Minor update: The tent was purchased in May 2021, and used about 3-4 weeks of camping total when it was taken to Overland Expo PNW in July 2022. When setting it up at the Expo, one of the main corner stake-down grommet webbing strips ripped out of the tent and into my hand when I was staking it down. I swung by the Gazelle booth since they happened to be there, told them that it was two months out of warranty and asked if they had any advice. They said I could try stitching it back in if I wanted to, but that the corner stakedowns are not really needed. The only important stake downs are the hub centers to prevent the tent walls from collapsing in the wind, so I don't have to stake the corners and this ripped-off portion is not really needed. They basically dodged the issue. No other questions, no assistance, no apologies, no suggestions about how I was to stitch it back together. In about 40 years of using tents of every shape and size, this has never happened. While this is an innovative tent in many ways, this does not suggest quality or bode well for future durability and longevity.
Well heck, I thought I was buying a great product, guess this might might go to my daughters as a sleepover tent if it fails me. I will give a real review once I get it in a week 5/2023
@@lilyshhh4 Yes I have had issues, issues that should not happen to a tent this expensive. I had two straps break at the stitching point, minor seeping at the seams when raining so I had to water protect all seams. The biggest was one of the bolts that holds the pop out sides fell off and the whole side collapsed, all the fiberglass poles fell out. It took me and hour and tools to fix it and I needed help, I could not have done it alone. If I didn't have tools and it was night time this would have been a disaster. When not breaking it is a wonderful tent and I love the deep water proof floor. I got flooded one night and it was like walking on a waterbed, but no water came in though the floor. At first I didn't like the velcro on the bottom of the doors, but then thought about, I had to throw away two tent before because of broken zippers, velcro will not break.
@@digitaldirt7773 Thank you for the update! Now I am unsure about getting it cause this will be an issue for out of country camping with no access to tools like that. I am trying to learn about tents cause ill admit I did not know certain things mattered, I was planning on having this tent cause I love the screen room to keep sandflies out, the height makes it easy for most people to walk around with ease and many said deep tub flooring is a must. I would be camping on a hill near a beach so it gets really cold at night but also known to rain heavy with strong winds every now and then so this tent won’t be a match for the price after hearing your experience. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you once again
@@lilyshhh4 I do want to add to my report, I forgot the tab broke off my last tent not this one. So skip that. The bolt coming off I think might have been done by someone helping me take the tent down, all you have to do it push and he might have been turning it and the is why the bolt came off. The tent is very heavy material and other than the light seepage at one seam, it wasn't dripping, I was just being sure with the water proofing. I got the two room version and it is HUGE. That part I love. It is a very heavy tent because all the materials are very heavy duty, three times the thickness of most tents. By the way I bought two of them and never had an issue with the second newer one, they did some design changes and I think they fixed things. I would recommend do it, if you need a good heavy duty tent. The tools I mentioned were only a crescent wrench and pliers. Fyi It is a heavy tent.
My mom is a volunteer State Park ranger and she spends a lot of time helping people set up tents and take tents down, especially on the weekends... And she was trying to talk me out of buying this tent because of how heavy it was and how difficult it is for one person to set up and take down despite how easily it pops out ... I didn't want to believe her until I saw your video and I am so glad that you did it. Honest review of this 10th before I spent 700 bucks on it
EXCELLENT review. Sides will collapse in if you don't guy them out, in winds of 20 miles an hour (like I had last night). There are sections of the roofline between the two pop outs that will bend in even if everything is guyed out correctly. There are lots of spots where rain can get in, esp the entryway door/floor which un velcros when you exit. You need to put the rain fly up before wind or rain hits, and it's very difficult without a second pair of hands.. waking up to a surprise rain in the middle of the night and trying to throw over the fly is a chore. This is a good tent if you're setting up in relatively calm spot for several days, but it's a pain and loud in wind and rain and if you're having to move sites every day or two. And while set up is easy, teardown and put away in the bag is not fun. The tent is heavy… I'm a power lifter, and this tent is heavy enough to make me sweat when loading into the truck. Positives though, it is very roomy, it is very comfortable in warmer weather, and easy to get in several parks and lots of bags of clothes. And addition has it excellent tarp and the tent. pegs are fantastic too. It's a great Glamping out of your vehicle, tent. Our kids are grown, but with young kids this would be a great tent as well. My wife loves it, and if it helps her go, camping more often, fantastic.
