Darche Buffalo 1535 vs Vickywood CUMARU EASE 135
The Darche Buffalo 1535 and the Vickywood CUMARU EASE 135 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. Darche and Vickywood take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The CUMARU EASE 135 is 16 kg lighter at 69 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 Buffalo 1535 gives 3 m² of sleeping floor against 2.6 m², about 15 percent more, and it sleeps 3 to the CUMARU EASE 135's 2. List prices are within $2 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
The Buffalo 1535 uses 6-Series Aluminium; Heavy-Duty Aluminium Honeycomb base; the CUMARU EASE 135 uses aluminum 6 Series. Canvas differs too: 180gsm Ripstop Polycotton Canvas with blackout coating (3000mm); 420D Polyester Oxford fly (1500mm) against recycled 320 g/m2 ripstop polyester, PU-coated; rainfly 420D Oxford polyester, 5,000 mm water column, UV 50+. Closed, the Buffalo 1535 sits 7 cm lower on the roof — 18 cm against 25 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
Darche
Buffalo 1535
The Buffalo 1535 is a side-opening aluminium hardshell rooftop tent with a low 180mm closed profile, fitting two to three people. It has a full-width sky window, blackout-coated canvas, white/amber LED strips and a 50mm memory-foam mattress. A 2.3m telescopic ladder is included.
- Low 180mm packed profile
- Full-width sky window and blackout canvas
- Sleeps up to three
- No published weight or open dimensions
Vickywood
CUMARU EASE 135
The CUMARU EASE 135 is a lightweight aluminium hardshell that opens semi-automatically on STABILUS gas struts, sleeping 2 on a 200 x 130 cm area with a 6 cm mattress. Its top shell is an integrated rack rated to 100 kg and it has two 100 cm dual-tone LED strips with USB-C. A dedicated annex fitting both the EASE and XP is offered separately.
- Semi-automatic gas-strut opening
- Integrated roof-load platform up to 100 kg
- Mattress thickness and fabric specs published
- No season rating or warranty period published
Which one to pick
Take the CUMARU EASE 135 if your roof load limit is the binding constraint. Take the Buffalo 1535 if you need the sleeping room more than you need the lighter tent. 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 | Clamshell | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 3— best of the tents compared | 2— worst of the tents compared |
| Season rating | — | — |
| List price | $2,900— best of the tents compared | $2,910— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 187 lb— worst of the tents compared | 152 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 7 ft 3 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 5 ft 4 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 7.1 in— best of the tents compared | 9.8 in— worst 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 | 4 ft 9 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 32.3 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 28 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 9 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2 in— worst of the tents compared | 2.4 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | ~60 secest. |
| Shell material | 6-Series Aluminium; Heavy-Duty Aluminium Honeycomb base | Aluminum 6 Series |
| Fabric | 180gsm Ripstop Polycotton Canvas with blackout coating (3000mm); 420D Polyester Oxford fly (1500mm) | Recycled 320 g/m2 ripstop polyester, PU-coated; rainfly 420D Oxford polyester, 5,000 mm water column, UV 50+ |
| Warranty | 3years | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | — |
| Roof skylight | Yes | Yes |
| Annex available | — | Yes |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | Yes |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Darche product page | Vickywood product page |
Related comparisons
- Buffalo 1535vsAdventurer
- Buffalo 1535vsAspen Pro Standard
- Buffalo 1535vsCloud 140
- CUMARU EASE 135vsHussarde Duö
Or read the full spec sheets for the Darche Buffalo 1535 and the Vickywood CUMARU EASE 135.