Darche Dirty Dee 900

leaks everywhere. Don't buy – First time out in bad weather and the water was coming in from at least 6 different spots on the walls and roof. The mattress was so drenched, i has to call off the rest of my trip. F#CK THIS TENT Show details

3 year update review – Swag is still a excellent swag, hubby even went and brought the 1400 for trips together and it’s been put through some extreme weather. Two massive thunderstorms in longreach where we actually had to pick up swag and carry to higher ground because the ground was flooding, no leaks, a sml damp patch when we picked it up and moved it because didn’t… Read more

have my door zipped closed. Been down to cold country around Dargo high plains and it was as cosy as. Mines 3 years old and doesn’t show any wear, hubby’s 1 year old and they’re both awesome swags.

Dirty dee - almost perfect – Its a struggle to get the swag (swag only) back in the carry bag. Making it 10-15% bigger would be of great benefit. Also the tie straps could be 15-20% longer for the option of leaving bedding inside the swag. Otherwise a good roomy swag. Show details

Well Done Darche – Update - 5 year review: swag is in excellent condition, still waterproof. Poles all original and going strong. Minor rust on metal rings from beach camping and heavy rain, user error, should have cleaned. Still 5* I've had this swag for almost a year now and used it for 10 trips. I have waited for a true rainstorm to review... Pros: excellent… Read more

ventilation options for all conditions. Waterproof even in heavy constant rain. Good overhead room for changing relatively easily (for a swag - I am 6foot). Mesh and zips are of high quality and keep bugs out. PVC floor is strong as is the stitching in the corners where the rings connect to the frame. No leaks. For very warm weather recommend a stretcher for better airflow (true of all swags). Swag bag is excellent and stood up to abuse so far.

Cons: price (you pay for that quality but some of the price is branding - I have seen other swags of similar design and quality for 100 or so less RRP).

Overall very happy with the purchase, I have every reason to believe that it will last a long time.

Darche Dirty Dee 1400 (the big one) – Great swag but heavy and long. Actually more of a small tent made of heavy and good quality 'rip stop' canvas, of which I am a fan. The pros: Its comfortable with plenty of room for one reasonable sized person (I'm 5'11 x 100kg), a 10cm thick foam mattress + additional self inflating mattress, big sleeping bag, full sized pillow + gear bag,… Read more

heavy jacket, boots (and a rifle or two if one is so inclined). Great for cold weather camping as it traps some body heat when you first get up and out of your bag, with enough room to pull on your warm outdoor clothes without wiping your head all over the underside. Definitely rain proof as one night I had to set it up in a down pour and once in I could get dry. Both entries to either side are double zipped so no bugs. It has four mesh windows that can be closed off securely from outside with canvas flaps and Velcro tabs. Zips are heavy duty as is the stitching and floor material. Once the thing is set up and pegged down its quite secure even in windy conditions. Window and door flaps can be rolled all the way up for maximum ventilation but are also corded if the 'hatches require serious battening down'. It is not what you would call a flimsy tent. It pulls down fairly quick and packs pretty easily for its size and weight as the supplied bag is generous. I liked the addition of the webbing straps with buckles on the bag for constricting its size further. Cons: Forget dragging it up a hillside. Did I mention heavy, and long. The thing weighs in at 18kgs. If you add into it's bag a fly, ground sheet plus some pegs, then a bit of upper body strength may be required to wrestle it off roof racks. I have a commodore station wagon and it fits nicely in the back - as in from the back of the front seat to the rear door almost. If you had to lug it any distance from your vehicle then you should consider attaching a pair of wheels, I have. Takes a few minutes to set up, especially with cold fingers, and the heavy zips are quite noisy in the dark of the night when one must get up to water the plants. The three supporting rods can be a chore to get through the canvas tubes and then manoeuvre (with some effort) the locking pin into an end each. The rods are different sizes so don't get them mixed up. (I marked them S, M, L at both ends with a black sharpie on white electrical tape so I could make them out easily by torch). Also, because the supporting rods are sectional with an elasticised cord on the inside holding them together, I do wonder how long they will last before fraying sets in as the rods fold up when packed. So far so good.

I looked around at other similar products and I am satisfied that I choose well. The 'cons' I accept because I was after a small heavy duty tent that I intended to lug around in a car and then not set up far from that car. If you're after something light weight then this is not going to be your thing. I have used this item maybe a dozen times now and I reckon its a great little tent / large swag, and I have had no quality issues to speak of, well done Darche.

Great design, quality workmanship – Excellent design, ventilation for warmer months and very well stitched and sealed for when its colder and raining. The foam mattress does its job but I would recommend an upgrade to a self-inflating to go on top of it (the canvas bag that comes with it is big enough to accommodate the two). Its missing a few features of other similar swags (boot bag for example). There is room for two smaller adults to squeeze in together so its pretty spacious.