Reviewing the Reactive Outdoor 3 Second Tent in the San Rafael Desert

[@karenlong6647]

Love your honest review

[@alexandrashoemaker6287]

As a beginner camper, I like how you reviewed this. I think the expensive tents (for me, at this point) are a little intimidating with all the parts and steps to set up. I think this little pop up one is perfect for kids or newer campers.

[@michaeldeal1625]

I bought a similar tent about 30 years ago from Target (I believe it was the Target brand - Great Outdoors or something like that). It was about $40 at that time I think. And mine has the same sort of spring mechanism at the top and self-locking joints. Mine even came with a rain fly. I've used it car camping about 20-30 times over the years, and it still works great. And the best part is that, like the one you showed, it is VERY easy and quick to set up (or "pitch" for you experts) and take down ('unpitch?"). So I would strongly recommend this type of tent, even for actual camping.

[@H.pylori]

Thanks, youtube interrupted my viewing with an advertisement from them. I wanted an objective video on the tent's function. Your video is very helpful.

[@3smoke]

You can get a Gazelle T4 for $239. I have one and when my buddy saw it he bought one, then someone saw his and he bought one too! I love my tent, it's a game changer.

[@jdchance3655]

G/T4s retail for $399.99

[@jentommyontheroad8089]

Thanks for the review! I travel in my diy mini cargo camper van and just need to pack a tent for sites where a tent is required even though I have no plans to sleep in it! It’s going to be perfect for that purpose!

[@infinite5oul578]

Thank You. This was just what i was looking for! About to order it, and since I'm a first timer camping, i would like it to be as easy an experience as possible.

[@VictoriaDeaton-u8i]

Fantastic review--very thoughtful and thorough, and covers the bases from potential users to construction. I have ultralight backpacking tents but wanted a larger car-camping oriented tent for use in the southwest, and you gave me exactly the info I needed on this one.

[@toddshook1765]

Thanks for your input. I like the idea of a pop up easy tent. I have been reviewing the Gazelle tent for ease of set up but also it is taller so I can use a cot. I, too, am older and heavier so getting up from ground is getting harder. I like a cot to sleep.

[@pantera2382]

Great review! Thank you. at the summery of the overall end of the video. what 1 or 2 tents would you prefer more then for a quick setup like this one?

[@richrich411]

Thanks for your review. I'm a beginner and wanted something easy. This looked like a good choice, but the split seam, cheap zippers and size are concerning. Plus, another reviewer tried three of this same tent and had to return it a couple of times because it didn't keep the rain out. Water pooled up around the inside edges of the floor.

[@bwest6275]

Pretty sure I saw that same review (about a year ago). It appears the company saw that video and improved the design to prevent leaks. Some commenters of that review confirmed they got a newer version and no more leaks. I just wonder (hope) the old design is now phased out and they are selling the improved version now.

[@tungstenkid2271]

Puddle Alert ! -I've just bought the small sized one, and although workmanship is good, a major design flaw is that the top is not domed or even flat, but actually sags to form a "crater" or rain trap . Don't take my word for it, checkout some vids. The small "top cover" doesn't cover the whole crater, so any rain falling towards the outer edges of the crater will run inwards towards the centre and form a puddle which might then drip down the centre spindle. I'll try making a bigger top cover myself out of spare waterproof material to cover the whole diameter of the crater which should solve the problem.

[@LoneLupine]

Great review! Thank you!! I was considering this tent because i bought a dome tent a while back that I could not set up myself, my arms are too short. Fortunately I've only been camping in groups so someone helped me. But I want to do more solo camping so I'm looking for a tent that's easy to set up by myself (im a newbie, as you can proabbly tell). I used to have a backpacker A-frame pup tent that I could set up by myself but I want a bigger tent for me, my german shepherd, and my stuff. Are there any other more expensive tents similar to this one that you'd recommend (or basically any tent that a small/short girl could set up with no help)? Thank you!

[@sokodad]

Just a backup for quick camping with the grandkids. Our main tent is a mountainsmith for our motorcycle trips. We have a huge Coleman for family outings.

[@davegardner5672]

It's a good tent to strap to the back of your motorcycle to attend rallies. Motorcyclist, as opposed to hikers, don't mind if the tent is a little heavier than others

[@MrWinger1951]

The price pretty much says it all, and the design is more compatible for a back yard kids tent.

[@jayrock825mc7]

Thanks for the honest for the Review

[@dannywade1783]

I wish someone would make a quality version of this tent

[@jaysonbarlow3540]

Gazelle does

[@Rob-i7x]

Nice review... kind of distracted me when you just didn't tie the paracord on your good stakes to the fasteners on the tent (not a fan of those skimpy metal stakes)

[@gregdee530]

Good for long-distance motorcyclers, quick and easy set up/pack up each day, and small enough to not be a problem on the bike, better than a swag I think.

[@CAMacKenzie]

I enjoy camping, generally car camping, but don't go as often as I'd like and it's been a couple of years since the last time I went. I got the 2-3 person model rather than the 1-2 because I've found thet tents that claim to be for 2 generally are none too big for 1, and I want to take my wife along. From looking at what you show, it looks like the small model might actually be big enough, but I'm not going to worry. I took it to the park to set up and find out how it works, and, no surprise, the 3 second claim is absurd. Still, the few minutes it took was a lot quicker than the dome tent with fiberglass bendy rods I've had, and, being rectangulsr rather than hexagonal, the space is more usable. I figure that, having tried it out, it'll be quicker the next time. Taking it down and putting it away, however, was harder and slower, and I'm going to have to unpack it again to get it as compact as it was as I couldn't get it folded as you did. Seeing how you packed it is a help and I should be able to do it the next time.

