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Camping isn’t for everyone.
That was the thinking a few years ago, anyway. But like many outdoor pursuits, the activity has seen an unprecedented, COVID-driven boom over the past couple of years, and it’s not exactly slowing down.
According to KOA (Kampgrounds of America), U.S. and Canadian interest in camping spiked 36 percent from 2019 to 2021, with a record 57 million households taking at least one camping trip last year. In related news, data analytics company Pattern reports that demand for camping equipment in 2022 is so far matching 2021 levels, which hit all-time highs.
But while some noobs have jumped in with both feet, embracing more rugged forays into The Great Outdoors such as thru hiking and bikepacking, others would prefer a gentler entry point to wide open spaces. And that’s where brands like Roofnest come in.
Founded in 2016 by lifelong outdoorsman and longtime Coloradan Tim Nickles, the company produces an array of sturdy yet elegant roof-based tents, enabling just about anyone to sleep under the stars. We took one of the brand’s latest offerings, the super-sized Condor XL, on an upstate New York jaunt to see if it was as foolproof as the walk-around video makes it seem. Here’s what we found.
What’s Great About the Roofnest Condor XL
The Condor XL Is Shockingly Easy to Set Up
Due to unforeseen delays, I got up to Beaver Pond State Park much later than I had planned, just a bit before sunset. I would have been stressed but as the aforementioned video indicates, set-up really is a snap. You simply release the two Velcro straps and hard plastic ratchets, and then give the lid a healthy push, at which point the gas struts kick in to fully open the top. Then you pull out the telescoping ladder to unfold the base of the tent, rest the ladder at a comfortable angle on firm ground and… that’s it. Seriously. Though I should add a few quick notes.
First, the good people at Roofnest were nice enough to provide a Condor XL already mounted to a Kia Sorento PHEV for GP to test. If you’re starting from scratch, you do need a set of crossbars atop your vehicle; then you can secure the unit with the included standard mounting kit, a process that probably takes more than the two minutes I needed to bring my Condor to life.
Steve Mazzucchi
Second, there’s some fine-tuning you can do, like jettisoning the rain fly and setting up the awnings. I just kinda threw the rain fly over the side, but you can also tidily roll it up and secure it with the handy loop-and-toggle system that’s also present in other facets of the tent.
Steve Mazzucchi
The awnings were a comical struggle for me, as an earlier walk-around video featured a low-slung Touareg that made it appear you could install the awning poles from the outside. As my Condor XL was mounted on the taller Sorento, I had to stand, rather precariously, atop the gravel bike I was testing the next day in order to set up the rear-facing awning. Only when I packed up did I realize how much easier that is do from the inside.
Third, that pack-up process is not quite as fast as the set-up, but thanks to the lightweight, telescoping ladder, a bungee cord and a big nylon strap that enables you to smoothly pull the lid back down, I got everything suited and booted in probably 10 minutes.
The Condor XL Is Quite Spacious and Comfy
They call it XL for a reason. The largest of Roofnest’s offerings is borderline palatial inside. By the numbers, the floorspace is 93 inches (7 feet, 9 inches) long by 74 inches (6 feet 2 inches) wide, with headroom of 50 inches (4 feet, 2 inches) at the peak. That’s enough real estate, Roofnest says, to sleep a family of four, or even a few adults assuming only one of them plays for the Knicks.
While I did not attempt to stuff it with humans of varying ages, I could tell by how effortlessly my Eddie Bauer Flying Squirrel Sleeping Bag unfurled within that there’s plenty of room for multiple adults, plus any furry friend who wants to join the adventure.
Steve Mazzucchi
Steve Mazzucchi
On the comfort side, the Condor also impresses. I brought along my but found I did not need it. There’s a built-in 6-centimeter foam mattress that is plenty plush on its own. It’s topped with a quilted cover that can be removed for machine washing. Together with my sleeping bag and Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Deluxe Pillow, I was snoozing pretty quickly, and I woke up refreshed enough to grab some grub and tackle a gnarly gravel ride, which is about as strong an endorsement as I can give.
The Condor XL Packs Clever Bells and Whistles
In addition to ease of set-up, size and comfort, the Condor XL distinguishes itself with a number of built-in touches that make outdoor life a little easier. The door and the two windows all have both canvas and bug-fighting mesh zip closures, and all the material rolls up and tucks away with user-friendly loops and toggles.
Steve Mazzucchi
The same goes for the skylight, which is large and wondrous. Not only is it blissful to lie back and stare up at the trees and sky, but when it’s totally unzipped, you can stand up in the tent, take in a panoramic view from well above the ground and stretch your legs without having to climb down and out of your dwelling.
Steve Mazzucchi
Steve Mazzucchi
The Condor XL also comes with a shoe bag and a gear bag that cleverly slide into a channel just under the main opening, so your stuff can be in easy reach without cluttering up your sleeping space. There’s also an interior, USB-rechargeable LED light strip at the top of the entryway, providing integrated illumination that’s handier than an iPhone flashlight and a little more subdued than, say, blasting your partner’s retinas with a headlamp.
Roofnest
Roofnest
While I didn’t have the opportunity to fully test because the skies were clear and the weather was balmy, I did want to mention that the Condor as a whole seems pretty weather-resistant. The outer shell is made of ABS plastic with an outside layer of ASA plastic, while the canopy and rainfly consist of a polyurethane-coated polyester and cotton blend with a waterproof rating of 3000mm — about three times the number on a typical backpacking tent.
The summer air was warm enough that I left my awnings open at night, with only the mesh layer zipped in, but I can imagine with everything sealed up, you’d be cozily protected against a chilly desert evening, too.
This bevy of smartly considered features add up to what is perhaps the Condor’s greatest strength: even if you’re not the biggest outdoors-person, its “thought of everything”-ability will charm an appreciation for Mother Nature right out of you.
What’s Not So Great About the Roofnest Condor XL
Steve Mazzucchi
The Condor XL Isn’t Cheap
When I brought the Condor and Kia back to New York City, I showed it off to a couple of entranced friends and asked them to guess the price. Their numbers were way off, as mine would have been before trying it out. But having experienced much of what it has to offer, I now understand it’s a premium product — at a premium price.
The last rooftop tent Gear Patrol reviewed, for example, costs less than half as much. The current best rooftop tent in our tents guide, , costs $2,200. And seven of the 11 traditional tents in that guide cost less than $500. That’s not to say the Condor XL is not worth the investment — only that you should plan on keeping it, and sleeping in it, for the long haul.
The Condor XL Has Its Limits
One thing I noticed in a PDF guide after the fact (oops) is that you shouldn’t drive more than 75 with a Condor XL on top. I don’t think I went over 80, but true speed demons should take note.
A much more meaningful observation here, and a global one that applies to all rooftop tents, is that you can only go so far with one. By that I mean simply that you can only use it at campsites that allow to drive on in and set up, as opposed to places you reach after hours of hiking. Backpacking, bikepacking and thru-hiking involve totally different types of camping, of course, and there’s nothing to say you can’t sleep in your Condor and then journey deep into the woods. But no one is going to mistake you for, say, a long-lost relative of Hugh Glass.
The Verdict on the Roofnest Condor XL
The Condor XL is, unquestionably, an exceptionally well-designed and well-built product. If you seek a super-convenient camping solution — or camp with people who prefer to keep terra firma at a slight level of remove — and you have the means, I highly recommend it. While it is one of the more expensive options available, the ease and joy it brings you and your companions will likely increase the frequency of your outdoor excursions, lowering the cost-per-use with every unforgettable adventure.
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