I love that you took your mom out on an adventure and did everything you could to make it possible and comfortable. Well done, sir! I can totally see my son doing the same for his mom long after I'm gone. :)
Alot of great criticisms but several were missing the point. For one the seam a the D shaped door is designed to prevent water seep at the zipper. Also, the guy lines in the photos were far too short and should be positioned further out decreasing the angle of the cordage and pulling the fly flatter as opposed to down. Also the screen room is for putting on/taking off shoes. It's designed to allow people to get their kit on before leaving the tent so they don't have to get mosquito bites while getting organized. Most gear heads don't mind a small amount of water in the screen room as you are getting in and out and would prefer to gave a open concept big exit door so to speak, so they can just waltz out with their gear on etc with no snags. I think this tent simply wasn't the best choice for what you were needing for your particular trip but it seems like it still did fairly well minus the close call!
Great content, thank you for sharing your experience and the issues with tie down. As a senior I would be setting up and taking down solo and these tips on the tent body and Velcro are so necessary to know Before I get to a camp site. Thank you Sir
I was enamored by the T4 Plus, but being a 66-year-old single guy with a Subaru Outback, as well as it weighing 56 lbs, it has now fallen off my radar. At the top of my updated list is the Wawona 6P (18 lbs)-I think I can handle that one, and the vestibule is second to none! Thanks for this video!!
The T4 in not bad at all, easier than other tent to set up, I said my issues on my other posts but the newer one I got has been flawless. It really is a super durable tent with waterproof bottom and super thick sides. My dad was 75 and lugged the 8 person one around, not far but he did. Honestly I have had dozens of tents in the last dozen years (I work two locations) you should get it, I think you would like it. You just pull out the sides and it pops out, the hardest part is the fly. The next best option the EZ-Up CUBE, I used those also and very nice but like most tent they are easy to cut, mine have duct tape patches all over. Nice enough I bought 4 more of them for storage while on the job site, so now I have 6 of them. They have 100 square feet of floor space and vertical walls. But I still have the Gazelle for what I sleep in for two and half months at a time, thicker walls, more water proof warmer, better windows and fly. Buy the Gazelle.
You hit it on the nail. I have the same tent and after using it the first time I emailed the manufacturer and let them know my concerns. The stakes are junk and the guy ropes they include are too short. During heavy wind, the wind gets inside the tent. The rain fly doesn’t do anything to keep wind out
Fantastic review. These are the things people really need to know when considering purchasing this tent. Most reviews are just commercials for it - "look how great it looks set up by the lake!" It does look great...but I want to know details like this. I live in scorpion country, and wind is often an issue. I like the idea of this tent and the price, but the drawbacks and design flaws are worth considering.
Very nice tent, buuuuttttt……purchased a t4 plus tent a few months back after months of research. Was stoked and couldn’t wait to get it in the mail. I knew before purchasing that it was pretty big when all packed up and didn’t think it would be an issue. But once I got it, oh man it was just too big and pretty heavy. If your trying to save space on camping/over landing adventures. Or trying to move to a more minimal approach, I don’t recommend this tent. It’s just really big and heavy. I put it up on Craigslist that day and sold it for the same price I got it for lol.
We need a new tent. Love the cool pop out geometry of this, as well as the high ceiling. I also like that it is long and narrow so our queen size bed goes in back and our gear/changing/seating area is in front. Watched half a dozen videos of this model and thought I'd buy one. Got lucky and found your video. You point out the flaws, and lack of customer service, that nobody else did. Thank you!! I dodged a bullet. Now back to researching other tent types...
Great review, I got the same tent in the overland edition in green. Mine came with the better quality tent pegs and ground sheet Used mine for two season now, and I've not had any problems or issues with it to date. I used extra poles for the side flaps to make an awning type feature, but they can also be tied to the nearest trees with long paracord.
