REASONS TO BUY
Bombproof cover
Innovative mounting hardware
Includes torque wrench
Doubles as cargo box
REASONS TO AVOID
Very heavy
Questionable canopy material
Low tent ceiling
Thule Basin Review
A symmetrical hardshell rooftop tent with some attractive features but a few shortcomings
RELATED: Best Rooftop Tents of 2024
Our Verdict
While we didn't find much to complain about while testing the Thule Basin, the drawbacks we uncovered earned it an overall score that is just outside of garnering a GearLab award. The symmetrically-shaped pop-up design is reasonably roomy, but the roof feels awfully low compared to many models. We love that the outer shell is so rugged, but the tent fabric could be stronger. The mounting hardware is as easy as it gets to attach, but the actual tent is ridiculously cumbersome to lift onto a vehicle. It's great that the canopy and bed can be removed so the shell can be used as a cargo box, but its empty weight is still nearly three times the weight of the heaviest models in our best cargo box review. Overall, we think this tent may be perfect for the right person (with a strong back and a powerful vehicle), but most people are probably better off with a tent that better suits their needs. See how the Basin stacks up against the others in our best rooftop tent review.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Thule Basin | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Hardshell Rooftop Tent | Best Softshell Rooftop Tent |  Best Low-Profile Hardtop Rooftop Tent |  Best Bang for the Buck | |
| Price | $2,999 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $2,995 List | $1,999 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $3,595 List | $1,632 List $1,428 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Symmetrically shaped and easy-to-convert hardshell rooftop tent that's a bit heavy for our liking | Our number one suggestion for those in the market for a hardshell model because of its ease of use, storage space, and overall enjoyment | A soft top fold-out rooftop tent that has massive windows | A hardshell rooftop tent with a tiny thickness, luxurious comfort, and accessories | A high-performance model that doesn't injure your bank account |
| Rating Categories | Thule Basin | Roofnest Sparrow EYE | Thule Approach M | Roofnest Falcon 2 | Smittybilt GEN2 Ove... |
| Space and Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Durability (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Conversion (20%) | |||||
| Ease of Assembly and Installation (15%) | |||||
| Cover Convenience (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Thule Basin | Roofnest Sparrow EYE | Thule Approach M | Roofnest Falcon 2 | Smittybilt GEN2 Ove... |
| Seasons | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Weight | 176 lbs | 130 lbs | 128 lbs | 160 lbs | 154 lbs |
| Max Inside Height | 36 in | 44 in | 40 in | 60 in | 51 in |
| Pockets | 4, gear net | 1 detachable | 2 | 2 detachable, gear grid with 5 pockets | 5 |
| Windows | 2 ends | 2 side | 4 | 2 side | 3 side, 2 roof |
| Floor Dimensions | 84 in x 55 in | 83 in x 49 in | 95 in x 56 in | 86 in x 48 in | 56 in x 96 in |
| Floor Area | 32 sq ft | 28 sq ft | 38 sq ft | 29 sq ft | 38 sq ft |
| Packed Size | 13 in x 58 in x 88 in | 6 in x 50 in x 88 in | 11 in x 49 in x 56 in | 11 in x 50 in x 85 in | 12 in x 48 in x 56 in |
| Floor Materials | Welded aluminum, ABS | Fiberglass-reinforced ASA/ABS | Aluminum | Honeycomb aluminum | Aluminum |
| Main Tent Materials | 260g poly-cotton ripstop | Polyurethane-coated polyester and cotton blend | 600 D polyester ripstop | 320g poly-cotton | 600 D |
| Rainfly Materials | n/a | n/a | TPU-coated nylon | n/a | 420D Oxford |
| Number of Poles | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| Design Type | Symmetrical pop-up | Wedge | Fold-out | Wedge | Fold-out |
| Capacity | 2-3 Person | 2-3 Person | 2-3 Person | 2-3 Person | 2-3 Person |
| Extras | Gear net | Mattress, LED light, privacy tent, ground mat, anti-condensation mat | Dual-layer foam mattress, removable rain cover, lockable mounting bracket | Mattress, 8.5' ladder, anti-condensation mat, dual detachable pockets, privacy tent, and LED lights | Interior LED, extension cords, boot bag |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Thule Basin offers outdoor enthusiasts one of the classic hardshell rooftop tent forms – the box. While it earned a commendable overall score in our assessment, it didn't quite secure one of our coveted awards.
Performance Comparison
Sometimes all you need is a guitar, the desert, and comfortable place to rest your bones.
Credit: Ross Patton
Space and Comfort
The biggest portion of our total score is dedicated to how comfortable each tent is inside. How did we acquire our data for this metric? You guessed it – we went camping! For this particular model, we headed to Grand Staircase National Monument in Southern Utah to spend five days and nights overlanding in the late spring.
The stars in Grand Staircase would be a lot brighter if those pesky clouds weren't in the way.
