Front Runner Feather-Lite roof top tent – 12 ½ roof top tents in direct comparison

Tipping the scales at just 47 kg, the Front Runner Feather-Lite roof top tent really lives up to its name. At € 1,199, it’s the cheapest roof tent in our comparison test, which makes it an interesting choice for the budget-conscious roof camper, and newbies who are still undecided as to whether sleeping on a car roof is really their thing. We all know that nothing in life is free, so what compromises does the Front Runner Feather-Lite call for?

We tested 12 ½ of the most exciting roof top tents in a direct comparison and took along 20 roof tent newbies and experts, 2 small kids, 2 dogs and 1 giant teddy bear on an epic road trip – here for our buying advice, and an overview of all the roof tents we tested.

Over the last two decades, Front Runner have made a name for themselves on the international outdoor/overlanding scene as a supplier of robust roof racks and sophisticated off-road accessories. Given the premium price tag of their popular Slimline roof rack, it might come as a surprise that the Front Runner roof tent is a total bargain. At € 1,199, it’s the cheapest model in our roof top tent comparison test, and also one of the lightest models on test, tipping the scales at 47 kg. However, you shouldn’t expect to get an all-round carefree package with such an affordable roof tent…

Front Runner Feather-Lite roof tent: prepping and car installation

If you’re thinking of ordering the Front Runner roof tent just before going on holiday, whacking it on your car and driving off, that’s not a good idea! The Feather-Lite requires lots of tinkering before you can mount it on the roof. You should make sure to take the time to go through a few prepping steps before setting up the tent for the first time. First off, you’ll have to bolt the base rails and ladder to the tent floor. At 1 kg, the aluminium ladder is much lighter than most of the telescopic ladders in this test, which weigh 6 kg on average. However, this only has a few holes to lock in the ladder at different heights, meaning that you’ll have to drill more holes yourself to perfectly match your vehicle height. If you have a bigger van or campervan over 2 metres tall (vehicle plus roof rack height), you’ll want to order the optional Front Runner ladder extension. If you don’t, you’ll have to put a box under the ladder, which is what we did on our big DOWNTOWN road trip.

Once the pre-assembly is complete, you won’t have to ask your whole neighbourhood for help, because the lightweight Front Runner tent can be easily lifted onto the car roof by just two people. Since the Feather-Lite’s entrance can be placed front-to-back or side-to-side, you should be careful to place the tent the right way round. Like with most of the tents in this test field, bolting the mounting hardware to the crossbars takes some time, because they’re secured with locking nuts. If you don’t have a ratchet yet, now is the right time to get one! For roof racks with a flat profile, the Front Runner roof tent also comes with an optional fastening kit with shorter 30 mm brackets.

Assembling and disassembling the Front Runner Feather-Lite roof tent

So how does our featherweight friend fare against the competition? When you find a nice camping spot, setting up the tent is relatively easy: open the zip, remove the tarpaulin, pull on the ladder and you’re ready to snooze! However, to ensure a clear view through the three windows and the partly covered entrance, you’ll have to install the tensioning poles first. It takes a little practice to get the angle right, but it works well. For taller cars, we recommend using a little stool to do this, or alternatively, you can push in the poles from inside the tent. The Feather-Lite can be fully set up in just over five minutes, provided that you’ve already pre-installed the flysheet over the poles at home. This puts the Front Runner roof tent roughly on a par with the Yakima Skyrise HD Tent. Five minutes isn’t exactly a record time, especially when compared to hard shell tents, which in some cases just take a few seconds to set up. That said, it’s still fast enough to get a few nods of approval from fellow campers, and it allows you to pop that first campsite beer a lot sooner than a complex ground tent.

When taking the Front Runner tent off the roof, the attachment system for the tarpaulin is rather annoying and time consuming, because it relies on a zip rather than tensioning ropes, which is what the qeedo, Quechua and Yakima use. This makes it a tedious task to tuck the overhanging fabric under the tarpaulin without it getting caught in the zipper. In some places, the zip is relatively hard to close, so you have to pull on it with force. And if the fabric still gets caught after all, you’ll just want to throw in the towel, especially if it’s raining or you’re in a rush. On the other hand, the quality of the tarpaulin is perfectly acceptable. The robust, PVC-coated nylon fabric is reminiscent of lorry tarpaulins and can withstand the elements, as well as any mishaps while the tend is stored away.

