Robens Arrow Head Review: A 1-Person Backpacking Tent Tested
· Updated
The Robens Arrow Head is a genuinely light one-person tunnel tent that earns its place in a backpacking kit, as long as you are happy to trade sit-up headroom for a low pack weight. It drops to 1.3kg stripped back, packs down to 38 x 15cm, and puts a 3,000mm flysheet between you and a wet British night. For solo hikers who count grams, that is a strong start.
It is not a palace, and it does not pretend to be. The headroom is tight, the porch is small, and the supplied pegs are made for still weather rather than a Pennine gale. This review covers who the Arrow Head suits, how it pitches, how it handles the weather, and whether the price stacks up. It sits within our the complete UK camping gear guide, part of the wider kit advice we run at Camping Sites in Britain.
Who the Robens Arrow Head suits
This tent is built for one person travelling light on foot. It is a three-season backpacking shelter, so think spring to autumn wild camps, long-distance trails, bikepacking and festival overnights rather than deep winter mountain use.
It works best for campers up to around six foot who are happy lying down or propped on an elbow inside. If you want to sit fully upright, cook in the porch in comfort, or spread out with a big pack indoors, a roomier one-person or a small two-person tent will serve you better. For everyone else chasing a low carry weight, the Arrow Head is squarely on target. If you are still weighing up your options, our roundup of the best lightweight camping gear puts it in context alongside the rest of a packable kit.
Specifications at a glance
Here are the confirmed specifications from the published Robens spec, tidied and corrected against the manufacturer's current figures.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | One-person tunnel tent, three-season |
| Sleeps | 1 |
| Minimum weight | 1.3kg |
| Packed weight | 1.8kg |
| Packed size | 38 x 15cm |
| Inner length | 270cm |
| Flysheet | 75D polyester, HydroTex Core, fire retardant, 3,000mm HH |
| Inner tent | 68D breathable polyester |
| Floor | 75D polyester taffeta, PU coated, 6,000mm HH |
| Poles | 8.5mm anodised aluminium alloy (#7001 T6) |
| Pitching | Outer first or all in one |
Two figures often get quoted wrongly online. The 1.8kg number is the full packed weight with bag, pegs and guys, whilst the trail-ready minimum weight is 1.3kg. The floor carries a 6,000mm hydrostatic head, double the flysheet's 3,000mm, which is exactly what you want under a groundsheet on damp turf. For the theory behind those ratings, see our beginner's guide to hydrostatic head.
Pitching the Arrow Head
Pitching is quick and hard to get wrong, which is the single best thing about this tent. The pre-bent alloy poles slot into sleeves that are closed at one end, so a pole cannot shoot out the far side while you feed it through. You clip in, peg out the two ends, tension the guys, and you are done in a couple of minutes even in fading light.
You can pitch outer first or all in one, so the inner stays dry if you set up in the rain. The catch is that a tunnel tent is not freestanding. It only stands up properly once it is pegged and tensioned, so it needs ground that takes a peg. On a solid pitch or a wooden platform you will want to plan your anchor points before you start.
Weather performance
The Arrow Head handles British rain well for its size and weight. The 3,000mm HydroTex flysheet sheds sustained rain, and the 6,000mm PU-coated floor keeps ground water out from below, so you stay dry in the sort of persistent drizzle that defines a UK camping trip. The flysheet is also fire retardant, which is a sensible touch near a camp stove.
Ventilation is a real strength. Vents at each end keep air moving through the inner, and a small strut at the head end holds one open, which cuts the condensation that plagues single-skin and budget tents on cold, still nights. In a small tent that airflow makes the difference between a dry morning and a damp sleeping bag.
Wind is where you need to think. The tent shape is low and sheds wind well end-on, but the supplied pegs are ultralight and made for easy insertion, not for holding in a blow. In exposed spots they can lift. Carry a few sturdier metal pegs or some V-stakes for the main anchor points, angle them properly, and the Arrow Head copes with a lot more than the standard kit suggests. Choosing the right anchor is worth a read on its own in our guide to selecting the right tent peg for the job.
Space, storage and comfort
Inside, the Arrow Head is comfortable to lie in but tight to sit up in. At 270cm long the inner easily takes a six-foot camper plus a bit of kit at the feet, and Robens offsets the inner slightly to free up usable space. Headroom is the trade-off for the low weight and low profile, so tall campers will be lying down or leaning rather than sitting bolt upright.
There is a mesh pocket at the head end for a phone, headtorch and glasses, and the porch gives you somewhere to stash boots and a stove out of the rain. It is a modest porch rather than a cooking pavilion, so plan on gear storage rather than sheltered lounging. Pair the tent with a good sleeping mat and the narrow footprint stops mattering once you are horizontal.
Pros and cons
The short version of the balance sheet, based on the specs and how the tent behaves in the field.
Pros
- Light: 1.3kg minimum weight and a 38 x 15cm pack size
- Fast, foolproof pitching with closed-end pole sleeves
- Pitches outer first, so the inner stays dry in rain
- Genuinely waterproof: 3,000mm fly, 6,000mm floor
- Strong through-flow ventilation that fights condensation
- Full side entry rather than a cramped foot-end door
- Fire-retardant flysheet
Cons
- Limited sit-up headroom for taller campers
- Small porch, not built for cooking under cover
- Supplied pegs are too light for exposed or windy pitches
- Not freestanding, so it needs peg-friendly ground
Is the Robens Arrow Head good value?
For a sub-1.5kg one-person tent from a respected brand, the Arrow Head sits at the affordable end of the backpacking market. Its recommended retail price has been around £140, but it is regularly discounted and stock comes and goes, so prices swing. We would not quote a single figure here because it changes too often to trust.
Check current pricing at outdoor retailers before you buy, and compare the delivered weight and floor size against anything else in the same bracket. As a light, waterproof, quick-pitching solo shelter for three-season trips around Britain, it earns its keep. Take it to the backpacking country it is built for, whether that is the Lake District or the Scottish Highlands, or browse the full campsite directory to plan your first outing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Robens Arrow Head weigh?
The minimum trail weight is 1.3kg. The full packed weight, including the bag, pegs and guylines, is 1.8kg. It packs down to 38 x 15cm.
Is the Robens Arrow Head waterproof enough for the UK?
Yes. The flysheet has a 3,000mm hydrostatic head and the floor a 6,000mm rating, which handles sustained British rain and damp ground. Ventilation at both ends helps keep condensation down.
Can a six-foot person sleep in the Arrow Head?
Yes. The inner is 270cm long, so a six-foot camper fits comfortably with room for kit at the feet. Sitting fully upright is the limitation, not lying down.
Does the Arrow Head pitch outer first?
Yes. It pitches outer first or all in one, so you can set up the flysheet and keep the inner dry when it is raining. It is a tunnel tent, so it is not freestanding.
Are the supplied pegs any good?
They are ultralight and go in without a mallet, which is fine for sheltered pitches. For exposed or windy spots, carry a few sturdier metal pegs for the main anchor points.
How many people does the Arrow Head sleep?
One. It is a dedicated one-person tunnel tent, designed for solo backpackers who want a low carry weight rather than shared space.
The short version
The Robens Arrow Head is a light, waterproof, quick-pitching one-person tent that is honestly good at what it sets out to do, provided you accept tight headroom and swap the pegs for windy pitches. For solo three-season backpacking in Britain, it is a sound, affordable choice. Read it alongside the complete UK camping gear guide, then find somewhere to pitch it in our campsite directory.
Specifications verified against the published Robens product spec. See the full manufacturer specification here.