When the Falcon 3 EVO XL first launched, spotting the ultra-slim rooftop tent was a lot like spotting a one of the first Cybertrucks. Mounted to my Tacoma, I noticed other drivers looking up at it, wondering where I had gotten a rooftop tent so thin.
Its novelty is indeed neat, and on more practical matters, the Falcon 3 EVO XL likely does reduce aerodynamic drag. But I drive a Tacoma, legendary for its already-terrible gas mileage, so for me, I was less interested in aerodynamic gains and more interested in functionality as a home away from home.
What originally excited me about the Falcon 3 EVO XL was how wide the clamshell top opened, creating massive internal space. That’s great for cohabitating, getting dressed in the morning, and generally being in your rooftop tent.
In practice, I ended up loving the Falcon 3 EVO XL for exactly that reason (and a few more). But there are a few modifications, most notably the need for an inflatable mattress, to make it truly comfortable. Here’s the full review…
Roofnest Falcon 3 EVO XL Rooftop Tent build & specs
The Falcon 3 EVO XL is designed to sleep 2 to 3 people. At 85″ x 57″ inside, it’s 10″ wider and 5″ longer than the regular size, and there’s a lofty 60″ of head room. It measures 88″ x 60″ externally and weighs a hefty 170lbs.
Interior roominess noted, its real parlor trick is that it folds down to just 8″ tall.
The base is aluminum, and the shell is ABS reinforced with Line-X, which Roofnest says is ideal for scratch and impact resistance, as well as UV resistance. The tent material is 320GSM coated polycotton.
Inside, the tent features two USB-powered dimmable LED light strips, and plenty of gear storage pockets throughout. The included mattress is 2 inches thick. Roofnest says you can store your sleeping bag or pillow inside the tent when it’s closed, too.
The U-bar system allows you to extend the tent material up and out, creating more living space within. It’s braced with a crossbar that stows on the side of the mattress when not in use.
Also included are a ground mat, gear grid, anti-condensation mat, dual detachable pockets, privacy tents, and LED lights.
The Falcon 3 EVO XL’s functionality touches
The aluminum side rails have dual T-channels running the perimeter, one on the base and one on the top, to attach up to 75lbs of accessories per side.
These include the 6-channel crossbars ($199) and awning brackets. I did not get a set of load bars, though I wish I had so I could mount things like solar panels on top of the tent.
I did get the awning brackets and attached a Yakima Major Shady awning to it, which weighs just under 47 pounds.
That’s well within the weight limit of the T-rails, but the awning does tend to sag slightly when the tent is in the open position. I think that’s because there’s only one T-rail on the bottom part of the clamshell to support all the weight of the awning. It’s good to be hyper-aware of what you’re attaching here.
Roofnest incorporates two heating and cooling ports into the tent material. You can close these off when not in use, or run A/C or heating ducts into them as desired.
The included accessories come in handy if you’re setting up camp long term. I particularly like the standalone privacy shelter, great for hiding a camp toilet — and for leaving behind at the campsite to reserve your space.
Installation notes
Despite its slim profile and lighter weight than some tents of this size, the Falcon 3 EVO XL is still a pretty heavy tent at 170 pounds. It took four adults to get it on my truck once it was out of the box, though that’s due as much to its size as its weight.
It’s a big tent, probably bigger than I actually need. So positioning it correctly took a bit of time too. I wanted to make sure it was centered, but I also needed to make sure the rear end of the tent cleared the back window of my RSI Smartcap. On top of that, leaving too much overhang up front could lead to enough flex that the tent would knock on my Yakima LockNLoad platform.
Once it was positioned, tightening the brackets to my load bars is straightforward. The bolts are pretty long, though, so it took quite a while to get them snugged up, but it’s a simple process.
As it turned out, there was no perfect position; I ended up with a bit of overhang up front that led to some knocking on the Yakima platform. I would probably opt for a smaller tent next time, and leave the XL size for a vehicle with more real estate up top.
Sleeping in the Falcon 3 EVO XL
My favorite thing about the Falcon 3 EVO XL is all that space inside. It’s super roomy, and that makes it easy to spend more time in there. Getting dressed becomes much easier too, thanks to the extra head room.
The other benefit to the extra head room is that the clamshell actually opens up wider. That means your feet won’t end up getting jammed into the crux of the tent, like they can on smaller clamshell-style tents. It’s one of the most spacious rooftop tents I’ve tested.
But here we arrive at my big complaint. The included mattress is only two inches thick, which is, frankly, just not thick enough to be comfortable. It has to be that thin to be able to close the clamshell for driving; any more bulk and there wouldn’t be enough space to get the tent closed.
I slept in the Falcon 3 EVO XL several nights like this, waking up with discomfort on my hips (I’m a side sleeper), until I realized the Featherbed Air mattress ($275) that was supposed to come with my test unit hadn’t arrived.
The mattress is sold separately, but in my mind, it’s a must-have if you’re considering this rooftop tent. It’s four inches thick and totally changes the comfort of the Falcon 3 EVO XL sleeping situation. Once mine arrived, I was much more comfortable in the tent.
And, you could just remove the 2” mattress entirely and use only the inflatable mattress, then reverse the included rechargable inflator to quickly deflate it and leave in there. This is probably the direction I’m headed.
Otherwise, you’ll need to remove the extra mattress in order to close the tent for travel, which means you’ll need space for it in your vehicle, and it’s not small, even when rolled up.
Otherwise, the inside of the Falcon 3 EVO XL is well thought out and comfortable. There are more than enough storage pockets for all your goodies, and Roofnest includes lights inside the tent that can be connected via USB to a battery. No need to hang a lantern or futz with your headlamp at night.
The heating and cooling ports are another cool feature I’m excited to try out. These allow you to run ducts straight to the tent, so you can connect a diesel heater or your favorite air conditioner. It hasn’t yet gotten cold enough to use them, but I’m excited to try this in conjunction with Roofnest’s insulation kit. The combination should turn the Falcon 3 EVO XL into a true four-season tent.
The ladder can be attached wherever you want it simply by moving the brackets in the perimeter T-channels. But it did get stuck on the low-profile mounting points a few times, which required a little finessing to uninstall the ladder when I was done with it.
Folding up the Falcon 3 EVO XL takes a bit more attention than some other rooftop tents I’ve tested. Since it’s so low-profile, you need to make sure all of the tent material is tucked in far enough into the tent so you can actually get the clamshell closed. It’s not a big deal, just something to pay attention to.
Should you buy the Roofnest Falcon 3 EVO XL?
If you’re looking for a super-low-profile rooftop tent, yes, absolutely. Maybe you’re looking to increase gas mileage ever so slightly, or you just want to have extra clearance for parking the rig in your garage. Whatever your reason, you’ll be hard pressed to find a rooftop tent with a lower profile than the Falcon 3 EVO.
Just keep in mind that the low-profile design comes with some trade-offs you’ll need to accommodate — like swapping to an inflatable mattress. You can certainly sleep in there with just the 2-inch mattress, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
The Falcon 3 EVO XL is spacious, too. If you routinely camp with two people, you’ll be quite comfortable. Three people is a tight fit, though. Still, with lots of living space inside, it’s a great choice for families, or couples who want to hang out inside during nasty weather.
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