ARB Altitude Electric vs Roofnest Condor 2 XL Air
The ARB Altitude Electric and the Roofnest Condor 2 XL Air 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 Roofnest take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The Condor 2 XL Air is 29 kg lighter at 77 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 3.91 m², so neither wins on sleeping room. The Condor 2 XL Air lists $1,904.95 lower, at $4,095 against $5,999.95. ARB also backs the Altitude Electric for 3 years against 2.
They open differently: the Altitude Electric is a clamshell and the Condor 2 XL Air 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 Condor 2 XL Air uses rooftex PC/ABS shell with internal aluminum frame. Canvas differs too: 380GSM poly-cotton canvas against 280gsm poly-cotton canvas with blackout coating.
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
Roofnest
Condor 2 XL Air
The most feature-dense tent in this database: two HVAC ports, three LED strips, a skylight and crossbar mounts, on a 3.91 m² four-person platform. It is also the shortest four-person tent here when closed, at 191 cm.
- Two HVAC ports for a diesel heater or A/C
- Skylight plus 4-way windows
- 191 cm closed length is short for a four-person tent
- 77 kg is above several factory dynamic roof limits
Which one to pick
Take the Condor 2 XL Air if the budget is fixed. Take the Condor 2 XL Air 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 | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 2— worst of the tents compared | 4— best of the tents compared |
| Season rating | — | — |
| List price | $6,000— worst of the tents compared | $4,095— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 234 lb— worst of the tents compared | 170 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared | 6 ft 3 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 | 14.6 in |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 5 in— worst of the tents compared | 7 ft 5 in— best of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 5 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared | 5 ft 8 in— best of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 39.1 sq ft— worst of the tents compared | 42.1 sq ft— best of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 10 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 2 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2.8 in— best of the tents compared | 2 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 sec |
| Shell material | Fiberglass | Rooftex PC/ABS shell with internal aluminum frame |
| Fabric | 380GSM poly-cotton canvas | 280gsm poly-cotton canvas with blackout coating |
| Warranty | 3years— best of the tents compared | 2years— worst of the tents compared |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | — | Yes |
| Roof skylight | — | Yes |
| Annex available | — | Yes |
| Solar ready | Yes | — |
| Carries cargo on top | Yes | Yes |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | ARB product page | Roofnest 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 Roofnest Condor 2 XL Air.