Gordigear Bonito vs TentBox Cargo
The Gordigear Bonito and the TentBox Cargo are both hybrid tents in the same part of the market, which makes them a genuine head-to-head rather than a comparison across categories. Gordigear and TentBox take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The Cargo is 26 kg lighter at 72 kg against 98 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 Bonito gives 3.27 m² of sleeping floor against 2.79 m², about 17 percent more, and it sleeps 3 to the Cargo's 2. Headroom separates them further: 145 cm in the Cargo against 95 cm, which is the difference between sitting up to dress and doing it lying down. List prices are within $73 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one. TentBox also backs the Cargo for 5 years against 2.
They open differently: the Bonito is a pop-up and the Cargo a clamshell. 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 Bonito uses aluminium 18 mm honeycomb core with aluminium planking; the Cargo uses aluminium exoskeleton with stainless steel hardware. Canvas differs too: 320 gr/m2 ripstop polyester-cotton blend, polyurethane impregnated and UV resistant against stormproof breathable UV-resistant fabric, 3000 mm hydrostatic head. The Bonito adds a heater or HVAC port, which the Cargo does not offer. Closed, the Cargo sits 9 cm lower on the roof — 19 cm against 28 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
Gordigear
Bonito
The Bonito is a hybrid aluminium hard-shell tent for 2-3 people, built with a compact footprint aimed at pick-up truck cargo areas. It opens semi-automatically in about 30 seconds to erected dimensions of 215 x 152 cm with a 210 x 140 cm sleeping surface and a 50 mm memory-foam mattress. It is the heaviest of Gordigear's hard shells at a published 98 kg.
- Compact 152 x 133 cm packed footprint suited to pick-up beds
- Dimmable 2-colour LED lighting and heater-port preparation
- Stated 5000 mm tent / 3000 mm flysheet water columns
- Heaviest Gordigear hard shell at 98 kg
TentBox
Cargo
An aluminium exoskeleton rather than a moulded shell, which is how it packs to 19 cm and still carries bikes or boards on cargo bars above the tent. Thirty seconds to open, and 145 cm of headroom under the peak.
- 19 cm closed profile
- Carries bikes or boards on top of the tent
- 30-second setup, and 145 cm headroom
- 72 kg before your rack
Which one to pick
Take the Cargo if your roof load limit is the binding constraint. Take the Bonito 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 | Pop-up | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 3— best of the tents compared | 2— worst of the tents compared |
| Season rating | — | 4-season |
| List price | $3,010— worst of the tents compared | $2,940— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 216 lb— worst of the tents compared | 159 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 5 ft— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 4 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 3 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 11 in— worst of the tents compared | 7.5 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 1 in | 7 ft 1 in |
| Sleeping width | 5 ft— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 35.2 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 30 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared | 4 ft 9 in— best of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2 in— worst of the tents compared | 2.4 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 30 sec | 30 sec |
| Shell material | Aluminium 18 mm honeycomb core with aluminium planking | Aluminium exoskeleton with stainless steel hardware |
| Fabric | 320 gr/m2 ripstop polyester-cotton blend, polyurethane impregnated and UV resistant | 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 | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | No |
| Roof skylight | — | Yes |
| Annex available | Yes | — |
| Solar ready | — | No |
| Carries cargo on top | Yes | Yes |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Gordigear product page | TentBox product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Gordigear Bonito and the TentBox Cargo.