pop up tent

[Toddy]

Has anyone got one of these pop up gelert tents?

http://www.cafs.co.uk/

I love the simplicity and lack of fuss that it seems to show, but are they any good ?
Certainly cheap enough

cheers,
Toddy

 

[heath]

If you're using a car for transport and you're just staying one night and you don't need much room then I think pop up tents are great. We sometimes use one when we know we're going to be setting up in the dark. I would check out decathlon though as they have a wide range of pop-ups.
Heath

 

[andy_e]

I've looked at these a few times, the only person I know who has one thinks it's great but a bit difficult to re-pack.

 

[madelinew]

I have a decathlon quechua and it's wonderful. It's superior to all the other popups on the market at the moment including the gelert version. The Air version of quechua is the best and as for collapsing it, I have no problems. It's a case of practice and knack. There's a little twist you do at the end of the folding process and once you've got that it's easy.

Go for it as long as you don't intend backpacking with it, regardless of what the company claims about it's portability in this manner. You're like to turn into a human sail if hit by a wind with one of these on your back.

There is, however, nowt as satisfying as chucking your tent out of it's bag and it's there and ready to use

 

[DoctorSpoon]

We've had one of these for the kids for a couple of years now (the Decathlon version) and it has done a brilliant job. It has been in heavy rain and been waterproof, but I'd not trust it if it was windy as well as rainy. The main disadvantage in the rain is it has no porch so as soon as you open the door the rain goes in so it's a quick scramble to unzip, get in and rezip.

As well as the obvious of being quick to pitch, because it's self-supporting you can move it around if you find you're on a lumpy bit and easily pop it up in the garage to dry afterwards. Packing it away however is an art. We used to have a kids play tent that worked the same so I can do it, but I've seen people struggle ... it's quite hilarious to watch

Nicola
PS Ollie says thanks for the magazines!

 

[Toddy]

Thanks for the replies folks, I reckon it folds up like the washing bags, no?
I was thinking along the lines of how easy is that ? No fuss, and kind of instantly tensioned.
Really only to take along when the car is nearby and in not so windy weather, then ?, and watch the rain squalls but otherwise, all good I like the idea that it can be shifted if the site isn't ideal too I usually end up smoke end of the fire.

Ollie is very welcome

cheers,
Toddy

 

[madelinew]

I spent a week in my Quechua in Bath in torrential rain and howling winds and it stayed firm with no leaks the whole time. I absolutely love it. Next time, I will erect a tarp over the front to give me a porch but apart from that it's brilliant. Love it love it love it.

You anchor it with 4 pegs and it ain't going nowhere with ME in it!

I have the 3 second air which I shared with my daughter and which was very roomy. Honestly, with a bit of practice it's very easy to pack away again. There are videos on the quechua website showing how it's done

 

[heath]

I agree with Dr Spoon about the lack of a porch, but if you shop around you can get them with a small porch now. I saw one in Costcos a while back and I'm sure Decathlon would do one.

 

[madelinew]

Decathlon now do an attachment that doubles up as another room as well as giving a porch area (out of my budget tho and I have other tents if I want more room).

However, isn't this also a problem with the Gelert model.

 

[madelinew]

Decathlon now do an attachment that doubles up as another room as well as giving a porch area (out of my budget tho and I have other tents if I want more room).

However, isn't this also a problem with the Gelert model.

 

[mark wood]

Netto is selling a Rolson pop-up tent (2 man) for 14.99 - half the price of anywhere else.
Have a look at the specials for the 23rd (they were all on sale today here in Newcastle)

I've just bought one but its chucking it down up here and I'm waiting for a dry spell to try it.

