Review: Eureka Suite Dream 2: A luxurious and stylish two-person camping tent found on Sekaimon
Written by Yasushi Hisatomi
This is the third installment of our "I bought and tried out some items from Sekaimon" series. So far, I've written about how Sekaimon makes it easy to buy outdoor gear that's hard to find in Japan, even if you're not familiar with the language barrier ( this previous article the Eureka Suite Dream 2 , a unique tent I ordered from overseas, unique to America, the home of camping .
Eureka has long been a trusted brand for Japanese people, offering a wide selection of reasonably priced, high-quality (i.e., cost-effective) tents. However, as of 2018, it's difficult to obtain them domestically. While there remains a limited number of tent options in Japan, looking around the world, a wide variety of tents have been created to meet the specific needs of today's camping and festival culture. If you're looking for a unique and "just right" tent, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on overseas mail-order sites like Sekaimon.
Even if you don't have anything in particular in mind, Sekaimon a page that updates sales information for camping equipment every day , and sometimes you can find some unexpected bargains.
For more information about Sekaimon, please visit the official website
table of contents
Eureka Suite Dream 2 main features
First released in 2017, this modern two-person camping tent prioritizes livability and convenience. With a living space of approximately 4 square meters, it's spacious enough to comfortably accommodate a queen-size mattress and luggage. Furthermore, its irregular pole structure allows for a spacious ceiling and vestibule, resulting in exceptional livability for a typical two-person tent. Front and rear entrances, a large vestibule, ample pockets, and a gear loft in the ceiling make life inside the tent unparalleled. The breathable, high-visibility half-mesh inner lining and water-resistant flysheet ensure a comfortable environment inside the tent. The generous accessories, including footprints and pegs, are included, and the price is also a plus
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Recommended points
- A comfortable living space with ample floor space, vestibule, and ceiling
- The abundant pockets and hooks inside the room provide extremely convenient storage
- Mesh inner and flysheets that are weather-resistant, breathable, and fun
- Includes a wide range of accessories including a zippered carry duffel, gear loft, pegs, ropes, and footprints
- Lightweight for a camping tent
- price
Points of interest
- Breathability when the flysheet is closed
- Height when used for camping
Main specifications and evaluation
| Specifications | |
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| Item Name | Eureka Suite Dream 2 |
| season |
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| Number of people sleeping |
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| material |
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| weight |
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| Water pressure resistance |
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| Floor area |
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| Size (height, width, length) |
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| Entrance/front room (area) |
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| Accessories and other items |
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| evaluation | |
| Comfort and livability | ★★★★☆ |
| Ease of setup and takedown | ★★★☆☆ |
| weather resistance | ★★★★☆ |
| durability | ★★★☆☆ |
| weight | ★★★★☆ |
| Portability | ★★★☆☆ |
| General | ★★★★☆ |
Detailed Review
First of all, it's worth noting that the price is about $250 for a local tent, and it comes with plenty of accessories, including pegs, ropes, a footprint, a gear loft (ceiling pocket), and a carry bag. Moreover, considering its high level of livability, which I'll explain later, the weight of the tent itself is surprisingly light at just 3.2 kg
We started setting it up right away. A typical two-person tent is a rectangular size of about 1.5m x 2m, but this tent is almost square (1.9m x 2.1m) with an added triangular area for placing luggage, making it shaped like a home base. It looks like it's for three people, so it's more than enough
Attach the poles. First, cross the two main poles and set them into the eyelets at the four corners, then attach the hooks. Then, set the three irregular poles into the remaining vertices on the ground and the eyelets on the ceiling, and attach the hooks to those as well. Because they are hook-type, assembly is not too difficult even for one person
These irregular poles also widen the ceiling and entrance area, making the ceiling area vastly more spacious than a simple dome-shaped tent (see photo below). Of course, simply making the tent taller would increase the living space, but this would mean sacrificing wind resistance and weight. This is quite an ingenious way to "expand the living space (improve comfort) without increasing the height."
Let's take a look inside the tent. I tried laying two sleeping mats on the floor (see photo below). There's plenty of space on both sides, and there's even enough space near the entrance for two people's luggage
The inner tent is made of half-mesh, which is both windproof and breathable. On hot, sunny days, you can use it without the flysheet and enjoy a pleasant view of the sky from inside the tent. It provides moderate protection from the wind and direct sunlight, allowing you to relax in the gentle sunlight or gaze up at the stars, inspiring your playful side
The tent has six mesh pockets inside, including those in each of the four corners, the ceiling, the entrance, and the included gear loft (photo below), so you won't run out of storage space. There are also loops throughout the interior that can be used to attach separately sold storage accessories, further enhancing the convenience. Of course, you can also use these loops in your own creative ways
Return to assembly. Finally, put the fly sheet on and secure the ropes with the pegs to complete the set. Although it is not installed in this photo, you can further increase wind resistance by securing the tent with the included ropes on each pole of the fly sheet. By the way, the small transparent window (photo below) is quite handy as it allows you to see outside without opening the fly
Unusually for a two-person tent, the entrances are located on both the front and back (see photo below). This allows you to enter and exit without interfering with each other, making it comfortable even when living in the tent for long periods of time
The large entrance at the front provides a spacious vestibule, and the flysheet can be rolled up
Concerns
Breathability when closed
The only ventilation is this part on the back of the flysheet (see photo below), which is a bit lacking. The inner tent is mesh, so it's not too much of a problem, but the breathability when the flysheet is closed isn't that great, so it can be a bit of a concern inside in humid seasons
(If you consider it for camping) I would like it to be a little taller
I appreciated the spaciousness of the ceiling, but if it was only meant for camping, it would have been even more appealing as a luxurious camping tent if it had been about 160cm taller. However, this is more of a question of whether it could be improved, rather than being dissatisfied with the current situation
Summary: A comfortable tent that can be easily carried around for compact camping or as a base for mountain climbing
As a camping tent, the Suite Dream 2 may not be the most spacious. However, it's not like the tents that are just huge and heavy despite their spacious interior. Its smart construction and design, combined with numerous features that minimize unnecessary weight while maximizing comfort and convenience, make it a smart and comfortable camping experience, unlike the bulky, long-winded camping trips where you arrive by car with a ton of luggage. And don't forget, even beginners can easily afford it despite its high quality. This tent is perfect for smart campers who want to maintain their agility, or as a base camp for extended mountain climbing trips, providing irreplaceable time spent with loved ones in nature
an overview and details about Sekaimon , please visit the official website here.
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