So many Tarptents being sold in Gear Swap. What's the deal.

One mentioned it's because it's the end of the season. To me that is not a legitimate reason to dump off your Tarptent. Why? So you can buy a new one next season? And who stops backpacking in August? I live in the Rockies and I don't see any signs of snow (or colder weather for that matter).

One reason is that you cannot go to a store and touch a Tarptent. Being a "mail order" business, one has to order the tent sight unseen. In some cases, it may not meet the needs of the purchaser. Rather than return the item to the manufacturer, it makes sense to support the manufacturer by passing the gear on to fellow trekkers of like mind.

Another reason is that some will pursue even lighter options - i.e. tarp - and thus move down the rabbit hole into SUL.

My question to you is whether you have ever used a Tarptent and what you thought of it.

Laws of probability.

OK - why don't you directly ask the question and those who sold them can answer if they want to - and also come up with your own hypotheses for a change.
You are assuming that there is something wrong with them (I am not sure why) because so many (?) have been recently offered for sale. As for why "many" have been sold it could be that people on this forum are more likely to buy tarptents in the first place, so it would make sense that more of them, on average, would be resold.
Example: 100 people buy tarptents and 7 get resold = 7%.
15 buy sierra designs tent and 2 get resold = 13.3%.
Would you notice two tents getting resold? Probably not.

Why "so many" at the same time? People have offered some explanations, including new purchases, which may actually be tarptents. Believe it or not, a lot of people may also sell their three-season tent to be able to buy something that is specifically made for warmer conditions and later in the season buy a new three-season tent. In addition, you have no idea how many people have bought tarptents during the same time period. There could actually be a net gain in purchases, which you don't know about and may "off-set" any sales.

Rich, besides Tarptents, you have an aversion to tarps. I know you'll have to be in a shelter for quite some time, but may I ask what the personal dislike of anything but a 4 season bomber shelter is about? This is a tough forum to be so bent on trashing UL shelters, and looking for heavy tents.

Edited by T.L. on 08/17/2010 14:03:47 MDT.

Why didn't you keep this in 1 thread? They just moved it to Chaff.

I think the question that makes more sense here is why do you have such an agenda against Tarptents? Even trashing them in some else's gear swap post! Everyone has products they don't like (usually ones they've actually tried) but I don't see anybody else doing that.

I can't speak to why any individual sells one. Probably almost as many reasons as sellers. I do know mine is not for sale. If I had money burning a hole in my pocket, I would have picked up the Contrail for the times I don't take my dogs. Which is not often enough to justify it.

You know what else I see for sale a lot on gear swap. WM bags. Think those are junk, too?

One thread is too light.

Your new thread didn't belong in the Gear Swap section b/c you weren't selling or buying anything.
If you are curious the thread was moved to "chaff":
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=36083&skip_to_post=306672#306672.

Then number of tarptents being sold in any amount of time tells you very little about the quatlity of the brand. If you take it a little further and look at how many of those offered are bought and for how much you can start to get a feel for the demand for them. I didn't look at all seven you mentioned but I have many of them have sold and they are selling for ~75-80% of retail -- pretty good numbers I guess. Also, I understand Mr. Shires stays pretty busy and has been doing so for quite some time.
It seems like (from some of your posts) you believe ppl buy these not knowing they are crap then resell (cycle continues forever) OR others buy, never get off the computer to test the tents out(too busy computer jockying) and still provide rave reviews. The thing is I have noticed you call these tents junk (you wouldn't take one as a gift -- either tarptent or OWARE mid) and then separetly mention that you know nothing about them.
I recently purchased a 'moment' off of gear swap. I haven't had a chance to test it out. I have set it up and it looks pretty sweet but never had it in the backcountry. I know it will have some shortcomings -- every shelter does -- how much I like it will come down to how well I can deal with those shortcomings and how they compare to the shelters positives.
It has been mentioned before in one of your threads (moved to chaff also I believe) -- if you get on any hobyist's forum with a buy / sale section you will notice plenty of gear being sold. I frequent an olympus dslr forum where gear swap's hands pretty often. Ppl are always attempting to get to and ideal setup -- this is user defined and personal. You buy something try it out, see if it meets your needs/wants better than what's available and change out when you find something better. Some people just like trying out new goodies and that means selling some of the stuff they already have...

So many houses for sale. People must be trying to dump them off. Houses must be crap! Good thing I have my Tarptent! ;)

I liked all the Tarptents that I've ever owned, but have moved on to tarps, either with a lightweight bivy, or a bug net tent.

Cloudburst
Virga
Contrail
Double Rainbow

I'd take a Tarptent any day over a pup tent ;) they're great shelters for our purposes. I've sold a CloudBurst, but only because we *upgraded* to a Double Rainbow. The main problem with tarptents is that Henry is constantly designing new ones which make me salivate. It's not that anything is wrong with the older ones. It's more like upgrading from a 18 speed bike to a 28 speed bike. Technology moves on.

