Quechua Pop up Tents?

[jono_01]

I've used pop ups the last two festivals and they were great for me. Waterproof in the shit weather and obviously a piece of piss to put up.

Only problem is that most don't have a porch or separate compartment for your stuff. Tis okay normally but if it pisses down you've nowhere to put wet and muddy gear.

I've bitten the bullet this year and accepted i'm going to have to spend some time putting up my tent for the sake of comfort.

[Cooter]

I have the quechua 4.2, it's the nuts, it's massive, easy to pop up and easy to pack up. Quechua really are the kings of pop up tents, they look good, totally sturdy and waterproof. I've said it before, you pay for what you get with popups and these tents are priced accordingly but they never never ever fail to do the job.

[p.pete]

Recently bought a 2 second XXL IIII from ebay, I literally can't wait to get out and use it - I've popped it out in my bedroom already but that wasn't too clever an idea

[Solo1Konobi]

I thought I would take a trip to my local Decathlon last week whilst the sun was shining and Decathlon had the Quechua range out on display. They also had the venga beta 250. I must admit I do like the look of the Seconds XXL III but was put out by the size of the circular pack it comes in.

It is still amongst my considerations for a vehicular tent one I can put in the back of the car and transport easily whenever a trip into the country. The other one I looked at is the new 2011 version of the venga beta 300. Updated version of the 250 but enough room for 2 with a bit of space. This is a lower profile than the Quechua and will take a bit of time to put up and take down and packs small enough.

So now I am stuck between a pop up with enough size for that little bit of luxury of a low profile one with sit up room only.

Choices choices.

[4AssedMonkey]

My rule of thumb with tents is minus 1. Therefore a 2 man is good for 1, a 3 for 2 etc. I've a 4 man Coleman Ridgeline which is actually OK for 4 as long as you don't have too much gear, but My Quecha pop-up 2 man tent is for one only. 2 could sleep in it, but there's no room for anything else.

FWIW at Glasto, which is the best part of a week if you go Weds/Mon, a tent you can stand in is a real bonus. One with a porch for leaving chairs and muddy boots in is even more of a bonus. You won't get many 2 man tents that do both so if you can afford it, I'd say go for a non-pop-up version with the features you want. Bell tents and the like are a piece of piss to erect these days anyway.

Oh, and pop-ups are a pig to put down, pack and carry. Bear in mind you may be trekking across a couple of miles of field to where you pitch. Doing it with a 1 to 1.5 metre disc on straps will be tricky!

[schmangle-mangle]

If you do decide to go ahead with a pop up, make sure you do a dry run before you intend to actually camp in it.

In my experience pop ups are a mare to take down, apparantly there is a 'knack' to it, I never managed to grasp this and ended up freecycling mine.(after wheeling it back from a festie only a third of the way dismantled/repacked)

[mj2004]

I personally wouldn't touch a pop up tent with a barge pole and would only go for something that is double skinned.

If you are camping for 7 days OP then I would invest in getting either a 4 man tent to share or a two man tent each, you'll be much more comfortable.

[whizzo]

Why not get one of the Double Skinned Pop ups?

[JodiB]

I personally wouldn't touch a pop up tent with a barge pole and would only go for something that is double skinned.

If you are camping for 7 days OP then I would invest in getting either a 4 man tent to share or a two man tent each, you'll be much more comfortable.

[mikeydude]

I've used the quechua pop up tents for 5 years and they have never leaked. Even that year with the torrential downpours. I'm on my third model. This is because they regualrly bring out updates to the range and not because there's anything wrong with them. The first was a little small so prompted an upgrade. The next one I got was a two person job (can't remember the model0 and it was great even fitting in a full size inflatable matress for comfort. It had a little space at the side of the matress to store my kit. They brought out one with a small porch and this one is just perfect. Still fits in my doiuble matress with about 15-20 inches at the side but the bonus is the proch area for storage. Can't reccommend them enough, and even if they do get wrecked by stumbling festival goers you'r not likely to get too upset by the loss. Mine have taken a number of fallers in the past and they just spring straight back up.

[jimmystobo]

just bought the 3 man one.

might chuck it up in the hall way in a bit.

looks a nightmare to take down so will probably just sit there till the week before glastonbury.

[alanr]

just bought the 3 man one.

might chuck it up in the hall way in a bit.

looks a nightmare to take down so will probably just sit there till the week before glastonbury.

[Funkfarley]

I have 2 Quechua tents, I bought the 2 seconds XL II for when its me on my own and then bought the 2 seconds XL III for me and the hubby.

I love them. We were on a campsite last year just before glasto and my two dads (Corny I know but we are all one happy family!) couldnt stop themselves...."Ahhh its just a fad" "The best bit is putting the tent up" blah blah blah.

Sure enough, my tent was up, with my stuff in it, with me sitting in front with a beer before they even had theirs out of the bag!

They did admit eventually that they were very jealous.

Putting it down again was something I had practised in the back garden so is a doddle now but i practically had an audience as people were quite interested in how i was going to pop down this tent on my own...

Success. I was smug.

Totally worth it.

[bumpy_capers]

I've been a camping and outdoor enthusiast for the last 30+ years and I've slept in everything from survival

bags in the snow to 10 man family tents. I've had a lot of tents and I just took delivery of a Quechua Air II

Let's face it, it's a not a hiking tent unless you want to look like a Mutant Ninja Turtle on the Lam but the

tent is easily carry-able from car to camp. Take it out of the bag, undo the strap and it does indeed POP up.

