Cascadia Vehicle Tents Pioneer 2 Tent vs Rhino-Rack Soft Shell (61026)
The Cascadia Vehicle Tents Pioneer 2 Tent and the Rhino-Rack Soft Shell (61026) 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. Cascadia Vehicle Tents and Rhino-Rack take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
List prices are within $199.01 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
Canvas differs too: 320g canvas against 600D rip-stop PolyOxford body, 210D fly, PU coated (CPAI-84).
Cascadia Vehicle Tents
Pioneer 2 Tent
The Pioneer 2 is Cascadia Vehicle Tents's fold-out softshell, offered in four sizes named for mountains: 48-inch Mt. Bachelor, 56-inch Mt. Shasta, 72-inch Mt. Rainier and 87-inch Mt. Denali, priced from $1,999 to $3,199. CVT rates it for 4-season use and lists a 5-8 minute setup, a 47-inch maximum headroom, dual stargazer windows and annex compatibility on the larger sizes. It uses a 320g canvas body over a 1000D PVC travel cover with a 3-inch mattress, and CVT's guide lists it in 2 to 4+ person sizes.
- Four sizes spanning roughly 2 to 4+ people
- Manufacturer-rated for 4-season use
- Lower entry price ($1,999) than CVT's hardshells, with annex compatibility on larger sizes
- Longer 5-8 minute setup than CVT's hardshell models
Rhino-Rack
Soft Shell (61026)
The softer, lighter of Rhino-Rack's two two-person fold-out tents, with a published kit weight of 45kg (99lb) including the tent, ladder and mounting system. It uses a 40mm foam mattress, a 600D body and a 210D fly, and includes an LED strip light and boot bags. Awnings sit over the front door and rear window for ventilation.
- Lighter kit than Rhino-Rack's hardshell (45kg vs 65kg)
- Compatible with a wide range of Rhino-Rack platforms (Reconn-Deck, Reconn, Vortex, Pioneer)
- LED strip light and boot bags included
- Thinner 40mm mattress than the hardshell's 70mm
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 | Softshell | Softshell |
| Opening style | Fold-out | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | 4-season | — |
| List price | $1,999— worst of the tents compared | $1,800— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | — | 99 lb |
| Packed length | — | 4 ft 1 in |
| Packed width | — | 4 ft 6 in |
| Packed height | — | 8.3 in |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | — | 6 ft 9 in |
| Sleeping width | — | 4 ft 3 in |
| Floor area | — | 28.7 sq ft |
| Interior height | 3 ft 11 in | — |
| Mattress thickness | 3 in— best of the tents compared | 1.6 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 7 min— worst of the tents compared | 5 min— best of the tents compared |
| Shell material | 1000D PVC travel cover | — |
| Fabric | 320g canvas | 600D rip-stop PolyOxford body, 210D fly, PU coated (CPAI-84) |
| Warranty | — | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | — | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | — |
| Roof skylight | Yes | — |
| Annex available | Yes | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Cascadia Vehicle Tents product page | Rhino-Rack product page |
Related comparisons
- Pioneer 2 TentvsWalkabout 62 2.0
- Pioneer 2 TentvsElements Gen II 140
- Pioneer 2 TentvsGen2 Overlander XL Tent
- Pioneer 2 TentvsMeadowlark 2 XL
Or read the full spec sheets for the Cascadia Vehicle Tents Pioneer 2 Tent and the Rhino-Rack Soft Shell (61026).