dark, sun blockout tents

see also:

• shelters for camping - tents, swags, vans, hammocks
  • trailer shelters, vans and caravans for camping
  • roof top tents
  • swags for camping and sleeping
  • choosing a tent for Australian conditions
  • overnight ultralight bushwalking shelters and equipment
  • comparison of mainly mesh tents for warm nights
    • hammocks for camping and sleeping
  • comparison of full fabric 2P and 3P tents for colder nights
    • how to sleep comfortably and healthier at 7deg C without a sleeping bag
    • can excessive farting in a fully enclosed tent cause harm?
    • camping in the snow (in nice weather)
    • hot tents (tents with wood stoves inside)
  • shelters and tents for car camping or alpine 4 season use
  • chill out and de-stress by car camping comfortably
  • touring tents you can stand up in

• one of the main issues with tents, especially synthetic ones (and many of this also applies to swags), is that they let in too much light through the fly and inner which results in:
  • getting woken up at sunrise
  • too hot in the sun to have a midday nap
  • sleep or privacy impacted by car headlights or strong torches
• this is less of an issue of thick heavy canvas tents
• one solution for synthetic tents is to have an extra black “Blockout” layer on the inside of the fly which reduced light transmission by over 99% and hence the new “darkroom” or “blockout” tents

• can sleep in longer
• can take a nap during the day even in the sun assisted with open meshed windows and doors (as long as ambient temperatures are below ~25degC)
• not impacted by car headlights or strong torches
• more privacy during the day time - can leave the door facing away from the sun open, and as long as there is no direct sunlight coming in from the windows or other door, the inside of the tent is very dark and not able to be well visualised from outside the tent, so you can sleep with more privacy in day time without having to close the tent up
• great for music festivals if you want to sleep during the day!
• fly is generally made a little stronger and perhaps more waterproof and the more expensive price point often means they get a better floor

• a little heavier and more expensive
• blockout layer tends to rub off at friction points with use

• Oztent DS-1 / DS-2 Pitch Black tent/swag
  • 2 hoop design with long 65gsm No-See-Um removable and replaceable mesh upper but no canvas cover to this; 5cm mat; large head end mesh door to access head vestibule;
  • single side door, single head door, peggable skirted blockout fly cover weatherproof shelter with vents at each end and an externally accessible 50cm foot vestibule;
  • single DS-1: 210L x 90W x 80H cm packs to 91L x 34W x 32H cm; 9.75kg; $AU329 https://www.snowys.com.au/ds-1-pitch-black-single-dome-swag
  • double DS-2: 210L x 140W x 120H cm packs to 122L x 38W x 37H cm 11.5kg $AU349 https://www.snowys.com.au/ds2-pitch-black-double-dome-swag

• Oztrail Fast Frame 4P Blockout
  • see my review of this tent
  • single hub fast fold set up with aluminium poles (there is also a fibreglass pole for the front vestibule)
  • 2 doors! so this gets MY recommendation for a versatile 4P tent ahead of the others in this list
  • 1.4m wide front awning; rear mesh door (should be good for star gazing); side windows; mesh ceiling windows;
  • 3000mm waterhead rated ripstop PE fly with blockout coating which is said to reduce internal day temperatures by 10degC; low ClimaTech Vents for added ventilation;
  • PVC coated Polyoxford vinyl floor;
  • internal: 240cm x 220cm x 195cm (L x W x H) a bit snug for 2 people with child - consider the 6P instead
  • packs to 110cm x 22cm x 22cm 15kg
  • strongly recommend buying better guy ropes and pegs and take care if wind gusts are more than 50kph
  • setting up:
    • rear of the tent can be identified by the red tags
    • when putting the fly over the inner tent, the red plugs of the fly attached to the red tags of the inner tent
  • $AU279 on special https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/oztrail-4-person-fast-frame-block-out-tent
• OzTrail Lumos 6P Fast Frame tent
  • block-out coating on 3000mm waterhead fly to block sun; inbuilt LED lighting (hence Lumos - requires 4xD cell batteries or USB power bank); polyoxford vinyl floor;
  • two hub frame design with aluminium poles (there are also 2 fibreglass poles for the front and rear vestibules) which gives even better sky viewing
  • 2 large side mesh windows and large mesh ceiling windows without pole obstructions
  • large front and rear doors
  • strongly recommend buying better guy ropes and pegs and take care if wind gusts are more than 50kph
  • 280cm x 300cm x 195cm (L x W x H)
  • packs to 115 x 22 x 22cm 18kg
  • $AU329 on special https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/oztrail-6-person-fast-frame-block-out-tent
  • reviews:
    • https://australiaobsessed.com.au/oztrail-fast-frame-tent/
    • https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/australian-geographic-adventure/2021/04/oztrail-fast-frame-lumos-6p-tent-tested/
• Oztrail 6P Lumos Fast Frame Blockout tent
  • adds LED lighting system
  • $AU489 on special https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/oztrail-lumos-6-person-fast-frame-tent

• Coleman Northstar 4P Instant Up Lighted Darkroom tent
  • 3000mm waterhead rated 75D / 185D ripstop polyester fly with 95% light blockout and 5degC lower temp in day time
  • built-in LED strip lights; ceiling is full fabric; 2 awning poles and generous 1.5m vestibule;
  • only 1 door
  • 420D polyoxford PVC floor;
  • internal: 230cm L x 230cm W x 190cm H
  • packed: 115cm L x 26cm W x 26cm H
  • 16.8kg;
  • $AU389 on special https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/coleman-northstar-instant-up-4-lighted-darkroom-tent
• Coleman Northstar Instant Up 6 Lighted DarkRoom Tent
  • as for 4P (single hub design) but:
    • internal: 330cm L x 260cm W x 190cm H
    • packs to 135cm L x 26cm W x 26cm H 20.6kg
  • $AU449 on special https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/coleman-northstar-instant-up-6p-lighted-dark-room-tent