Overland Vehicle Systems HD Bushveld 4 Cantilever vs Overland Vehicle Systems HD Mamba
Both of these are Overland Vehicle Systems tents, so the question is not which brand to trust but which size and configuration suits your vehicle and how you camp. The HD Bushveld 4 Cantilever and the HD Mamba share Overland Vehicle Systems's construction and warranty; where they part company is in the numbers below.
The HD Mamba is 14 kg lighter at 80.3 kg against 94.3 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 HD Bushveld 4 Cantilever gives 4.83 m² of sleeping floor against 3.21 m², about 50 percent more, and it sleeps 4 to the HD Mamba's 3. List prices are within $100 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.
The HD Bushveld 4 Cantilever uses single-piece polymer; the HD Mamba uses honeycomb aluminum. On features they trade blows: only the HD Bushveld 4 Cantilever has a roof skylight and a matching annex, while only the HD Mamba has the ability to carry cargo on the shell. Closed, the HD Mamba sits 13.969999999999999 cm lower on the roof — 16.51 cm against 30.48 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
Overland Vehicle Systems
HD Bushveld 4 Cantilever
The HD Bushveld 4 is the larger of OVS's two Bushveld cantilever hardshells, sleeping four across a two-section floor. It uses a single-piece polymer shell, carries a 39 x 25.5 in skylight and a 4-season rating, and is annex-compatible. Dry weight is 207.9 lb with a 1 in quilted foam mattress.
- Sleeps four across a two-section floor
- 4-season rating and 39 x 25.5 in skylight
- Annex-compatible
- Only a 1 in mattress
Overland Vehicle Systems
HD Mamba
The HD Mamba is an aluminum clamshell hardshell marketed for two to three people, with a 90 x 51.5 in sleeping area and a tall 59 in interior height. It includes removable crossbars but no skylight, interior lighting or heater port as standard. OVS gives a 4-year fabric and structural warranty and states a setup of under 2 minutes.
- Roomy 90 x 51.5 in sleeping area
- Tall 59 in interior height
- Removable crossbars included
- No skylight, LED or heater port as standard
Which one to pick
Take the HD Bushveld 4 Cantilever if you need the sleeping room more than you need the lighter tent. Take the HD Mamba 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 | Overland Vehicle Systems HD Bushveld 4 Cantilever
| |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Clamshell | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 4— best of the tents compared | 3— worst of the tents compared |
| Season rating | 4-season | — |
| List price | $2,299.99— best of the tents compared | $2,399.99— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 208 lb— worst of the tents compared | 177 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 7 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 6 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 12 in— worst of the tents compared | 6.5 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared | 7 ft 6 in— best of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 7 ft 4 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 7 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 52 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 34.6 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | — | 4 ft 11 in |
| Mattress thickness | 1 in— worst of the tents compared | 2.5 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 2 min | 2 min |
| Shell material | Single-piece polymer | Honeycomb aluminum |
| Fabric | 280g rip stop poly cotton Oxford | 280g rip stop poly cotton Oxford |
| Warranty | 4years | 4years |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | No | No |
| Heater / HVAC port | No | No |
| Roof skylight | Yes | No |
| Annex available | Yes | No |
| Solar ready | — | No |
| Carries cargo on top | No | Yes |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Overland Vehicle Systems product page | Overland Vehicle Systems product page |
Related comparisons
- HD Bushveld 4 CantilevervsHD Bushveld 2 Cantilever
- HD Bushveld 4 CantilevervsHD Sidewinder
- HD Bushveld 4 CantilevervsHD Bundu 4 Cantilever
- HD MambavsHD Bushveld 2 Cantilever
Or read the full spec sheets for the Overland Vehicle Systems HD Bushveld 4 Cantilever and the Overland Vehicle Systems HD Mamba.