Autohome Maggiolina Airlander Plus vs Trustmade Nomad
The Autohome Maggiolina Airlander Plus and the Trustmade Nomad 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. Autohome and Trustmade take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The Maggiolina Airlander Plus is 21.900000000000006 kg lighter at 72 kg against 93.9 kg, which on a factory roof rated for 68 to 75 kg is often the difference between a legal fit and a rack upgrade. Floor area is close to identical at 2.47 m² and 2.6 m², so neither wins on sleeping room. Autohome does not publish a list price for the Maggiolina Airlander Plus, so a direct cost comparison means getting a quote from a dealer.
They open differently: the Maggiolina Airlander Plus is a pop-up and the Nomad a clamshell. That is not cosmetic — it decides whether headroom is even across the tent or tapers towards one end, and how much of the roof the tent occupies when closed. The Maggiolina Airlander Plus uses 100% fiberglass with insulated honeycomb roof panel; the Nomad uses stainless steel frame. Canvas differs too: dralon acrylic, waterproof and breathable against 600D Oxford / 280 g canvas, PU 2000 mm, UV50+.
Autohome
Maggiolina Airlander Plus
The original Italian hardshell, sized Medium here. It opens on a handwheel rather than gas struts, and uses Dralon acrylic instead of poly-cotton — the only tent in this database with either. The 30 cm closed height is among the lowest of any pop-up.
- Handwheel opening, no gas struts to fail
- Dralon acrylic resists mould better than cotton blends
- 25 mm insulated sandwich base
- 4 cm mattress, thinnest here
Trustmade
Nomad
A budget stainless-framed clamshell hardshell for two, opening in about two minutes to an 82-inch floor.
- Low price for a hardshell
- ~2 min clamshell setup
- 1-year warranty
- 600D/280 g fabric rather than heavy canvas
Which one to pick
Take the Maggiolina Airlander Plus if your roof load limit is the binding constraint. 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 | Pop-up | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | 4-season | — |
| List price | — | $1,198 |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 159 lb— best of the tents compared | 207 lb— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 6 ft 11 in | 6 ft 11 in |
| Packed width | 4 ft 9 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 11.8 in— worst of the tents compared | 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 5 ft 11 in— worst of the tents compared | 6 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 6 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 26.6 sq ft— worst of the tents compared | 28 sq ft— best of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft | — |
| Mattress thickness | 1.6 in— worst of the tents compared | 2 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | 2 min |
| Shell material | 100% fiberglass with insulated honeycomb roof panel | Stainless steel frame |
| Fabric | Dralon acrylic, waterproof and breathable | 600D Oxford / 280 g canvas, PU 2000 mm, UV50+ |
| Warranty | — | 1year |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | No | — |
| Roof skylight | No | — |
| Annex available | — | No |
| Solar ready | No | — |
| Carries cargo on top | No | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Autohome product page | Trustmade product page |
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Or read the full spec sheets for the Autohome Maggiolina Airlander Plus and the Trustmade Nomad.