Darche Lightrize vs Darche Ridgeback Eco Poly

Both of these are Darche tents, so the question is not which brand to trust but which size and configuration suits your vehicle and how you camp. The Lightrize and the Ridgeback Eco Poly share Darche's construction and warranty; where they part company is in the numbers below.

By the numbers, the Darche Lightrize brings 80 kg, 2.4 m² of floor and sleeps 2. The Darche Ridgeback Eco Poly counters with 85 kg, 2.4 m² of floor, 144 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.

The Lightrize is 5 kg lighter at 80 kg against 85 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 2.4 m² and 2.4 m², so neither wins on sleeping room. Both carry the same list price, so price cannot decide this one at all.

They open differently: the Lightrize is a fold-out and the Ridgeback Eco Poly a clamshell. 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 Lightrize uses 6-Series Aluminium Alloy Extrusions with composite honeycomb baseboard; the Ridgeback Eco Poly uses 6-Series Aluminium; Heavy-Duty Aluminium Honeycomb Insulation base. Canvas differs too: 280gsm Ripstop Polycotton Canvas body; 420D Polyester Oxford Ripstop fly (3000mm waterhead) against ecoWGAF 280gsm Polyester Oxford Ripstop body (100% recycled); ecoWGAF 140gsm fly (3000mm).