Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140) vs Vickywood BIG WILLOW 4.0 (160)
The Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140) and the Vickywood BIG WILLOW 4.0 (160) 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. Roof Lodge and Vickywood take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
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 Vickywood BIG WILLOW 4.0 (160) counters with 68 kg, 4.04 m² of floor, 115 cm of headroom and sleeps 3.
On weight they are effectively level — 65 kg against 68 kg — so the roof load question resolves the same way for both. Inside, the BIG WILLOW 4.0 (160) gives 4.04 m² of sleeping floor against 3.36 m², about 20 percent more, and it sleeps 3 to the Evolution 2 (140)'s 2. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
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
Vickywood
BIG WILLOW 4.0 (160)
The BIG WILLOW 4.0 in its 160 width is the smaller of two BIG WILLOW sizes, a large soft-shell fold-out rated for up to 3 people with side-mounted gas struts assisting setup. Open dimensions are given by the maker as approximately 245 x 165 cm. It includes a dimmable USB-C LED and large roof windows.
- Large fold-out floor area
- Gas-strut assisted setup
- Headline weight states it includes mattress and ladder
- Tent fabric material not specified
Which one to pick
Take the BIG WILLOW 4.0 (160) 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 | Softshell | Softshell |
| Opening style | Fold-out | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 2— worst of the tents compared | 3— best of the tents compared |
| Season rating | 3-season | — |
| List price | $2,320— best of the tents compared | $2,470— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 143 lb— best of the tents compared | 150 lb— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 4 ft 8 in— best of the tents compared | 5 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 15.7 in— worst of the tents compared | 15.4 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 10 in— worst of the tents compared | 8 ft— best of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared | 5 ft 5 in— best of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 36.2 sq ft— worst of the tents compared | 43.5 sq ft— best of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared | 3 ft 9 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2.4 in | — |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 5 min | ~5 minest. |
| Shell material | — | Aluminum honeycomb base with rubberized surface |
| Fabric | 320 g/m2 polycotton (65% polyester / 35% cotton), PU-coated | — |
| Warranty | — | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | — |
| Roof skylight | Yes | Yes |
| Annex available | Yes | Yes |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Roof Lodge product page | Vickywood product page |
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Or read the full spec sheets for the Roof Lodge Evolution 2 (140) and the Vickywood BIG WILLOW 4.0 (160).