ARB Altitude Electric vs Femkes Alu Khosi Family
The ARB Altitude Electric and the Femkes Alu Khosi Family 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. ARB and Femkes take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The Alu Khosi Family is 24 kg lighter at 82 kg against 106 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 3.63 m² and 3.87 m², so neither wins on sleeping room. The Alu Khosi Family lists $1,949.95 lower, at $4,050 against $5,999.95.
They open differently: the Altitude Electric is a clamshell and the Alu Khosi Family a fold-out. That is not cosmetic — it decides whether headroom is even across the tent or tapers towards one end, and how much of the roof the tent occupies when closed. The Altitude Electric uses fiberglass; the Alu Khosi Family uses aerodynamic ABS, waterproof. Canvas differs too: 380GSM poly-cotton canvas against oxford 210D with silver coating, 300% waterproof. Closed, the Alu Khosi Family sits 10 cm lower on the roof — 27 cm against 37 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
ARB
Altitude Electric
The Altitude is ARB's flagship electric hardshell, opening and closing automatically at the push of a button. It has a fiberglass shell, a 70mm dual-density mattress and an internal 12V system with dimmable lighting, a fan and USB charging. It is the most expensive and heaviest of ARB's current rooftop tents.
- Automated push-button setup and pack-down
- Integrated 12V electrics with lighting, fan and USB
- Solar-ready with a 20kg dynamic roof-load capacity on top
- Heaviest tent in ARB's range at 106 kg
Femkes
Alu Khosi Family
The Alu Khosi Family is the family-size fold-out in Femkes's Khosi line, sleeping three persons plus a child on an interior of about 215 x 180 cm with a 129 cm peak height. It includes a sky window, a zip-on awning of roughly 300 x 350 cm, storage compartments, and a 2.3 m ladder. Femkes lists a closed size of 197 x 141 x 27 cm and an approximate 82 kg weight including the mattress.
- 129 cm peak height, the tallest interior among Femkes's tents
- Zip-on awning (~300 x 350 cm) and 2.3 m ladder included
- Sky window for overhead ventilation
- Approximately 82 kg is the heaviest of Femkes's range
Which one to pick
Take the Alu Khosi Family if the budget is fixed. Take the Alu Khosi Family 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 | Femkes Alu Khosi Family
| |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 2— worst of the tents compared | 3— best of the tents compared |
| Season rating | — | — |
| List price | $6,000— worst of the tents compared | $4,050— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 234 lb— worst of the tents compared | 181 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared | 6 ft 6 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 5 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 8 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 14.6 in— worst of the tents compared | 10.6 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 5 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 5 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared | 5 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 39.1 sq ft— worst of the tents compared | 41.7 sq ft— best of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 10 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 3 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2.8 in— best of the tents compared | 1.6 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. | ~60 secest. |
| Shell material | Fiberglass | Aerodynamic ABS, waterproof |
| Fabric | 380GSM poly-cotton canvas | Oxford 210D with silver coating, 300% waterproof |
| Warranty | 3years | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | — |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | — |
| Roof skylight | — | Yes |
| Annex available | — | Yes |
| Solar ready | Yes | — |
| Carries cargo on top | Yes | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | ARB product page | Femkes product page |
Related comparisons
- Altitude ElectricvsDiscovery
- Altitude ElectricvsGen 3-R Expedition
- Altitude ElectricvsSkyera
- Altitude ElectricvsMaggiolina Airlander Plus
Or read the full spec sheets for the ARB Altitude Electric and the Femkes Alu Khosi Family.