Darche Kozi HighRize 1250 vs Smittybilt Aluminum Pop-up
The Darche Kozi HighRize 1250 and the Smittybilt Aluminum Pop-up 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. Darche and Smittybilt take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
Inside, the Aluminum Pop-up gives 3.02 m² of sleeping floor against 2.66 m², about 14 percent more, and it sleeps 3 to the Kozi HighRize 1250's 2. List prices are within $139.01000000000022 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one. Smittybilt also backs the Aluminum Pop-up for 5 years against 2.
They open differently: the Kozi HighRize 1250 is a fold-out and the Aluminum Pop-up a pop-up. That is not cosmetic — it decides whether headroom is even across the tent or tapers towards one end, and how much of the roof the tent occupies when closed. The Kozi HighRize 1250 uses 6-Series Aluminium; the Aluminum Pop-up uses aluminum.
Darche
Kozi HighRize 1250
The Kozi HighRize 1250 is a twin-fold aluminium hardshell rooftop tent for two, with large windows on all four sides. It publishes a 55mm memory-foam mattress, two integrated dimmable LED strips and built-in USB-A, USB-C and 12V power outlets (battery not included). It stores two sleeping bags and two pillows when closed.
- Windows on all four sides for ventilation
- Integrated USB-A/USB-C/12V power and dual LED strips
- 3000mm waterhead on both body and fly
- No published weight or external dimensions
Smittybilt
Aluminum Pop-up
The Aluminum Pop-up RTT is a hard-shell rooftop tent with an aluminum shell that raises vertically on gas-assisted struts to sleep 2-3 people. It shares the same footprint and external roof rack bars as Smittybilt's Aluminum Side Opening model but pops up to a taller interior peak. It includes a 2.5" high-density foam mattress, an LED light strip with remote and internal mesh storage, and carries a 661lbs load rating with a 5-year warranty.
- Vertical pop-up gives more interior peak height than Smittybilt's side-opening aluminum model
- External roof rack bars for cargo on the closed shell
- Aluminum hard shell with 5-year warranty and quick gas-assisted setup
- Manufacturer does not publish tent weight or season rating
Which one to pick
Take the Aluminum Pop-up if you need the sleeping room more than you need the lighter tent. Beyond that the feature rows below — heater port, skylight, annex, cargo rails — are where the remaining difference lies.
Every specification, side by side
| Specification | Smittybilt Aluminum Pop-up
| |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Fold-out | Pop-up |
| Sleeps | 2— worst of the tents compared | 3— best of the tents compared |
| Season rating | — | — |
| List price | $2,640— worst of the tents compared | $2,499.99— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 218 lb | — |
| Packed length | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared | 7 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 4 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 8.9 in— worst of the tents compared | 7.1 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 2 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 28.6 sq ft— worst of the tents compared | 32.5 sq ft— best of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared | 3 ft 9 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2.2 in— worst of the tents compared | 2.5 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | ~60 secest. |
| Shell material | 6-Series Aluminium | Aluminum |
| Fabric | 280gsm Ripstop Polycotton Canvas body; 420D Polyester Oxford Ripstop fly (3000mm both) | — |
| Warranty | 2years— worst of the tents compared | 5years— best of the tents compared |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | — |
| Roof skylight | — | — |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | Yes |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Darche product page | Smittybilt product page |
Related comparisons
- Kozi HighRize 1250vsBlade 40th Edition
- Kozi HighRize 1250vsGen 3-R Expedition
- Kozi HighRize 1250vsClassic
- Aluminum Pop-upvsOrion 1200 Lightweight
Or read the full spec sheets for the Darche Kozi HighRize 1250 and the Smittybilt Aluminum Pop-up.