cm x 10.1 cm x 7.6 cm (21 in x 4 in x 3 in) Stated pitched size : L 236.2 cm x W 177.8/129.5 cm x H 104 cm (93 in x 70/51 in x 41 in) Measured weight : 1160 g (41 oz) Measured packed size : 58.5 cm x 10.1 cm x 10.1 cm (23 in x 4 in x 4 in) Measured pitched size : L 238.8 cm x W 190/141 cm x H 102.9 cm (94 in x 74.75/55.5 in x 40.5 in) For a more detailed description of the Cloudburst, see my INITIAL REPORT and FIELD REPORT Field use and conditions so far: I've used the Cloudburst on a number of different occasions in a variety of weather conditions. The winter in the south east corner of the UK has been pretty mild and not too wet. The lowest overnight temperature we've experienced has been -5 C (23 F) and although we've had rain, it's been below average to the extent that hosepipe bans were already being considered in some areas of the south east in March. On most occasions when I've used the Cloudburst, it's been dry, but there was one memorable evening when we had a short but violent burst of pea-sized hailstones that, for a few minutes, threatened to flatten the tent. It stood up to it well however. Later that night the temperature dipped to -2 C (28 F), the coldest I've slept in the tent. Needless to say I was cosy and comfortable. Answers to some of the questions I asked in my INITIAL REPORT and FIELD REPORT: INITIAL REPORT How easy (or not) is it to set up and take down? So far I've only done this in the sheltered conditions in my garden. What will it be like in an exposed site? FIELD REPORT # So far, very easy but I've yet to carry this out in exposed or difficult conditions. LONG TERM REPORT Although I've set the Cloudburst up on half-a-dozen different occasions during the Long Term Test period, I've yet to encounter any real difficulties. This, I'm sure, is due to it's simplicity of design. As I noted initially, I was able to set the tent up in a few minutes straight from the package when I received it and my time for doing this hasn't really improved. I can also set the Cloudburst up in the dark, with the aid of a headtorch, in about the same time. As far as taking down is concerned, probably the most time consuming procedure is stuffing the tent, poles and stakes into the rather slim stuff-sack. IR How well does it resist gusting, windy conditions? Tarptent say "try to camp where you get a breeze". I can appreciate that this is necessary for good ventilation and to reduce condensation, but what if that "breeze" strengthens? FR # Again, so far I've managed to pitch the Cloudburst in fairly sheltered conditions. LTR All through the Long Term Test period, I've deliberately sought out less exposed sites and this has paid dividends. Although it has been exposed to some pretty strong gusting winds, I've made sure that there has always been something (a hedge, trees, earth bank, etc.) to break any steady directional onslaught. I have noticed that if the night has been wet or there's been a heavy dew, the silnylon sags quite a bit, no matter how tautly I've pitched it the night before. This has meant that if it's also gusting a bit the tent billows about quite a lot. I might experiment now with some elastic loops on the ends of the stake-out lines, to provide a bit of tension and maybe take up the slack caused when the silnylon gets wet. IR How comfortable will it be for two people? FR # For sleeping, the Cloudburst is a perfectly adequate, comfortable space. LTR It's fine. In fact it's just right for us. As I remarked in my Field Report, we usually leave our packs outside our tent anyway, so with just the essentials we've been perfectly comfortable. With the tapering floor plan however, the addition of our little dog (who usually sleeps at our feet) has meant that one or other of us is usually pushing against him at some point during the night. With the open front of the Cloudburst, it's not really feasible for him to sleep in the vestibule area (and that's where we store our cooking gear anyway) so we've just had to cope and I suspect it's been more of a nuisance for him than us. IR How comfortable will it be if 'sitting out' a storm, maybe for a whole day or more? FR # I think this could be less comfortable for a prolonged period as it's not really possible for two adults to sit upright at the same time. LTR Due to the restricted headroom, it is a bit uncomfortable for two to spend time in the tent. We've found that with one of us sitting in the front of the tent and cooking in the vestibule, the other has to lie well to one side. It's then not really possible for both of us to sit and eat comfortably so, unless it's really bucketing down, one of us has to volunteer to sit outside. IR In heavy rain, will there be a fine mist coming through the silnylon material? I've noticed this on the occasions when I've used only the outer fly of a tent. If a fine mist does come through, how damp is this going to make things inside? Should I use a synthetic sleeping bag instead of a down one? FR # Although I've used a synthetic bag on all the occasions I've used the Cloudburst, it has been pitched in heavy rain and there has been no evidence of any water penetration. LTR On trips with the Cloudburst, I've not experienced any rain coming in, either through the sealed seams or through the silnylon material itself. On a couple of occasions when I've not been away with the Cloudburst, I've pitched it in my garden for several days when we've had heavy rain and