RUMOR CONTROL: To be fair to Tarptent, you'll have to come up with another reason as I'm pretty sure you can use tent poles for most of Henry's tents.
From the website FAQ:
"Q: Do Tarptents come with stakes and poles?
A: Yes. Every Tarptent comes with a rear arch pole, 4 stakes (3 stakes for the Cloudburst 2), guylines, and a stuffsack. The Cloudburst 2 also comes with a front arch pole and is complete. The Virga 2, Squall 2, and Rainshadow 2 work best in high winds with front trekking pole support but if you are not a trekking pole user we offer optional lightweight and inexpensive front poles that can be ordered with the shelters. Two of our poles will provide excellent wind performance for those shelters."
Originally Posted by ernok1923
i feel like i would be much more interested in the tarptent if i were backpacking, where a trekking pole is more common and can then serve two purposes. packing it in with my bike gear, it becomes a specialized piece of equipment that i carry around, but would never use for its primary purpose. its only function then would be to support that tarp. i do realize that a stick would probably work just as well, but spending time looking for a suitable stick each night just doesn't sound like fun to me.
however, if i ever decide to hike the appalachian trail, i will definitely give these guys a call.