Eezi-Awn Sword Family vs James Baroud Grand Raid
The Eezi-Awn Sword Family and the James Baroud Grand Raid 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. Eezi-Awn and James Baroud take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
By the numbers, the Eezi-Awn Sword Family brings 100 kg, 3.8 m² of floor and sleeps 4. The James Baroud Grand Raid counters with 66 kg, 2.8 m² of floor, 100 cm of headroom and sleeps 3.
The Grand Raid is 34 kg lighter at 66 kg against 100 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 Sword Family gives 3.8 m² of sleeping floor against 2.8 m², about 36 percent more, and it sleeps 4 to the Grand Raid's 3. The Grand Raid lists about 7% lower than the Sword Family.
They open differently: the Sword Family is a clamshell and the Grand Raid a pop-up. 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 Sword Family uses aluminium hard-shell with one-piece hinge mechanism; the Grand Raid uses 4-layer fiberglass with UV coating. Canvas differs too: 260 g/m² Teflon-coated polyester ripstop against waterproof all-season breathable canvas. The Sword Family adds integrated LED lighting, which the Grand Raid does not offer.
Eezi-Awn
Sword Family
The Sword is a hard-shell family tent that Eezi-Awn rates for two adults and two children, listing a 100kg weight and a 70mm high-density laminated mattress. It includes internal LED lighting, dual storage pockets, a USB port and an integrated ladder, plus a 1m K9 track for accessories and a solar-panel bracket. Packed dimensions are 2200 x 1450mm, 260mm high at the front and 380mm at the back. At 100kg it is the heaviest of Eezi-Awn's hard-shell tents with a published weight.
- Manufacturer states family capacity of two adults plus two children
- Published 100kg weight and packed dimensions
- Internal LED, USB and a K9 track with solar-bracket compatibility
- Eezi-Awn does not publish price or open/erected dimensions
James Baroud
Grand Raid
The Evasion with a cargo holder moulded into the shell, rated for 25 kg. It is the only pop-up in this database that will carry gear on its roof, which matters when the tent already occupies the whole rack.
- 25 kg cargo holder on the shell
- 360-degree panoramic windows
- 5-year full replacement warranty
- 24-hour solar-powered ventilation fan
- 3 kg heavier than the Evasion it is based on
Which one to pick
Take the Grand Raid if your roof load limit is the binding constraint. Take the Sword Family 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 | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Pop-up |
| Sleeps | 4— best of the tents compared | 3— worst of the tents compared |
| Season rating | — | 4-season |
| List price | $4,850— worst of the tents compared | $4,500— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 220 lb— worst of the tents compared | 146 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 7 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared | 6 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 9 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 15 in— worst of the tents compared | 13.4 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 6 ft 7 in | 6 ft 7 in |
| Sleeping width | 6 ft 3 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 40.9 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 30.1 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | — | 3 ft 3 in |
| Mattress thickness | 2.8 in— best of the tents compared | 2.6 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | 60 sec |
| Shell material | Aluminium hard-shell with one-piece hinge mechanism | 4-layer fiberglass with UV coating |
| Fabric | 260 g/m² Teflon-coated polyester ripstop | Waterproof all-season breathable canvas |
| Warranty | — | 5years |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | No |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | — |
| Roof skylight | — | No |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | Yes | Yes |
| Carries cargo on top | Yes | Yes |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Eezi-Awn product page | James Baroud product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Eezi-Awn Sword Family and the James Baroud Grand Raid.