OzTent vs RTT vs Black Wolf Turbo Tent vs Others for short stops

[Paddler Ed]

After a few years with the trailer, we've worked out there's some times where something else would work better; examples include stops shorter than 2 nights, some of the bush spots we stop at (limited space for a camper, even a small one, and the access trail was "interesting" with the 4Runner), and also possibly another Tassie trip (and the Spirit is cheaper without the trailer as we fit under the 2.1m bracket as well as being shorter)

First thought was a Roof Top Tent - we were likely to go with a Gordigear Explorer + as we like our Taiga Tent on the trailer.... but that doesn't make it much cheaper to get to Tassie (up a height bracket), and realistically an FZJ80 is not going to appreciate a RTT on top of it all.

Second thought were back to the conventional ground tents:
1) Blackwolf Turbo -  we used to use these somewhere I worked a few years ago as our client tents; they're nice and quick to set up, but a prick to put away. Shorter length so it would fit in the 80.
2) OzTent RV3 - look like the default option, BUT at 2m long it won't fit in the back of the 80. Lots of accessories, good reputation though
3) Explore Planet Earth Speedy 4 Earth Tent  - This seems to be from the Gasmate stable (Stiro.com.au), and has mixed reviews online... BUT does pack down to 2/3 the length of the OzTent, and has more height in the back wall (I'm 6'3" so more space is better). Unsure how long it will have support for in terms of accessory panels when compared to the Blackwolf and OzTent offerings.
4) Darche AT4 - curveball option... not sure on it, but does seem to beat some of the others in terms of pack size etc, may lose on speed to set up though. Not cotton, and that's what I'd prefer.

Has anyone got any comments they'd like to add? I was edging towards the OzTent, based in part on reputation alone, but I've also been thinking about the EPE Speedy 4 due to the packed size.

[Pete79]

All that I can add is that our canvas Blackwolf Turbo 300 has been awesome for the last 5 years and probably close to 200 nights camping that we’ve done with it.

It’s been through west coast Tasmania cold fronts with winds howling straight of Antarctica into the tent.
It’s also done tropical North Queensland torrential rain.
And 40 odd degree days with 1000,000,000 flys out west.

Any little issues that we’ve had with the tent have been sorted by Blackwolf under warranty, no dramas.

It fits width ways in the JK, it fits width ways in the tray of the ute and it fits easily into the floor of the tinny (which we’re taking camping on the lake to do some water skiing next week).

Nothing to add on the other options from me, only that the Oz Tent has to always go on the roof.

[Bird]

Second thought were back to the conventional ground tents:
1) Blackwolf Turbo -  we used to use these somewhere I worked a few years ago as our client tents; they're nice and quick to set up, but a prick to put away. Shorter length so it would fit in the 80.
2) OzTent RV3 - look like the default option, BUT at 2m long it won't fit in the back of the 80. Lots of accessories, good reputation though

I've got an RV1 and Blckwolf.... RV HANDS DOWN for packing up and setup. Just the space of the wolf is a deadset winner.
Both are ****in huge when packed up, but thats how they do the easy setup gig.

[rossm]

I have had a blackwolf turbo 240 for a decade or so and have to say that once I came to terms with the  fact that it took a bit of time and patience and holding your mouth right to pack up, doing that  doesn’t bother me that much.

Since I now prefer to sleep on a stretcher rather than the ground the  limits imposed by the sloping walls  would make me look at a straight walled tent, like an oztent, if I was buying again.

As a mostly solo traveller it’s most usually a swag  on a stretcher under an awning. Tent only used if stopping for a week, which is not my style.

At my age there is no way I would go roof top. That explore planet earth thing is said to weigh 26 kilos which is a fair weight to lug about.

Camped earlier this year near a guy with darche inflatable tent. He was happy with it.

[Bird]

That explore planet earth thing is said to weigh 26 kilos which is a fair weight to lug about.

Blackwolf 300 is also 26kg
RV3 is 22kg

[GeoffA]

.......
Blackwolf Turbo -  we used to use these somewhere I worked a few years ago as our client tents; they're nice and quick to set up, but a prick to put away. Shorter length so it would fit in the 80.
.......

