ARB Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) vs Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Hood 2 Tent
The ARB Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) and the Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Hood 2 Tent are both hardshell tents in the same part of the market, which makes them a genuine head-to-head rather than a comparison across categories. ARB and Cascadia Vehicle Tents take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
By the numbers, the ARB Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) brings 70 kg, 2.89 m² of floor, 138 cm of headroom and sleeps 2. The Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Hood 2 Tent counters with 135.89 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.
Setup is not close. The Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) opens as a clamshell in 60 seconds; the Mt. Hood 2 Tent takes 3 minutes. Over a trip with a new campsite every night, that gap compounds. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one. ARB also backs the Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) for 3 years against 2.
The Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) uses honeycomb aluminium; the Mt. Hood 2 Tent uses aluminum. Canvas differs too: 300D double rip-stop polycotton, PU coated against 280GSM polyester (600D Oxford cover).
ARB
Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm)
The Intrepid 2.0 is the narrowest (1285mm) of ARB's three honeycomb-aluminium hardshell Intrepid sizes, sleeping two adults with 138cm of internal headroom. It packs down to 180mm high and deploys in about 60 seconds via quad gas struts. The mattress is a 50mm foam layer over a 15mm condensation mat.
- Slim 180mm pack-down height
- Manufacturer-stated 60-second setup
- Full 138cm internal headroom
- Narrowest sleeping width of the Intrepid range
Cascadia Vehicle Tents
Mt. Hood 2 Tent
The Mt. Hood 2 is a clamshell-opening aluminum hardshell offered in 50-, 56- and 60-inch widths, all priced at $3,299. CVT lists a 2-4 minute setup, a maximum interior headroom of 53.5 inches, an LED light strip with USB connector, and curved wraparound channels on the shell for attaching gear. It is CVT's low-profile clamshell hardshell in the current range.
- Clamshell opening with a stated 2-4 minute setup
- Published maximum headroom of 53.5 inches
- LED light strip with USB and shell channels for gear attachment
- Manufacturer does not publish weight, dimensions, or mattress thickness
Which one to pick
Take the Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) if you move camp most days. 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 | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | — | — |
| List price | $3,300— best of the tents compared | $3,299— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 154 lb | — |
| Packed length | 7 ft 5 in | — |
| Packed width | 4 ft 3 in | — |
| Packed height | 7.1 in | — |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 5 in | — |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 3 in | — |
| Floor area | 31.1 sq ft | — |
| Interior height | 4 ft 6 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2 in | — |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 60 sec— best of the tents compared | 3 min— worst of the tents compared |
| Shell material | Honeycomb aluminium | Aluminum |
| Fabric | 300D double rip-stop polycotton, PU coated | 280GSM polyester (600D Oxford cover) |
| Warranty | 3years— best of the tents compared | 2years— worst of the tents compared |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | — |
| Roof skylight | Yes | — |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | Yes |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | ARB product page | Cascadia Vehicle Tents product page |
Related comparisons
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- Mt. Hood 2 TentvsLightrize
Or read the full spec sheets for the ARB Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) and the Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Hood 2 Tent.