ARB Flinders vs TentBox GO
The ARB Flinders and the TentBox GO are both softshell tents in the same part of the market, which makes them a genuine head-to-head rather than a comparison across categories. ARB and TentBox take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The GO is 21 kg lighter at 33 kg against 54 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 Flinders gives 3.36 m² of sleeping floor against 2.75 m², about 22 percent more, though both are rated for 2. List prices are within $127 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one. TentBox also backs the GO for 5 years against 3.
Canvas differs too: PU-coated polycotton against stormproof breathable UV-resistant fabric, 3000 mm hydrostatic head. The Flinders adds integrated LED lighting, which the GO does not offer.
ARB
Flinders
The Flinders is a fold-out softshell tent with a low pack-down profile and a large bed footprint of roughly 2400 x 1400mm. It includes a 50mm high-density foam mattress, an integrated dimmable LED light with USB charging, a skylight window and five mesh-screened windows. It uses 25mm anodized aluminium poles.
- Large sleeping footprint for a softshell
- Integrated LED light with USB charging
- Low pack-down profile with attached cover
- Slower fold-out setup than ARB's hardshells
TentBox
GO
At 33 kg this is the lightest tent in the database by a wide margin, and it opens within the vehicle's own footprint rather than folding over the side. That combination puts a rooftop tent within reach of small cars whose roof limits rule out everything else.
- 33 kg, lighter than any other tent here
- Opens within the vehicle footprint
- 5-year warranty, longer than most tents near its price
- 45 cm closed height is the tallest packed profile here
Which one to pick
Take the GO if your roof load limit is the binding constraint. Take the Flinders 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 | Softshell | Softshell |
| Opening style | Fold-out | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | — | 4-season |
| List price | $1,180— best of the tents compared | $1,310— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 119 lb— worst of the tents compared | 73 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 4 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 3 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | — | 17.7 in |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 10 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 36.2 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 29.6 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared | 3 ft 9 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2 in | — |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~5 minest. | 60 sec |
| Shell material | — | — |
| Fabric | PU-coated polycotton | Stormproof breathable UV-resistant fabric, 3000 mm hydrostatic head |
| Warranty | 3years— worst of the tents compared | 5years— best of the tents compared |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | No |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | No |
| Roof skylight | Yes | Yes |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | No |
| Carries cargo on top | — | No |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | ARB product page | TentBox product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the ARB Flinders and the TentBox GO.