While searching for low-cost but capable alternatives to costly RVs, I've arrived at a simple but effective construction meant to fulfill your need for adventure, rooftop tents.
Folks, the past couple of years have been hectic. But, in all this chaos, a new crew has appeared on the market, Badass Tents, a designer and manufacturer of rooftop tents from the U.S. Never heard of Badass? All you need to know is that they're made up of nothing more than die-hard outdoor lovers and enthusiasts.
While most of us have been sitting around the house unable to go about our daily business, this crew was hard at work, hitting the market with habitats like Convoy, a tent that's a bit different than what we may be used to. Best of all, it's only going to run you up to 4,000 USD (3,535 EUR at current exchange rates) to own, depending on the vehicle you want to mount it to.
A few things set Convoy apart from what else you'll find on the market, of which one feature is its size. Convoy is the sort of tent designed to fit as many vehicles as possible. After all, it's good business to fit the needs of as many customers as possible.
With that in mind, judging by the manufacturer's website, Convoy seems to be fit for mid-size SUVs and larger. I don't see any images of grandma's Camry anywhere. But, that doesn't make this mobile habitat any less meaningful. Got a Land Rover? Convoy can do it. Got a Toyota 4Runner? Convoy can fit that too. Do check out the list of suitable vehicles if you want to take this story into your own garage.
Overall, Convoy is designed to be light, tight, and small enough to not affect the dynamics of your vehicle. Closed, each unit displays a height of just 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) and weighs up to 122 lbs (55 kg). Around 40 inches (101 centimeters) of headroom will be offered once you pop the top. All that's set up on a 4-inch (10-centimeter) aluminum frame too.
Speaking of the top, what owners should get a kick out of is that Convoy's top isn't just a plastic hardtop tent, but the upper cap is made to act as a moonroof. Don't start thinking that there's just some little segment that lets you look to the sky, but rather, the entire top is transparent. Not a feature commonly encountered in the rooftop tent market.
To continue giving owners a full view of the world around, another aspect of Convoy that may please is that it features four windows and three doors, all of which yield a 360-degree view of the world around. This visibility is also possible because of the way Convoy is built.
Unlike Rugged, another tent from Badass, Convoy opens vertically and not on a hinge. This allows for all four walls to pop into view, which should also yield more space inside. Looking at the spec sheet, Convoy is a bit more fitting and can sleep two adults and a small child or pet.
The interior space is created by waterproof 420D Nylon Oxford fabric and features nothing more than a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) open-cell foam sleeping pad with a waterproof cover. You should have no issues driving and living in the rain.
One last feature upon which Convoy prides itself is ease-of-use. With gas shock struts, opening and lowering the top of your habitat shouldn't be too difficult. The video below shows the steps you have to go through to do so.
It's light, small, and won't affect the way your vehicle handles, even if used in an off-road setting; what more could you want? A lower price? Well, shop around and see what fits your adventure budget; I'm just the messenger, but Convoy seems to be an off-grid option to consider for future acquisitions.
While most of us have been sitting around the house unable to go about our daily business, this crew was hard at work, hitting the market with habitats like Convoy, a tent that's a bit different than what we may be used to. Best of all, it's only going to run you up to 4,000 USD (3,535 EUR at current exchange rates) to own, depending on the vehicle you want to mount it to.
A few things set Convoy apart from what else you'll find on the market, of which one feature is its size. Convoy is the sort of tent designed to fit as many vehicles as possible. After all, it's good business to fit the needs of as many customers as possible.
With that in mind, judging by the manufacturer's website, Convoy seems to be fit for mid-size SUVs and larger. I don't see any images of grandma's Camry anywhere. But, that doesn't make this mobile habitat any less meaningful. Got a Land Rover? Convoy can do it. Got a Toyota 4Runner? Convoy can fit that too. Do check out the list of suitable vehicles if you want to take this story into your own garage.
Speaking of the top, what owners should get a kick out of is that Convoy's top isn't just a plastic hardtop tent, but the upper cap is made to act as a moonroof. Don't start thinking that there's just some little segment that lets you look to the sky, but rather, the entire top is transparent. Not a feature commonly encountered in the rooftop tent market.
To continue giving owners a full view of the world around, another aspect of Convoy that may please is that it features four windows and three doors, all of which yield a 360-degree view of the world around. This visibility is also possible because of the way Convoy is built.
Unlike Rugged, another tent from Badass, Convoy opens vertically and not on a hinge. This allows for all four walls to pop into view, which should also yield more space inside. Looking at the spec sheet, Convoy is a bit more fitting and can sleep two adults and a small child or pet.
One last feature upon which Convoy prides itself is ease-of-use. With gas shock struts, opening and lowering the top of your habitat shouldn't be too difficult. The video below shows the steps you have to go through to do so.
It's light, small, and won't affect the way your vehicle handles, even if used in an off-road setting; what more could you want? A lower price? Well, shop around and see what fits your adventure budget; I'm just the messenger, but Convoy seems to be an off-grid option to consider for future acquisitions.