Updated on January 24, 2022
Explore Planet Earth 2-4 Person Speedy Pop Up Tents
For over 5 years we’ve been using these awesome little tents and love them. They are so fast to put up, easy to pack away (once you get the hang of it), and are such a clever design.
Another tent we have that has been to Central Australia and all around Victoria when the kids were little is a replica Kombi Van tent. It is hilarious and is still going strong after about 10 years of holidays.
We have a couple of the 2 person tents, one regular and the other one is a blackout design, called ‘Blackhole’ – an appropriate name. Personally, I like the sun coming in but if you prefer to have a darker sleeping spot the Blackhole tent is the one to get, see the video below!
For two adults, the sleeping area in the 2-person pop-up tent is not spacious, but usable as long as no one is overly tall. For 2 kids or even 3 littlies, it is ideal. See the measurement comparisons in the table further down the page.
My favourite design feature of both the tents is the large windows on the sides, roll the outer rain flap up and you have a big view of the night sky, fall asleep star gazing.
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Best Features of the Pop Up Tents by Explore Planet Earth
- ‘Intents’ lighting system – The tents have built-in lighting, which is a great idea. A mesh ‘shelf’ is attached to the top with led lights sewn in around the edges and a USB plug to attach a small portable battery supply.
- No-see-em mesh walls and vent. Keep the bugs out but allow the air to circulate.
- A zippered slot in the side of the tent has been integrated into the design to allow for an electric lead to pass through if you need power.
- The internal section of the tent is attached with toggles and can easily be removed if you want to use the outer fly of the tent on the beach perhaps.
- Built-in side pockets inside to store keys etc.
- Carry handles when packed and back-pack style straps, so it is easy to carry either way. We put shoulder protectors on ours (like the ones you buy for seat belts) and hiked up Mt Timbertop in Victoria to camp with the kids. Hillarious, but effective.
- It can be packed away wet and easily put out to dry when convenient (same day, preferably though).
Quick and easy camping set-up
For a quick getaway and a super-easy campout, we pack the little Speedy tents by Explore Planet Earth, some bedding, basic camp chairs, cooking gear, food in the eski, and go bush. Or beach. Read more about our basic camping set-up for quick camping trips.
I cut a tarp (shown on the left) to fit exactly under the little tent to keep the floor protected from twigs/stones etc. By cutting the tarp to shape it prevents water from pooling underneath the tent.
How easy are the Pop Up Tents to set-up and pack away?
They really are so easy to set up. Take the tent out of the bag and gently let it go to do its own thing! Position it and peg down the 4 corners securely. Use the guy ropes to keep it taught and stable against any wind.
Packing up is a breeze once you get the hang of it. Be gentle with your tent and do not force it when folding. Watch the video below which includes a slo-mo demo of folding the tent up, you might want to grab a cuppa for that part…
Are the tent poles easy to break?
Yes, they can break if you are not careful. I’d rather say that they are so strong you can’t possibly break the poles, but the truth is you need to take care of the tents and treat them as advised. Any tent poles can break if forced, whether they are all in one like the pop-up design or traditional poles.
When we were in Tasmania for 5 weeks and used the tents daily a few years ago, we had broken poles that we mended temporarily and then received new ones from Explore Planet Earth. These were quite easy to replace.
- The first pole was broken when packing up one day, it was bent a little too enthusiastically when being folded. Not the fault of the product.
- The second one broke when I removed the bedding, unpegged it and walked away – a gust of wind blew the poor little tent across a field quite dramatically and the pole snapped. Not a surprise and not the fault of the tent at all.
| 2 Person | 3 Person | 4 Person | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size Packed | 75x75x5cm | 90x90x5cm | 105x105x5cm |
| Internal Size | 200cm x 145cm | 245cm x 200cm | 240cm x 235cm |
| Head Height | 100cm | 105cm | 120cm |
| Weight | 3kg | 4.5kg | 5.5kg |
| Ideal for 1 person, cozy for 2. | Ideal for 2 people, or great for 3 kids. | Ideal for 3 people, great for 4 kids. | |
| 3 Year Warranty | 3 Year Warranty | 3 Year Warranty |
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Packing a pop up Tent in a Car
We have a Prado so the tent will fit easily in the back beside our car fridge. As a comparison, I used my friend’s Toyota Yaris as a compact car demo. The 2 person tent, which is 75cm in diameter, fits snugly in the boot or in the back on the floor.
As the tents are circular when packed, it is something to think about to make sure it can fit in your car easily. Particularly if you purchase a 4 person pop-up.
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Hi Jane,
Thanks for the review of these popup tents. Much appreciated!
I’m looking at purchasing the speedy-blackhole-4-pop-up-tent.
https://www.snowys.com.au/speedy-blackhole-4-pop-up-tent
I have a couple of questions.
We live in Tasmania and look to use this tent for more fair-weather camping (and possible occasional rain being in Tassie) and wondered how weatherproof this popup tent really is? And how much condensation gets inside during the night. I want to go camping with my two young kids, as mentioned above, in summer months but an concerned about water resistance. Thanks Jane. Cheers Jim
Hello Jim,
We spent 5 weeks in Tassie in 2016 and used the pop-up tents every night in fair weather and when it was blowing a hooley too. They stood up to the demands well and I have not had any problems with leakages at all. I’ve even camped in sub-zero temps over here in Victoria and woken to thick frost/ice all over the little tent!
As for condensation, they are far better than most as the ventilation is really good. I always tend to have the sides rolled up a short distance and do not find condensation a problem at all, that is more because I like to be able to see out than any worry over condensation.
I recommend these little tents wholeheartedly and have used ours for over 6 years now. We did have a pole break when I left one of them unpegged and a sudden breeze caught it and sent it tumbling across a field, but the company sent a replacement and it was not too difficult to insert a new one. Entirely my fault though.
I have a two man speedy the same model your review. Haven’t ever used it because the length just seems too short. I’m only average height 5’9 but my head is touching the end and my feet are touching door in relaxed position. Also a standard foam walking pad only just fits in the middle, two would not fit side by side without sidewall compression. Pity because I like the concept and don’t want to move up a size, any suggestions.
True that it can be a tight fit and moving up to a larger Speedy tent does mean it is larger overall when packing. My husband is 5’10” and we manage to camp though my mat usually ends up folded a bit, I am only 5’2″ so it is easy. Generally, though we take both tents and can then spread out with our gear.