ARB Flinders vs Direct4x4 Expedition Foldout
The ARB Flinders and the Direct4x4 Expedition Foldout are both softshell tents in the same part of the market, which makes them a genuine head-to-head rather than a comparison across categories. ARB and Direct4x4 take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The Flinders is 12 kg lighter at 54 kg against 66 kg, which on a factory roof rated for 68 to 75 kg is often the difference between a legal fit and a rack upgrade. Floor area is close to identical at 3.36 m² and 3.36 m², so neither wins on sleeping room. List prices are within $38 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
Canvas differs too: PU-coated polycotton against 285 gsm poly-cotton ripstop canvas, PU impregnated, water column 2,000 mm.
ARB
Flinders
The Flinders is a fold-out softshell tent with a low pack-down profile and a large bed footprint of roughly 2400 x 1400mm. It includes a 50mm high-density foam mattress, an integrated dimmable LED light with USB charging, a skylight window and five mesh-screened windows. It uses 25mm anodized aluminium poles.
- Large sleeping footprint for a softshell
- Integrated LED light with USB charging
- Low pack-down profile with attached cover
- Slower fold-out setup than ARB's hardshells
Direct4x4
Expedition Foldout
The Expedition Foldout is Direct4x4's soft-shell fold-out tent for three (two adults and a child), available in sand, granite grey and forest green. It opens to 240 x 140 cm with a 130 cm interior height on a 2.5 cm corrosion-resistant aluminium/polyurethane sandwich base and folds down to 29 cm tall at 66 kg. The 285 gsm poly-cotton ripstop canvas is rated to a 2,000 mm water column, and the tent ships with a fold-out ladder, mosquito net, zip-on annex skirt and a waterproof travel cover.
- Available in three colours (sand, grey, green)
- Ships with a zip-on annex skirt, mosquito net and travel cover
- 6 cm high-density foam mattress
- Canvas water-column rating is 2,000 mm
Which one to pick
Take the Flinders if your roof load limit is the binding constraint. Beyond that the feature rows below — heater port, skylight, annex, cargo rails — are where the remaining difference lies.
Every specification, side by side
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Softshell | Softshell |
| Opening style | Fold-out | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 2— worst of the tents compared | 3— best of the tents compared |
| Season rating | — | — |
| List price | $1,180— best of the tents compared | $1,220— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 119 lb— best of the tents compared | 146 lb— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared | 3 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 3 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | — | 11.4 in |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 10 in | 7 ft 10 in |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 7 in | 4 ft 7 in |
| Floor area | 36.2 sq ft | 36.2 sq ft |
| Interior height | 3 ft 11 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 3 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2 in— worst of the tents compared | 2.4 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~5 minest. | ~5 minest. |
| Shell material | — | — |
| Fabric | PU-coated polycotton | 285 gsm poly-cotton ripstop canvas, PU impregnated, water column 2,000 mm |
| Warranty | 3years | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | — |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | — |
| Roof skylight | Yes | Yes |
| Annex available | — | Yes |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | ARB product page | Direct4x4 product page |
Related comparisons
- FlindersvsFeather-Lite II
- FlindersvsGalaxy
- FlindersvsCross 1200 MK2
- Expedition FoldoutvsFeather-Lite II
Or read the full spec sheets for the ARB Flinders and the Direct4x4 Expedition Foldout.