How to pick the right cube pop up tent

What is a pop up tent?

Setting up your shelter after a long trip may be a stressful task, especially on a short weekend getaway when your time is limited. That’s why pop up tents were invented – to help outdoor enthusiasts set up their camping home quick and easy. Usually, such products can be set up in under four minutes, in some cases – in less than a minute! You also don’t need any help if you’re camping solo or even for the first time – such tents don’t require a group of people or a lot of experience to open and keep them steady on the ground.

Another advantage of such shelters is that their constructions are super easy to unpack and pack in the bag after you’re done camping. It may be frustrating to have to deal with a lot of metal frames and guy lines while packing but these products can be just rolled down and put in the bag in a matter of minutes.

Because of such a convenient manner of setting up, pop ups are usually not that big in size and weight. They still fit enough people and equipment but are not too heavy. Otherwise, it would be hardly possible for such items to be portable after all. Now, what gives a pop up construction such structure and stability? Usually, it’s a series of pre-connected wires that are sewn directly into the body of the tent.

What kinds of pop ups exist?

There are different kinds of such modules but the most popular ones are usually cube shaped. This designer solution helps to evenly place the item in the packing bag and offers more than enough space for the tourist. Such products often have pull-up hooks on their outside walls. You can set up your camping shelter by placing the cube on the ground and just pulling these hooks one by one on each side of the construction. It works the same way when you’re ready to move on – just push the walls back in and your shelter will collapse, ready to be packed.

Another popular type is the canopy or portable gazebo. Canopies are more simple options for camping and are not designed as an overnight shelter. A canopy is basically a roof protecting you from sun and rain that is set up with a steel frame. Canopies are used for daytime occasions – for example, if you want to spend some time on the beach with your family or for a garden picnic in your backyard.

There are many other shapes of pop up modules, some combine cube and canopy options together and some are tunnel-shaped. Tunnel-shaped shelters are a bit different when it comes to setting up: you don’t pull the walls to ‘open up’ such items. Instead, you just have to open the storage bag and the tent will be set up by itself. That happens because the metal loops that are sewn into the fabric of the shelter are kept under tension when they are inside the equipment bag. But once it’s taken out of the bag the straps and the tension are released. The loops unwind which pulls the item’s body with them and creates the shape and structure of the tent.

Each of the shapes can be the best solution in different camping environments and you should pick the one which suits your needs the best.

#2 All-Season with Stove Jack "UP-2-mini"

If you are searching for a durable and reliable shelter for 1-3 people, a UP-2-mini all-season tent with a stove jack is right for you. It’s an excellent solution for comfortable travel in any terrain and environment. Having the umbrella-type frame design, this all-season shelter is easy to set up just in two minutes. Made of water-resistant materials, this portable accommodation will protect you even in heavy rain. There are removable mosquito nets for proper ventilation.

It fits people who enjoy spending time outdoors fishing or hunting. It can accommodate three people in sleeping bags, however in this case the stove wouldn’t fit inside. Moreover, this tent is very easy to carry around as you can fold it into the camping backpack

What are the cons of pop ups?

This is probably the single greatest con about pop up shelters – many of them don't handle bad weather very well. If you’re planning on camping in rain and windy weather, make sure your outdoor home can keep you safe in such conditions.

For example, tunnel-shaped modules have a structure that's made out of in-sewn loops and is mainly supported by guidelines on the exterior of the product. It makes them extremely susceptible to collapse when confronted with high winds or heavy rains.

Another problem with some of these items is that the rain fly is integrated directly into the body of the tent, meaning that it's sewn in and can't be removed.

A lot of these constructions will also have some windows for ventilation, but pop ups are notorious for condensation buildup, especially in cooler temperatures and environments, where there's a higher level of humidity. So you’re going to need to be careful about what time of year you use your shelter, or you may find that you wake up to a lot of condensation on the inside.

How to pick the best product on the market?

1) Who’s the manufacturer?

The key to choosing the best item is to aim for the quality section on the market that will get you the best product. Spending money on a high-quality shelter will serve you well for years to come without having to buy new products every season. So, one of the most important pieces of advice here – choose a trustworthy manufacturer that provides a proper manual and description of their product. Customer service is really important too – if you’re investing money in your outdoor home you have to make sure your questions will be fully answered and that you can get help with any upcoming problems easily.

Give a preference to those companies that invest time and energy in research and improving their engineering solutions. If the manufacturer created their original design or patented a system, that means they know their craft and will do everything to satisfy the customer.

