RoofBunk Explorer vs TentBox GO
The RoofBunk Explorer and the TentBox GO 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. RoofBunk and TentBox take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The GO is 17 kg lighter at 33 kg against 50 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 Explorer gives 4.34 m² of sleeping floor against 2.75 m², about 58 percent more, and it sleeps 3 to the GO's 2. Headroom separates them further: 130 cm in the Explorer against 114 cm, which is the difference between sitting up to dress and doing it lying down. Setup is not close. The GO opens as a fold-out in 60 seconds; the Explorer takes 4 minutes. Over a trip with a new campsite every night, that gap compounds. List prices are within $179 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one. TentBox also backs the GO for 5 years against 2.
Canvas differs too: 320gsm poly-cotton blend ripstop canvas body; 600D Oxford polyester rainfly against stormproof breathable UV-resistant fabric, 3000 mm hydrostatic head. The Explorer adds integrated LED lighting, which the GO does not offer. Closed, the Explorer sits 15 cm lower on the roof — 30 cm against 45 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
RoofBunk
Explorer
The Explorer is the entry model in RoofBunk's three-tent soft-shell Explorer range, a fold-out tent the maker rates for 2-3 occupants. RoofBunk lists open dimensions of 310 x 140cm - a figure that includes a 70 x 140cm entrance canopy over the ladder - a packed size of 140 x 120 x 30cm and a 6cm memory-foam mattress. It uses a 320gsm poly-cotton ripstop canvas body (3000mm HH) with a 600D Oxford polyester rainfly (5000mm HH) and is marketed as 4-season.
- 4-season rating with a 3000mm-HH canvas body and 5000mm-HH rainfly
- Supplied with a 6cm memory-foam mattress, USB strip light and two skylights
- 2-year warranty, extendable to 7 years per RoofBunk
- Manufacturer does not state what the 50kg weight includes
TentBox
GO
At 33 kg this is the lightest tent in the database by a wide margin, and it opens within the vehicle's own footprint rather than folding over the side. That combination puts a rooftop tent within reach of small cars whose roof limits rule out everything else.
- 33 kg, lighter than any other tent here
- Opens within the vehicle footprint
- 5-year warranty, longer than most tents near its price
- 45 cm closed height is the tallest packed profile here
Which one to pick
Take the GO if you move camp most days. Take the Explorer 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 | 3— best of the tents compared | 2— worst of the tents compared |
| Season rating | 4-season | 4-season |
| List price | $1,480— worst of the tents compared | $1,310— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 110 lb— worst of the tents compared | 73 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 4 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 3 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 11.8 in— best of the tents compared | 17.7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 10 ft 2 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 46.7 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 29.6 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 4 ft 3 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. | 4 min— worst of the tents compared | 60 sec— best of the tents compared |
| Shell material | — | — |
| Fabric | 320gsm poly-cotton blend ripstop canvas body; 600D Oxford polyester rainfly | Stormproof breathable UV-resistant fabric, 3000 mm hydrostatic head |
| Warranty | 2years— worst of the tents compared | 5years— best of the tents compared |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | No |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | No |
| Roof skylight | Yes | Yes |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | No |
| Carries cargo on top | — | No |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | RoofBunk product page | TentBox product page |
Related comparisons
- ExplorervsGen2 Overlander Standard Tent
- ExplorervsTanami Light 140
- ExplorervsCamisarde 125
- ExplorervsLite Cruiser 120 XL
Or read the full spec sheets for the RoofBunk Explorer and the TentBox GO.