Thule Approach 2 M vs Thule Foothill 2
Both of these are Thule tents, so the question is not which brand to trust but which size and configuration suits your vehicle and how you camp. The Approach 2 M and the Foothill 2 share Thule's construction and warranty; where they part company is in the numbers below.
On weight they are effectively level — 58 kg against 55 kg — so the roof load question resolves the same way for both. Inside, the Approach 2 M gives 3.42 m² of sleeping floor against 2.64 m², about 30 percent more, and it sleeps 3 to the Foothill 2's 2. The Foothill 2 lists $900 lower, at $2,100 against $3,000.
Canvas differs too: 600D recycled polyester ripstop, water resistant against 600D recycled polyester ripstop, 1500 mm waterproof rating.
Thule
Approach 2 M
The middle Approach 2 and an iF Design Award winner. It folds out to a 3.42 m² three-person floor with panoramic skylights, and at 58 kg it stays inside the dynamic roof limit of most mid-size SUVs.
- 58 kg fits most factory dynamic roof limits
- Panoramic skylights and windows
- Integrated heating port for a diesel heater
- Three-minute setup, slow next to a hardshell
Thule
Foothill 2
The half-width folder: 64 cm closed, so it occupies only one side of the roof and leaves the other free for a cargo box, bikes or boards. No other tent in this database packs down that narrow.
- 64 cm closed width leaves half the roof free
- Dual skylights
- Cheapest Thule tent here
- 94 cm interior height
Which one to pick
Take the Foothill 2 if the budget is fixed. Take the Approach 2 M 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 | Softshell | Softshell |
| Opening style | Fold-out | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 3— best of the tents compared | 2— worst of the tents compared |
| Season rating | 4-season | 4-season |
| List price | $3,000— worst of the tents compared | $2,100— best of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | 128 lb— worst of the tents compared | 122 lb— best of the tents compared |
| Packed length | 4 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 8 in— worst of the tents compared | 2 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 11 in | 11 in |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 7 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 4 ft 8 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 36.8 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 28.4 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 3 ft 4 in— best of the tents compared | 3 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2.4 in | 2.4 in |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | 3 min | ~5 minest. |
| Shell material | — | — |
| Fabric | 600D recycled polyester ripstop, water resistant | 600D recycled polyester ripstop, 1500 mm waterproof rating |
| Warranty | — | — |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | No | No |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | — |
| Roof skylight | Yes | Yes |
| Annex available | Yes | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Thule product page | Thule product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Thule Approach 2 M and the Thule Foothill 2.