Is the StratoSpire Li fully waterproof?
Yes, it is fully seam-taped and fully waterproof. Dyneema® has a hydrostatic pressure rating of over 8,000 mm.
Which Dyneema fabric weights do you use?
The fly weight is 0.51 oz / yd 2
The floor weight is 1 oz / yd 2
Do I need trekking poles for general use?
Trekking poles are preferred but an 8 oz / 227 g pole set is available. We recommend a length of ~ 48in / 122cm.
Do I need to put the fly up and then the interior?
No, the two parts clip together and setup or takedown as a single unit. It is easy to unclip the interior from inside if desired.
Can I use this for winter?
The structure will withstand moderate snow loading. The optional solid interior is recommended for cold winds or blowing snow.
Can I use wide pads?
The floor width of 45in / 114cm accepts one wide pad and one regular width pad.
Can I stuff the StratoSpire Li to make it smaller?
You can easily remove the 4 carbon fiber struts but we highly recommend rolling or folding, not stuffing, to extend the fabric lifespan.
What does my purchase include?
The StratoSpire Li fly and interior, a stuff sack, aluminum stakes + stake bag and the necessary guyline cording. The StratoSpire Li is designed for trekking poles to provide structure to the shelter. There are optional poles for non-trekking pole users that are available for purchase in the webstore.
Do I need a footprint?
Use of a groundsheet depends on the conditions you expect to encounter and your style of camping. The sewn-in flooring is remarkably tough and does not usually require a separate groundsheet. We sell optional Tyvek groundsheets which are very tough and great for sleeping out or taking a break, but generally heavier than you need for floor protection on longer hikes, in most conditions. For use on very rocky ground and desert conditions where puncture wounds are possible, a groundsheet is recommended.
Janne Elst –
Bought this tent for our 8-month trip trough South America, trekking south to north, starting in Ushuaia.
In terms of rain protection we could no have been more pleased. We had weeks of pouring rain in Patagonia (even to the point of a floating tent) and never got wet, nor did our gear. Also the fly was so quick to dry, that we did not often have to pack a wet tent in our packs (huge plus). We did suffer some problems with wind though. Apart from the noise this creates (which you can expect with Dyneema), we felt the tent was not as good at withstanding high Patagonian winds as we had hoped. It held, but we did miss the option of putting some extra guy lines. Also the ones provided are rather short in length, making it difficult to set up in windy, rocky terrain.
That being said; we do love our Stratospire Li, as it is the best for rain, spacious for two with gear and incredibly lightweight.
Keith J –
So get this. I took the SSli outer up the PCT..rainy pass to snowy lakes. About a ten mile jaunt in the most amazing colors imaginable. A zillion thru hikers finishing up. But on Saturday, with the weather less than ideal, there weren’t many on the trail. I had the whole section to myself which was great till I did the little side track up to Snowy Lakes…nestled on a larch bench at 7000 feet or so. Totally alone. The weather worsened and I went zipping about looking for an appropriate footprint for the SSli. The rain worsened and a wind came in, cold and damp, and I started hustling to find a spot. Now it was raining for real, about 36 degrees, and nasty. I found a bit of earth with soft ground and started the drill. I had the fly up in about two minutes and tossed my gear inside and sat on a pad kind of freaking out with the now whats. By now it was sleet, that turned to ice, and then snow. I hadn’t staked the tent perfectly so the street supported walls were sagging a bit. I had to keep knocking the ice off. Meanwhile I was trying to get into dry clothes fully aware this was a fairly dangerous situation. (By the way, all the PCT’s slept in parking lots at Rainy pass or safe camp sites on this night…and the next day everyone was drying out their stuff…and they were much lower than me.)
The snow and ice let up so I dashed outside and pulled all the lines tight and moved a stake or two, and added rocks to the v-struts. The guy lines you sent me worked perfectly and my ridgeline was taut as a banjo string. Then the pond startied forming at one end of the tent and I had to construct a little ditch to drain off the water. I had to sleep between the poles length wise as the normal way woruldn’t work…too lumpy and exposed to drainage from outside. My pad was at a slight angle making the night’s sleep an after thought…but not once did I feel a drop of water and my bag was bone dry in the morning, despite waking up to ice fog. The tent was coated in ice and yet I was perfectly dry and safe. In the morning there was a line of snow and ice around the entire tent which I used to add to my diminished water supply, Classic.
Winds were never severe but intense enough to make things dire, and something like the Contrail or Motrail would have been flapping and sagging given the hideous conditions.
In the morning, I packed up and had the tent fly down in about 30 seconds. I walked over to a rock, flapped it a few times, and folded it up. I couldn’t believe it…it hardly weighed more than normal. I was going to pack it on the outside of my MLD core but didn’t need to. It went right in the bag and was ready to go for another round had I been out for more than one night.
The ability to set that fly up by itself is brilliant. There were no bugs or mice so I was fine just sleeping on a light footprint thing and my coffin shaped Neo air…which by the way I can’t stand…I slide off those things and toss and turn all night.
I froze my ass off with my Montbell down hugger 900 25 degree bag. I had everything on I brought and my feet were cold all night.
So, dear Henry, your tent kind of saved my life. Thanks for building such a bombproof product.
Keith
Eileen M –
Just took my new SS Li for its first night out in the mountains. Rained hard all night then sleet and wind in the morning, but I was nice and dry all night. I was going to try to wait out the storm but by 10 AM my campsite had filled with water and I was expecting fish under the tent floor (which remained nice and dry though slightly disconcerting as it is transparent and I could watch the water flow under the tent). Loved that there was plenty of room to hang my wet gear in the vestibule (the trekking pole made a good ‘hook’. Cooked in the other vestibule (I know, a huge no no in bear country but with weather that foul I figured even the bears were hunkered down somewhere dry). Was able to pack up completely inside the tent (would have been difficult in my Copper spur 1). The only thing I’m going to struggle with is finding sites big enough, it does have a massive footprint due to those lovely huge vestibules.