Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Hood 2 Tent vs Darche Ridgeback Eco Poly
The Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Hood 2 Tent and the Darche Ridgeback Eco Poly 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. Cascadia Vehicle Tents and Darche take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
By the numbers, the Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Hood 2 Tent brings 135.89 cm of headroom and sleeps 2. The Darche Ridgeback Eco Poly counters with 85 kg, 2.4 m² of floor, 144 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.
Both carry the same list price, so price cannot decide this one at all. Darche also backs the Ridgeback Eco Poly for 3 years against 2.
The Mt. Hood 2 Tent uses aluminum; the Ridgeback Eco Poly uses 6-Series Aluminium; Heavy-Duty Aluminium Honeycomb Insulation base. Canvas differs too: 280GSM polyester (600D Oxford cover) against ecoWGAF 280gsm Polyester Oxford Ripstop body (100% recycled); ecoWGAF 140gsm fly (3000mm).
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
Darche
Ridgeback Eco Poly
The Ridgeback HD Shell Eco is an aluminium clamshell hardshell that uses Darche's ecoWGAF fabric made from 100% recycled polyester for both body and fly. It has three full-width entry doors, a zippered sky window, internal USB LED lighting, Stabilus gas struts and a 55mm memory-foam mattress. The fly carries a 3000mm waterhead rating.
- Body and fly use 100% recycled ecoWGAF polyester
- Three full-width doors and zippered sky window
- German-engineered Stabilus gas struts
- No published dimensions
Which one to pick
These two are closely matched on the numbers that usually decide it. Read the feature rows below — heater port, skylight, annex — and let whichever of those you will actually use break the tie.
Every specification, side by side
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | — | — |
| List price | $3,299 | $3,300 |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | — | 187 lb est. |
| Packed length | — | 7 ft 1 in |
| Packed width | — | 4 ft 6 in |
| Packed height | — | 8.5 in |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | — | 6 ft 7 in |
| Sleeping width | — | 3 ft 11 in |
| Floor area | — | 25.8 sq ft |
| Interior height | 4 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 9 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | — | 2.2 in |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 3 min | ~60 secest. |
| Shell material | Aluminum | 6-Series Aluminium; Heavy-Duty Aluminium Honeycomb Insulation base |
| Fabric | 280GSM polyester (600D Oxford cover) | ecoWGAF 280gsm Polyester Oxford Ripstop body (100% recycled); ecoWGAF 140gsm fly (3000mm) |
| Warranty | 2years— worst of the tents compared | 3years— best 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 | Cascadia Vehicle Tents product page | Darche product page |
Related comparisons
- Mt. Hood 2 TentvsLightrize
- Mt. Hood 2 TentvsHardshell (61002)
- Mt. Hood 2 TentvsIntrepid 2.0 (1285mm)
- Ridgeback Eco PolyvsLightrize
Or read the full spec sheets for the Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Hood 2 Tent and the Darche Ridgeback Eco Poly.