Accurate review. I have the same problem with my Eskimo ice shanty if I leave it up in the backyard for a few days the snow collapses the center of the roof. Chuck Porter’s channel, who camps in his in -20F temps suggests cutting a nearby limb and supporting the center of the roof. I think the wind issue with this tent is an issue. They should make a hard panel version that eliminates the need for the rain fly.
I ordered this tent and will be using it this weekend. I have seen other reviews about insects (ants) coming in through gaps in the Velcro. I am very tempted to see about stitching a heavy duty, zipper as a replacement, or in addition to the Velcro. I also plan to tape any gaps if it’s a problem.
best review out for this tent...you covered potential issues that I observed just watching other reviews. I've been reluctant of this design. I am looking for large tent for a large family. Im leaning towards the wall canvas tent used for back country hunting. Much larger in packed size, but I think the versatility and durability will be on my side.
What are the dimensions of the footprint and thickness? Is the purpose of the footprint for added water proofing or to protect floor of tent from wear and tears? Should the footprint stick out a few inches or feet beyond the edges on all sides of the tent, or be totally hidden under the tent?
Super review thank you very much fascinating to hear about the corner stake down ripping and the steaks that doesn't bode well for quality on any of their products really
hello first i must say thanks for your time for making this video . i still didnt what is the difference from t4 plus to t8 , and what more fit to a family. and please i really need help here , before i buy it i must know if i pull out all the PC's from the bag , what is the dimensions of the longest part without the case ? ill need to transfer it with flying case out of state and i need to know if it will fit it if i split it on the flying case . please help me here ❤🎉😊
On the zipper issue, in my experience most zippers require two hands at certain points so I don't see that as an issue but I understand that some may. On the velcro gap I'm wondering if you gained the bit around the entryway where the chipmunk got in, when you lost a bit around the one corner. I'm looking to get one of these popup tents for doing some cross country touring and possibly Burning Man in a year or two. This is the first one of your videos I've watched. Good review. I'll keep an eye out for any more pop up reviews in case there is a better option than the Gazelle T4 plus hub. After watching other reviews on this one though, this looks so far to be the best choice for the bucks. Thanks for posting this. It helps.
So I keep my cats in my tent when I am out for months at a time. This tent has Velcro at the bottom so I was worried my cats would get out, well when inside you just have to pull the zipper all the way down. Then throw a bag or something in front and I had no issues.
Did you end up keeping this temp..we are a family of 3 with service dog.. n only camp 2 nights to 3 nights top in Florida camp grounds .. do you remember this out something cheaper like a instant Coleman
That’s a goofy tent. I hope the manufacturer/designer watches this and makes some meaningful design improvements. I’ve seen better Coleman two-room tents.
Wow, we will see but claimed 90 seconds set time with out claiming fly tent and guide wires is BS. I will tell the truth in a week. Ok back for an update, yes if you rush you can pull it out of the bag, grab the sides pop them out go inside put up the support bars and you have a tent in a couple minutes, and I am talking about the big double room version I have. Now what takes the longest is, putting down a ground tarp, getting the fly on and staking it all down. I rolled up my sides but they can extend out so even if it is raining you can open the windows a bit for air.
Minor update: The tent was purchased in May 2021, and used about 3-4 weeks of camping total when it was taken to Overland Expo PNW in July 2022. When setting it up at the Expo, one of the main corner stake-down grommet webbing strips ripped out of the tent and into my hand when I was staking it down. I swung by the Gazelle booth since they happened to be there, told them that it was two months out of warranty and asked if they had any advice. They said I could try stitching it back in if I wanted to, but that the corner stakedowns are not really needed. The only important stake downs are the hub centers to prevent the tent walls from collapsing in the wind, so I don't have to stake the corners and this ripped-off portion is not really needed. They basically dodged the issue. No other questions, no assistance, no apologies, no suggestions about how I was to stitch it back together. In about 40 years of using tents of every shape and size, this has never happened. While this is an innovative tent in many ways, this does not suggest quality or bode well for future durability and longevity.
Well heck, I thought I was buying a great product, guess this might might go to my daughters as a sleepover tent if it fails me. I will give a real review once I get it in a week 5/2023
@@digitaldirt7773did you end up having any issues?
