Instant tents, sometimes known as ‘pop-up’ tents, are great tents if you want something simple to put up without messing around. Smaller instant tents can be up and ready to go in seconds, and larger tents can take just under a minute. You will spend less time untangling guy ropes and matching color-coded tent poles and more time exploring or sitting around the campfire. To find out more about what an instant tent is, read on and we’ll explain how they work and the advantages (and possibly a few disadvantages) of instant tents.
How Does An Instant Tent Work?
An instant tent’s fast action in the set-up process makes it ideal for those who do not relish the idea of setting up camp or those who have little time and want a tent that is simple and speedy to pitch.
A pop-up tent does just that. It pops up. You open the bag, shake out the tent, and it bursts into a tent shape. Instant tents have spring-loaded poles fitted to the tent. The straps or bag keep the tent folded and pre-attached poles compressed.
Stowing away a tent can take a bit longer, but it is possible to complete the task in under two minutes. Packing away tends to be a bit of an art, but the job is easy once you have it mastered. For tips on how to put away a popup tent, check out Regatta.
The above method works for small popup tents. Larger instant tents have pre-attached poles, which are unfolded and extended. The tent pops into shape as the poles are pushed up and secured. The tent is still easily assembled in under a minute.
Two Main Instant Tent Styles
Dome Tent
A dome tent is a tent with sloping sides that meet on a ridge or point at the top of the tent. The principle behind the shape is to cope with more extreme weather conditions. And have excellent stability in wind.
Cabin Tent
A Cabin Tent has straighter sides and looks like a box. They are spacious and work great for families, especially if it is raining and you want to stay inside. However, the box-like shape means they are not aerodynamic and do not stand up well in windy conditions, so they are often used as a two-season tent.
Do You Need To Use Tent Pegs?
Instant tents are popular for those who want an easy outdoor solution for somewhere to sleep, such as being at a festival. It might still be necessary to peg a tent to the ground. Instant tents are lightweight and great for pop-up success.
To make the structure of an instant tent, pegging out is unnecessary. However, pop-ups do not handle rain and wind the same way a standard tent would. So, to prevent your pop-up tent from blowing away, pegging it down is essential. If there is no wind, you might get away from using pegs. Or, if you plan to climb into your tent straightaway or pile some of your gear inside, you should be okay. However, with even a gentle breeze, it is advisable to use pegs.
Do You Need To Use Guy Ropes?
Instant tents are freestanding, but it is best to use the guy ropes when it rains or is windy. You might find in the wind that the top of the tent folds in and, on a smaller pop-up, hit you in the face. An instant tent will get more stability from guy ropes, supporting the tent in keeping its shape.
Can One Person Put Up An Instant Tent?
Now that you know what is an instant tent, you might wonder if you could go solo camping and pitch the tent yourself. The last thing you want to do on a Friday night after work is get stressed by fighting with an uncooperative tent.
Ease of pitching is a key feature in the design process of instant tents, including pitching an instant tent by one person. Smaller pop-up tents are easy for one person. Larger instant tents are perfectly achievable to put up by yourself. It may just take a bit of practice.
Check out the Core 9-Person Instant Cabin Tent. A large tent with telescopic poles pre-attached to the tent so that your tent simply pops up.
Are Pop-Up Tents Easy To Use?
What is an instant tent? We know we open a bag, and the tent pops into shape. Pop-up tents have become increasingly popular over the last decade. The need for something to pitch quickly and easily has increased demand. Pop-up tents can be cheap, which has aided their popularity. Not everyone wants to invest in an expensive tent when they only want it for the summer festival season.
A Brief History of Instant Tents
Instant tents are not as new an invention as we might initially think. They were invented in 1955 by Bill Moss, a fabric designer. Bill Moss was disgruntled with bulky tents that were difficult to pitch and often smelly. So he designed the first pop-up tent, which has helped to revolutionise how many people experience the great outdoors. So much so that MSR’s tent designer worked with Moss tents before joining MSR tents. MSR still follow much of the philosophies which they gleaned from Bill Moss.
Since then, other companies have listened to campers who longed for a quicker and easier-pitched tent. Quechua was one of those companies that took on board the wishes of campers. In 2004, they launched the first double-skinned tent with a bedroom that was able to be pitched in two seconds. This was considered a remarkable achievement which rapidly became a success for many outdoor enthusiasts. Particularly festival goers, who did not want to faff around with pitching a tent.
However, as easy as the 2-second tent was to pitch, it was a pain to stow away into its bag. Recognising this issue, Decathlon, whose brand Quechua belongs, came up with valuable tips on folding away a pop-up tent.
Is an Instant Tent Right for Me?