2) The materials

The most important thing while choosing an outdoor shelter of course, is the quality of materials. You should always check what makes the basic structure of your shelter. The frames are usually made of aluminum which makes the package more light and portable. But if you’re going camping in bad weather, make sure your construction will be able to handle heavy load and won’t bend under the falling snow. Then you should look up the density of the fabric and its waterproof qualities.

Having an easy setup is great but it won’t keep you safe and dry during heavy rain or even worse – a snowy night. If you’re planning on using your portable home for long-term camping make sure it’s made of frost-resistant, moisture-resistant, wear-resistant reinforced fabric.

3) Shape and size

While choosing the shape and size of your pop up we recommend you to look up cube shaped constructions, which are usually more spacious and comfortable to stay in while camping in extreme weather or a combination of a cube and canopy. Some of them have separate constructions which can be used for a sleeping shelter and a canopy gazebo during different weather conditions.

There are plenty of cube shaped options that have different setup systems and some of them can even be connected together to create a tunnel system or a bigger home. Look for something you can carry on and don’t spend extra money on something you’re not going to use. For example, if you’re planning on traveling as a couple to a music festival, just a standard cube pop up will be enough. If you’re staying at the beach for half a day you will be ok with just a canopy.

4) Design features

Spend some extra time checking the design features the product has to offer. For example, make sure your camping shelter is going to have proper ventilation, as many layers of fabric as you need, mesh screens to protect you from mosquitoes and bugs, or a pipe hole and proper fire resistance in case you want to use a stove inside. If you want to have a terrace for your equipment or a dining room you can find a shelter with additional canopy-like features.

5) Check out customer feedback

Don’t forget to look up the feedback from real customers who already tested the product in the wild. One of the greatest things of our time is that you can learn from someone else’s experience without getting yourself into unnecessary troubles and expenses, so in that case, it may be useful to trust some strangers on the Internet.

Cube tents from RBM Outdoors

If you’re looking for a safe and high-quality cube pop up tent then you’re in the right place. RBM Outdoors created one of the best solutions for tourists on the market: Cuboid 2.20 and Cuboid 4.40.

Both of these products are pop ups that can be set up in a very short period of time by inexperienced tourists. The titles of these items came from their design, so, as you may have guessed, they are both cube shaped and offer plenty of space. Cuboid 2.20 can accommodate up to three people and Cuboid 4.40 can fit in a company of six people. An average person can freely stand inside of these and you can even fit your furniture and equipment there.

Unlike some other tents that pop up due to tension release when you open the storage bag, these cube modules can be used all year round, even in extreme weather conditions. The patented frame opening mechanism is made from a special aviation alloy to provide the entire frame with increased durability and corrosion resistance. The tent frame is made from aviation aluminum alloy B95T1 which can handle strong wind, low temperatures, and even frost.

Such cube construction won’t collapse because of heavy rain and will keep you dry and warm due to the water-resistant and innovative material of the outer layer – Oxford 300 PU 4000 and high-quality inner layer – Oxford 210 PU 2000. The frame’s durability is provided by all-metal bars made of aviation alloy B95T1. This high-strength alloy restores its initial shape even after bearing a heavy load.

Like any other RBM Outdoors products, Cuboids come with a wood stove. It features a fire-resistant glass and fire-resistant cloth underneath, so it’s perfectly safe to use for your cold-weather camping.

Earlier, we’ve mentioned the problem of condensation which is a con of similar products. With Cuboid you don’t need to worry about that – the air space between the inner and outer layers significantly decreases condensation and effectively retains interior heat.

The unique feature of both tents is that one of the cube’s walls can be opened up into a roof in front of the tent, creating an additional canopy construction. This canopy area could be used as a dining space or as a terrace to enjoy the wild nature view. You can also leave this wall open as a canopy if you want to keep an eye on your kids, or if you want to keep yourself cool on a hot summer night. You won’t have to worry about noisy bugs as there are effective mosquito nets that come with every Cuboid from RBM Outdoors.

Every Cuboid has reinforced zippers on the doors, 5-layer windows which you can use in different weather conditions, a fire-protected pipe hole, and lots of storage options for your walls and ceiling. You can place your everyday objects in mesh and plastic pockets that are also detachable. These cube tents come with detachable floors and provide excellent protection from snakes and dangerous insects.

Oh, and remember what we’ve been saying about the feedback? This is something we’re very proud of, so check this video out:

https://youtu.be/3h0NFl76KY0

We hope that with the tips above you will find the best solution for your unforgettable outdoor experience!