Pop up tent recommendations

[JCinvisible]

Hi everyone

I’m looking for some recommendations for a pop up tent. We’re on our first trip to Spain and we’ve realised we need something to help with storage when we’re on site so we can have more room in the van. Any help and recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[Nick from Bath]

We've got a Cinch Hub (plus the van connector tunnel). Really like it and not found any major issues with it. Seconds to put up and once you get the hang of folding it up, which only takes a couple of dry runs, take a few minutes to pack away.

 

[dspuk]

Just got a cheap one from GoOutdoors. Collapse small, pops up, we get all our bit's in it (prams, car seats, empty bags). It's not super waterproof, but does not leak like a sieve either, for 30 quid, been marvelous for 3 years.

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16231962/eurohike-pop-200-2-person-tent-16231962

 

[JuanVecino2023]

I used a Quechua Arepnaz shelter/gazebo in the end, having tried everything from a pop up privacy tent (they are easy to put up, but never want to fold properly into their bag when you go, found them a nightmare), to a drive-away awning - bIg/heavy takes ages to set up right and blocks light.

The Arepnaz was great. Used for day storage of kids stuff, we stacked our drawers of clothes up inside it for a dressing room and the kids loved playing in it as a breakout room while we prepped meals etc

Definitely top 5 of my Cali purchases, after solar, battery pack, Project Camper blinds, and the siding boot drawer.

 

[KevH]

Just got a cheap one from GoOutdoors. Collapse small, pops up, we get all our bit's in it (prams, car seats, empty bags). It's not super waterproof, but does not leak like a sieve either, for 30 quid, been marvelous for 3 years.

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16231962/eurohike-pop-200-2-person-tent-16231962

Yep.
Cheap, easy to put up, packs away to nothing, holds a fair bit.
Only thing is that it fights back when trying to put it back in its bag. Once you have the knack it is a cinch, as with most stuff.
After a few outings you will know what you really need and imo that is the time to spend good money.
Good luck.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

If you want the best small tent ever made, often imitated but never bettered, will outlast your van, will stand up in a gale, get a Terra Nova Quasar.
But you can have 30 of dspuk’s recommendation for the price of one so go for the Go Outdoors one.
River is the Dordogne by the way.

 

[dspuk]

If you want the best small tent ever made, often imitated but never bettered, will outlast your van, will stand up in a gale, get a Terra Nova Quasar.
But you can have 30 of dspuk’s recommendation for the price of one so go for the Go Outdoors one.
River is the Dordogne by the way.

View attachment 138229

I’ve thought about nicer ones but this gets used and slung about so don’t want to worry too much about heaving a car seat and pram into it and accidentally tearing.

 

[pchmlk]

We use a berghaus air shelter. Great for storing stuff and big enough to be in when/if the weather turns. We’ve found it pretty useful.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Get a robens prospector shack with log burner, then you can argue who sleeps in the tent!

 

[Mansfieldman750]

I’ve thought about nicer ones but this gets used and slung about so don’t want to worry too much about heaving a car seat and pram into it and accidentally tearing.

Yeah the Quasar is massive over specification but we had a pair when the kids were small. Sold them on eBay when they hadn’t been used for years and always regretted it.
So it had to be a Quasar when we got the van. Only take it if there are 3 of us, it saves getting in each others way

 

[JCinvisible]

thanks so much for the advice! Much appreciated

 

[Maidment_Ocean]

We have a Quest pop up tent, has standing height so you can hang wet coats in it etc, very useful and super quick to put up.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Quasar half built today at Interlaken. Fully pegged out takes about 10 mins

 

[Mansfieldman750]

…and all ready for Johnny tonight when the girls chuck him out of the van

 

[Kev56]

Had this for a couple of years now, perfect for me. Not quite 2secs. But ridiculously quick to erect and pack up and stow.
QUECHUA

Camping tent 2 Seconds Easy - 2-Person - Fresh&Black​

 

[Drpps]

If you want the best small tent ever made, often imitated but never bettered, will outlast your van, will stand up in a gale, get a Terra Nova Quasar.
But you can have 30 of dspuk’s recommendation for the price of one so go for the Go Outdoors one.
River is the Dordogne by the way.

View attachment 138229

I bought a Quasar recently for backpacking camping having done some long 4 season trips in one years ago. I only used it for 2 nights last year and a mouse had a go at it over the winter so it has gone back to Terra Nova for a patch or 2. They left my old cheap tents that we next to it alone.

In terms of Cali tents:
Decathlon base seconds/Cinch Hub. (Cinch started making a version once Decathlon stopped selling theirs)
standing height. Pops up. can fit a bedroom inner to it so you can sleep in it. surprisingly wind and weather resistant. Ours has never leaked.
Slight fight to put away the first couple of times but we almost always take this in preference to anything else.
With the wind out awning extended you have a covered weather resistant walk way between the 2.

 

[Lequimper]

We have a small Quechua pop-up tent. Similar in size to Mansfieldman 750’s above, so just really for storage. Fantastic to make some space in the van and not to have to cart everything around with us. Makes a big difference we find!

 

[windrift-pass]

We have a small Quechua pop-up tent. Similar in size to Mansfieldman 750’s above, so just really for storage. Fantastic to make some space in the van and not to have to cart everything around with us. Makes a big difference we find!

View attachment 138311

 

[windrift-pass]

View attachment 138320

Cinch hub works fine for us

 

[California Dreamer]

Cinch is great for extra space when needed. I sometimes use a tiny tent for shorter trips just to try and keep the van as empty as possible, eg to put wellies in and a pop up laundry bag. We were previously travelling as a family of 4 - now there’s usually only 2 of us the cali seems so much more spacious and extra storage is rarely needed!


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[JCinvisible]

Brilliant- thanks so much everyone!

 

[Ayjay]

We've been using a Quechua 2 Seconds (2 person) from Decathlon for years now and am on our second one as we damaged the first a year ago (an accident rather than a fault with the tent!). It's a brilliant bit of kit that takes all our stuff easily and which has also stood up to some horrendous rain with nothing inside getting wet. We only ever peg down the front two corners and the weight off the stuff inside does the rest. My wife is in charge of it (and most other things!) and it literally takes her a minute to set up and another to take down. My recommendation would be pay the price for the Quechua and avoid the £20 / 30 ones in Go Outdoors like the plague.

 

[Tall Andrew]

I saw this setup in someone’s for sale advert and want to share it. It’s a classic pole tent milestone Lux but only needs 4 pegs to put up. The important thing is to extend the Markise to benefit from extend shade and storage. I mark the wheel locations with 2 more pegs and some spare guy ropes.

The markiser should be dropped on one corner by 10cm in light-medium rain and pulled in for anything stronger.

 

[Gozzie11]

We have a Quest pop up tent, has standing height so you can hang wet coats in it etc, very useful and super quick to put up.

View attachment 138251

Second that! We have one too and it’s brilliant!

 

[shudycamps]

Hi everyone

I’m looking for some recommendations for a pop up tent. We’re on our first trip to Spain and we’ve realised we need something to help with storage when we’re on site so we can have more room in the van. Any help and recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you

Vango IV is our drive away awning and it's great.