Living in Southern California, I’m afforded the luxury of year-round camping weather and amazing national parks and forests only hours away. Unfortunately, due to the financial costs of living in Southern California, this means I don’t have the luxury of taking time off work to go camping all the time. The fresh air, the escape from bustling cities, and the starry night skies all entice me to get away from Los Angeles as often as possible but with only short weekends available to me, I can’t fit too many locations in my itinerary.
Between driving, stops for gas and supplies, and finally settling down in a camp site to pitch the tent and cook dinner, you realize just how much effort it takes just to get out in nature and relax.
Whether you’re like myself and spending every weekend out of the city, or you’re an avid overlander who camps for days at time, or maybe you’ve got picky campers in your car and a ground tent doesn’t suit your style, you’re aware of roof top tents.
In 2021, consumers are fortunate to have the option from a wide variety of tents, so it will be up to you to decide what style/format is right for you. However, we will do our best to provide as much insight into the products we get our hands on so you can make an informed decision. We understand tents aren’t like sneakers you can check out in store or try on so we’ll do our best to point out all in the ins and outs.
To start, the Roofnest Sparrow is a very handsome tent both open and collapsed. The model provided us for review was a glossy black ABS-fiberglass shell with space for a soft storage bag on top while maintaining an aerodynamic profile. It mounts to the SUV provided on the factory cross bar rack.
In fact, this mounting method is what makes the Roofnest such a viable option for lots of people getting into roof top tents. It bolts to any factory rails and crossbars that can support the weight of the tent and its passengers. This is great when you don’t feel like investing the time or money on a dedicated roof rack, especially one that is built-to-order and has a lead time north of 6-10 weeks. I will admit that a flush fit rack would create a more secure bond between the tent and the vehicle, reducing flex from the wind when driving at highway speeds; however, I found the crossbar mounts acceptable for the time being.
While I cannot comment on the ease of installation, these tents do weigh a great deal for the features they pack inside. The Sparrow weighs in at ~130lbs and would not be recommended for a single person to install unassisted. Once installed however, using the Roofnest Sparrow is much easier. Undo the four latches along the front and sides and it starts expanding immediately. Depending on your height or the height of your vehicle, you may need the easy-to-use ladder to climb up and give the tent a nudge. From there, it will expand into its full height with ease. The internal gas struts I found to be very strong and quiet, opening the heavy-duty top shell and supporting it for the duration of your trip with confidence. One major advantage of the straight-up design is its unparalled protection in the event of inclement weather. I foresee no issues experiencing rain, heavy snow, or hail in this tent and I imagine it even protecting your vehicles exposed sunroof or glass roof features from such elements.
Its 3-sided awning feature allows you to prop open the weatherproof sidings for shade and rain protection while allowing lots of airflow to pass through. While I would prefer to be able to leave the awnings up and also close the windows to airflow like a traditional ground tent with a rain-fly installed, I understand this would add to the bulk and weight of the tent while not offering much practicality. The two poles supporting each awning are relatively easy to install while inside the tent, and if you’re experiencing inclement weather or temperatures and you’d like to seal it off from the elements, you take down the awning poles and zip it shut. There was sufficient room to store the poles inside the tent between the sides of the mattress and the bottom half of the hard-shell.
Speaking of the hard shell, one thing I had not considered is condensation against the surfaces of the tent. The good news is Roofnest already did for you. Both top and bottom are quilted to prevent humidity from condensing against the hard surfaces, and the bottom of the shell is lined with an anti-condensation mat – a very firm breathable mat that keeps the 3” foam mattress from making contact with the lower shell.
I found this very helpful for avoiding sleeping in any sand/dirt that tracks in as it will make its way to the bottom and also provides an air gap, aiding in insulation and keeping the foam mattress dry while you sleep. A majority of your body heat’s insulation is drawn away from you by the cold surface you sleep on compared to the ambient air of the tent, so this mattress/mat combo makes a big difference in terms of comfort and ease of maintenance.
I really can’t emphasize enough how easy it is to set up this tent. The ladder can be mounted on either sides or rear of the tent, and moving it incredibly easy while remaining stable. This allows easy access to all compartments of the vehicle without blocking doors or hatches. I was often spending all day able to drive to my destinations, only to arrive at a suitable camp site after sundown. I could hold the flashlight in one hand, and undo the latches with my other, deploying the tent in minutes, a project that would take both hands and the better half of an hour with a standard ground tent. I was also able to leave my pillow, sleeping bag, and book in the tent while collapsed and driving around, a feature I was originally very skeptical of.
While I absolutely loved how easy it was to set up, I cannot say it was as easy to put away. All of the features that make it convenient and excellent for its design make it a tall hurdle to collapse. The high-strength gas struts, combined with the weatherproof construction make this a very stiff and un-yielding tent. Using the front large loop, I was able to pull the front end of the tent down, latch the two front latches, then carefully tuck in the tent walls into the lower shell. From there I could get to the back and pull down the back look and close the rearward side latches. The difficult part was upon collapsing entirely, the whole thing functioned like an accordion and the internal air pressure would push the walls of the tent out the sides causing you unable to close it entirely. Try to lift the top shell to tuck them in and you’ll find the struts launch the whole thing back up in to the air, resetting your progress entirely. This is a very easy process to tackle as a team, but for an individual it can be a bit of a mind game. Pack your tent first if you’re in a hurry. Depending on how careful you are, after latching the front latches I climbed up the latter and pushed on the top shell from above. By not using the straps to pull it down I was able to tuck in the sides as my weight forced the shell to close. If my 165lb body weight is anything to go by, this tent could have a moderate pile of snow on top and only very slowly collapse under the heaviest weight.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of the tent collapsed on the car, but I consider it very sleek compared to softshell options. Driving with the tent mounted, I felt safe going up to about 75 mph before the wind caused it to flex enough for me to hear it. I believe with a full-length aftermarket roof rack, this would create a more solid bond between the tent and car and allow for greater highway speeds than Roofnest advertise, but your experience may vary.
All things considered; I feel as though Roofnest offers a very well-thought-out package with the Sparrow tent. It sleeps two people very comfortably on a 3” foam mattress with an included soft mattress cover, has well thought out features like tie points to roll up the unzipped doors and fly screens, and includes accessory bags to secure additional cargo on top and inside like shoe bags and an interior cargo net. Its overlapping shell design with a durable glossy finish makes it super easy to clean dead bugs and debris off after a long trip and its overall added height to the vehicle make it a superior option to larger soft-top tents that pack into a more cubic shape when it comes to parking in garages. If you have already decided that a rooftop tent is in your budget and you value the ease of set-up, comfort, and design of a hard-shell tent, I would think anyone would be pleased with the Sparrow or Sparrow XL by Roofnest.
The Roofnest Sparrow has an MSRP of $2,995 and includes free shipping. For more info or to purchase a Sparrow Roof Top Tent, visit roofnest.com.
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Perfect especially for these times
Looks like a great tent, I’m really considering one for my truck!