@@lilyshhh4 Yes I have had issues, issues that should not happen to a tent this expensive. I had two straps break at the stitching point, minor seeping at the seams when raining so I had to water protect all seams. The biggest was one of the bolts that holds the pop out sides fell off and the whole side collapsed, all the fiberglass poles fell out. It took me and hour and tools to fix it and I needed help, I could not have done it alone. If I didn't have tools and it was night time this would have been a disaster. When not breaking it is a wonderful tent and I love the deep water proof floor. I got flooded one night and it was like walking on a waterbed, but no water came in though the floor. At first I didn't like the velcro on the bottom of the doors, but then thought about, I had to throw away two tent before because of broken zippers, velcro will not break.
@@digitaldirt7773 Thank you for the update! Now I am unsure about getting it cause this will be an issue for out of country camping with no access to tools like that. I am trying to learn about tents cause ill admit I did not know certain things mattered, I was planning on having this tent cause I love the screen room to keep sandflies out, the height makes it easy for most people to walk around with ease and many said deep tub flooring is a must. I would be camping on a hill near a beach so it gets really cold at night but also known to rain heavy with strong winds every now and then so this tent won’t be a match for the price after hearing your experience. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you once again
@@lilyshhh4 I do want to add to my report, I forgot the tab broke off my last tent not this one. So skip that. The bolt coming off I think might have been done by someone helping me take the tent down, all you have to do it push and he might have been turning it and the is why the bolt came off.
The tent is very heavy material and other than the light seepage at one seam, it wasn't dripping, I was just being sure with the water proofing. I got the two room version and it is HUGE. That part I love. It is a very heavy tent because all the materials are very heavy duty, three times the thickness of most tents. By the way I bought two of them and never had an issue with the second newer one, they did some design changes and I think they fixed things. I would recommend do it, if you need a good heavy duty tent. The tools I mentioned were only a crescent wrench and pliers. Fyi It is a heavy tent.
Honestly this is the best review of this tent I have found.
Agreed! This is by far the best review of this tent I've seen on UA-cam and Google
So many important details that others don't cover. I was about to purchase this and am glad I found your review before I did. Thank you.
I might have been harsh, I got two of these tents and the second has been flawless, I think the second one was newer version.
I think this is the best tent review I have ever seen. Thank you!!!
My mom is a volunteer State Park ranger and she spends a lot of time helping people set up tents and take tents down, especially on the weekends... And she was trying to talk me out of buying this tent because of how heavy it was and how difficult it is for one person to set up and take down despite how easily it pops out ... I didn't want to believe her until I saw your video and I am so glad that you did it. Honest review of this 10th before I spent 700 bucks on it
EXCELLENT review. Sides will collapse in if you don't guy them out, in winds of 20 miles an hour (like I had last night). There are sections of the roofline between the two pop outs that will bend in even if everything is guyed out correctly. There are lots of spots where rain can get in, esp the entryway door/floor which un velcros when you exit. You need to put the rain fly up before wind or rain hits, and it's very difficult without a second pair of hands.. waking up to a surprise rain in the middle of the night and trying to throw over the fly is a chore. This is a good tent if you're setting up in relatively calm spot for several days, but it's a pain and loud in wind and rain and if you're having to move sites every day or two. And while set up is easy, teardown and put away in the bag is not fun. The tent is heavy… I'm a power lifter, and this tent is heavy enough to make me sweat when loading into the truck.
Positives though, it is very roomy, it is very comfortable in warmer weather, and easy to get in several parks and lots of bags of clothes. And addition has it excellent tarp and the tent. pegs are fantastic too. It's a great Glamping out of your vehicle, tent. Our kids are grown, but with young kids this would be a great tent as well. My wife loves it, and if it helps her go, camping more often, fantastic.
I love that you took your mom out on an adventure and did everything you could to make it possible and comfortable. Well done, sir! I can totally see my son doing the same for his mom long after I'm gone. :)
Regarding your update, I wish they would have offered you more assistance when you asked. Shame on Gazelle! Thanks for adding your update.
