ARB Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) vs Freespirit Recreation Aspen Pro Standard

The ARB Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) and the Freespirit Recreation Aspen Pro Standard 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 Freespirit Recreation 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 Freespirit Recreation Aspen Pro Standard counters with 60.8 kg, 2.39 m² of floor, 132.1 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.

The Aspen Pro Standard is 9.200000000000003 kg lighter at 60.8 kg against 70 kg, which on a factory roof rated for 68 to 75 kg is often the difference between a legal fit and a rack upgrade. Inside, the Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) gives 2.89 m² of sleeping floor against 2.39 m², about 21 percent more, though both are rated for 2. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.

The Intrepid 2.0 (1285mm) uses honeycomb aluminium; the Aspen Pro Standard uses aluminum hardshell: extruded aluminum frame, polymer corners, honeycomb aluminum top. Canvas differs too: 300D double rip-stop polycotton, PU coated against tri-Layer: polycotton fill between two layers of 210D ripstop.