Tarptent Dipole 2 Review

[@matty1313131]

This is one of the best tent reviews I’ve ever seen. Awesome work! Subscribed ❤

[@LynxOutdoors686]

Great, thanks!

[@TheHikingChick1]

I think that extra clip is so you can use the end of the apex guyline to wrap around the stake and stake out the vestibule door on the non entry side. If that makes any sense.... 🙃

[@hanskirk-hiking9697]

Great video like your attention to details

[@LynxOutdoors686]

Thanks!

[@martinhafner2201]

I've got the somewhat older protrail single person tent in silnylon from about 2016. One trekking pole at the entrance and a little aluminum pole at the foot. It has been great. Lots of room. Good head room near the door. Lots of storm tie out points and very waterproof. Sets up fast. Breaks down even faster. I've torn an auxiliary tarp in heavy wind, but the tent was fine. It has lots of venting with the lateral horizontal mesh panels, so it can get a little chilly in cold weather. The trick is to use a small tarp or blanket inside to cover some of or all of the vents and it warms up. The one downside is that privacy is so-so at the door with some peek-a-boo under the door flaps. I've considered tacking on a little flap of ripstop nylon over the bottom of the door for group campouts. I'm not doing boy scouts outings any more, so it probably doesn't matter. I notice the DCF is nearly transparent. That would bug me. I'm thinking of getting a silpoly version on my next version. This dipole is pretty nice with more width, more headroom along the whole ridge and 2 vestibules. Thanks for the excellent tour.

[@seanwilson6521]

Great review! Two things I would worry about. The need for a precise corner placement to achieve a tight pitch, how many times does that work out, and those front and back windows look like water ingress is inevitable. Otherwise, plenty to like.

[@LynxOutdoors686]

I will admit, I had a horrible rain storm experience in it. Water was coming in through the window and in the downhill corner of the tent there was almost an inch of standing water in the morning. To be fair, the storm was extreme and the rain was coming down sideways. The tent site was also far from great, with one window facing uphill slightly directly into the rain. You're correct about the corner stakes as well. They get pulled on pretty firmly in multiple directions due to the lineloc tighteners on the head/foot window carbon struts. The system is very easy to set up, but becomes more troublesome if you cant get a stake where you want one. It also makes it tougher to try to rig on a tent platform or rock surface.

[@humbertomaiajunior2650]

Great review. Thanks. Almost one year, ahve you put the tent in storm? How did it go? Overall, today, would you choose the Dipole over the Z Packs triple or the Durston X-Mid Pro 2+?

[@LynxOutdoors686]

I do have a bit of info from a very strong rain storm that it was used in. The tent does a good job with the wind structurally, but the sideways rain really got blown in through the upwind window. I had nearly an inch of standing water in the downhill corner. The pitch was good, but it was on much more of a downhill slope than I'd have liked to sleep on. The bad angle really seemed to funnel more water in than if it was on level ground and the wind was blasting the more exposed window with heavy rain for hours. I've heard the new models of this tent come with velcro to help with the panel in strong wind/rain. I wish mine did and may have to come up with a modification for the windows to stay up and tight. It's very tough decision because there are cases where I would prefer each one of those 3 tents. The Dipole 2 is the best overall option for when it isn't raining, and the one that takes on the most water when it is. It's very spacious inside and is terrific at ventilation and getting a nice cross breeze. I have a Triplex, and I do take that when it's my wife, myself, and our dog. The only perks for the triplex for us are the extra room inside for bringing a 3rd small pad for the pup, and there aren't any features I prefer the Triplex for over the other 2 (besides weight and floor space.) I recently finished my 2023 CDT through hike and used an Xmid Pro 1 for the 3,000 miles. It was a superb blend of lightweight, stormworthyness, and features. If I could only have 1, I'd personally go with the Xmid Pro 2+, as I do use a wide width air mattress personally. Thanks for checking out my video. I have a 3,000 mile review of the Xmid 1 pro that I'm almost done with that would have a lot of hopefully helpful info that would carry over to the Pro 2 as they are so similarly designed.

[@retobaumann5604]

Great review John, thx very much. Comparing the Dipole to the Durston Gear Pro models, which ones would you consider more storm-proof? I am already looking forward to get more insights on the Dipole... I'm fascinated by the design, but sceptical of the "windows" in bad weather.

[@LynxOutdoors686]

It is a bit of a tough call. For a "normal" day of camping with a random bad thunder storm I'd say the Durston. With just the 4 corners staked out I feel it has a more hardy basic pitch. With sideways rain and wind I'd also say the Durston because of the windows in the Dipole. I haven't had horrible weather yet in mine to be able to say how they do in real life yet. If I were setting up on a bald with very strong constant winds I'd go with the Dipole, because of how crazy strong you can get the pitch with all 8 stake out points. I can get my Durston pretty stable with extra guylines, but not as tight as the Tarptent. For me, at the end of the day most nights I spend in the back country are storm free and I've (at least so far) survived every night no matter which tent I was in. I had a very hard time deciding which model I wanted and thats why I ended up with both. The only way my wife would let me get the Xmid Pro was if I bought the 1 person because she loved the design of the Dipole 2 and would want to use that one when its the two of us.

