Tarptent - StratoSpire Li

Agree with the Tarptent recommendation, great tents. StratoSpire is excellent.

Same kinda-awkward experience with packing the SS2li. The other thing is if I haven’t set it up for a while I’ve got to think a bit about the process/shape. But the thing is awesome in heavy weather and those palatial vestibules rock.

Vancouver based, my stratospire 2 has 10 years and, 6 countries on it. Including months in Patagonia. Fly first setup for the win.

I use the longest V shaped stakes to pitch on the sand, with a rock to back it up if possible. In really high wind, I also move sand around to deflect the wind from going underneath the tarp. My favorite camping spot is on an island in the stLawrence gulf (Île-aux-Lièvres): no bugs because of all the wind!! My 10YO trusty Notch Li has folded in wind or snow, but those situations do need more careful pitching. Or you have another story to tell when you get old🤣.

The Stratospire and X mid 2 are your best bet - just get a couple of CCF pads to protect the floor.

StratoSpire 2 Li is the best. It's light, wind proof, and we can sleep 2 people w/ no condensation whatsoever. No condensation means you have more space, since you can touch the sidewalls comfortably. I have no idea what people are saying about struts. The struts have been no issue at all. They've never been any kind of hassle or packing challenge, I don't know where this is coming from at all 🤷

Stratospire 2 have huge side vestibules that they have little tent inner that can sell to fit inside. The vestibules are very big on my older version Stratospire 2, not sure what the current version is like. Also the sides drop down so if you have a few short kids in there you can fit more lying sideways. Though our situation was different as we were looking at a trip with one parent two kids and no dog.  Agree w other comments to look at getting two tents vs one huge one.  Editing to add, I just reread your post and see you want one big tent. Keep in mind for when they are a bit older multiple smaller tents will work well. By the time we’re kids were teens they each want their own small tent. 

>One of the main critics about the StratoSpire series was the required pack space caused by its fixed struts. The MesoSpire seems to eliminate this, because the struts can easily be removed. This seems to be the main advantage of the Mesospire, in addition to the improved interior volume. The triangle struts are always fiddly to set up on my Stratospire 2 Li. That said, it's still a single-walled tent, so it seems like a minor design update. The Stratospire 2 line is fully double-walled and at comparable weights, or even lighter (it comes in three different fabrics). My usual observation is that tent model differentiation is driven by production and the market, and much less by backpacker's needs. In other words, I don't quite understand whose needs this tent serves. Like... rolling up the corners for ventilation is nice, but are backpackers clamoring for this feature? It has no struts... but so do most tents, so "no struts" would only be a benefit to current/prospective Stratospire buyers? And who really wants a heavy, single-walled tent? Maybe its use case is couples hiking together who want more interior volume?

I have the XMid Pro 2 and backpack with one of our huskies almost every trip. Mika is 45lbs, Max is 50lbs. Just one dog and me fit easily with extra room for gear. Two people and one of our dogs would work but be tight. (replaced a Strat Li but below applies to both tents) To protect the floor, I bring a full size z-fold pad (generic z-lite). I cut it into two pieces - about 1/3 and 2/3rds. I place them together to put where the dog will be sleeping. I cut it into two pieces so that I can use the 2/3rd piece under my pad in the event I get cold. They can still use the 1/3rd. I lay a costco quilt over the top of the pad. The like to "dig" sometimes. Between the pad and quilt, it protects the floor long enough until I can tell them to stop. For just casual walking in and out of the tent, laying down etc, there would be no need to protect the floor. Kneeling on a sharp rock or stick would probably do more damage than a dog stepping on the floor. We also have a Big Agnes UL2 and UL3 we've used for people and dogs. Only damage to any of the tents (first time out in a brand new UL3) was when I walked away with the dog in the tent and she paw'd at the screen and ripped it. Luckily, she hit the pocket so it didn't affect the door.

I'm currently using the **Durston X-Mid Pro2** and the **Tarptent Stratospire Li**, and I really love them both. The X-Mid is great, but the Tarptent's double-wall design is fantastic for keeping condensation off the inner mesh, and its basic geometry just feels noticeably more stable and storm-worthy. (I've had both tents out in separate storms, but never the same storm, so I could be wrong about the difference!) My main dilemma is the Achilles' heel of trekking pole tents: **staking them out on difficult ground.** I keep running into campsites where the ground is too sandy to hold a stake, too rocky to penetrate, or (the worst!) covered in moss where stakes just won't bite. This is making me think seriously about moving to a **freestanding tent**. I've always avoided them due to the traditional weight penalty, but I really want to keep that reassuring **double-wall construction** and storm protection. So, my question for the community is: 1. **What am I looking at in terms of cost for a lightweight, double-wall, 2 person, freestanding tent that is comparable in size to the X-Mid/Stratospire Li?** 2. **Which specific models (2 person) should I be looking at?** (I'm aiming for maximum storm-worthiness and the condensation-free inner, without a massive weight increase.) **If the weight penalty isn't huge now, I'm ready to switch to a 2 person freestanding design**