[@danielbarrios8947]

is the door on the wider or narrower side of the tent?

[@exploresouthwest]

It's on the wider side so swinging long legs in and out is a little easier.

[@thefumexxl]

Don't buy this tent dude.

[@The1Roddydog]

What size was that tent?

[@johngraham5978]

Great for a weekend warrior. I prefer something more robust though. Jmo

[@Demi-St0rm]

You said “40 years of camping experience’ yet you put up and review a tent, without reading the instructions first on how to put it up correctly. Come on, you put it up really badly and that was why the sides were at strange angles, yeah? Sorry, had to be honest.

[@javiercruz66ify]

😂😂

[@NormSimpson-iw5jr]

I agree. I grew up with a Dad who was a Real Camper/Outdoorsman. We had to set up everything in our Backyard and show my Dad we could do it instead of embarrassing himself or us in the field...even my sisters could pitch a Military Pup-tent faster than 90% of Men....knowledge is helpful...instructions too....

[@millwalldave467]

They say it's a 3second tent impossible too mess up simply unfold pull up job dome so how could he mess it up 😂😂😂

[@therotterdamboy]

So the stakes were missing... I guess.... It was a misstake.

[@davidhunternyc1]

I love the cheap wire stakes. Keep it simple! I think you should pop the tent up first, get the rods perfectly straight and then hammer in the stakes. I love this tent. I would definitely try to take off the huge ugly "Reactive" logo though with some zip strip or paint remover. There is no branding nor logos in nature. We are inundated with informational junk. What other tents are better that are this easy to set up? Thank you for the video.

[@toecutter5565]

good job ..

[@Photo_Cyclist]

The poles should be hammered proceeding on an opposite corner order, never on an adjacent corner order. Kind of like how you draw an X.

[@fredderf3207]

I want a tent I can stand up in.

[@tubedriver009]

No it's because of the kind of ground your putting the pegs in..obviously sand isn't gonna hold the pegs as firmly as other bases.

[@superslice761]

It won't keep anyone dry.

[@MiniDelastone]

Setting up a tent with incoming storm and not securing it with the strings/rope… 40 years of experience ? Yea right…

[@patrickian8843]

A buddy of mine bought one…it leaked. They sent him a replacement (pretty quickly). Guess what? Yep, it leaked. I’d spend a little extra on a better tent and avoid the frustration…but that’s me.

[@bwest6275]

That’s sad to hear. I read in another review that the company apparently redesigned this tent to fix leaking. Do you know when your friend bought their tent? Seems the newer design started shipping maybe half a year ago.

[@2trucker2]

There's guy ropes in case it's windy, no mention. It's twisted, that's down to the tester, top cover can have a structural element as well as a finishing touch, where was that? A sense of mild irritation comes across, mmm.

[@exploresouthwest]

@@2trucker2 It was twisted. I should have mentioned that, that it's still like this after I tried to straighten it out. And it didn't come with guy wires. It's a review, it's reviewed as received. If you have to modify something with your own money after it's purchased it wouldn't be an honest review of the product itself.

[@suny1265]

With 40 years of ex you should have tested it in Rain

[@exploresouthwest]

The tent wasn't 40 years old, and as hard as I tried I couldn't get it to rain on the desert while I was testing it...

[@agoclemens346]

Ich besitze dieses Zelt seit einem Jahr und mußte feststellen daß mein Zelt in der Zeltplane Risse hat und die Nähte aufgehen Bitte es ist keine gute Qualität Bei temu gibt es viel Preis günstiger

[@TheMoonmoonmoon]

This tent is simply terrible. The way those pole joints twist is so bad - the slightest gust of wind collapses them and the joints turn inside out. The guy ropes are instructed to be tied in a bad place that doesn't support it properly. Within one hour of use on its first ever trip, mine was broken, the pin inside the joint bent. The wind must have been 15mph, it's a joke! I had to repair a joint with a tent peg, and redesign the way guy ropes are fixed (attach them Below the joints not above) in order to keep it upright. There is no reply from customer service - avoid this product people!

[@tinbarnranch]

Clever design. However the issues you had right out of the bag are deal breakers for me. In your case you had spare stakes that worked. What about the folks who desperately want a quick getaway....say 200 miles away and discover upon arrival they are missing important parts? How do you compensate for that issue. A refund/replacement doesn't even come close!

[@paulettebarrow9791]

@tin, That why he said check it before you go camping

[@gary8306]

​@@paulettebarrow9791exactly.

[@UncleFjester]

It's so hard to install 5 poles into a real tent, plus it takes so long. I'd rather spend my time taking selfies for tick tock.

[@MichaelAndersen_DK]

Take it out in some proper rain and do another review. It's horrible

[@ChefAlexSocci]

This is litterally the stupidest thing ive ever seen. How anyone thought this tent was a good idea baffles me.

[@ROgletree]

The 5 year old Chinese girl didn’t know she was supposed to include stakes.