Smittybilt Aluminum Pop-up vs Trustmade Wildnest Pioneer HD
The Smittybilt Aluminum Pop-up and the Trustmade Wildnest Pioneer HD 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. Smittybilt and Trustmade take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
By the numbers, the Smittybilt Aluminum Pop-up brings 3.02 m² of floor, 114.05 cm of headroom and sleeps 3. The Trustmade Wildnest Pioneer HD counters with 90.3 kg, 2.79 m² of floor and sleeps 3.
Floor area is close to identical at 3.02 m² and 2.79 m², so neither wins on sleeping room. The Wildnest Pioneer HD lists about 40% lower than the Aluminum Pop-up.
The Aluminum Pop-up uses aluminum; the Wildnest Pioneer HD uses aircraft-grade aluminium.
Smittybilt
Aluminum Pop-up
The Aluminum Pop-up RTT is a hard-shell rooftop tent with an aluminum shell that raises vertically on gas-assisted struts to sleep 2-3 people. It shares the same footprint and external roof rack bars as Smittybilt's Aluminum Side Opening model but pops up to a taller interior peak. It includes a 2.5" high-density foam mattress, an LED light strip with remote and internal mesh storage, and carries a 661lbs load rating with a 5-year warranty.
- Vertical pop-up gives more interior peak height than Smittybilt's side-opening aluminum model
- External roof rack bars for cargo on the closed shell
- Aluminum hard shell with 5-year warranty and quick gas-assisted setup
- Manufacturer does not publish tent weight or season rating
Trustmade
Wildnest Pioneer HD
A 4-season pop-up hardshell with a detachable winter thermal liner, a summer side awning, USB outlet and luggage racks.
- 4-season: thermal liner + side awning
- USB outlet and luggage racks
- ~5 s pop-up
- US-only availability
Which one to pick
Take the Wildnest Pioneer HD if the budget is fixed. 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 | Pop-up | Pop-up |
| Sleeps | 3 | 3 |
| Season rating | — | 4-season |
| List price | $2,499.99— worst of the tents compared | $1,499— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | — | 199 lb |
| Packed length | 7 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared | 7 ft— best of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 4 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 7.1 in— worst of the tents compared | 7.1 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 7 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 4 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 32.5 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 30 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 9 in | — |
| Mattress thickness | 2.5 in— worst of the tents compared | 2.6 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | 5 sec |
| Shell material | Aluminum | Aircraft-grade aluminium |
| Fabric | — | 320 g polyester, YKK zips, flocked floor lining |
| Warranty | 5years | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | — |
| Roof skylight | — | — |
| Annex available | — | No |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | Yes | Yes |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Smittybilt product page | Trustmade product page |
Related comparisons
- Aluminum Pop-upvsOrion 1200 Lightweight
- Aluminum Pop-upvsKabari Superfly
- Aluminum Pop-upvsBush Cruiser V2 Pro 120
- Aluminum Pop-upvsAluminum Side Opening
Or read the full spec sheets for the Smittybilt Aluminum Pop-up and the Trustmade Wildnest Pioneer HD.