New Quechua "Fresh & Black" Tents

[Crazyfool01]

19 minutes ago, Bennykill said:

i have the inflatable version and it was great last year, kept cool and dark

Link

Same one as me ... apart from the weight and bulky ness it’s a beauty ... and should see me till the end of my festival days  

[Johnnyseven]

19 hours ago, RB85 said:

Does anyone have the Arpenaz 4.1?
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-41-freshblack-family-camping-tent-4-man-id_8492957.html

Starting some Glasto prep and need a new tent after mine gave up at another festival last year. A search through these forums shows Quechua seem to be a favourite brand. Haven't been to Glasto for 10 years though so any pro's / con's more regular attendees can spot would be appreciated!

I have the non-F&B version. It's a great tent if you can drive right up to where you'll be camping as it's pretty heavy. You won't be able to put it up on your own, it's too big and cumbersome. The porch is huge, as big as the sleeping compartment. To be honest, if it's for 1 or 2 people it's definitely overkill for Glasto, it's more suitable for 3 or 4 people - it's so big that a couple of people could sleep in the porch no problem.

TBH though, I would look at the small 2/3 man F&B for Glasto. I took one this year and it was fine for me to sleep and have a wash in. It would probably be fine for me and my wife in 2020 but we're going to WV for a change. If I need to get out of the rain i'll go to the John Peel or another tented stage, no to have an extra space in my tenet for that eventuality. Carrying a huge/heavy tent miles for just for extra space you may not use is a waste of energy IMO.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Johnnyseven

[RB85]

1 hour ago, Bennykill said:

i have the inflatable version and it was great last year, kept cool and dark

Link

Unfortunately none of those available on that link. Inflatable ones seem to cost a fair bit more, do you think it was worth the extra money?

53 minutes ago, Johnnyseven said:

I have the non-F&B version. It's a great tent if you can drive right up to where you'll be camping as it's pretty heavy. You won't be able to put it up on your own, it's too big and cumbersome. The porch is huge, as big as the sleeping compartment. To be honest, if it's for 1 or 2 people it's definitely overkill for Glasto, it's more suitable for 3 or 4 people - it's so big that a couple of people could sleep in the porch no problem.

TBH though, I would look at the small 2/3 man F&B for Glasto. I took one this year and it was fine for me to sleep and have a wash in. It would probably be fine for me and my wife in 2020 but we're going to WV for a change. If I need to get out of the rain i'll go to the John Peel or another tented stage, no to have an extra space in my tenet for that eventuality. Carrying a huge/heavy tent miles for just for extra space you may not use is a waste of energy IMO.

For Glastonbury I was thinking of bringing a sack trolley to help get it to wherever we decide to camp. I remember the hassle of carrying beer and a heavy tent across the festival 10+ years ago when I was younger and fitter so don't fancy doing that again! All the other festivals I do are very small so shouldn't cause any really problems.

[Gilgamesh69]

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-2-freshblack-tent-2-man-id_8357354.html

 

Is this one any good? It looks alright but it seems too cheap, so worried theres a catch

[dondo]

3 hours ago, Bennykill said:

i have the inflatable version and it was great last year, kept cool and dark

Link

This is the one have and was great last year

[El Scorcho]

Does anyone have any experience with this particular model?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/2-seconds-xl-freshblack-3-man-id_8492484.html

[Tommy101]

43 minutes ago, Gilgamesh69 said:

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-2-freshblack-tent-2-man-id_8357354.html

 

Is this one any good? It looks alright but it seems too cheap, so worried theres a catch

That's the one I've had for about the last 6 festivals or so and love it. If mine went missing I'd buy another one.

The only thing it lacks it a porch which can be annoying with muddy boots but doesn't bother me.

[ChemicalBrother]

4 hours ago, RB85 said:

Unfortunately none of those available on that link. Inflatable ones seem to cost a fair bit more, do you think it was worth the extra money?

For Glastonbury I was thinking of bringing a sack trolley to help get it to wherever we decide to camp. I remember the hassle of carrying beer and a heavy tent across the festival 10+ years ago when I was younger and fitter so don't fancy doing that again! All the other festivals I do are very small so shouldn't cause any really problems.

The 4 man inflatable F&B tent is hands down the best I’ve ever taken to a festival. So easy to put up by 1 person, definitely got 2 hours a day extra sleep due to it being cool even after last years morning sun, room to stand up, large porch, plenty of room in the bedroom for 2 - was even easy to put down & fit back into the bag. 
managed to get mine on Black Friday 2018 so paid half price - but having tested it a few times now I’d say full price is worth it.

