Dometic TRT 140 AIR vs Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140)
The Dometic TRT 140 AIR and the Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140) 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. Dometic and Roof Lodge take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
By the numbers, the Dometic TRT 140 AIR brings 47 kg, 3.16 m² of floor, 115 cm of headroom and sleeps 2. The Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140) counters with 65 kg, 3.36 m² of floor, 120 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.
The TRT 140 AIR is 18 kg lighter at 47 kg against 65 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 3.16 m² and 3.36 m², so neither wins on sleeping room. Setup is not close. The TRT 140 AIR opens as a inflatable in 120 seconds; the Evolution 2 (140) takes 5 minutes. Over a trip with a new campsite every night, that gap compounds. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
They open differently: the TRT 140 AIR is an inflatable and the Evolution 2 (140) a fold-out. 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. Canvas differs too: 300D ripstop polyester against 320 g/m2 polycotton (65% polyester / 35% cotton), PU-coated. The Evolution 2 (140) adds integrated LED lighting, which the TRT 140 AIR does not offer. Closed, the TRT 140 AIR sits 9 cm lower on the roof — 31 cm against 40 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
Dometic
TRT 140 AIR
The only inflatable tent in this database. A single-point AIR frame replaces poles entirely, which is how it reaches 47 kg and why it packs to 82 cm wide — narrow enough for hatchback crossbars that most rooftop tents overhang.
- 47 kg, and no poles to bend or snap
- 82 cm closed width fits small car racks
- No poles to break or bend
- 3.2 cm mattress is thin
Roof Lodge
Evolution 2 (140)
The Roof Lodge Evolution 2 is a German-made fold-out softshell rooftop tent built on a thermoplastic honeycomb floor with a 320 g/m2 PU-coated polycotton canopy. The 140 cm width sleeps two on a 60 mm foam mattress at a setup height of about 120 cm, and mounts to standard crossbars up to 120 mm wide. It is the narrower of Roof Lodge's two Evolution 2 widths and can be ordered as a Basic tent or as an Extended version with a large ground annex.
- Designed and assembled in Germany on a rigid thermoplastic honeycomb floor
- Package includes a 60 mm mattress, 3D-mesh underlay, aluminium ladder, LED lighting and two skylight windows
- Compatible with an optional ground annex/awning for extended stays
- OEKO-TEX 100 certified mattress (two firmness options) plus long-term spare parts and repairs from Roof Lodge's own German workshop
- Optional thermal inner tent available for cold-weather use, extending it toward year-round camping
- Relatively heavy at 55 kg
Which one to pick
Take the TRT 140 AIR if you move camp most days. Take the TRT 140 AIR 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 | Softshell | Softshell |
| Opening style | Inflatable | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | — | 3-season |
| List price | $2,499.99— worst of the tents compared | $2,320— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 104 lb— best of the tents compared | 143 lb— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 4 ft 11 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 8 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 2 ft 8 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 12.2 in— best of the tents compared | 15.7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 2 in— worst of the tents compared | 7 ft 10 in— best of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 9 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 34 sq ft— worst of the tents compared | 36.2 sq ft— best of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 9 in— worst of the tents compared | 3 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 1.3 in— worst of the tents compared | 2.4 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 2 min— best of the tents compared | 5 min— worst of the tents compared |
| Shell material | — | — |
| Fabric | 300D ripstop polyester | 320 g/m2 polycotton (65% polyester / 35% cotton), PU-coated |
| Warranty | — | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | No | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | Yes |
| Roof skylight | — | Yes |
| Annex available | — | Yes |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Dometic product page | Roof Lodge product page |
Related comparisons
- TRT 140 AIRvsViken 2.1 Lagom
- TRT 140 AIRvsElements Gen II 140
- TRT 140 AIRvsVagabond 2.0
- TRT 140 AIRvsRoofTrekk Expedition
Or read the full spec sheets for the Dometic TRT 140 AIR and the Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140).