Freespirit Recreation Aspen Lite Standard vs Freespirit Recreation Aspen Lite XL
Both of these are Freespirit Recreation tents, so the question is not which brand to trust but which size and configuration suits your vehicle and how you camp. The Aspen Lite Standard and the Aspen Lite XL share Freespirit Recreation's construction and warranty; where they part company is in the numbers below.
On weight they are effectively level — 45.4 kg against 49.9 kg — so the roof load question resolves the same way for both. Inside, the Aspen Lite XL gives 2.57 m² of sleeping floor against 2.23 m², about 15 percent more, and it sleeps 3 to the Aspen Lite Standard's 2. The Aspen Lite Standard lists $245 lower, at $2,250 against $2,495.
Freespirit Recreation
Aspen Lite Standard
The Aspen Lite Standard is the smaller of Freespirit Recreation's two Aspen Lite clamshell tents, using a lightweight tonneau-style hybrid top over an extruded-aluminum frame. It sleeps 1-2 and, at 100 lbs on the spec sheet, is the lightest tent in the current Aspen range. It carries the same Tri-Layer tent fabric, dimmable LED strip and heater/AC/electrical ports as the rest of the lineup.
- Low listed weight (100 lbs) for a clamshell tent
- Integrated dimmable LED lighting and heater/AC/electrical ports
- Includes mattress, ladder, cover and gear storage grid
- Manufacturer publishes conflicting weight figures (100 vs 110 lbs)
Freespirit Recreation
Aspen Lite XL
The Aspen Lite XL is the wider of Freespirit Recreation's two Aspen Lite tonneau-style hybrid clamshells, sleeping 2-3. It keeps the light 110 lb weight and 59 in interior peak height of the Aspen Lite line while widening the interior floor to 52.5 in. Standard equipment includes a memory-foam mattress, dimmable LED strip and heater/AC/electrical ports.
- Wider 2-3 person floor than the Aspen Lite Standard
- Relatively low 110 lb listed weight for its size
- Tall 59 in interior peak height
- Tonneau-style top rather than a full aluminum hardshell
Which one to pick
Take the Aspen Lite XL 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 | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 2— worst of the tents compared | 3— best of the tents compared |
| Season rating | 4-season | 4-season |
| List price | $2,250— best of the tents compared | $2,495— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 100 lb— best of the tents compared | 110 lb— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 6 ft 8 in | 6 ft 8 in |
| Packed width | 4 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 10 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 7.4 in | 7.4 in |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 6 ft 4 in | 6 ft 4 in |
| Sleeping width | 3 ft 10 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 5 in— best of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 24 sq ft— worst of the tents compared | 27.7 sq ft— best of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 4 ft 11 in | 4 ft 11 in |
| Mattress thickness | — | — |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~3 minest. | ~3 minest. |
| Shell material | Extruded aluminum frame with polymer corners; tonneau-style hybrid top | Extruded aluminum frame with polymer corners; tonneau-style hybrid top |
| Fabric | Tri-Layer: polycotton fill between two layers of 210D ripstop | Tri-Layer: polycotton fill between two layers of 210D ripstop |
| Warranty | — | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | Yes |
| Roof skylight | — | — |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Freespirit Recreation product page | Freespirit Recreation product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Freespirit Recreation Aspen Lite Standard and the Freespirit Recreation Aspen Lite XL.