[ChemicalBrother]

2 hours ago, El Scorcho said:

Does anyone have any experience with this particular model?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/2-seconds-xl-freshblack-3-man-id_8492484.html

Bought this for my step daughter for this years festival - lacks height & space, but she wasn’t fussed about standing up in a tent & she’ll use my tent for any stuff other than her rucksack/bed so the lack of porch isn’t an issue. 
I chose it because it’s F&B, plus I’ll be putting it up for her & I don’t think I could sneeze quicker than this takes to put up.

[Brave Sir Robin]

3 hours ago, El Scorcho said:

Does anyone have any experience with this particular model?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/2-seconds-xl-freshblack-3-man-id_8492484.html

I took that to a scorching hot Bestival and it was tip-top. Small porch area but enough space for your boots. V easy to put up/down.

[El Scorcho]

1 hour ago, ChemicalBrother said:

Bought this for my step daughter for this years festival - lacks height & space, but she wasn’t fussed about standing up in a tent & she’ll use my tent for any stuff other than her rucksack/bed so the lack of porch isn’t an issue. 
I chose it because it’s F&B, plus I’ll be putting it up for her & I don’t think I could sneeze quicker than this takes to put up.

 

31 minutes ago, Brave Sir Robin said:

I took that to a scorching hot Bestival and it was tip-top. Small porch area but enough space for your boots. V easy to put up/down.

 

Awesome, thanks for the reviews

[stuie]

5 hours ago, Gilgamesh69 said:

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-2-freshblack-tent-2-man-id_8357354.html

 

Is this one any good? It looks alright but it seems too cheap, so worried theres a catch

I have the bigger version of this which is perfect. I used it for solo steward camping. Easy to put up and down and easier to carry than the pop up giant disc thing! 

[stuie]

2 hours ago, ChemicalBrother said:

The 4 man inflatable F&B tent is hands down the best I’ve ever taken to a festival. So easy to put up by 1 person, definitely got 2 hours a day extra sleep due to it being cool even after last years morning sun, room to stand up, large porch, plenty of room in the bedroom for 2 - was even easy to put down & fit back into the bag. 
managed to get mine on Black Friday 2018 so paid half price - but having tested it a few times now I’d say full price is worth it.

I was worried that some dick would find it amusing to let it down or steal the air valve! 😂

[ChemicalBrother]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

I was worried that some dick would find it amusing to let it down or steal the air valve! 😂

I was worried about that too, but I guess it’s no different to the chances of someone taking all your pegs, removing a pole, or slashing, a standard tent - luckily it’s Glastonbury & you’re more likely to have someone throw glitter on your tent 🥰

Plus if they release the air valve in a rush not to get caught - they get a proper ear piercing bang (top tip, make sure you release it slowly).

[gfa]

I'm still on the look out for a cheap F&B, have ebay notifications setup but will just buy one if I have to closer to the time. Had no luck yet in the past month or so which is a shame I guess it just shows how good they are really! 

5 hours ago, ChemicalBrother said:

The 4 man inflatable F&B tent is hands down the best I’ve ever taken to a festival. So easy to put up by 1 person, definitely got 2 hours a day extra sleep due to it being cool even after last years morning sun, room to stand up, large porch, plenty of room in the bedroom for 2 - was even easy to put down & fit back into the bag. 
managed to get mine on Black Friday 2018 so paid half price - but having tested it a few times now I’d say full price is worth it.

What time were you waking up - even completely exhausted I really struggle to sleep normally let alone at festivals Sziget was gruelling towards the end this year. I really need that extra sleep!

[ChemicalBrother]

7 hours ago, gfa said:

I'm still on the look out for a cheap F&B, have ebay notifications setup but will just buy one if I have to closer to the time. Had no luck yet in the past month or so which is a shame I guess it just shows how good they are really! 

What time were you waking up - even completely exhausted I really struggle to sleep normally let alone at festivals Sziget was gruelling towards the end this year. I really need that extra sleep!

In previous years I’ve been waking up around 7.30am & by Sunday I’ve been broken - last year it was 9.30am & genuinely I think for the first time I could have happily gone on for another week. 

[Bennykill]

19 hours ago, RB85 said:

Unfortunately none of those available on that link. Inflatable ones seem to cost a fair bit more, do you think it was worth the extra money?

For Glastonbury I was thinking of bringing a sack trolley to help get it to wherever we decide to camp. I remember the hassle of carrying beer and a heavy tent across the festival 10+ years ago when I was younger and fitter so don't fancy doing that again! All the other festivals I do are very small so shouldn't cause any really problems.

i dont think i could go back to pole tents.  the inflatable ones are so much easier to put up.  they do weigh more and are more bulky but if you have a trolley it doesnt make any difference.  long gone are my youthful days of a tiny little lightweight tent for a festival.  my old bones need a decent bed and a bit of height to my tents now days

[tarw]

9 hours ago, gfa said:

I'm still on the look out for a cheap F&B, have ebay notifications setup but will just buy one if I have to closer to the time. Had no luck yet in the past month or so which is a shame I guess it just shows how good they are really! 