Now you know what is an instant tent. Is it the right tent for you? Choosing a tent can be so confusing these days. Today, there is a wide variety of tents on the market. Some things to consider when buying a tent include.
- How you will use the tent
- The size
- The season
- Different materials and poles
- Price
Well, My Green Tent has put together a list of pros and cons for instant tents to help you decide if an instant tent is suitable for your purpose.
Pros
- One of the most significant advantages of Instant tents is they are speedy and easy to assemble. We have already read about the 2-second Quechua tent. Other instant tents, even large tents, are pitched in under a minute. In this category, instant tents are probably unbeatable.
- Instant tents are quick to take down. Once you have followed the guidelines and discovered the knack, they are simple and fast to stow away.
- Make great beginner tents. The ease of pitching and stowing away means beginners do not start their camping adventure on a steep learning curve in figuring out how to put up a tent. Instead, they get straight to the joys of camping.
- Pop-up tents are safer and much easier for children to learn how to pop up an instant tent. Pop-ups are safer because the tent poles are pre-attached. Handling tent poles can be difficult, especially if the weather takes a turn for the worse. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission states that 800 injuries are involved in the assembly and disassembly of tents, including children.
- Budget Friendly. You can buy a cheap pop-up tent, which might be suitable if you want to try camping for the first time or if you know you will only use it for a season. You might even want a tent simply for shade at the beach.
- They are helpful for campers with health conditions because they are easy to assemble. Not all instant tents have a flap at the bottom which can be a trip hazard for the less agile. Larger instant tents could even be wheelchair friendly, as some have a wide entrance.
Cons
- They are not the most waterproof of tents. If you know you will be camping in the rain, it might be best to take extra weather protection, like a tarp or a rainfly. This means you must take guy ropes, tent pegs and possibly a mallet. All this equipment is extra gear for an instant tent. However, some of this is the equipment you would have with you if you had a standard tent.
- Condensation can be a problem. Some instant tents are single-wall, which means they do not have a rainfly. If you are unsure what, a rainfly is, check out What is a rainfly?. The fabric is water-resistant, not always the best for breathability, and lacks ventilation, creating condensation.
- Bulky when packed. Instant tents must fold in a particular way when stowed in their bags. A standard tent is rolled or stuffed, whichever method you find more manageable and space-saving when stored. Storage bags for instant tents will be bulkier, making them awkward to carry.
- Difficult to Repair. Instant tents are not easy to repair. The availability of parts is practically nil. Getting to the broken piece can be difficult if you find a replacement part. Due to the instant tent being an all-in-one piece, seams are sewn or glued, making it not practical to repair.
- Pop-up tents do not have a porch, making it challenging to store boots and a place to prepare food.
How Do You Use A Coleman Instant Tent?
Coleman has an assortment of instant tents ranging from the Coleman 2-person pop-up tent, which sets up in under 10-seconds. It is as simple as opening the bag, releasing the tent, and it simply pops open.
Packing away the tent is easy when you know how and should take less than one minute.
- Gather the sides of the tent towards the centre while it is still in the pitched position.
- Holding the sides together firmly, turn the tent into the upright position.
- Fold the tent downwards and inwards without twisting the tent. You need to end up with three rings on top of each other to form one single ring.
- Secure the folded tent with the attached strap.
- Finally, slide the tent into the bag.
Skylodge 10-Person Instant Camping Tent With Screen Room
This tent, made by Coleman, sizewise, is on the opposite scale of the smaller 2-person pop-up tent. However, it is still easily and quickly assembled using telescopic pre-attached poles.
Coleman has improved how to disassemble the large instant tent, making the process easier. The tent is now rolled and stowed into its generous-sized stuff sack.
What Is The Easiest Pop-Up Tent?
What is an instant tent, and which is the easiest tent to pop up? Instant tents like standard tents are improving all the time.
One such tent is the award-winning Quechua 2-Seconds Easy. Quechua has addressed some of the key criticisms of their tents.
- The tent is incredibly easy to set up and quick and straightforward to fold by pressing two push buttons.
- The fabric is more durable and can withstand winds up to 30 mp/h
- The roof has a double-skinned construction, reducing condensation.
- Detached pieces are available as parts for five years, so it will now be possible to repair the tent in some circumstances.
Final Thoughts
In answering the question, ‘What is an instant tent?’ We have discovered they are appealing in so many different ways.
- They are quick to set up.
- Straightforward to assemble solo, including the larger 9-person tents.
- Instant tents are easy to use.
- They do have advantages and disadvantages compared to standard tents.
Instant tents come in all shapes, sizes and budgets, so if you decide the convenience of a quickly assembled tent is the right type, you are sure to find one which suits you.