New to hiking... Zpacks, Tarptent, or LightHeart?

[newtgirl]

here is my video clip on the RS @ , I'm 5'8"

Thanks for both of those videos. Hubs is 6'4" and 240, a big wide guy. We currently use a heavy ol' Mountain Hardware 2p I bought back in college. It's gotten a lot of miles out of it, but it's just not big enough for him and I both.

After lots of debate, I think we both are digging SS2. I think I prefer that over the 'front loader' aspect of the rainshadow. Neither of us is the most graceful, so moving the poles even slightly out of 'right in the way' would be a benefit. And I really like the giant vestibules. We're upgrading gear with the goal of a thru-hike in mind.

[Franco]

I shot a couple of videos on the SS2 as well.
One has my version of the set up, some prefer it others don't...
You Tube Franco Darioli channel

[Venchka]

Yes, but the "double wall" means...you have to carry around an interchangeable interior wall. Right? Or is the actual inherent design double walled? And the "solid or mesh" is actually a choice of what you want the second wall to be?

These questions may be very noobish, but I have no shame in asking in regards to what I am about to do in the summer

If you go to TarpTent.com and study all of the photos and all of the verbal descriptions, including PDF files, and look at all of the videos it should all become clear as mud.
In a nutshell:
A double wall tent, like the Moment, Notch and StratoSpire 1, comes in two pieces. The inner body which has a waterproof floor and breathable walls. The outer half is called the fly and goes over the inner body. The fly is made of waterproof material.
TarpTent sells the inner bodies in two versions: mesh walls or solid nylon walls with some mesh about midway up the walls. You can buy one or the other or both.
One nice feature of the TarpTents, in my personal opinion, is the fact that the inner body and outer fly are set up together. The fly keeps the inner dry if it's raining.
Look at the ProTrail and MoTrail for single wall examples.
Look at videos of people setting up tents. Think of it raining during set up.
I know. The Anointed Ones will say "Balderdash! Rain don't matter if you know what you're doing."
And I would counter that it matters to me and I'll choose my own tent.

Wayne

[Franco]

Rybir,
Yes it can get a bit confusing..
This might help
This is the SS1 with the mesh inner :
ss1-mesh inner.jpg
and this is the same SS1 with the solid inner :
ss1-solid inner.jpg
so the fly is the same, you buy the inner that you prefer (mesh for views and extra air flow, solid for wind or sand protection)
(think of the fly as your rain jacket and the inner the layer you wear under it...)
and this is the fly by itself :
ss1-fly only.jpg
as you can see there is plenty of space under the fly only so you could have 2 or 3 others out of the rain in there at lunchtime or cook, if in suitable areas.
An advantage of the two wall design done this way is that when the fly is wet you can detach the inner pack that up, get your rain gear on , pack everything then get out and pack the fly last .

[Rybir]

Thank you Wayne and Franco. Now that I have the clarity I realize that a double wall tent is what I have wanted the whole time.

[Rybir]

First setup of my SS1 today!