Mark

 

[shaggystu]

a friend of mine works for a wholesaler that does pop up tents, if anyone's interested i could ask about the possibility of a little group buy. they're not going to be the best quality/spec product available (their camping stuff tends to be aimed at the cheap and cheerful end of the market), but it'll probably be the cheapest and i should be able to get fairly small numbers (5-10ish). just a thought.

stuart

 

[littlebiglane]

Rather shame-faced to say I also have one. An earlier Gelert design which has an integral inner tent and seem to be a higher quality materials than the ones produced now (I bought mine 3 years ago). I use it as a beer-tent. In other words I go to the pub, have too much to drink and can pitch it in the pub beer-garden. In that way I can just crawl to bed from the bar. I love it for its ability to pitch itself even if I am blind drunk and gripping on on the ground so I don't slip off!

I think that Outwell do some de-luxe posh versions for 2 and 3 people now. Quite pricey.

http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Outwell_Jersey_M_Pop-Up_Tunnel_Tent_.html

 

[silvergirl]

I haven't actually slept in one but our young leaders and older guides use them, so I've put up/ took down a few.

They could be a great idea. But the pop up joints are a bit fiddly, till you get used to the technique. And they don't fold down as well as they ought to.


We had 8 joints 'snap' at camp this year, although it was teenagers staying in them.
Much less easy to replace than a standard section of pole.

I personally don't feel the minute or two saved in pitching them is worth the fragility of the joints. But they obviously work for some people.

 

[MikeE]

Oztents do what looks to be a brilliant pop-up in a variety of sizes. Just got the three person from "Unbeaten Tracks". Appears to be superb but not able to try out till next weekend!

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

The decathlon one is very good quality and thunderstorm proof. We have two, used in the alps and pyrenees thunderstorms. And it's cheaper in france than decathlon shops in England.

They now do a base station that links more than one 2secs tent together. This tmenextweek I'll be in france, for a few weeks, may get the base tent. Although some continental sites charge for 'garage mort' (gazebos) which are great for bad weather. Normally I fire up a tarp, decathlon one, for a bit of protection. Wind can play havoc though.

Nick

 

[Mikey P]

I have a decathlon quechua and it's wonderful. It's superior to all the other popups on the market at the moment including the gelert version. The Air version of quechua is the best and as for collapsing it, I have no problems. It's a case of practice and knack. There's a little twist you do at the end of the folding process and once you've got that it's easy.

Go for it as long as you don't intend backpacking with it, regardless of what the company claims about it's portability in this manner. You're like to turn into a human sail if hit by a wind with one of these on your back.

There is, however, nowt as satisfying as chucking your tent out of it's bag and it's there and ready to use

I'll second that. I have a Decathlon two-man pop-up tent with a porch and it's brilliant.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/2-seconds-xl-ii-35306971/

As long as you don't intend to backpack with it, it has no faults. Agreed, it can be a little daunting the first time you try to get it back into its bag but a couple of practice goes is all it takes to get some confidence.

I use mine for either car camping or when I go to the alps: we usually set up a 'base camp' at a good camp site and then do our day/2-day climbs from there. I use it on my own for these trips and there's plenty of room for me and the kit. It has never leaked and has been well-vented but still warm (not too much mesh). Thoroughly recomended as long as you know what you are getting.

 

[FerlasDave]

i love the way you guys like decathlon products as i work there! they are the best tents on the market and i can pitch and take down the whole range on my own in just a few seconds (oh the joys of explaining it to people.... they just dont understand their lefts from their rights.) they have a 2000mm HH and 1500 on seams which is the highest you can get to my knowlage, and they might blow down in strong wind but as soon as it stops they go right back up again. i would reccomend one to anyone who is car camping but not for backpackers. (for that i would suggest the rigel XL.) but yes if you want a pop-up tent i would go for the quechua anytime.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Quecha tend to make good quality products. I have used them since 1998. Some innovative designs.

Nick

 

[madelinew]

i love the way you guys like decathlon products as i work there! .

So worth a discount when I come in to buy the porch attachment then?

Joking cos I had to rely on someone else to pick mine up for me. Wouldn't be without it now