iKamper Vs Roofnest

iKamper Vs Roofnest: What Roof Top Tent Should You Get?

Two of the most popular brands of hard shell roof top tents in the market are iKamper and Roofnest. It’s common for people interested in purchasing an RTT to ask around and see what brand of tent to get, which brand to choose: iKamper vs Roofnest?

iKamper represents a premium brand, tends to cost more than its competitors, yet it also offers a few more guarantees such as their own original in house design and a better quality product. Roofnest is a brand that has grown a lot over the years, has many different tent styles at high price, yet more affordable than iKamper. They are good tents, yet quality wise it’s hard to compete with iKamper.

In this quick review we go over both brands, as well as some of their more popular roof top tent models. Hopefully, by the end of this read you will be able to know what brand you prefer!

 

Roofnest Condor 2 XL Vs iKamper Skycamp 3.0

Let’s begin by analyzing each tent, and then we’ll go onto a quick comparison of the main features or factors to consider about each one.

 

Roofnest Condor 2 XL

A large tent that comfortably sleeps 3 to 4 people, more like 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children. The sleeping footprint is essentially 89” x 68” on a 2” memory foam mattress. It reaches a height of 50” inside when open, which is more than enough head space to sit upright easily.

As to the tent, it weighs 180 lbs, which is suitable for larger SUVs or more solid roof racks. The tent is a side opening hard shell, which means when closed it has a smaller footprint than when open, since you pull out the tent towards the size to increase the sleeping area. The exterior dimensions are 75” x 56” x 14.5” (H) when closed.

The shell is made of reinforced ABS plastic, with an exterior made of x-liner that’s tougher and more resistant to UV rays and the elements as a whole. Some other great features the tent has are an interior duffle bag, the option of mounting (for an additional cost) crossbars, as well as 2 HVAC ports for a heater, 3 LED lights and lockable latches. All the bells and whistles in one tent.

 

iKamper Skycamp 3.0 

The iKamper Skycamp is the original and first side opening hardshell roof top tent, a Red Dot Award winning tent for its smart design. This tent comfortably sleeps 4 adults thanks to a sleeping footprint of 83” x 77” inches, with a 48” head space, over a 2.5” thick polyfoam mattress with a special 9-zone technology which makes it a top tier mattress. On top of that, iKamper also makes inflatable mattresses (our preferred choice) that are sold separately.

As to the tent’s exterior, we are looking at 85.5” x 55” x 13.5”, weighing only 165 lbs, making it a suitable unit for smaller SUVs, although we still recommend you using it on solid roof racks. The hard shells are made of fiber-reinforced plastic, with a 1” layer of insulation which is fantastic during winter. The floor or base is made of insulated honeycomb aluminum panels, the best in the industry.

The tent itself can be bought either in the regular black shell (glossy), or you can pay extra to get the Rocky Black color which has a custom line-x type of finish that is more resistant to the UV rays. It has lockable latches, as well as internal storage pouches. The tent is manufactured directly at iKamper’s factory in South Korea, which is their headquarters, and where they handle ALL the chain or production, product design, manufacturing, you name it!

You can check the iKamper Skycamp 3.0 in more detail here. 

Comparison Chart:

	Roofnest Condor 2 XL	iKamper Skycamp 3.0
Price	$3845	$4199
Sleeping Footprint	89” x 68”	83” x 77”
Weight	180 lbs	165 lbs
Seasonality	4 Seasons	4 Seasons
Quality	3.5 stars	5 stars
Warranty	2 Years	2 Years
Extras	LED lights, HVAC ports, internal storage bags, lockable latches	Lockable latches, internal storage pouches

 

Roofnest Falcon 3 EVO Vs iKamper BDV Duo 

Both of these tents are considered traditional clamshell roof top tents, which open like a clam, hence the name. Now let’s look at each one individually.

 

Roofnest Falcon 3 Evo

A great tent that sleeps two adults comfortably with a hybrid shell made of both ABS plastic and reinforced with aluminum for even better protection. It has lockable latches, which are great and can be accessed from all sides. 

The top shell is ABS plastic with the characteristic Line-X exterior reinforcement for better protection from the sun and elements. It has aluminum side rails to allow you to mount cross bars (cost extra) if you want, and it comes with a U-bar special design that give a bit more head room.

