REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
REASONS TO AVOID
May require drill to adjust ladder
Thin mattress
Only two pockets
Poor durability
Front Runner Roof Top Tent Review
If weight is the absolute deciding factor for which tent you want, this is the one for you
Credit: Front Runner
RELATED: Best Rooftop Tents of 2024
Our Verdict
The Front Runner Roof Top Tent is the lightest rooftop tent that we've tested. At a mere 93 pounds, it's one of the easiest tents to move around and install. However, where the designers shaved weight, they also shaved functionality and durability. Ultimately, we think there are better options on the market to consider unless weight is a more important factor than anything else.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Front Runner Roof Top Tent | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Bang for the Buck |  Best for Fitting More Gear | |||
| Price | $1,209 List $1,209 at Amazon | $1,632 List $1,428 at Amazon | $1,700 at Evo Compare at 4 sellers | $1,326 List $1,048 at Amazon | $1,575 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | The lightest tent out there, but at a sacrifice in durability | A high-performance model that doesn't injure your bank account | If you want a rooftop tent that won’t take up your entire rack, this is the one | A reasonably priced rooftop tent that offers excellent performance in almost every aspect | A two-person model with mostly standard features and some added assembly steps |
| Rating Categories | Front Runner Roof T... | Smittybilt GEN2 Ove... | Thule Tepui Foothill | Smittybilt Overlander | CVT Pioneer Series... |
| Space and Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Durability (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Conversion (20%) | |||||
| Ease of Assembly and Installation (15%) | |||||
| Cover Convenience (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Front Runner Roof T... | Smittybilt GEN2 Ove... | Thule Tepui Foothill | Smittybilt Overlander | CVT Pioneer Series... |
| Seasons | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Weight | 93 lbs | 154 lbs | 122 lbs | 144 lbs | 98 lbs |
| Max Inside Height | 55 in | 51 in | 38 in | 51 in | 45 in |
| Pockets | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Windows | 3 side, 2 roof | 3 side, 2 roof | 3 side, 2 roof | 3 side, 2 roof | 3 side 2 roof |
| Floor Dimensions | 52 in x 98 in | 56 in x 96 in | 87 in x 40 in | 56 in x 96 in | 96 in x 48 in |
| Floor Area | 35 sq ft | 38 sq ft | 24 sq ft | 38 sq ft | 32 sq ft |
| Packed Size | 12 in x 48 in x 53 in | 12 in x 48 in x 56 in | 9.5 in x 24 in x 83 in | 12 in x 48 in x 56 in | 48 in x 48 in x 15 in |
| Floor Materials | Aluminum | Aluminum | Welded aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Main Tent Materials | 400 D PVC | 600 D | 600 D | 420 D | 280g poly-cotton ripstop |
| Rainfly Materials | 200 D | 420D Oxford | 600 D | 600 D | 420D |
| Number of Poles | 6 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Design Type | Fold-out | Fold-out | Fold-out | Fold-out | Fold-out |
| Capacity | 2-3 Person | 2-3 Person | 2 Person | 2-3 Person | 2 Person |
| Extras | Velcro loops on roof for hanging gear | Interior LED, extension cords, boot bag | Double level pockets, loop inside for hanging lights and gear | Interior LED, extension cords, boot bag | n/a |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Front Runner is a nice tent, but unfortunately, it did not hold up to our testing standards. For this much money, you'd be better off buying a rooftop tent that is built to last in ways that this one just isn't.
Performance Comparison
After thorough testing, our experts deemed the Front Runner a step below the other models in our review.
Credit: Ross Patton
Space and Comfort
One of the main ways that the Front Runner comes up short is in space and comfort. Although it has a generous highest maximum inside height of 55 inches, it doesn't offer the length and width in floor space of the other tents we tested. Also, most importantly, this tent comes with the thinnest, smallest, least comfortable mattress we've seen.
Durability
In the durability category, the Front Runner came up short in our tests. The floor dented and creased after only a few uses, which is a huge disappointment after investing this much money. The stitching on the corners of the cover also gave out after a dozen conversions; worst of all, the upper corners of the roof tore after one night of what we would consider moderate wind.
Ease of Conversion
The Front Runner is reasonably easy to convert from travel to camping mode. However, one way it fell short is that the sliding ladder has limited settings compared to a telescoping ladder. At one campsite, we ended up having to dig a small ditch underneath the ladder so that our tent would unfold to the proper, safe height.
Because the Front Runner ladder lacks adjustability, we ended up having to dig a hole in the hillside for the feet at one campsite so that it would be at a safe angle.
Credit: Ross Patton
Ease of Assembly and Installation
The Front Runner is pretty easy in this regard, though we did run into a speedbump — the ladder only came with one set of factory-drilled holes, which did not end up being a safe height for our test vehicle. We had to drill another set of holes into the ladder to get it to the right height. This isn't a problem as long as you have a drill, the right bit, and are comfortable drilling into metal, but no other model required us to do this. However, if you're on a long trip and you end up camping on a hill unexpectedly, you might end up with an unsafe or unstable ladder angle if you don't make this augmentation.
Cover Convenience
The cover on the Front Runner is fairly easy to deal with. It has a three-sided zipper and two D-ring strap system that we've come to love on other models. It lacks a system to keep it out of the way when not in use, though. We'd like to see a way to keep the cover out of the way while camping, a few extra ounces on the overall weight is worth the added convenience.
Value
The Front Runner is not the most valuable tent. For less money, you can get a roomier, more comfortable, more durable tent that includes more features.
Conclusion
This tent performed poorly during our durability test and landed at the bottom of our score sheet for space and comfort. Based on our experience with this model, we cannot strongly recommend this rooftop tent to our readers. The best application for the Front Runner is to be used in situations that require the least amount of weight possible. It's very light, which truly is its only strength.
—Ross Patton
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