ARB Altitude Electric vs Yakima SkyPeak HD
The ARB Altitude Electric and the Yakima SkyPeak HD are both hardshell tents in the same part of the market, which makes them a genuine head-to-head rather than a comparison across categories. ARB and Yakima take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
By the numbers, the ARB Altitude Electric brings 106 kg, 3.63 m² of floor, 118 cm of headroom and sleeps 2. The Yakima SkyPeak HD counters with 82 kg, 2.89 m² of floor, 171.45 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.
The SkyPeak HD is 24 kg lighter at 82 kg against 106 kg, which on a factory roof rated for 68 to 75 kg is often the difference between a legal fit and a rack upgrade. Inside, the Altitude Electric gives 3.63 m² of sleeping floor against 2.89 m², about 26 percent more, though both are rated for 2. Headroom separates them further: 171.45 cm in the SkyPeak HD against 118 cm, which is the difference between sitting up to dress and doing it lying down. The SkyPeak HD lists about 17% lower than the Altitude Electric. ARB also backs the Altitude Electric for 3 years against 2.
Closed, the SkyPeak HD sits 20.49 cm lower on the roof — 16.51 cm against 37 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
ARB
Altitude Electric
The Altitude is ARB's flagship electric hardshell, opening and closing automatically at the push of a button. It has a fiberglass shell, a 70mm dual-density mattress and an internal 12V system with dimmable lighting, a fan and USB charging. It is the most expensive and heaviest of ARB's current rooftop tents.
- Automated push-button setup and pack-down
- Integrated 12V electrics with lighting, fan and USB
- Solar-ready with a 20kg dynamic roof-load capacity on top
- Heaviest tent in ARB's range at 106 kg
Yakima
SkyPeak HD
The SkyPeak HD is Yakima's hardshell rooftop tent, using a clamshell design with an expansion pop-out that opens the interior to 81.5 by 55 inches with a 67.5-inch peak height. It is the heaviest of Yakima's current rooftop tents at 180 lbs (82 kg) and adds USB-powered dimmable interior lighting, a floor pass-through port with solar-cable routing hardware, and tent-side T-slots rated to 75 lbs per side. Yakima rates it 4-season and backs it with a limited two-year warranty.
- Hardshell clamshell design with quick pop-out setup
- Integrated USB-powered dimmable lighting plus a floor pass-through port for solar cable routing
- Access doors on three sides and tent-side T-slots for gear (75 lbs per side)
- Heaviest of Yakima's current rooftop tents at 180 lbs (82 kg)
Which one to pick
Take the SkyPeak HD if your roof load limit is the binding constraint. Take the Altitude Electric if you need the sleeping room more than you need the lighter tent. Beyond that the feature rows below — heater port, skylight, annex, cargo rails — are where the remaining difference lies.
Every specification, side by side
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | — | 4-season |
| List price | $6,000— worst of the tents compared | $4,999.99— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 234 lb— worst of the tents compared | 180 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared | 7 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 5 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 10 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 14.6 in— worst of the tents compared | 6.5 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 5 in— best of the tents compared | 6 ft 9 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 5 ft 3 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 39.1 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 31.1 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 10 in— worst of the tents compared | 5 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2.8 in | — |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | ~60 secest. |
| Shell material | Fiberglass | — |
| Fabric | 380GSM poly-cotton canvas | — |
| Warranty | 3years— best of the tents compared | 2years— worst of the tents compared |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | Yes |
| Roof skylight | — | — |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | Yes | Yes |
| Carries cargo on top | Yes | Yes |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | ARB product page | Yakima product page |
Related comparisons
- Altitude ElectricvsBunduTop King
- Altitude ElectricvsSkyera
- Altitude ElectricvsSkycamp 3.0
- SkyPeak HDvsSkyera
Or read the full spec sheets for the ARB Altitude Electric and the Yakima SkyPeak HD.