Originally Posted by
cyccommute
Sorry but by your definition, no tent is freestanding. I consider a tent to be "pitched" once you can crawl into it. The rainfly...which I almost always use...has nothing to do with the freestandedness of the tent.
Which is exactly my point.
I don't consider a tent pitched unless it can adequately repel rain and keep my safe from bugs, otherwise what's the point? Why do I care if the inner tent can be pitched without stakes? A tent isn't a shelter unless it can protect me from the elements.