Credit: Ross Patton
Our team found the mattress in the Basin to be just as comfortable as any rooftop tent sleeping pad that we've tested to date. There are a few small luxuries that add to overall comfort, such as the four wall pockets and the overhead gear net. When you're looking at the tent from the outside, you might assume from the boxy design that there's tons of room inside; however, when we spent time in the tent, we found that the tent's roof is actually very low when compared to wedge-style pop-ups or even old-school fold-out models. Also, a lot of the space inside the tent isn't especially useful - specifically the four upper corners. While you could feasibly fashion some sort of added netting or storage in these areas, there isn't much use for it unless you have something that is three feet tall, skinny enough not to disrupt foot space, and needs to stand upright.
The shoebox shape of the Thule Basin has lots of cubic footage, but much of it is rather useless.
Credit: Ross Patton
Durability
There is no question whether or not the Basin is tough enough for extended highway miles and foul weather while the tent is in travel mode. With a welded aluminum floor frame and a thick ABS shell, flying highway pebbles and low-hanging tree branches pose little to no threat of damaging the tent. The zippers are beefy, the clips are strong, and the pistons are housed within the tent, which protects them from the elements. However, we were surprised to learn that the canopy is composed of a 280g polyester/cotton blend ripstop. Other models use 320g, 420 D, and upwards of 600 D fabric – including tents in the Thule lineup. While the shell will certainly take the brunt of abuse in terms of raindrops and other things falling from the sky, the tent walls are still exposed to the sun, sand, and wind, not to mention the dozens or even hundreds of times being folded and unfolded as you use the tent. We'd like to see a stronger fabric used in future iterations of the Basin.
Every fold on this canopy represents a weak spot where water repellant materials and the fabric itself can wear thin over time.
Credit: Ross Patton
Ease of Conversion
Generally speaking, rooftop tents are much quicker to convert from travel to camping mode than any traditional tent that is pitched on the ground. However, because uncovering nuanced differences in details between outdoor products is our job, we consider the difference between a 30-second setup and a three-minute setup to be significant. The conversion process of the Thule Basin is relatively quick. To get ready to camp, you release two straps and a clip on each end; then, the pistons do the rest of the work following a gentle push. When it's time to pack up, a set of permanent straps aid in pulling the shell back down to the floor.
The Basin takes under a minute to switch from travel to camping mode.
Credit: Ross Patton
This model lost a couple of points for this metric for a couple of key reasons. When compared to a wedge pop-up, the number of steps for opening and closing the tent is doubled. Also, because both ends of the tent are extended, one end is over the hood of your vehicle, which means you'll need to stand in your door wells or lean on the front of your car to reach the strap and close the tent.
Closing the Basin is a bit awkward with the front of the car in the way.
Credit: Ross Patton
Ease of Assembly and Installation
The Basin is one of several rooftop tents we've tested over the years that comes ready to install right out of the box. Some tents have several steps that can be difficult and time-consuming, such as attaching the rails, attaching the ladder, or fishing the cover into place, but the Basin can go directly from its packaging to your rack. We love Thule's hardware that has been designed to attach when the tent is already in place – many other models require an awkward lifting step to slide the downward-facing bolts into place on either side of your crossbars. The instructions are clear and super easy to follow, and the tent even includes a tool for measuring which way to configure the hardware, as well as a torque wrench for getting the perfect amount of tightness when installing the tent.
The tools and hardware included with the Basin make anchoring the tent to your rack a breeze.
Unfortunately, we had to dock the Basin a couple of points in the installation department because it is ridiculously heavy. At 176 pounds, lifting it onto a taller vehicle is no joke, and we'd highly recommend inviting an extra couple of friends over to help lift this beast. Thule also touts that the Basin can be used as a cargo box by removing the tent walls and mattress, but this process requires a ladder and some careful balance while the tent is on a car, and it's still really heavy when it's empty. Comparatively, the heaviest models in our best cargo box review are around 50 lbs.
Cover Convenience
As with the other hardshell models in our review, the Thule Basin earned a perfect score for its cover because the shell is both the cover and the roof of the tent. Considering that soft-shelled models have covers that need to be rolled up, folded, detached, and stowed away to camp and are then often awkward to reattach when it's time to go home, we find hard shell RTTs to be much more convenient overall.
Hardshell models make for less time messing with your tent and more time on the open road.
Credit: Ross Patton
Should You Buy the Thule Basin?
The Basin may be the perfect model for the right person. If you want a rugged-shelled rooftop tent that is relatively easy to set up and offers ample cubic volume, this is the one. But keep in mind that you're going to need some strong humans to install it and a powerful vehicle to haul it.
What Other Rooftop Tents Should You Consider?
If you like the idea of a hard shell RTT but want something that's lighter and quicker to convert, a wedge-style model such as the Roofnest Sparrow EYE or the Roofnest Falcon 2 is the way to go. If cubic footage is a key and you'd like a tent that has a smaller footprint while in travel mode, we'd recommend the Thule Approach M. For those who are looking to leave some space on their roof for other toys, the Foothill unfolds lengthwise rather than side to side, leaving lots of room for paddleboards, kayaks, and bicycles on your rack.
—
Ross Patton
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