Decathlon Freestanding 6 Person Camping Living Area

Hello Laz,

Not particularly. While Decathlon highlights an eco-design effort for this shelter overall, the groundsheet itself is made from standard synthetic plastic.

Here is a breakdown of the material and environmental details for the groundsheet on the Quechua Arpenaz Base M:

1. Material & Environmental Profile

- Material: 100% Polyethylene (PE), 140 g/m²
- Environmental Impact: Polyethylene is a synthetic, petroleum-derived plastic. While it is lightweight, highly durable, and waterproof (2,400 mm rating), it is non-biodegradable and requires fossil fuels to produce.
- Recyclability: Standard PE groundsheets can theoretically be recycled, but specialized facilities are needed, and they are rarely recycled at end-of-life once worn or dirty.

2. Where the "Eco-Design" Actually Applies
Decathlon lists an Ecodesign approach for this product, but it applies to the main canopy fabric, not the groundsheet:

- Dope-Dyed Polyester Fabric: The main fabric uses a solution-dyeing (dope-dyeing) process where color pigments are added during yarn spinning rather than dyeing finished fabric. This reduces CO₂ emissions by at least 17% and saves significant water during manufacturing.

3. Positives for Sustainability

- Repairability & Durability: Quechua designs the shelter to be repairable with available spare parts, and the sturdy 140 g/m² groundsheet is meant to resist tearing. Keeping outdoor gear in use longer rather than replacing it is the most eco-friendly aspect of the product.

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Hello El,

Yes, this living area provides full privacy for changing.

The Decathlon Freestanding 6-Person Living Area (Arpenaz Base M) features a convertible door design with two layers:

- Full Fabric Doors (Privacy Mode): Solid, waterproof polyester fabric flaps zip down completely over the openings to fully block the view from the outside, allowing you to change in private.
- Mosquito Netting (Ventilation Mode): You can roll back or unzip the solid outer flaps to leave just the mesh screen in place for airflow while keeping insects out.

When all the outer fabric doors are zipped closed, the shelter functions like a standard closed tent with full visual coverage.

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Hello Jim,

No, "nature's confetti" (dead grass, bugs, or flies) is definitely not an official feature included in the box!

If you purchase a new living area, it will arrive fresh and clean from the factory. However, if you are looking at Decathlon’s Second Life refurbished stock, or if you purchase a floor display model, there is a small chance a blade of grass or a fly may have hitched a ride during its previous use.

To help keep uninvited guests out after setup, the Decathlon Freestanding 6-Person Living Area comes equipped with built-in defenses:

- Mosquito Mesh Windows: Large mesh panels on the doors and windows let the breeze in while keeping flies and midges outside.
- Zip-up Doors: You can seal the main entrances completely when bugs become active.
- Groundsheet Protection: The included fitted groundsheet helps block crawling insects from entering from the ground below.

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Mine did! I suspected that I had been sold a second hand tent as new. I tried to contact Argos to make this right , they suggested that I seeing my campsite and take the tent to a store to be inspected. While the thought of watching the tent being erected inside a a busy Sainsburys on a Friday evening made me chuckle I decided not to ruin my camping trip and kept the obviously previously used tent

Hello Steph66,

The small white plastic plug (or end cap/ferrule) anchors the fiberglass poles to the bottom corners of the shelter.

The Decathlon Arpenaz Base M uses a "pin and ring" system at ground level to hold its shape. Here is how the plug functions:

- Setup: When assembling the fiberglass poles, the white plug sits at the end of the pole. At each bottom corner of the tent fabric, there is a metal ring with an attached pin. To tension the tent into its dome shape, slide this metal pin directly into the hollow opening of the white plug.
- Fabric Protection: The plug acts as a protective shield, preventing the metal pin and the ground from damaging or splintering the ends of the poles.
- Smooth Feeding: The smooth, rounded shape of the plug helps guide the poles through the fabric sleeves on the roof without snagging or ripping the material.

Note: If you found a spare white plug loose in your tent bag, please keep it. It is a common replacement part that can be used to repair the tip if a pole ever cracks.

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Hello Lonnie,

Thank you for reaching out to our Q&A service regarding the Decathlon Freestanding 6-Person Camping Living Area (Arpenaz Base M).

