Shift pod tent

[Artsifrtsi]

Our Gazelle kept us clean, cozy, and dry. Only water I ever had come in, was tracked in by us. Never really saw a bug problem either, that was camping in Ocala, and Amelia Island...

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[ACAD_Cowboy]

So... the more I look at the shift pod, the more I am shaking my head trying to understand how it will do more or better than my existing fleet of tents and/or why is it 1400 dollars round about.

Solar reflective is good in very high sun environments and it's blackout function looks to do the trick in high albedo places where you need to get some rest but is it just a very well branded and marketed yurt?

CF poles and mylar/parachute cloth tent make for some serious light weight but cube for cube, is it really that much lighter? Like light enough to make a difference over the journey?

I come speaking as someone with a 3 man pup, 5 man dome and 10 man chalet style tent as well as swag bag on a cot.

 

[BAT]

So... the more I look at the shift pod, the more I am shaking my head trying to understand how it will do more or better than my existing fleet of tents and/or why is it 1400 dollars round about.

Solar reflective is good in very high sun environments and it's blackout function looks to do the trick in high albedo places where you need to get some rest but is it just a very well branded and marketed yurt?

CF poles and mylar/parachute cloth tent make for some serious light weight but cube for cube, is it really that much lighter? Like light enough to make a difference over the journey?

I come speaking as someone with a 3 man pup, 5 man dome and 10 man chalet style tent as well as swag bag on a cot.

That is what got me was the price. I was thinking dang is this some space age material.

 

[LostWoods]

So... the more I look at the shift pod, the more I am shaking my head trying to understand how it will do more or better than my existing fleet of tents and/or why is it 1400 dollars round about.

Solar reflective is good in very high sun environments and it's blackout function looks to do the trick in high albedo places where you need to get some rest but is it just a very well branded and marketed yurt?

CF poles and mylar/parachute cloth tent make for some serious light weight but cube for cube, is it really that much lighter? Like light enough to make a difference over the journey?

I come speaking as someone with a 3 man pup, 5 man dome and 10 man chalet style tent as well as swag bag on a cot.

IMO all the lightweight tech in the world is meaningless for a tent that packs down to 6ft long and still weighs 50lbs. It's all marketing gimmicks for people who don't know any better.

It does have some very specific scenarios and it would probably be great in the AZ sun but at the same time, how much time do you spend in the tent mid-day anyway? I feel like draping a reflective tarp over a ground tent achieves most of the same purpose.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

So... the more I look at the shift pod, the more I am shaking my head trying to understand how it will do more or better than my existing fleet of tents and/or why is it 1400 dollars round about.

Solar reflective is good in very high sun environments and it's blackout function looks to do the trick in high albedo places where you need to get some rest but is it just a very well branded and marketed yurt?

CF poles and mylar/parachute cloth tent make for some serious light weight but cube for cube, is it really that much lighter? Like light enough to make a difference over the journey?

I come speaking as someone with a 3 man pup, 5 man dome and 10 man chalet style tent as well as swag bag on a cot.

The biggest thing that convinced me on the Gazelle, was the fact that by myself I can have the tent set up and ready to move gear into in 2 minutes. Teardown only takes a little bit longer. Usually my wife is still chasing the kid around and making lunch, leaving me to set up camp myself.

 

[calicorks]

These are all really good points. The fact that I can have a tent up in 2 minutes , and the cost is WAY cheaper for the Gazelle. Thanks for sharing everyone.

 

[BAT]

IMO all the lightweight tech in the world is meaningless for a tent that packs down to 6ft long and still weighs 50lbs. It's all marketing gimmicks for people who don't know any better.

It does have some very specific scenarios and it would probably be great in the AZ sun but at the same time, how much time do you spend in the tent mid-day anyway? I feel like draping a reflective tarp over a ground tent achieves most of the same purpose.

If backpacking or such then yes none of these are good options. The nice thing over the smaller tents is that if you get stuck in an all day rain storm then having a bit more space is nice to stretch out, stand and have some gear inside

 

[LostWoods]

If backpacking or such then yes none of these are good options. The nice thing over the smaller tents is that if you get stuck in an all day rain storm then having a bit more space is nice to stretch out, stand and have some gear inside

My point was strictly about the weight. The truck isn't going to know the difference between a 4lb set of heavy fiberglass or aluminum poles and a 2lb set of CF poles or some other space age shit that saves you another 5lbs. There's just no need to count ounces in a 50lb tent like there is a backpacking tent and even less reason to do so in vehicle.

 

[BAT]

These are all really good points. The fact that I can have a tent up in 2 minutes , and the cost is WAY cheaper for the Gazelle. Thanks for sharing everyone.