And I don't see why this needs to be in Chaff. We are, after all, talking about gear.

I've tried several other brands of tent, and far prefer Tarptents to any of them. At the present time, I own three of them (two for camping with my son#3's family of 5 and one for going solo with my dog).

I have not tried all the many models that Tarptent makes, but I know many satisfied owners of other models, such as the Double Rainbow and the Contrail.

A lot of people like to buy the latest model tent, and I think that's why you see older ones on sale. Henry Shires keeps producing new models and adding new features to older ones. It appears that a lot of people are selling Contrails so they can try out the new Moment, even though the Contrail is lighter. There seems to be plenty of market both for used Tarptents and for new ones, considering how busy Henry appears to be even in our lackluster economy. Take a look at his "ordering" page (http://www.tarptent.com/ordering.html) to see how many models are backordered.

Just because you don't like these tents (which is your privilege!) doesn't mean that others don't! Different people look for different features in tents, and what Tarptent offers is exactly what I want!

I personally detest the NeoAir (after trying unsuccessfully to be comfortable on one for 5 months), and have said so in this and other forums several times. However, that doesn't mean that a lot of others haven't found it to be exactly what they are looking for!

In other words, it's a good thing to remember that we're all different! You are entitled to your opinion, and I will listen carefully to any objective reasons you present, but please don't work so hard at forcing your opinions on everyone else!

Edited by hikinggranny on 08/17/2010 17:24:47 MDT.

The most popular new car in Australia happens to be one of the most commonly available second hand car.
The most common second hand MP3 players on E Bay are the ones from Apple.
Coincidence ?
Having sold cameras for over 30 years, I can tell you that the patten there was the same. The more a model sold new, the more I would have to sell second hand a year or so later.
You really need to learn that not everyone has your specific needs or taste.
Franco
BTW, the problem at Tarptent right now is keeping up with the demand....

Edited by Franco on 08/17/2010 17:34:31 MDT.

Is Rich also known as hangemhigh on you tube?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW2dKsLdHWg
If so, Hi, love your work! Definitely chaff material though.

Interesting that the OP has started two separate threads on this subject, in addition to barging in on several "For Sale" entries in Gear Swap even though he isn't interested in buying. Overdoing it a little?

Whats interesting to me is that he is 'dirtbagliving' because it seems cooler and more wild (I guess...) but in other threads he luvvs him some patagucchi.

douchebagliving, perhaps?

Brett, I was wondering the very same thing. That Hangemhigh2000 is quite the riot. I'd think his videos were some of the funniest on the net if it weren't for the fact that the "reviews" and information he gives is so downright laughable, that it may give newbies a totally wrong idea of good technique and philosophy. Not to mention he's bashing a quality tent maker.

All very good points brought up previously on the OP's "question."

I'm pretty new to this site. Not "last week" new, but still pretty fresh. I've picked up on some good aspects, and some other not so well-intentioned or informed aspects. Pretty much mirrors every other forum online or in life. I will say though, the quality of person here is encouraging.

One less savory aspect is "DirtBags's" pretty consistent bashing of TarpTents. It almost makes me wonder if he had a loved one, or a dog even, get caught up in one and suffocate. I'm a little curious.

But that's beside the point. He asked several questions worth answering. But the answers might not suit him, regardless. Who stops camping in August? Some people do...they have very high-intensive jobs, or jobs + families that do not allow for him/her to get out on the trail often. Maybe it's compounded by high medical bills from an illness, or by serving our country and dealing with physical as well as monetary pains directly related to that service. Who sells a piece of gear after a use or two? Wow! On this forum, a TON! There are such things as gear sluts...gadget hounds...backpacking nerds and geeks who crave trying the next thing, or the last thing that they didn't get a chance to try and want to before moving on...gear tecchies. They love gear. Let them. It doesn't hurt you.

What's does make me curious, still, is why the vendetta against Shire's TarpTents?

I'd take one in a heartbeat.

Anyways, as for this being Chaff'd, I can only sense that it was so because we're not the only ones who see the singular focus of the OP as being "anti TarpTent" and may be a little "Chaffed" at the whole thing, but I'm ok with it being gear talk. As long as everyone is civil, which is the case, let 'er roll....

Blessings,

Dug
http://thf2.wordpress.com

I moved the post to the Chaff forums because it was not specifically a piece of gear for sale (Gear Swap) and it was not specifically a question about gear (G Spot). It was obviously becoming a flame thread and it was my opinion that the OP was trolling (forgive me if I was wrong) so the Chaff forum was the likely landing place.