When we saw the impressive modularity of Hardsider’s pickup camping system back in November, we figured it must have a standalone rooftop tent (RTT) in the works. That hunch proved correct, as the company has released a hard-walled rooftop tent like no other. The relatively light, sleek wedge-style HardTent relies on origami walls to open seamlessly and surround campers with the element protection of solid walls on every side. It’s the best hard-walled design we’ve looked … and somehow, the most affordable.

Whether we’re talking about hardshell or softshell rooftop tents, fabric walls remain a primary component on the vast majority of models. Fabric is lightweight and convenient for packing and unpacking, but it doesn’t provide the best protection from wind, weather or creatures of the night.

For that, you’d want a full set of hard walls, one of the reasons many campers eventually upgrade from a tent to an RV. Using clever closing mechanisms and carefully angled panels, a handful of rooftop tent OEMs have been developing hard-walled designs fit to ride on the top of a vehicle roof. Problem has been, these hard-wallers tend to bring five-figure price tags and more weight and bulk than most people want on the tippy top of their vehicles.

Take the AntiShanty Rooftop Dwelling. It now weighs between 275 and 290 lb (125 and 132 kg), depending on model, and starts at US$9,500 – several times what a good fabric-sided rooftop tent would cost. And while it’s not difficult to set up, it does entail a few extra steps compared to the strut-assisted single lift most wedge RTTs require.

As for the carbon fiber Redtail Overland Rooftop Camper, the company seems to have figured out that folding the $20,000 cost into a half-million-dollar camper van invoice will work out better than trying to convince rooftop tent shoppers to pay two to 10+ times the price of the alternatives.

Hardsider

Hardsider creates the first hard-walled tent that appears sleek, user-friendly and affordable enough to put hard walls on the RTT map. It uses a simple but superior design to build a better mousetrap, carrying over most of the elements from its modular pop-up pickup topper tent, just without a cutout in the floor.

The HardTent features the same prefolded origami HardWall system as Hardsider’s pickup topper, which erects all three walls with a simple lift of the roof, operating as quickly and cleanly as a fabric-sided wedge RTT. However, instead of thin, flapping fabric, its walls are made from a rigid honeycomb composite with laminated waterproof insulation to create a solid, warm all-season shelter atop any compatible vehicle. A dual air intake system lets in condensation-fighting ventilation.

Inside, Hardsider elevates comfort from the typical RTT, installing a Froli spring system to better cushion its polyolefin elastomer (POE) mattress and provide more anti-condensation airflow. At 52 x 90 in (132 x 229 cm), the mattress has enough width to sleep two comfortably and some added length if a furry companion or two are along for the trip (and able to make the journey up to the tent).

Hardsider

While the HardTent isn’t the lightest or slimmest RTT on the market, it does do better in both categories than the hard-sided competition. It measures just 7 inches (17.8 cm) tall when closed, making it quite low-profile for any RTT, and it weighs in at an estimated 200 lb (91 kg). It’s designed with SUVs in mind but will work with any vehicle that can handle that weight and its 96-in-long (244-cm) size.

The HardTent is available to order for a price of $6,000. That’s still a couple thousand more than a high-quality fabric-sided hardshell RTT wedge, but it’s well cheaper than the aforementioned hard-walled options.

Source: Hardsider