checked periodically for leaks. I'm pleased to report I've not found a drop coming through and I have every confidence in using it in these sort of conditions. We've had hardly any snow in the south-eastern UK this winter so I have nothing to say about the Cloudburst's performance under a snow-load. IR Is the ventilation level of the Cloudburst going to mean that the interior of the tent doesn't warm up like it does with a conventional double-skin tent and will I need to use a warmer rated sleeping bag? FR # As I haven't used it below 0 C (32 F) yet this is a difficult one to assess. Certainly, It did seem 'breezier' on occasions while sitting in the tent, but I did notice that when I got out of the Cloudburst in the night, it was noticeably colder outside. LTR The interior of the Cloudburst doesn't warm up as much as a conventional, sealed-up, double skin tent, but I've not found this a problem at all. It's probably only a few degrees colder and by the time this is of any importance, I've been in my bag and snug as a bug. I've not made any changes to the sleeping bags I've chosen for any particular outings and, so far, noticed very little difference between the Cloudburst and a conventional tent. IR Will I be able to cook under the beak, especially when camping in rain and/or windy conditions? FR # It's perfectly practical to cook under the beak with half of it rolled back. I've yet to try this while it's raining heavily and I'm very cautious about using a stove with all the beak closed. LTR It definitely takes a little more care and consideration to cook comfortably under the beak of the Cloudburst than we're used to. If it's not raining it's not a problem; the beak can be rolled completely back, and it's perfectly feasible to sit in the front of the tent and cook in the vestibule space. If there's any rain though and a little protection is required, rolling down one or other side of the beak affords some protection unless the rain is driving straight at the front of the tent. This is the worst-case-scenario and we've always managed to pitch the the tent carefully to avoid this whenever possible. IR In the Field testing period I'll also be looking at how the materials of the Cloudburst are standing up to repeated use. FR # The main body of the tent, the mesh panels and the sewn in groundsheet are all in perfect condition. I was a little concerned about my dog's claws puncturing the groundsheet and also when I've pitched under trees with lots of twigs about, but a close inspection of the material didn't reveal any evidence of damage. The only problem in this respect has been the blown seam on the stuff sack. LTR Every piece of material used in the Cloudburst is obviously of the best quality and, without exception, everything is holding up just fine. There's no evidence of any wear or deterioration on the silnylon body, the groundsheet, the mesh doors and sides, or any of the clips, zippers or fittings. (The small stake bag did blow away one day and I wasn't able to find it, so I have had to make a new one). IR How
easy (or not) is it to operate the front beak closure and roll-up, the
zippers, the side-wall roll-up, all the hook and loop tapes?
FR
# The small size of the hook and loop fastenings used and the
gap where the mesh door zippers meet are the only two annoying features
of the Cloudburst but, realistically, these are not major faults just
slight annoyances. LTR It seems churlish to complain about something so small in an otherwise excellent product, but the small hook and loop fasteners really do irritate me. When rolling the beak back, I end up with a roll of material, slightly under strain, which I'm trying to secure with a piece of hook and loop tape that will barely go round it. Even if the tapes were twice as long and a little wider, they would hardly contribute an appreciable weight gain and the job would be infinitely easier. Summary: All-in-all, I'm really pleased with the Cloudburst's performance. I've slept in it comfortably and not needed to get out in the night on any occasions to adjust stake lines or re-pitch the tent. I would class the Cloudburst most definitely as a single skin tent and for me, it bridges the gap between out-and-out tarps and fully enclosed double-skinned tents. I'm looking forward to using it through the summer and into late autumn. For me, I feel it will be a 3+ season shelter. Now that the test period is over, I might make some minor adjustments to the stake lines. I think the rear stake line set-up could be separated into two, with two stakes. This would increase the staking security at the rear end and also facilitate different tensions to be transferred to the upper and lower parts of the rear hoop, so enabling me to adjust the amount of slack material that seems to be created when the material is wet. Likes: Light weight Small pack size Spacious interior Un-fussy Bathtub floor Ease of pitching and taking down Dislikes: Fiddly hook and loop fasteners Narrow beak fastening hook and loop Gap where zippers meet Reservations: Shape of stuff sack Stake bag  The Henry Shires Tarptent Cloudburst, set up in Holm Oak woodland in Mallorca. I'd like to thank BackpackGearTest and Henry Shires/Tarptent for the opportunity of taking part in this test. Read more reviews of Tarptent gear Read more gear reviews by Graham Blamey Reviews > Shelters > Tarps and Bivys > Tarptent Cloudburst > Graham Blamey > Long Term Report | |||