The rooftop tent, three seasons in
What has held, what hasn't, and whether we'd buy it again.
Most rooftop tent reviews are written after a weekend. This one is written after three seasons of real use, which is long enough for the things that fail to have failed.
What held
The shell and the fabric. Sustained coastal rain is the honest test and it stayed dry throughout, including a night that soaked everything not inside it. The mattress is better than it needs to be.
What didn't
The zipper. It failed at the base in the second year — the standard failure point on this design, and not a surprise to anyone who has owned one. The company replaced it without argument, which matters more to us than the failure itself.
Three seasons is long enough for the things that fail to have failed.
The cost nobody quotes
Fuel. It is on the roof whether you are sleeping in it or not, and the penalty is constant. If you camp a handful of nights a year you are paying that cost year-round for very little. That, rather than the price, is the number that should decide it.