Hey folks, first off congrats on that 5-miler-sounds like you’re hooked already! I’m also pretty new (only a handful of overnights under my belt), and trekking pole tents have me scratching my head too. I’ve been eyeing the Tarptent Aeon Li for solo stuff since it’s stupid light (under a pound!), but yeah, the wind/rain question is huge.
From what I’ve read on reviews (like on Backpacking Light forums), they hold up decently if you pitch them taut and stake well-kinda like a mini tunnel tent. The Aeon has a good bathtub floor and vestibule that sheds rain okay, but I’ve seen pics of them flapping in gusts over 20mph if the guy lines aren’t bomber. No personal windstorm tests yet, though!
Setup-wise, they’re quicker than a full freestanding tent but trickier than I expected when solo and wiped. You gotta collapse your poles to the right length (usually 48-54 inches), which means fiddling if you’re not used to it. Did my first pitch with a generic polycro version on a calm night and it took maybe 10 mins after practice, but I botched it once when tired and ended up with a saggy mess. Vs. a basic tarp? Tarp’s more versatile for different spots and cheaper to start (I have a $20 silnylon one), but it takes way more skill to pitch storm-proof-I gave up on that after one rainy flop.
Anyone got real-deal stories from multi-day trips? Like, do they stay dry in steady rain, or do you need seam-sealing magic? And for us newbies, what’s the easiest model to learn on without hating life? Super curious! 😄