Dimensions wise we are looking at a 140 lbs rooftop tent, with a sleeping footprint of 80” x 47” x 58” (tall) and 83” x 50” x 8” when closed. The mattress is a bit thin for our liking at just 2” thick of memory foam, yet the tent comes with a lot of extras such as an anti-condensation mat, detachable inner storage pockets and LED lights. It’s very well built and very spacious!

 

iKamper BDV Duo

iKamper is more recognized for their Skycamp series or even their other accessories such as the AIOKS, but the BDV series was a new line introduced to compete at the clamshell style level. Well, the BDV is one robust tent, with a full aluminum insulated floor, a shell made of scratch resistant fiber reinforced plastic with a rocky black line-x style finish for better protection from the elements.

This hardshell tent has a patented mounting system making it easier to mount over racks than any other tent. Storage wise, it’s one of the best tents we’ve seen, as it has enough space to leave a sleeping bag inside, and metal t-channel side rails where you can mount additional crossbars as well as mount all sorts of accessories such as recovery boards.

The tent has a sleeping footprint of 84” x 55” x 59” and when closed it is 90” x 56” x 6.5” weighing 175 lbs. The mattress is 2.75” thick made of insulated polyfoam. It has crossbars on top of it to secure cargo, and another great feature is that you can access the tent from all three sides and the windows are large for great ventilation.

 

Comparison Chart: 

	Roofnest Falcon 3 Evo	iKamper BDV Duo
Price	$3495	$2799
Sleeping Footprint	83” x 50”	84” x 55”
Weight	140 lbs	175 lbs
Seasonality	4 Seasons	4 Seasons
Quality	4 stars	5 stars
Warranty	2 Years	2 Years
Extras	LED lights, anti-condensation mat, internal storage bags, lockable latches	Crossbars Included

 

 

Is The IKamper Worth It? 

Any iKamper roof top tent is absolutely worth the money just by how high quality their tents are, and the company that stands behind them. iKamper has something that very few overlanding or roof top tent companies, nowadays have, and that is they manufacture their tents and accessories in house. They are a South Korean company, with their headquarters and factory right there, where they design and test their own products before launching them, to the point where they have patented designs, but they also have full control of the manufacturing process, as well as the logistics.

That alone is enough to back up their tents and make them a worthy investment. iKamper tents last for years if not for life, they are more comfortable and better designed than pretty much any tent brand in the planet.

Sure, there are models that in our opinion are better and more comfortable than others. For example, we prefer the iKamper Skycamp Mini 3.0 to the BDV Duo, just to give you an example. That’s because the Skycamp (whether that’s a Mini or the 4-person version) is more comfortable and has a smaller footprint then the BDV Duo or Single. That alone makes it a much smarter investment as it can be mounted over any vehicle, even over bed racks, whilst the BDV can’t. 

So if the question is, do you think there are some iKamper tents worth it more than others, then yes, we are big fans of the Skycamp models (3.0, Mini and DLX), over all the other models.

That said, iKamper tents are worth it. You are buying from a company that makes all their products in house, undergoing a very strict quality control process. You also buy a brand that is already established and will stay so for many years to come. A company that whether you buy direct, or through us at Off Road Tents, will stand by their product, will give you a warranty, and can guarantee you a high, high-quality investment in adventure, comfort and experiences!

 

What Hard Shell Roof Top Tent To Choose?

The final decision ultimately comes down to you and what you really want and need, and if you're undecided you can also look at other roof top tent models. As to these two companies, well both are great, but your needs will come down to quality, design, craftsmanship and price.

iKamper has the upper hand when it comes to quality, design, and craftsmanship. As we mentioned, they design all their tents in house, they test them before releasing them, and they manufacture at their own headquarters. They have a very strict quality control and even have power over the logistics side of the business. 

Their tents tend to have a premium price, where brands such as Roofnest tend to beat them (except for the BDV). Roofnest offers slightly more affordable prices and have good tents with more accessories. iKamper focuses on a comfortable design, a very high quality product to last for years, and innovation in all forms of accessories and add ons, which ultimately makes them the preferred choice amongst the seasoned overlanding community.