Despite the high price, the nest falcon is worth splurging if you are going to camp often and want a quick and easy setup. Rooftop camping offers some advantages over traditional tent camping, mainly, it's off the ground and further away from insects, wildlife, and rocky or damp landscapes. The Falcon roof comes in two sizes, regular and extra large versions. I chose the normal version, 50 wide, which would mount to my Front Runner Slimline II roof rack without any problems.
The XL version is approximately 10 inches wider to accommodate three people. Inside, I found a mattress almost three inches thick on a lattice condensation mat. This tent is a clam variant. The high side provides an enormous amount of headroom.
At 6'2 tall, I could sit upright and work on my computer without a problem. The mattress is soft and comfortable with almost 3 cm thick. The roof is made of aluminum in the shape of a honeycomb and a mesh net is attached inside to store various items, such as pillows and jackets. For the second night with the Roofnest, I had been sold out.
I could easily see the game-changing capabilities a rooftop tent has when it comes to camping in a car. It was easy to install, configure and disassemble, and it was extremely comfortable. Plus, being on top of your car is fun and offers great views. Rooftop tents have revolutionized car camping, and the new rooftop sparrow tent is the perfect example of what a rooftop tent should be.
Roofnest includes a floor mat and a separate fold-out changing pad if you prefer not to do everything on top of the car. Even so, the Roofnest's aerodynamic effects revealed its presence, particularly on Grapevine of Interstate 5, a long, steep slope that put the Mitsu in turtle mode without battery more than once on the ascent. I was excited and a little skeptical to see this new way of camping, but overall, the Roofnest didn't disappoint. However, the walls of the Roofnest Condor are made of waterproof canvas with taped seams, and the hard fiberglass cover would provide some type of protection against wind and precipitation.
I promise I won't be paid to say this, but my weekend at Roofnest Condor was without a doubt the most comfortable camping trip I've ever had. Luckily for me, I was able to experience the Roofnest Falcon hard aluminum tent in the wilderness of southern Utah and northern Arizona. Roofnest Sparrow scores highly in this category due to its fast 60-second prep time. But do some smart features and better build quality make it worth much more than other roof top tents? I say yes.
Roofnest's impressive RTT lineup includes Falcon, Condor and Sparrow (along with Sandpiper and Eagle, which are not currently listed on their website).