Like the Yakima Skyrise HD Tent and Thule Approach, the Front Runner roof tent requires you to walk around the tent and thus around your vehicle several times during assembly and disassembly. This can be particularly challenging with taller cars, because you’re forced to climb onto the roof to work around the bars – so you had better be ready to perform some campsite acrobatics.

The Front Runner Feather-Lite roof tent in action

Unfortunately, you can’t book a sunny day, not even when you’re on holiday. However, that’s not too much of a problem with the Feather-Lite, which offers a pleasant feeling of space. With 115 cm interior height, it ensures enough freedom of movement, while four big windows and two generously sized, zippable skylights provide a pleasant, bright ambient light and panoramic views, even on a cloudy day. At 195 cm, the mattress is shorter than the 240 cm total interior length, leaving plenty of room for books, bags and shoes. As far as sleeping comfort goes, the Front Runner roof tent is a matter of taste. If you like a firm bed, the 6 cm mattress with moisture- and mould-resistant polyester Oxford fabric is a great choice. Unlike Thule, qeedo and the three hard shell manufacturers in this test, Front Runner don’t include an anti-condensation mat with their tent, and this isn’t available as an optional accessory either. However, thanks to the countless big openings, which all have fly screens, the Front Runner enables good ventilation without the risk of mosquitoes.

So which features can you expect to find inside the cheapest tent in the entire comparison test? It shouldn’t come as a surprise that you don’t get any fancy accessories like LED lighting, a shoe organiser or a tablet holder. When it comes to organising the interior and lighting, you’ll have to improvise and get your own organisers. There’s a storage compartment on the side wall for small items such as a toothbrush, keys, mobile phone, etc.

As a practical accessory for the Front Runner roof tent, you can buy an awning, which is made from the same breathable, waterproof cellulose material as the Feather-Lite. Thanks to the zippered floor, this can be used as an additional sleeping area for a child who no longer wants to sleep in the same space as their parents, as an extra space for changing or in bad weather. Unfortunately, the awning does not offer dry access to the Front Runner roof tent in the rain, as the ladder is placed outside.

Who should take a closer look at the Front Runner Feather-Lite roof tent?

The Feather-Lite isn’t the best option if you’re looking for a high level of comfort or sophisticated special solutions, while the complex pre-assembly requires patience and dexterity. That said, if you aren’t very hands-on yourself, you can always ask your mates to help you. On the other hand, the Front Runner is suitable for rooftop tent newbies who want to try out the concept, but don’t want to pay the premium prices of the competition. With its low system weight, the Feather-Lite is also an attractive option for couples who want to be able to assemble the tent without help from others.

With its low system weight, the Front Runner is suitable for most vehicles with a minimum roof load of approx. 50 kg – from small cars to vans. However, if you came across the Feather-Lite while searching for a roof tent with compact pack dimensions, you might want to look elsewhere. While Front Runner claim that the Feather-Lite is the flattest roof tent on the market (including the ladder), we don’t understand how the manufacturer came to this conclusion. In this test field alone, almost all other roof tents are flatter, except for the Decathlon Quechua MH 900 and Yakima Skyrise.

Our conclusions about the Front Runner Feather-Lite roof top tent

A Solid entry-level tent without frills and extra comfort – plus two big skylights for stargazing. Provided you’re a bit handy – have some friends who can help – to drill a few holes in the ladder, the featherweight Front Runner roof tent is a great way to initiate yourself in the roof tent world.

Tops

• Affordable
• Super light
• Many openings

Flops

• Complex first installation
• Locking nuts slow down things
• Lack of accessories
• Relatively complex disassembly

For more info, visit frontrunneroutfitters.com

The test field

Click here for our big comparison test – 12 ½ roof top tents in direct comparison

All roof tents in test: Front Runner Feather Lite | Decathlon MH 900 (Click here) | Vickywood Cumaru Light 127 ECO (Click here) | Yakima SkyRise HD Tent MD (Click here) | Qeedo Freedom Air 2 (Click here) | Thule Foothill (Click here) | Gentle Tent Sky Loft (Click here) | Arcta Vento (Click here) | Thule Approach M (Click here) | Intrepid Geo 3.0 (Click here) | Naturbummler Alu-Kraftkiste (Click here) | Thule Outset (Click here) | Naturbummler Flitzer I L (Click here)

Words: Felicia Nastal, Julian Schwede Photos: Robin Schmitt, Mike Hunger