But the attachment hardware is something that I’m not sure about.
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We moved to Utah not just to stay in the West, a part of the country that has an indescribable pull on our heart, but to have more of the adventures I’d always wished I could give my children. And I’ve been aching to do something since we bought our Can-Am two years ago. Dying to make it into something no one really has: a proper overlander with a rooftop tent.
Finally, I’ve done it. I’ve actually done it! It wasn’t easy, as finding the right pieces was a multi-year process. But at the end of the day, all it really came down to was finding the right rack, the Prinsu, and finding a rooftop tent that would be both lightweight enough that it doesn’t tip the Can-Am, but big enough for me, my wife, our three children, and our latest addition, a puppy. That’s where Roofnest’s Condor 2 comes into the mix, so let’s talk about my initial impressions of the tent.
Myself and Roofnest’s PR guy went back and forth with a couple of the brand’s models, as we wanted to make sure it A) fit the Prinsu rack, B) was light enough for the rack—it has a 600-pound static weight capacity—and C) would fit all of us. That really put the Condor 2 at the front of the pack.
While the Condor 2 is technically just a 2 to 3-person tent, which definitely doesn’t add up to five people and a dog, my children are still small, so it wouldn’t be an issue. The tent itself weighs a portly 155 pounds, but given it expands to the size it does, that’s pretty solid. Getting the tent onto the Can-Am, however, was a thing.
I now understand why folks set up pulley systems in their garages to put on and remove their rooftop tents, because getting it onto the Can-Am was a deadlift. My wife and I ended up using our Honda Ridgeline’s bed, then the bed-sides, and then finally pulling it onto the Prinsu rack.
Once it was up, installation was pretty straightforward. Roofnest sends you all the hardware you need to attach the rooftop tent, which includes the brackets, bolts, and nuts that all slide into the tent’s underside rails. This lets you attach the tent more securely, as it’s a stress member, too.
I’d like the hardware’s grade to be better, as I stripped one of the nuts—Roofnest sends you an extra four bolts and nuts—as ratcheting it onto the bolts from underneath can be a pain with low-clearance applications like mine. It would’ve been easier had I pulled the entire rack off the Can-Am. That’s really not a dig at Roofnest, but I get why there are Quick-Release kits sold by Front Runner and Prinsu. I’m dreading removing it in the future.
Lastly, there was a small bit of metal shavings within the tent itself from the manufacturing process. Nothing big, but you’ll want to check your tent out first and take a dust buster to it before any trips.
We do! We actually fit better than I thought we would. The space is tight, but it’ll work for a couple of days back in the woods, whether it’s just us out exploring or it’s taking me elk, deer, or whatever hunting.
What I especially like about the Condor 2 are all the windows available. They make you feel like you’re outside but without the present danger of nosy bears. Seriously, there are a lot by us and they’re very inquisitive. I also think the integrated LED lights both inside and outside are great additions to the whole unit—they’re dimmable, too—as well as the pouches and bags that keep your stuff organized. My kids already put the shoe bags to good use, as when we first set it up, they’d just gotten out of our sandbox and their shoes were full of sand. It kept the inside nice and clean.
The mattress itself is properly comfortable, too. I will say that you should read the instructions, and watch a video of the tent setup, as everything makes way more sense once you see it in action. I spent a little bit of time trying to get the ladder to lock only to realize I was doing it backward. That’s on me failing to read good.
We’ve already camped a few times using the Condor 2, once in the backyard as an initial test, and another out in the woods as its first proper test. Everything went extremely well, so much so that when elk season started, I took off by myself and put the Condor 2 to good use, getting up extremely early and way back in elk country. It stormed and not a lick of precipitation came through. I should’ve brought one more pillow, though.
There is a price tag associated with all that good and it’s $3,545, which is relatively inexpensive when it comes to quality rooftop tents these days, especially for a hard-shell rooftop tent. I think it’s a solid price so far.
But I’m going to continue putting it through its paces, getting further and further into the woods, fending off bears, and maybe strapping an elk on top of it. Just kidding. Or am I? You’ll have to come back and find out! In the meantime, what do you want to know about Roofnest’s Condor 2? Let me know in the comments below.
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