[@MoeBergOSS]

I have this tent and a good friend has the Durston Xmid pro 2. He is now trying to sell his tent to buy this tent. The Dipole is more stable in high winds, has more headroom inside, has much better ventilation, can take two 25” wide sleeping pads etc. the only thing the Durston Xmid pro 2 wins at is price and weight.

[@heyjude16ify]

Great review thank you! Did you have a chance to use it in bad weather? What do you think?

[@LynxOutdoors686]

Thanks for checking out my review. In normal rain the tent does just fine. However, I did have it set up in a very strong rain storm where the rain was blowing at a steep angle. The rain ended up entering the upwind window panel and I had almost an inch of standing water in the bottom most corner of the tent. I was less than thrilled to say the least. The newer version of the Dipole 2 tries to address this by adding velcro to the window panels, seam sealing the stitching in the 4 corner condensation vents, and having a tension system to pull the condensation vents out more. I think if my tent had these features it would have done much better.

[@heyjude16ify]

@@LynxOutdoors686 Thank you. That is great info to have, both your experience and that you think the updated version will do much better

[@ronbaker9971]

Excellent review. You actually answered a lot of questions I had which were not addressed in some other videos. In the comments section I see you addressed the leaking situation. I am also concerned with paying $800+ for a tent that leaks and suggestions that customer service isn’t the best. However, the dipole 2 design is fabulous and looks like the perfect replacement for my tiger wall 3. Thank you.

[@LynxOutdoors686]

Thanks Ron, glad it was of some help. As with any first-generation product, it usually requires a bit of fine tuning to work out the issues and I bet Tarptent wants leaking issues even less than we do! I think highly of the tent design, and it seems people with the issue were able to prevent it by using some Seam Grip on the stitching in the Silnylon panels by the windows. I plan to do that to mine myself.

[@MoeBergOSS]

I have this tent and have used it about 50 nights out in all kinds of weather except for heavy snow. Not once has it leaked. In my very educated opinion it’s the best two person tent made as of today. The best! I’ve also had nothing but great experience with their customer service. I find it odd that somebody else has not had this same experience. Everytime I’ve contacted them with questions, they answer promptly.

[@christophdollis1955]

@@MoeBergOSS Uh huh, Tarptent.

[@Chris-yg7qk]

Thanks for the video! I have a Notch Li and Durston’s X-Mid Pro 2 and I used to have the Aeon Li. They are all DCF and all will start leaking before long. When I am really concerned about staying dry I take my Hilleberg Atko because it is truly storm ready. If the Dipole comes out with a heavier poly version, I will get it. Or at least a poly floor. DCF is all the rage right now but it’s price and susceptibility to pinholes just are too much for me…and one more thing: how about a dark green instead of grey?

[@LynxOutdoors686]

I've had an Akto myself but didn't use it as much since I already had an Anjan 2. I used the Anjan for my 2014 AT through hike and it was everything-proof. The Akto and Anjan weigh pretty similar, but the Anjan is obviously roomier being a 2-person tent so I ended up selling my Akto. Hilleberg tents with will the weather battle to all of these ultralight models every time for sure.

[@markcummings6856]

You have no idea what you are talking about.

[@erikthomas7766]

How likely is the trekking pole at risk to being bumper and fall over when moving your backpack in the vestibule area? Considering this or a Zpack Triplex and am concerned with taking pole tent for this reason. 🤷

[@LynxOutdoors686]

If you pitch either of those models correctly I'd say almost zero chance of actually knocking the pole over. The stakes pull the apex of the tent down tightly, driving the pole into the ground. The tighter the pitch, the more secure. That being said, myself and many others, show pitching the Dipole 2 with a tilted pole to keep it more out of the way. The steeper the angle you lean it the higher the chance.

[@MoeBergOSS]

Excellent review

[@sheep.herder]

much appreciated

[@tbone6203]

Looks like u in my neck of the woods- guessin ur not from there

[@iBlindPanic]

Just bought this tent, it is a 2 person tent but its not a big tent, certainly not to big to use for one person.

[@LynxOutdoors686]

You will certainly have plenty of room in it solo. It can certainly be a great single person gent, but for me, there are some smaller footprint and lighter 1 person models that I prefer.

[@bradyhislop1414]

​@@LynxOutdoors686Are you able to share what your go to single person tent is? Thinking of purchasing the dipole but its footprint is a consideration. Have you looked at the dipole 1 or double rainbow li?

[@LynxOutdoors686]

Hi Brady. I just finished a CDT through hike a couple weeks ago and I used a Durston Xmid Pro 1 for it. I think its a great combination of livability, pack space, weight and features. There are lighter tents but they are lacking in most of the above. I do have a video of the tent and am planning to do a 3,000 mile review of the Xmid Pro 1 shortly.@@bradyhislop1414