The II person tent will hold a double (140cm) air bed but you won't have any room for anything else so if there

are two of you buy the III person version. The "porch" that Quechua advertise as a porch is just wide enough

for a pair of boots - sideways. You won't get a rucksack in there. The air flaps at the side don't fully seal

against the wind but that should be a plus in 2/3 season use. Open, the flaps give a lot of welcome ventilation.

You will need to peg it down, regardless what Quechua say. Guy ropes will be needed to keep the tension between

the inner and outer skins. I'd call the Quechua pop up a a sleeping shelter rather than a tent but it's one up

on my bivvy tent and a lot less faff than my 6 person dome and I don't fancy taking our 10 person + 2 porch tent.

Putting it down. Now, the first bit is easy and the second bit is straightforward, too. The last figure of 8 bit

is the bit which baffled me but I got it third go and got it back in the bag second go once I'd put the securing

strap back in place to stop the damn thing bursting back out of the bag. Watch the video, read the instructions.

I'll give it 8/10 for what it does. Would give it 9 if the porch was a bit bigger. On its own terms it's beyond

comparison with other tents costing 3x the price. Recommended for 1 person + assorted festival crap. Not for 2.

[Random Circle]

Just a quick (ish*) Quechua query..

Am I right in my research in that the only pop-up Quechua now available with a porch is the 99 quid model?

* I am looking to upgrade from my QP-U, purchased circa 2006 and now sadly broken, after too many mis-manipulations on the fold-down, I'm sure. Then there were only two models available, with or without a porch (#50 and #40 respectively, as I recall). I see the range has now been extended from this mid-price position to include cheaper pop-ups (at #24.99) but not including a porch until the #99 model.

I applaud Quechua's cheaper market version; however, what is about a porch? I'll be really gutted not to have porching facilities at Glasto this year but cannot make the #99 model. This is the only one, right?

[r0cky]

I personally wouldn't touch a pop up tent with a barge pole and would only go for something that is double skinned.

If you are camping for 7 days OP then I would invest in getting either a 4 man tent to share or a two man tent each, you'll be much more comfortable.

Edited May 29, 2011 by r0cky

[r0cky]

Just a quick (ish*) Quechua query..

Am I right in my research in that the only pop-up Quechua now available with a porch is the 99 quid model?

* I am looking to upgrade from my QP-U, purchased circa 2006 and now sadly broken, after too many mis-manipulations on the fold-down, I'm sure. Then there were only two models available, with or without a porch (#50 and #40 respectively, as I recall). I see the range has now been extended from this mid-price position to include cheaper pop-ups (at #24.99) but not including a porch until the #99 model.

I applaud Quechua's cheaper market version; however, what is about a porch? I'll be really gutted not to have porching facilities at Glasto this year but cannot make the #99 model. This is the only one, right?

[incident]

this, this, and this all have a porch and are all under a hundred quid?

[r0cky]

To be fair, the porch space on the "+" range is pretty small compared to the XL range (which looks like it is being phased out).

[incident]

To be fair, the porch space on the "+" range is pretty small compared to the XL range (which looks like it is being phased out).

[Solo1Konobi]

After sleeping under a Basha for many a year I thought choosing a tent would be easy. Nope, it was far from it to be honest. I started with how many would it sleep, what it was to be used for, how much comfort did I want and how long did I want to spend putting the tent up. The biggest question though was the climate it was to be used in. I finally settled on the Vango Beta 350 2011 model due to the increase in HH.

Well it had a 3 day run out the other weekend and the weather was majority ok but on one night it was full on stormy conditions. The wind managed to pull down a Big Top and a stage and the rain was coming from all directions. I can honestly say the tent was great stood up to all the weather could throw at it that night. Porch area was huge enough to sit 4 in chairs when it got too windy outside.

So thumbs up to Vango tents if anyone is considering them.

[r0cky]

It's not huge but it's about comparable to most basic dome tents. Certainly enough for most peoples usage (stashing shoes and other stuff you don't want in the tent).

[Random Circle]

Thanks for your help, people. Indeed, upon closer inspection there does appear to be a storage area with most of these models. A porch, Jim, but not as we know it. How churlish can one be, porch-wise, when we are talking the difference of #50 or more? It's a porch, alright! A porch! An effing porch! Such snobbery really.

I shall miss the big circle door flap that was on the old model. Although I suspect that was one of the flaws of the original design, and why it has consequently been phased out.

The cheaper pop-up Quechuas at #24.99 seem an absolute bargain. Really is a damn fine tent for general camping purposes. Re: the folding down: Having watched others over the years, it appears that it is at the 'coke can' stage that most people's attempts fail. Couple of times I've wanted to call out: 'That's it; you're there now, now just flatten it!'..but sideline tent packing coaching is not, I fear, suitable Glasto etiquette after a 5 day festie in the sun, with stimulants..

[r0cky]

Yeah, I've watched a fair few people get to the critical twist-fold stage and pass successfully, only for them to have a moments doubt and start from scratch. They were so close! They get it eventually though.

Tis true though, about trying to pack one of these away after 5 days of no-sleep and partying. I remember one night me and my mate got back to the tents in the early AM, couldn't figure out how to open a simple zip! Our mate already asleep in his tent was pissing himself laughing at us!