Quechua 2 Second Tent Review – Best Pop up Tent

How to #vanlife when you don’t own a van? The Quechua 2 Seconds Pop Up Tent, that’s how.

It seems that in recent years camping has been growing in popularity as an all-year-round outdoor activity, which is pretty awesome. With this growth we have seen some incredible inventions that make camping a whole new experience; hammocks, king-size swags, rooftop tents, modern bivvy bags and much, much more.

Sometimes though, the pursuit of the right gear can start to overtake the actual experience of enjoying the Great Outdoors.  I would like to introduce you to a simple friend of mine – the humble, yet effective, pop up tent.

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The Quechua 2 Seconds Pop Up Tent

Hearing the words ‘pop up tent’ may bring back terrible memories for you. Images of cold, sleepless nights sheltered in a dripping plastic bag which the camping shop guy claimed was actually a tent may fill your mind. Those days are over! Finally the outdoor world has decided to create a great quality pop up tent.

I must admit that, before receiving this tent to review, I had not had much experience in the way of pop ups. They seemed inconvenient, clumsy and just a basic shelter that wouldn’t be deemed ‘adventurous’ enough to bother with. Well, the Quechua 2 Seconds Pop Up Tent has changed my mind. Read on as I explore the features of this pop up tent prodigy…

Size And Versatility

Quechua make a 2 person, or a 3 person option of the 2 Seconds Pop Up Tent. For this review, I received the 2 person option.

Coming in at 3.3kg this isn’t the most compact or weight saving tent. Bear in mind that this tent isn’t made for hike-ins. However, it really shines when you are camping beside your car and want a quick and easy option for shelter.

I found that for two grown men it was a bit tight, but certainly do-able if shelter was needed for two. With just myself in the tent, I found it ideal. In my opinion, it is the perfect shape and size for one person and their gear.

The tent folds down to a nice round disc shape; not as small as I would have liked but a lot smaller than cheaper versions. It fits fine in a car and can be packed around very easily.

I did push the tent out of its comfort zone and took it hiking. Yes, it can be done! With my pop up tent strapped onto the back of my overnight bag and feeling a bit like a turtle, I hiked into the Blue Mountains late at night and was rewarded with a very lovely sleep in my pop-up tent. Don’t be afraid to hike with this tent if you are prepared to carry a bit more weight.

Quality

I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the Quechua 2 Seconds Pop Up Tent upon receiving it. I couldn’t wait to take it bush, and incredibly, it was rain tested the very first night.

After a heavy downpour I was hesitant to look inside, fearing I would end up having to give the tent a below average review. Amazing! Dry as a bone! I was beyond stoked and to be honest, as it’s a pop up tent, quite surprised with how it had held up.

The following night saw me trying to keep a bit of wood dry as the weather closed in again. How would the 2 Seconds Tent handle round two?

Perfectly. I’m happy to report that this pop up tent is watertight.

The airflow is one of its best features, a window on each side of the tent and the inner fly screen allow great ventilation. This is literally the best fly screen I have ever encountered on any kind of camping gear.  It is very fine so that even the smallest of nasty bugs can’t attack you at night. I reckon I could even get my bug-hating mother to sleep in it.

The zips, the seams, the ropes; every part of this tent appears to be of good quality in my opinion. Not to mention the ‘Fresh and Black‘ technology which keeps it cool and dark on the inside; perfect for sunny campsites and festivals.  Overall, I would have to say that it exceeded my expectations of what a pop up tent could do by a mile.

Ease of Setup

I loved this tent, but it isn’t perfect.  It cannot be set up in 2 seconds (as the manufacturer claims), and it’s not small to pack. It does pop up remarkably fast, as you’d expect but I’d say 8 seconds and you’d have the tent up. Add on a few minutes to hit some pegs and draw some strings and bingo, you’re done.

Bang for Buck

Coming in at $140 from Decathlon, this is a pretty affordable tent.  The quality of materials seems really high and, in the right hands, I’d say the Quechua 2 Seconds Pop Up Tent would have a decent lifetime.

Who is it for?

This tent is perfectly suited for car camping as it can be set up ridiculously fast, and packs up surprisingly easily.  You could travel Australia with this tent in all sorts of weather and be protected from the elements.  I’d also highly recommend a Quechua 2 Seconds Pop Up Tent for keen festival-goers, weekend campers and anyone who enjoys pitching near their vehicle.

*This review was not paid for but the author was allowed to keep the product after the review.