What time were you waking up - even completely exhausted I really struggle to sleep normally let alone at festivals Sziget was gruelling towards the end this year. I really need that extra sleep!

I slept until about 1 in the afternoon on the Sunday 

[Curlygirl]

17 hours ago, El Scorcho said:

Does anyone have any experience with this particular model?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/2-seconds-xl-freshblack-3-man-id_8492484.html

I have the 2 man version of this and it's actually big enough for 2 people. I love this tent, tho the dome shape is a bit of a pain to carry in to Glastonbury.

[StLewi]

I think I've posted this previously but worth mentioning again: Vango's Gear Strore fits perfectly on the F&B pop-ups if you need some extra space. I shared my 3-man for the first time this year and the Gear Store doubled the footprint meaning the F&B was kept just for sleeping and the porch for storing gear.

A 3-man is probably too small for 2 people and rucksack, booze, etc. So this is a lifesaver.

Very cheap from this eBay seller at the moment: https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/202856308260

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by StLewi

[FakeEmpire]

I  bought the AIR SECONDS 4 F&B Tent this year and what an absolute god send.

It was tested in extreme heat this year and stood the test - not woken up by the heat or sun.  Able to get changed in the morning at my own pace rather than rushing out of the tent.

Easy to put up, easy to take down, an absolute nightmare to get back in the bag but hopefully that'll improve with practice!

[DareToDibble]

16 hours ago, ChemicalBrother said:

The 4 man inflatable F&B tent is hands down the best I’ve ever taken to a festival. So easy to put up by 1 person, definitely got 2 hours a day extra sleep due to it being cool even after last years morning sun, room to stand up, large porch, plenty of room in the bedroom for 2 - was even easy to put down & fit back into the bag. 
managed to get mine on Black Friday 2018 so paid half price - but having tested it a few times now I’d say full price is worth it.

 

11 minutes ago, FakeEmpire said:

I  bought the AIR SECONDS 4 F&B Tent this year and what an absolute god send.

It was tested in extreme heat this year and stood the test - not woken up by the heat or sun.  Able to get changed in the morning at my own pace rather than rushing out of the tent.

Easy to put up, easy to take down, an absolute nightmare to get back in the bag but hopefully that'll improve with practice!

Just wanted to check - are you both referring to this one?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/air-seconds-4-fb-tent-id_8384154.html
 

Very tempted to buy it but my concern is my other half wants one she’s able to stand up in and this one looks a bit too short to be able to?

Edited January 8, 2020 by DareToDibble

[Johnnyseven]

19 hours ago, Gilgamesh69 said:

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-2-freshblack-tent-2-man-id_8357354.html

 

Is this one any good? It looks alright but it seems too cheap, so worried theres a catch

The catch is no porch and I would be concerned about it's level of weather proofing if it rains as the inner and outer skins look very close together so there's a potential for them to touch which means water in the tent.

If you could afford a bit more i'd go for this -

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-2-xl-freshblack-id_8492485.html

or this, if you'd like a bit more space or are looking to fit 2 people inside - 

 https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-3-xl-freshblack-id_8492486.html

I have this one and it is great, loads of room inside for 1 person.

[Copperface]

1 hour ago, StLewi said:

I think I've posted this previously but worth mentioning again: Vango's Gear Strore fits perfectly on the F&B pop-ups if you need some extra space. I shared my 3-man for the first time this year and the Gear Store doubled the footprint meaning the F&B was kept just for sleeping and the porch for storing gear.

A 3-man is probably too small for 2 people and rucksack, booze, etc. So this is a lifesaver.

Very cheap from this eBay seller at the moment: https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/202856308260

 

 

Click on the shortcut arrow for link to pics and post.

Had mine for a few years now and is a lifesaver.

F&B in the tent, sleep like a baby and the Gear Store is great for storage and also sitting under cover when it is hoying it down. Really light and easy to pack and takes no space at all. In the pics in the post referred to mine is set well back on the tent as we were a bit short of space in the crew campsite but it will easily double your footprint should you need it. 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Copperface

[Bennykill]

20 minutes ago, DareToDibble said:

 

Just wanted to check - are you both referring to this one?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/air-seconds-4-fb-tent-id_8384154.html
 

Very tempted to buy it but my concern is my other half wants one she’s able to stand up in and this one looks a bit too short to be able to?

while i couldnt stand up straight at 5ft10, it was only a very little slouch in the porch.  my 5ft6 wife could stand straight up