Get a bigger bag for it?

[D4D]

Get a bigger bag for it?

I bought the Drifta bag for my OZtent, it has changed my life. No more wrestling with the bag/tent to make it fit, roll the tent up, roll it into the bag, zip it up and job done.

[Alan Loy]

Thought about the old style tourer tents?  eg https://www.snowys.com.au/tourer-9-tent for $300 or a high quality one like https://freedomcamping.com.au/product/northern-tourer/ at $1500.

Quick to put up and simple so not much to go wrong.

[Paddler Ed]

Thought about the old style tourer tents?  eg https://www.snowys.com.au/tourer-9-tent for $300 or a high quality one like https://freedomcamping.com.au/product/northern-tourer/ at $1500.

Quick to put up and simple so not much to go wrong.

I did think about those, and on many levels they tick the boxes - need to go out on a bit of a hunt really into those options. Quick look on Snowys and the Darche Safari range are quite tempting as you can get an A-Frame to remove the centre pole - but the centre pole and 4 pegs is really tempting... and are actually beginning to be more tempting than the other options actually... Only problem is I can't get my hands on one locally to look at it...

[Alan Loy]

If you want something larger like the Darche then I can absolutely recommend the freedom https://freedomcamping.com.au/product/family-tourer-1310/.  We used one of these for a family of 4 for years and it survived everything thrown at it.  There was enough room for a double bed and 2 singles plus gear.  For a longer stay or if we needed more rain/sun cover I had a ridge rail from the centre pole to a pole out the front with a tarp.  https://www.snowys.com.au/galvanised-steel-ridge-rails

Because it folds flat I built a shelf in the back of the Patrol so the tent could be 1st out and in.  This made the process painless.  I have to say the the tent was the least of the setup time and energy.

[Paddler Ed]

So just come back from a quick search:

Off to the local indie shop, and they had the Kodiak Canvas 10' x 10' (US spec tent) which is now a contender, mainly because of the height (I like being able to stand up, and this had the space to do that) and also the wall vertical-ness. Seems to be quick to put up (2 side poles, curved curved ridge pole and H frame), good size when packed down (about the same size as a single swag, which was my criteria). No centre pole (poles are outside) so loads of space inside, and plenty of ventilation.

Went to BCF and ruled out the OzTent RV3 mainly on being too long, but also the ceiling height didn't help it's case - the awning would only just go high enough. - and compared to the Kodiak nowhere near as much ventilation. Too many compromises for the money all up.

So, edging towards the touring style tent; at the moment it's between the Kodiak and the Darche Safari - but I've not seen a Safari to touch and feel; feedback from the Minister for War and Finance is more positive towards the Kodiak, so we are most likely to be going that way.

[Bird]

If you want something larger like the Darche then I can absolutely recommend the freedom https://freedomcamping.com.au/product/family-tourer-1310/.

We had the Southern Cross version of this tent with the larger awning which doubled the size...  Brilliant tents... Shit loads of room, we had the cot when cammo was a baby in the lower end, which fitted perfectly. Well worth considering.

if its only overnight for 3-4 people the 9x9 single poles are amazing.. as said 4 pegs 1 pole then fit the sidepole kit to it and sleep.

[smiles]

We had the Southern Cross version of this tent with the larger awning which doubled the size...  Brilliant tents... Shit loads of room, we had the cot when cammo was a baby in the lower end, which fitted perfectly. Well worth considering.

if its only overnight for 3-4 people the 9x9 single poles are amazing.. as said 4 pegs 1 pole then fit the sidepole kit to it and sleep.

We have the outback camper version. Now 30 years old. Great for quick setup. 4 pegs + 1 post.Best suits 2. It is either the wife on her own plus gear or the 2 littles.
Ours goes on the roof rack on all trips. Replaced the bag this year due to wear. Insect screen has a few small holes.
Pretty light


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Pete79]

So just come back from a quick search:

Off to the local indie shop, and they had the Kodiak Canvas 10' x 10' (US spec tent) which is now a contender, mainly because of the height (I like being able to stand up, and this had the space to do that) and also the wall vertical-ness. Seems to be quick to put up (2 side poles, curved curved ridge pole and H frame), good size when packed down (about the same size as a single swag, which was my criteria). No centre pole (poles are outside) so loads of space inside, and plenty of ventilation.

