Howling Moon Lunar vs Roam Adventure Co The Desperado
The Howling Moon Lunar and the Roam Adventure Co The Desperado 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. Howling Moon and Roam Adventure Co take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The Lunar is 6.599999999999994 kg lighter at 75 kg against 81.6 kg, which on a factory roof rated for 68 to 75 kg is often the difference between a legal fit and a rack upgrade. List prices are within $170 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
The Lunar uses fibreglass with scratch-resistant coating; the The Desperado uses aluminium extrusion with honeycomb panels. Canvas differs too: heavy-duty ripstop canvas with YKK zips against 420D polyester Oxford. Closed, the The Desperado sits 8 cm lower on the roof — 25 cm against 33 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
Howling Moon
Lunar
The Lunar is a clamshell hardshell tent with a fibreglass top and bottom raised by a gas-strut lifting mechanism, fitted with a fully quilted 100 mm high-density foam mattress. Aluminium mounting rails are built into the top of the lid to allow fitting a solar panel or other accessories. It has large screened aperture windows and is available in black, grey or white.
- Thick 100 mm quilted foam mattress
- Fibreglass shell with lid mounting rails for solar/accessories
- Fully published open and packed dimensions
- Ladder is sold separately
Roam Adventure Co
The Desperado
Roam's aluminium-honeycomb hardshell for two, opening in about 30 seconds; the maker does not publish its deployed footprint.
- ~30 s hardshell setup
- Aluminium honeycomb construction
- 2-year warranty
- Open dimensions not published
Which one to pick
Take the Lunar 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 | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | — | — |
| List price | $3,030— best of the tents compared | $3,199— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 165 lb— best of the tents compared | 180 lb— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 7 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared | 6 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 11 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 3 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 13 in— worst of the tents compared | 9.8 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 1 in | — |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 9 in | — |
| Floor area | 33.6 sq ft | — |
| Interior height | 3 ft 5 in | — |
| Mattress thickness | 3.9 in— best of the tents compared | 2.8 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. | 30 sec |
| Shell material | Fibreglass with scratch-resistant coating | Aluminium extrusion with honeycomb panels |
| Fabric | Heavy-duty ripstop canvas with YKK zips | 420D polyester Oxford |
| Warranty | — | 2years |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | — |
| Roof skylight | — | — |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | Yes | — |
| Carries cargo on top | Yes | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Howling Moon product page | Roam Adventure Co product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Howling Moon Lunar and the Roam Adventure Co The Desperado.