Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140) vs Roof Lodge Lightweight (140)
Both of these are Roof Lodge tents, so the question is not which brand to trust but which size and configuration suits your vehicle and how you camp. The Evolution 2 (140) and the Lightweight (140) share Roof Lodge's construction and warranty; where they part company is in the numbers below.
By the numbers, the Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140) brings 65 kg, 3.36 m² of floor, 120 cm of headroom and sleeps 2. The Roof Lodge Lightweight (140) counters with 46 kg, 3.36 m² of floor, 120 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.
The Lightweight (140) is 19 kg lighter at 46 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 3.36 m² and 3.36 m², so neither wins on sleeping room. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
Canvas differs too: 320 g/m2 polycotton (65% polyester / 35% cotton), PU-coated against 102 g/m2 Oxford ripstop nylon, PU-coated.
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
Roof Lodge
Lightweight (140)
The Roof Lodge Lightweight is a weight-optimised fold-out softshell rooftop tent that replaces the Evolution 2's heavy polycotton with a 102 g/m2 Oxford ripstop nylon canopy over the same thermoplastic honeycomb floor. Nakatanenga quotes an approximate total weight of about 46 kg, lighter than its polycotton Evolution 2, and targets it at vehicles with limited roof-load capacity. It is offered in a single 140 cm width with a 60 mm foam mattress (or an optional 10 cm self-inflating mattress). It shares the Evolution 2 140's fold-out platform, giving an open sleeping area of about 240 x 140 cm (~3.36 m2) at roughly 120 cm interior height; Nakatanenga does not separately publish these figures for the Lightweight.
- Lighter than Roof Lodge's polycotton Evolution 2 thanks to a 102 g/m2 ripstop nylon canopy
- German-made thermoplastic honeycomb floor
- Includes LED lighting, aluminium sliding ladder and two lockable roof windows with mosquito protection
- 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
- Offered only in a single 140 cm width
Which one to pick
Take the Lightweight (140) 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 | Fold-out | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 2 | 2 |
| Season rating | 3-season | 3-season |
| List price | $2,320— worst of the tents compared | $2,210— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 143 lb— worst of the tents compared | 101 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 4 ft 8 in | — |
| Packed width | 4 ft 1 in | — |
| Packed height | 15.7 in | — |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 10 in | 7 ft 10 in |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 7 in | 4 ft 7 in |
| Floor area | 36.2 sq ft | 36.2 sq ft |
| Interior height | 3 ft 11 in | 3 ft 11 in |
| Mattress thickness | 2.4 in | 2.4 in |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 5 min | 5 min |
| Shell material | — | — |
| Fabric | 320 g/m2 polycotton (65% polyester / 35% cotton), PU-coated | 102 g/m2 Oxford ripstop nylon, PU-coated |
| Warranty | — | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | Yes |
| Roof skylight | Yes | Yes |
| Annex available | Yes | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Roof Lodge product page | Roof Lodge product page |
Related comparisons
- Evolution 2 (140)vsRoofTrekk Expedition
- Evolution 2 (140)vsVagabond 2.0
- Evolution 2 (140)vsElements Gen II 140
- Lightweight (140)vsFun
Or read the full spec sheets for the Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140) and the Roof Lodge Lightweight (140).