Head to head
Gossamer Gear The Two vs Tarptent StratoSpire 2
The Tarptent StratoSpire 2 gives each person more floor — 15.6 sq ft against 13.0, which is the difference between standard and tight. The Gossamer Gear The Two is the lighter carry at 28.1 oz, and the Tarptent StratoSpire 2 is the cheaper of the two at ~$339.
 Gossamer Gear Gossamer Gear The Two | Tarptent Tarptent StratoSpire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Ultralight | Ultralight |
| Rated capacity | 2-person | 2-person |
| Floor area per personestimated | 13.0 sq ft (tight) | 15.6 sq ft (standard) |
| Floor area | 26 sq ft | 31.1 sq ft |
| Vestibule area | — | 25.6 sq ft |
| Peak height | 49 in | 48 in |
| Minimum trail weight | 28.1 oz | 38.8 oz |
| Packed weight | — | 43.8 oz |
| Weight per personestimated | 14.1 oz (trail weight) | 19.4 oz (trail weight) |
| Pad fitestimated | — | 2 × 25 in pads fit |
| Fits sleepers up toestimated | — | 6ft 8in tall |
| Doors | 2 | 2 |
| Freestanding | non-freestanding | non-freestanding |
| Poles | trekking poles | trekking poles |
| Wall type | single wall | double wall |
| Season rating | 3-season | 3+-season |
| Floor hydrostatic head | — | 5,000 mm |
| Packed size | — | 16 x 5 in |
| Approx. price | ~$375 | ~$339 |
Gossamer Gear The Two
The Two is the silnylon answer to the Duplex: two doors, two vestibules, 49 inches of headroom, 28 ounces, and $375 instead of $749. Twenty-six square feet for two people works out to thirteen each, which is on the tight side of the class — this is a shelter for two people who like each other, or an extremely comfortable solo tent. Gossamer Gear also sells the same design as The One at 19.68 ounces, which is the size most buyers actually want.
Best for
A hiker who wants the Duplex's shape and headroom without Dyneema money.
Tarptent StratoSpire 2
The StratoSpire's hexagonal footprint is the reason to buy it: six small fabric panels under balanced tension, which is a far better shape in wind than the four big panels of a square mid. Inside there is 31.1 square feet on a 52-inch floor that widens to 62, plus 25.6 square feet of vestibule split across two sides, and it is genuinely double-walled with a choice of mesh or solid inner. Thirty-nine ounces, $339, and two trekking poles that can go handle-up or tip-up depending on their length.
Best for
Exposed camps where a square mid gets loud, and pairs who both use wide pads.
Rows where the two differ are tinted. Specs are the makers’ own; floor area per person, weight per person and pad fit are our arithmetic on them.