ArcDome 2 Ultra

Also, to answer your 2nd question, I believe the lightest, intense storm-worthy, freestanding, double-wall tent is the Tarptent ArcDome Ultra. It’s a little over 3.5lbs all in, and can (apparently) withstand 60mph winds when fully guyed out.

Why are you focused on the ArcDome in SilPoly when the ArcDome 2 Ultra has been out for a while, and Tom Heaney in Ireland did a couple excellent videos on it?

I would use my tarptent arc dome 2 ultra for those conditions. I unclip parts of the inner to get a bigger vestibule for cooking. I haven’t had it out in any nasty weather yet I’m confident it can handle plenty wind and snow load. “Worst” was maybe 20-25mph wind and 10-15F. This was with the mesh inner. I have since purchased the solid inner. Packability isn’t great due to the ultra tnt material but they have a polyester version that probably packs down smaller.

4 season tents is more about wind and snow resistance than cold. If the issue is condensation, a four season tent probably won’t help. More often than not they have less ventilation than 3 season tents as the fly will go all the way down to the ground and the inner will have less mesh. If the tent relies on ventilation between the ground and the fly and said space is blocked by snow a tent with vents higher up, like what you will find on many winter tents, will give you better ventilation. As long as you breathe inside your tent, which is considered best practice, your fly will have frost on the inside in the morning. To prevent frost on the foot end of your bag you could zip up your jacket and stick the end of the bag into it. Just make sure you don’t compress your bag. You can also drape your jacket over but it might fall off in the middle of the night. I have used a tarptent arcdome 2 ultra in winter with no issues. But it’s not the tent I will bring in conditions with lots of wind and snow. But that’s more about the small vestibules and the fact that the fly doesn’t go all the way to the ground.

Just FYI, the Ultra version will not be coming back, at least in the current UltraTNT. We found that for a tent like the ArcDome, not being able to stuff it was a major drawback, as it is difficult to get a nice fold when packing up in high wind. There are some other stuffable UHMWPE fabrics we are looking at, but it will be a while before anything comes out in those, as we still have plenty of testing to do.

not sure why 30° enters the equation since tents are not what keeps you warm. They keep the wind off you and they keep you dry in the rain. If you get a hot tent designed to be used with a wood stove, that’s not really great for backpacking unless it’s winter and there’s snow everywhere so you can put it on your pulk. And it only stays warm while the stove is operating. If year around doesn’t include lots of wind and snow, any tent designed for three season use will do. If you intend to use a tent in winter blizzards, you need two tents, one that works well in high winds and takes a load, and a three season tent. True four season tents are designed with extra guylines inside and out, and durable materials to withstand snow loading and 50+ mph winds, often floorless so one can increase space by digging down into snow. You’ll want snow stakes instead of regular nail stakes. Tents with steep sides to shed snow or long dome type with a large vestibule work well. Hilleburg and MSR have models that are designed for 4 seasons- heavy and weather worthy. I have a GoLite Shangri La - floorless, vented at the top, three person version, weighs 2.5 lbs with a single pole. I didn’t bother with the mesh inner because I never intended to use it unless there is snow. It is not freestanding and doesn’t have to be. it’s no longer in production, but there is a similar version that I believe is made by the company that bought Go Light. The other tent will have an inner bugnetted layer to keep mosquitoes off, regular stakes, lighter waterproof fly and be whatever shape you want. I have a variety of these that I have purchased over the years. My favorites were the Lightheart gear - I wore out the first one, replaced it with the same model, and then it was stolen from the garage when a roommate left the door open. I replaced it with a Durston Xmid. In the past, I have used several models of Tarptent. They also have a four season model called the Scarp. You might have a look at their various models. They do a balance of weight and durability. They are far too light for true severe winter conditions but would be okay generally for use in snow with appropriate stakes.

Tarptent all the way - has kept me dry and cozy for thuousands of kilometers in snow, rain and heat. I have never owned a better ultralight tent. Bonus: you buy from a small, independent company, founded and owned by a great guy - when I bought my first one (years back) he answered all my questions personally… What a legend!