Freespirit Recreation Nova King vs Gasell Adventure GA150 2.0
The Freespirit Recreation Nova King and the Gasell Adventure GA150 2.0 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 Nova King brings 73.5 kg, 3.81 m² of floor, 109.9 cm of headroom and sleeps 4. The Gasell Adventure GA150 2.0 counters with 85 kg, 2.8 m² of floor, 120 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.
The Nova King is 11.5 kg lighter at 73.5 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. Inside, the Nova King gives 3.81 m² of sleeping floor against 2.8 m², about 36 percent more, and it sleeps 4 to the GA150 2.0's 2. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
They open differently: the Nova King is a fold-out and the GA150 2.0 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 Nova King uses extruded aluminum with polymer corners; the GA150 2.0 uses aluminum. Canvas differs too: tri-Layer: polycotton fill between two layers of 210D ripstop against poly-cotton, 320 g/m2, PU-coated, 4000 mm water column (rain cover: 600D Oxford polyester, PU-coated, 4000 mm).
Freespirit Recreation
Nova King
The Nova King is the larger of Freespirit Recreation's two hardshell fold-out tents, opening to a 72 in wide interior that sleeps 3-4. It keeps a narrow 42 in closed width while folding out to roughly double the floor of the Nova Standard. The manufacturer rates it for 4-season use, and it includes aluminum crossbars, LED lighting and heater/AC/electrical ports.
- Wide 3-4 person fold-out interior
- Manufacturer-stated 4-season rating and 750 lb capacity
- Narrow closed width for its deployed size
- Fold-out needs side clearance and ladder support to deploy
Gasell Adventure
GA150 2.0
The GA150 2.0 is Gasell Adventure's aluminium-shell flip-up tent that opens on hydraulic gas struts to a 120 cm interior height and a 204 x 150 cm floor from a 150 x 115 cm packed size. Gasell lists an 85 kg tent weight, a 400 kg maximum roof load, a 50 mm memory-foam mattress, poly-cotton fabric (320 g/m2, 4000 mm) and app-controlled dimmable LED lighting, with a stated 1-2 minute setup. It is rated by the maker for two adults and up to two small children.
- Aluminium shell with a high 400 kg maximum roof-load rating
- App-controlled dimmable LED lighting inside and outside
- Includes a 50 mm memory-foam mattress and 320 g/m2 / 4000 mm poly-cotton fabric
- Heavy for a two-person tent at 85 kg
Which one to pick
Take the Nova King if you need the sleeping room more than you need the lighter tent. Take the Nova King if your roof load limit is the binding constraint. Beyond that the feature rows below — heater port, skylight, annex, cargo rails — are where the remaining difference lies.
Every specification, side by side
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Fold-out | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 4— best of the tents compared | 2— worst of the tents compared |
| Season rating | 4-season | — |
| List price | $3,295— best of the tents compared | $3,400— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 162 lb— best of the tents compared | 187 lb— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 6 ft 6 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 3 ft 6 in— best of the tents compared | 3 ft 9 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 11.5 in— worst of the tents compared | 10.6 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 6 ft 10 in— best of the tents compared | 6 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 6 ft— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 41 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 30.1 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared | 3 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | — | 2 in |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | 2 min |
| Shell material | Extruded aluminum with polymer corners | Aluminum |
| Fabric | Tri-Layer: polycotton fill between two layers of 210D ripstop | Poly-cotton, 320 g/m2, PU-coated, 4000 mm water column (rain cover: 600D Oxford polyester, PU-coated, 4000 mm) |
| Warranty | — | 2years |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | — |
| Roof skylight | — | — |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Freespirit Recreation product page | Gasell Adventure product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Freespirit Recreation Nova King and the Gasell Adventure GA150 2.0.