Freespirit Recreation Aspen Pro Standard vs Gasell Adventure GC138

The Freespirit Recreation Aspen Pro Standard and the Gasell Adventure GC138 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. Freespirit Recreation and Gasell Adventure take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.

By the numbers, the Freespirit Recreation Aspen Pro Standard brings 60.8 kg, 2.39 m² of floor, 132.1 cm of headroom and sleeps 2. The Gasell Adventure GC138 counters with 89 kg, 2.54 m² of floor, 145 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.

The Aspen Pro Standard is 28.200000000000003 kg lighter at 60.8 kg against 89 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 2.39 m² and 2.54 m², so neither wins on sleeping room. Headroom separates them further: 145 cm in the GC138 against 132.1 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.

The Aspen Pro Standard uses aluminum hardshell: extruded aluminum frame, polymer corners, honeycomb aluminum top; the GC138 uses aluminum. Canvas differs too: tri-Layer: polycotton fill between two layers of 210D ripstop against poly-cotton, 280 g/m2, PU-coated, 3000 mm water column (rain cover: 600D Oxford polyester, PU-coated, 3000 mm).