Darche Streamliner 1250 vs Horntools Cloud 140

The Darche Streamliner 1250 and the Horntools Cloud 140 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 Horntools take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.

By the numbers, the Darche Streamliner 1250 brings 69 kg, 2.4 m² of floor, 145 cm of headroom and sleeps 2. The Horntools Cloud 140 counters with 60 kg, 3.18 m² of floor, 122 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.

The Cloud 140 is 9 kg lighter at 60 kg against 69 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 Cloud 140 gives 3.18 m² of sleeping floor against 2.4 m², about 33 percent more, though both are rated for 2. Headroom separates them further: 145 cm in the Streamliner 1250 against 122 cm, which is the difference between sitting up to dress and doing it lying down. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one. Horntools also backs the Cloud 140 for 5 years against 3.

The Streamliner 1250 uses 6-Series Aluminium / EPE composite; the Cloud 140 uses PVC (matte black), aluminium frame. Canvas differs too: 280gsm Ripstop Polycotton Canvas body (3000mm); 420D Polyester Oxford Ripstop fly (1500mm) against 300 g/m2 sailcloth with PU coating; 65% polyester, 35% cotton (water column 2000 mm); canopy 210D Oxford with PU coating (3000 mm).