The groundsheet on this model is fully sewn-in, creating a solid, fully attached floor to the main walls. Because the heavy-duty floor is completely sealed against the bottom edges of the shelter walls, crawling insects, slugs, and rainwater cannot enter from underneath or through gaps at the floor perimeter.

Whether flying bugs can get in depends on how the doors are managed:

- The Mesh Windows/Doors: Three of the four large side openings feature fully integrated mosquito mesh screens that zip completely shut. Keeping the outer doors rolled up and relying solely on these closed mesh layers allows for excellent airflow while keeping flying insects out.
- The Main Door: The front/main door flap does not have a mesh screen layer and is a solid fabric panel. If this main entrance panel is left open, flying insects can easily enter.

In summary, the floor is a completely sealed, sewn-in groundsheet with no gaps for bugs to crawl underneath. To make the entire structure bug-proof, you simply need to keep the three mesh side doors zipped up and the solid main front door closed.

Hello Matt,

Thank you for reaching out to our Q&A service regarding your equipment.

To answer your question, the Freestanding 6-Person Living Area cannot be physically attached or zipped onto the Arpenaz 6.3 tent to create a fully sealed, seamless additional room. While both items are part of the Arpenaz line, the Arpenaz 6.3 is a tunnel tent and the Freestanding Living Area is designed as an independent, standalone shelter.

However, you can still use them together to expand your campsite layout using the following methods:

Using Them Together (The "Butt-Up" Method)
Many campers pitch these units side-by-side by backing the entrance awning of the Arpenaz 6.3 up to one of the large doors of the Living Area. While this effectively doubles your sheltered communal space, please note that it is not fully weatherproof. Because there is no airtight connection, rain and wind may still enter through the gap between the two structures.

Alternatives for a Sealed Extension
If you require a weatherproof extension attached directly to your tent, we recommend the following options:

- For an Extra Sleeping Room: The Arpenaz 6.3 Extra Bedroom inner tent clips directly inside your existing tent shell to provide additional sleeping berths.
- For a Seamless Front Extension: The Arpenaz Fresh Camping Awning/Canopy is specifically designed to overlap and strap onto the poles of tunnel tents like the 6.3. This creates a stable, continuous extension to protect your main entrance from sun and rain.

I hope this information helps with your campsite preparation.

Hello TV,
Yes, it can be put up by just 1 person, but it requires a bit of patience and strategy the first few times. Thank you for using Q&A!

Hello Lou,
Yes, it is not fully sealable. Thank you for using Q&A!

Hello John,

The short answer is yes, you can absolutely use the Decathlon Quechua Arpenaz Base M for your van. Many van lifers and micro-camper owners choose this model as a cost-effective alternative to a dedicated drive-away awning.

Here is how it would work for your setup:

The Benefits: Easy Access
The tent features three large zippered doors, which suits your plan perfectly. You can park your van’s sliding door right up against one of the tent openings to walk directly into the shelter. Since the tent is freestanding, you can simply zip the door closed and drive away for the day without needing to take the structure down.

The Consideration: The "Weather Gap"
Unlike a purpose-built awning, this shelter does not have a connecting tunnel or cowl to attach to your van's roof. This means there will be a small physical gap between the tent and your vehicle. In heavy rain, water may run off the van roof into this gap.

How to Bridge the Gap:
Many campers use these simple DIY solutions to stay dry:

- Canopy Overlap: Position the tent so that the van door opens slightly under the tent’s door flap.
- Tarp and Magnets: Use a small waterproof tarp secured with rubber-coated magnets to the van roof and clamped to the tent poles to create an improvised rain tunnel.

If you are looking for a budget-friendly, breathable space that allows you to drive away easily, this is a brilliant option—just keep a tarp handy for the British weather!

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Hello Tintin,

Please find the specifications for the product below:

Packed Specifications

- Weight: 8 kg (approx. 17.6 lbs)
- Dimensions: 57 cm × 18 cm × 18 cm (22.4" × 7.1" × 7.1")
- Total Volume: 18 Litres

Pitched Dimensions (For Reference)

- Floor Area: 250 cm × 250 cm (6.25 m²)
- Maximum Height: 215 cm (2.15 meters)

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