Alot of great criticisms but several were missing the point. For one the seam a the D shaped door is designed to prevent water seep at the zipper. Also, the guy lines in the photos were far too short and should be positioned further out decreasing the angle of the cordage and pulling the fly flatter as opposed to down. Also the screen room is for putting on/taking off shoes. It's designed to allow people to get their kit on before leaving the tent so they don't have to get mosquito bites while getting organized. Most gear heads don't mind a small amount of water in the screen room as you are getting in and out and would prefer to gave a open concept big exit door so to speak, so they can just waltz out with their gear on etc with no snags.
I think this tent simply wasn't the best choice for what you were needing for your particular trip but it seems like it still did fairly well minus the close call!
I appreciate you taking the time to put this video together, super helpful.
Really detailed review, particularly regarding the floor and sealing it off. I was really wondering about that. Thank you.
Wonderful review. Detailed with good pacing. “All the flavor with none of the fat”. Thank you!
Great content, thank you for sharing your experience and the issues with tie down. As a senior I would be setting up and taking down solo and these tips on the tent body and Velcro are so necessary to know Before I get to a camp site. Thank you Sir
I was enamored by the T4 Plus, but being a 66-year-old single guy with a Subaru Outback, as well as it weighing 56 lbs, it has now fallen off my radar. At the top of my updated list is the Wawona 6P (18 lbs)-I think I can handle that one, and the vestibule is second to none! Thanks for this video!!
The T4 in not bad at all, easier than other tent to set up, I said my issues on my other posts but the newer one I got has been flawless. It really is a super durable tent with waterproof bottom and super thick sides. My dad was 75 and lugged the 8 person one around, not far but he did. Honestly I have had dozens of tents in the last dozen years (I work two locations) you should get it, I think you would like it. You just pull out the sides and it pops out, the hardest part is the fly. The next best option the EZ-Up CUBE, I used those also and very nice but like most tent they are easy to cut, mine have duct tape patches all over. Nice enough I bought 4 more of them for storage while on the job site, so now I have 6 of them. They have 100 square feet of floor space and vertical walls. But I still have the Gazelle for what I sleep in for two and half months at a time, thicker walls, more water proof warmer, better windows and fly. Buy the Gazelle.
You hit it on the nail. I have the same tent and after using it the first time I emailed the manufacturer and let them know my concerns. The stakes are junk and the guy ropes they include are too short. During heavy wind, the wind gets inside the tent. The rain fly doesn’t do anything to keep wind out
Fantastic review. These are the things people really need to know when considering purchasing this tent. Most reviews are just commercials for it - "look how great it looks set up by the lake!" It does look great...but I want to know details like this. I live in scorpion country, and wind is often an issue. I like the idea of this tent and the price, but the drawbacks and design flaws are worth considering.
I appreciate your review since I am looking at this tent to buy.
Very nice tent, buuuuttttt……purchased a t4 plus tent a few months back after months of research. Was stoked and couldn’t wait to get it in the mail. I knew before purchasing that it was pretty big when all packed up and didn’t think it would be an issue. But once I got it, oh man it was just too big and pretty heavy. If your trying to save space on camping/over landing adventures. Or trying to move to a more minimal approach, I don’t recommend this tent. It’s just really big and heavy. I put it up on Craigslist that day and sold it for the same price I got it for lol.
Thank you for your VERY THOROUGH tent review!
We need a new tent. Love the cool pop out geometry of this, as well as the high ceiling. I also like that it is long and narrow so our queen size bed goes in back and our gear/changing/seating area is in front. Watched half a dozen videos of this model and thought I'd buy one. Got lucky and found your video. You point out the flaws, and lack of customer service, that nobody else did. Thank you!! I dodged a bullet. Now back to researching other tent types...
Great review, I got the same tent in the overland edition in green. Mine came with the better quality tent pegs and ground sheet Used mine for two season now, and I've not had any problems or issues with it to date. I used extra poles for the side flaps to make an awning type feature, but they can also be tied to the nearest trees with long paracord.
Thank you for this great review, it was very informative and helped me make my decision.
Thanks for this very comprehensive review of this tent!
