Cascadia Vehicle Tents La Sal Tent vs Eezi-Awn Dart
The Cascadia Vehicle Tents La Sal Tent and the Eezi-Awn Dart 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. Cascadia Vehicle Tents and Eezi-Awn take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
By the numbers, the Cascadia Vehicle Tents La Sal Tent brings 119.38 cm of headroom and sleeps 2. The Eezi-Awn Dart counters with 70 kg, 140 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.
Headroom separates them further: 140 cm in the Dart against 119.38 cm, which is the difference between sitting up to dress and doing it lying down. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
The La Sal Tent uses aluminum; the Dart uses fibreglass (lightweight white fibreglass body). Canvas differs too: 280GSM polyester against 260 g Teflon-coated polyester ripstop. Closed, the La Sal Tent sits 10.41 cm lower on the roof — 21.59 cm against 32 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
Cascadia Vehicle Tents
La Sal Tent
The La Sal is a side-opening aluminum hardshell sold in 50- and 56-inch widths at $3,399, with a 3-inch mattress and a stated 47-inch maximum headroom. CVT lists a 2-4 minute setup, a stargazing skylight, an LED light strip with USB connector, and integrated climate ports suited to diesel heaters. CVT's guide describes it as a 2-person tent.
- Side-opening hardshell with a stated 2-4 minute setup
- Stargazing skylight and a 3-inch mattress
- Integrated climate ports suited to a diesel heater
- Manufacturer does not publish weight or open/packed dimensions
Eezi-Awn
Dart
The Dart is an aerodynamic fibreglass hard-shell clamshell tent rated for two people, opening in seconds with the ladder stowing inside the tent. US dealers list a lightweight white fibreglass body, 260-gram Teflon-coated polyester ripstop walls, an 80mm high-density laminated mattress, National Luna interior LED lighting and a 12V socket. Closed size is 2200 x 1450mm, 320mm high at the rear tapering to 165mm at the front, opening to a 1400mm interior peak height, with a weight of 70kg including the ladder.
- Fibreglass shell with an extension ladder that stows inside the tent
- 80mm high-density mattress with interior LED and a 12V socket
- Published 70kg weight including the ladder
- No longer listed in Eezi-Awn's own online catalogue, so specs are taken from a US dealer
Which one to pick
These two are closely matched on the numbers that usually decide it. Read the feature rows below — heater port, skylight, annex — and let whichever of those you will actually use break the tie.
Every specification, side by side
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | 4-season | — |
| List price | $3,399— best of the tents compared | $3,400— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | — | 154 lb |
| Packed length | — | 7 ft 3 in |
| Packed width | — | 4 ft 9 in |
| Packed height | 8.5 in— best of the tents compared | 12.6 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | — | — |
| Sleeping width | — | — |
| Floor area | — | — |
| Interior height | 3 ft 11 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 3 in— worst of the tents compared | 3.1 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 3 min | ~60 secest. |
| Shell material | Aluminum | Fibreglass (lightweight white fibreglass body) |
| Fabric | 280GSM polyester | 260 g Teflon-coated polyester ripstop |
| Warranty | 2years | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | — |
| Roof skylight | Yes | — |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Cascadia Vehicle Tents product page | Eezi-Awn product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Cascadia Vehicle Tents La Sal Tent and the Eezi-Awn Dart.