We really like those as well.
But we wanted the smallest model to replace our little 3 man hiking tent.
Checked it out at a small local store and it was perfect for us, only trouble was when we went back to the store a few weeks later to purchase it the shop had closed down...

We bought a cheap oz trail piece of junk instead and still kicking our selves for not buying it the day we found it.

[Traveller]

We had the Southern Cross version of this tent with the larger awning which doubled the size...  Brilliant tents... Shit loads of room, we had the cot when cammo was a baby in the lower end, which fitted perfectly. Well worth considering.

if its only overnight for 3-4 people the 9x9 single poles are amazing.. as said 4 pegs 1 pole then fit the sidepole kit to it and sleep.

We are Southern Cross users as well, great Aussie products that have taken a beating over the years. Travelled with a woman in a Cape convoy that easily did the trip with an SC tent in a Prado, although I must admit she was one of the most organised campers I have seen. Great tents though.

[Fizzie]

I did think about those, and on many levels they tick the boxes - need to go out on a bit of a hunt really into those options. Quick look on Snowys and the Darche Safari range are quite tempting as you can get an A-Frame to remove the centre pole - but the centre pole and 4 pegs is really tempting... and are actually beginning to be more tempting than the other options actually... Only problem is I can't get my hands on one locally to look at it...

Don't know if you ever get up this way, Ed, but I've got an Oztrail Tourer 9 together with the side bars if you want to have a look at one

As others have said, quite literally only 2 - 3 minutes to put up (less if you only use the centre post) & enough room comfortably for 2 people on stretchers & their gear.

[Bird]

We are Southern Cross users as well, great Aussie products that have taken a beating over the years. Travelled with a woman in a Cape convoy that easily did the trip with an SC tent in a Prado, although I must admit she was one of the most organised campers I have seen. Great tents though.

This is not uncommon.. when i was in nissan club there were many members that had SC tents that were 20+yrs old and still like new.
If you can get past the $$$ they are an investment that will last.

[Alan Loy]

A 2nd hand southern cross or freedom tent can be a bargain.  We sold ours for $400 last year

[MrCruza]

I bought the Drifta bag for my OZtent, it has changed my life. No more wrestling with the bag/tent to make it fit, roll the tent up, roll it into the bag, zip it up and job done.

I bought a new bag for my RV4 from Oztent and it has far more room in it then the original. Pack up is now MUCH easier.

[daveco]

FWIW, I've had a Kodiak 10'x10' for a few years now and reckon is a great tent. I haven't tried the other options though.
Weight is about the same as the oztent and blackwolf, but split between 3 bags (tent, poles, pegs).
The cotton canvas feels/smells lovely, but it isn't very mould resistant, I have a few stains on mine now after unavoidable wet packups. Not sure how this compares to the others.
The sides are almost vertical so the interior space is huge (at least compared to an oztent)!

The main downsides would be:
- It's not free-standing, requiring quite a few pegs around the base (14-16 iirc!), thats the slowest part of setup, the rest is easy (2 poles and no ropes!).
- The awning alone is small and next to useless (compared to oztent which is the best of the bunch). The awning+vestibule is actually a great place to store stuff but takes longer to setup and isn't great in rain (have to drop a pole a lot to avoid pooling). We now tend to not use the awning and have a vehicle awning or a dome camp shelter instead on long trips.

Nothings perfect, Good luck.
Dave

[Paddler Ed]

Thanks for all the comments - took the minister for war and finance (and reasoning) to look at the Kodiak, and it was undoubtedly the winner based on size, pack size (and ease of packing) and accessories available for it.




BUT


She did also point out there is a perfectly good canvas tent of a similar size sitting in a box in the UK that I just need to get over here, so that is the most likely solution that we'll go with. 3x poles., 4 pegs and off it goes...

In time, I'll end up with it over here...