Tarptent Cloudburst 3

It was a dark and stormy night… Really, it was. One that would be indelibly tattooed to our memory as one of the top two wettest we have ever experienced. By morning, the confidence of our shelter, a backpack, and a few other items floated downstream with the rain.

The shelter we were planning to use has home was a twelve year old GoLite Hex 3 shelter. Being a teepee design, it had a lot of floor space and had proved to be a cozy fortress for us and our two Australian Shepherds. Ironically the Hex 3 chose Edison’s Memorial ride to say it had given us the best years it could and it was now time to say goodbye. This was Edison and Jessica’s tent and they are no longer here.

GoLite Hex 3

It was not time to say goodbye…

Our New Home…

I can nearly recount every tent my eyes have ever fallen asleep in. From the canvas Coleman in the 1960’s to our current Tarptent in 2020. Tents are home to me, more so than walled construction. When we head out in June of this year, the Tarptent Cloudburst 3 will be our new home until it needs to be replaced.

At one point we thought the Marmot Force 2P was going to be our shelter. However, after using it for a season and a half we realized it wasn't what we were looking for. The netting for watching the stars was gray instead of black so you really couldn't watch the stars at all. It had poor headroom, and it was just too small. It’s a nice tent, just not for us.

Our favorite tent of all time has always been the Tarptent Double Rainbow. The natural choice for us was to choose another Tarptent. We realized that we wanted the space of a three person and I was leaning towards getting a tube tent. The tube design is wonderful for expeditions, severe weather, and offering living space which fits our plans perfectly.

The Agreeable Bits.

A three person tent that is barely over 3 lbs (1.36kg) and packs as small as a two person tent is amazing. That is what the Cloudburst 3 is - Amazing.

Here is a list of what makes this tent fit for us.

Lots of floor space - 37 square foot.
Plenty of head room - 3 1/2 feet.
Size to Weight Ratio - Only 3.25 lbs (1.59kg)
Packs small. 20 in x 4 in / 51 cm x 10 cm
Very fast setup. Stands up with only 4 tent stakes.
Storm worthy. It has worked great in every weather condition, hot, cold, sandy, and wet.
Two entry doors with huge vestibules for outside storage and cooking.
During hot times it has a lot of ventilation options and still keep the mosquitoes out.
Has a lightweight silk liner to control condensation. (optional accessory)
We can actually move around in it without being pinned to the walls.

The Disagreeable Bits

I can’t think of anything in this area. The. 2019 version fixed everything we had issues with.

Some may argue that it is not freestanding so is a negative. For me this is neither a negative or positive. I have used a non freestanding shelter for the past 32 years and not once has this ever been a problem. Snow, sand, granite, and any other situation one might feel this won’t work in can be assured it pitches just fine with creativity and a little imagination.

A list of some random ideas for options.

An extended vestibule with an offset door like you see on many tube tent designs.
A way to attach the optional center pole without having to remove the silk liner.
3 more inches of height.

Some Final Thoughts

I’m puzzled as to why Tarptent doesn’t list this as a bikbpacking tent when they list the Rainshadow 3 as such. The Cloudburst 3 is better suited to the rigors of a bikepacking expedition. The rear of the Rainshadow uses a trekking pole to hold it up, something a bikepacker will unlikely be carrying.

We have have had ours for nearly two years and it has worked flawlessly. There is no doubt the Cloudburst 3 will keep us comfortable in all the conditions we will face along our journey.

Manufacturer Specifications

Sleeps: 3
Seasons: 3+
Weight: 52 oz / 1.5 kg
Interior Height: 40 in / 102 cm
Floor width: 62 in / 157 cm
Floor length: 86 in / 218 cm
Stakes: 4 x 6 in / 15 cm Easton Nanos (included)
Reflective guyline: 2.5 mm
Packed size: 20 in x 4 in / 51 cm x 10 cm

Note: Tent weight includes stakes, guylines, stuffsacks, and arch poles.