Accurate review. I have the same problem with my Eskimo ice shanty if I leave it up in the backyard for a few days the snow collapses the center of the roof. Chuck Porter’s channel, who camps in his in -20F temps suggests cutting a nearby limb and supporting the center of the roof. I think the wind issue with this tent is an issue. They should make a hard panel version that eliminates the need for the rain fly.
I ordered this tent and will be using it this weekend. I have seen other reviews about insects (ants) coming in through gaps in the Velcro.
I am very tempted to see about stitching a heavy duty, zipper as a replacement, or in addition to the Velcro.
I also plan to tape any gaps if it’s a problem.
best review out for this tent...you covered potential issues that I observed just watching other reviews. I've been reluctant of this design. I am looking for large tent for a large family. Im leaning towards the wall canvas tent used for back country hunting. Much larger in packed size, but I think the versatility and durability will be on my side.
Thanks for pointing out the really questionable design decision to use velcro at the bottom of the door. Otherwise, I really like this tent.
Still so helpful for me thank you
Appreciate the review - I've been looking at this tent for an upcoming tent and think we'll stick with two tents rather than one larger one!
What are the dimensions of the footprint and thickness? Is the purpose of the footprint for added water proofing or to protect floor of tent from wear and tears? Should the footprint stick out a few inches or feet beyond the edges on all sides of the tent, or be totally hidden under the tent?
Super review thank you very much fascinating to hear about the corner stake down ripping and the steaks that doesn't bode well for quality on any of their products really
Excellent commentary. Much Thx.
Great video!!! I also have an LR3, so this was perfect!!
hello first i must say thanks for your time for making this video .
i still didnt what is the difference from t4 plus to t8 , and what more fit to a family.
and please i really need help here , before i buy it i must know if i pull out all the PC's from the bag , what is the dimensions of the longest part without the case ? ill need to transfer it with flying case out of state and i need to know if it will fit it if i split it on the flying case . please help me here ❤🎉😊
On the zipper issue, in my experience most zippers require two hands at certain points so I don't see that as an issue but I understand that some may.
On the velcro gap I'm wondering if you gained the bit around the entryway where the chipmunk got in, when you lost a bit around the one corner.
I'm looking to get one of these popup tents for doing some cross country touring and possibly Burning Man in a year or two.
This is the first one of your videos I've watched. Good review. I'll keep an eye out for any more pop up reviews in case there is a better option than the Gazelle T4 plus hub. After watching other reviews on this one though, this looks so far to be the best choice for the bucks.
Thanks for posting this. It helps.
So I keep my cats in my tent when I am out for months at a time. This tent has Velcro at the bottom so I was worried my cats would get out, well when inside you just have to pull the zipper all the way down. Then throw a bag or something in front and I had no issues.
The zipper is like that to keep the rain out.
What is the best tent you have used that is strong.. has two rooms and is good in high winds
thanks!! it rains a lot here and i cant have a leaky tent.
Excellent review!
Did you end up keeping this temp..we are a family of 3 with service dog.. n only camp 2 nights to 3 nights top in Florida camp grounds .. do you remember this out something cheaper like a instant Coleman
Great review
Great review! Thank you very much!
Detailed review. Thank you.
The velcro is why I'm not buying one. Don't understand why they did that.
Going to buy a North Face Wawona 6 instead.
I'm thinking about buying a new tent. Let me know if you're gonna sell it; I might be interested
This has been fixed in more recent models. Grab the Overland Edition.
Thank you for the review!
Thnx, great info!
That’s a goofy tent. I hope the manufacturer/designer watches this and makes some meaningful design improvements. I’ve seen better Coleman two-room tents.
Wow, we will see but claimed 90 seconds set time with out claiming fly tent and guide wires is BS. I will tell the truth in a week. Ok back for an update, yes if you rush you can pull it out of the bag, grab the sides pop them out go inside put up the support bars and you have a tent in a couple minutes, and I am talking about the big double room version I have. Now what takes the longest is, putting down a ground tarp, getting the fly on and staking it all down. I rolled up my sides but they can extend out so even if it is raining you can open the windows a bit for air.
You complain about the slightest things. This is a great tent
Dude should have done research first and get a job at gazelle, I'm researching first. Okay purchase some HD stakes