Darche Solar vs Gordigear Hapuku

The Darche Solar and the Gordigear Hapuku 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 Gordigear take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.

By the numbers, the Darche Solar brings 88 kg, 2.4 m² of floor and sleeps 2. The Gordigear Hapuku counters with 95 kg, 3.01 m² of floor, 140 cm of headroom and sleeps 3.

The Solar is 7 kg lighter at 88 kg against 95 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 Hapuku gives 3.01 m² of sleeping floor against 2.4 m², about 25 percent more, and it sleeps 3 to the Solar's 2. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one. Darche also backs the Solar for 3 years against 2.

They open differently: the Solar is a clamshell and the Hapuku 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 Solar uses 2mm 6-Series Aluminium Alloy; Heavy-Duty 15mm Aluminium Honeycomb Insulation base; the Hapuku uses aluminium 18 mm honeycomb core with aluminium planking. Canvas differs too: 380gsm polycotton canvas with Darche Darkness (3000mm); 420D Polyester Oxford Ripstop fly (2000mm) against 320 gr/m2 ripstop polyester-cotton blend, polyurethane impregnated and UV resistant; flysheet 150 gr/m2 600D Oxford (UV 50+). Closed, the Hapuku sits 15 cm lower on the roof — 15 cm against 30 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.