Good luck getting one. From most of the folks I talked to it will be around November or December before they possibly get stock in

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Good luck getting one. From most of the folks I talked to it will be around November or December before they possibly get stock in

And the Gazelle sells out as fast as they come in. We were lucky we bought at the beginning of 2020.

 

[Higher_Ground]

The gazelle looks cool, but the specs seem right along with other car camping tents, albeit at a higher price point. The T4 Hub lists MSRP of $459.99 (I have no idea why they're showing a $339.99 sale price when they have zero inventory).

COLLAPSED SIZE	8" x 8" x 67.5"
WEIGHT	30 LB

67.5" !!!! That's at least 2x as long as any other tent I've owned. 30 lb is up there with the heaviest 4 person tents as well.

You can get the current 4 person Coleman special for $99.99. It's only 10lbs and packs down to 5" x 9" x 24". You can't stand up in it though, so perhaps not a fair comparison if that's a must have. I usually set up a large tarp next to my tent but you can't really do that if there aren't any trees where you camp.

+1 for hammocks but I admit they're a lot more work to get dialed in and I sometimes miss having actual walls, even if they're only a few threads thick.


edit: I found out they sell a line of tents called "sky lodge" that have a 6' ceiling height. Probably closer to spec and price when comparing to the gazelle. Nobody seems to sell it either though, so I can't find out how much it weighs or how small it packs down to. I need to upgrade my gear in the next couple of years.

 

[BAT]

The gazelle looks cool, but the specs seem right along with other car camping tents, albeit at a higher price point. The T4 Hub lists MSRP of $459.99 (I have no idea why they're showing a $339.99 sale price when they have zero inventory).

COLLAPSED SIZE	8" x 8" x 67.5"
WEIGHT	30 LB

67.5" !!!! That's at least 2x as long as any other tent I've owned. 30 lb is up there with the heaviest 4 person tents as well.

You can get the current 4 person Coleman special for $99.99. It's only 10lbs and packs down to 5" x 9" x 24". You can't stand up in it though, so perhaps not a fair comparison if that's a must have. I usually set up a large tarp next to my tent but you can't really do that if there aren't any trees where you camp.

+1 for hammocks but I admit they're a lot more work to get dialed in and I sometimes miss having actual walls, even if they're only a few threads thick.


edit: I found out they sell a line of tents called "sky lodge" that have a 6' ceiling height. Probably closer to spec and price when comparing to the gazelle. Nobody seems to sell it either though, so I can't find out how much it weighs or how small it packs down to. I need to upgrade my gear in the next couple of years.

I think the selling on the Gazelle and similar is the east of setup for one person as well as the room available. Like anything trade off's. Plus its gotta be able to hold up to wind and water otherwise its just wasted money.

 

[lsmath1]

I can also vouch for the Gazelle. Spent 3 weeks this summer in CO, WY, UT, and TX in it. We brought our toddler and the T4 fit our Exped Megamat and his Pack N Play with more than enough room for other stuff. It's also nice to have the ability to fully standup to change and to hangout during a storm. Last November we were in Arkansas during a massive t-storm. They are large enough that we just brought our camp chairs and table inside. No water or bug ingress.

 

[BAT]

I can also vouch for the Gazelle. Spent 3 weeks this summer in CO, WY, UT, and TX in it. We brought our toddler and the T4 fit our Exped Megamat and his Pack N Play with more than enough room for other stuff. It's also nice to have the ability to fully standup to change and to hangout during a storm. Last November we were in Arkansas during a massive t-storm. They are large enough that we just brought our camp chairs and table inside. No water or bug ingress.

That is the nice thing to be able to stand and move around a bit. I have been caught in some storms which have lasted all day and it would have been nice to have been able to moved around a bit more and pull some of my gear inside

 

[syreeves]

Try this: a customized Alps Mountaineering lynx - heavy duty floor and zippers with Aluminum poles for light eight. This is a tent that costs less than $300, my 14 yr old can set it up in 5 minutes by herself (assuming not too windy - 12 yr old brother is needed for windy situations), sleeps 4 people very comfortably on full size self inflating foam pads. Or a couple of cots. Plus it comes in multiple sizes so get one of the smaller versions - set up is the same nothing new to learn.

https://sherpers.com/sherpers-explorer-6-person-tent-by-alps-mountaineering/

Takes up no space when folded in its stuff sack and weighs 12lbs with everything. I have used the 2 person and the 4 person versions in the BWCA for long trips. the 6pp version works great for deer hunting season or family camping. No need to spend a lot of money on ground tents.

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