Horntools Elements Gen II 140 vs Roofnest Meadowlark 2 XL

The Horntools Elements Gen II 140 and the Roofnest Meadowlark 2 XL 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. Horntools and Roofnest take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.

The Meadowlark 2 XL is 19.299999999999997 kg lighter at 54 kg against 73.3 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 Elements Gen II 140 gives 4.64 m² of sleeping floor against 3.6 m², about 29 percent more, and it sleeps 2 to the Meadowlark 2 XL's 3. Headroom separates them further: 130 cm in the Elements Gen II 140 against 114 cm, which is the difference between sitting up to dress and doing it lying down. Setup is not close. The Meadowlark 2 XL opens as a fold-out in 60 seconds; the Elements Gen II 140 takes 5 minutes. Over a trip with a new campsite every night, that gap compounds. List prices are within $83 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one. Horntools also backs the Elements Gen II 140 for 5 years against 2.

Canvas differs too: 300 g/m2 sailcloth with PU coating; 35% cotton, 65% polyester (water column 2000 mm) against 600D rip-stop polyoxford, 2000 mm waterproof rating. Closed, the Meadowlark 2 XL sits 6 cm lower on the roof — 33 cm against 39 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.