This Freespirit Recreation Aspen Series Hard Shell Rooftop Tent is a clamshell type functional and reliable shelter with three doors and with a 3-layer fabric, suitable for year round use.
Key features & benefits
- Clamshell roof top tent.
- 2 Sizes.
- Very easy to use.
- 3 Doors.
- 3 Windows.
- Integrated LED.
- Integrated awning.
- Cross bars attachment.
- Side rails for annex attachment.
- 3-Layer walls.
- Inner storage elements.
What is in the name
This shelter can be found online also under the name Freespirit Aspen Clamshell Roof Top Tent, and under the name GoFSR Aspen Series Hard Shell Rooftop Tent. So do not get confused, this is the same shelter. The letters GoFSR here mean Go Freespirit which is in the brand’s URL, and the brand’s site itself is under the name Freespirit Recreation.
Regarding the type, this is a very typical clamshell roof top tent, and this also means a hard shell as indicated in the title. So it is extremely easy to use, you open it and close in seconds.
This is a non-expandable design, and this means that the sleeping area is determined by the size of the box. But the structure includes an integrated awning above the main door on the narrow sides of the tent.
There are three openings on its three sides, and you can use them as doors and as windows. They are with mesh and with panels. The picture below shows how it looks with the access from the wider side. The awning on the right is closed.
Two possible sizes
The phrase Aspen Series implies the fact that they have two different sizes available. The picture below shows the floor dimensions and how it can be used, they added the size of a twin mattress for comparison.
The larger version floor plan is shown below, and you can see what they think about using it for three people.
Potential setups
This roof top tent fits a variety of possible vehicles as suggested in the picture below. They have a useful roof rack guide to check so please follow the link for more.
In the video below you will see a bit more about its attachment to a vehicle. You have everything included in the package for this.
Materials
There is a lot to be mentioned here, they use some really great materials.
Shell: You have a rugged aluminum shell here. Many details are shown in the video below. There is nothing one could object to its design, this is far better than any engineered synthetic shell.
The shell is with 2+2 side channels for attachments. So you can attach an awning, cross bars on the roof, etc. The bottom includes aluminum bars covered with an EPE pad 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) thick. This is a low-density polyethylene.
Fabric: You have what they call the Tri-Layer Body, and this means 3 layers of fabric. This includes a 150D Poly-Oxford from inside and outside, with a 90g/m² polycotton fabric in between. The fabric details are shown in the picture.
There is also a rainfly which is 210D Poly-Oxford, and this is a synthetic fabric with a silver coating and a 3000 mm polyurethane coating.
Note that the fly does not cover the two windows on the wider sides. I asked about this and they claim that those 3-layer panels on windows and side walls are fully waterproof. When you see them from inside, you realize that those seams are sealed.
With such a fabric this tent can be described as a dark rest type, but the brand does not even mention this fact. They do describe the walls as insulated, strictly speaking this is not so, but you will hardly find something that offers more protection from the cold.
Mattress: Well, the mattress is not the best feature here simply because it is very thin 1.25 inches (3.2 cm). But this is a memory foam.
So you will have to add something more for cushion. It is best to plan an inflatable air pad, they can be thick and comfortable and they do not take any space when deflated.
Other details:
- The tent comes with an integrated LED, the picture below shows how it looks.
- There is a wall organizer inside attached to the lid.
- Two inner side pockets are on the walls.
- Shoe bags are under the doors.
- With accessory cross bars shown in the picture below, you can transport your bulky stuff on the roof top tent.
What is included
You have the following elements:
- Freespirit Recreation Aspen Roof Top Tent.
- Memory foam mattress 1.25 inches.
- 1.5 inches EPE flooring.
- Integrated LED strip.
- Telescoping ladder.
- Optional roof crossbars, see the picture above.
- Mounting equipment shown below.
Please see more about the shelter in this video:
Who is it for
Regarding best use & seasons, you have already seen its 3-layer design and large mesh windows. They are with zippered mesh, but also with zippered 3-layer panels.
So this is a true 4-season roof top shelter and you will not find anything better for cold protection, unless you buy an insulated inner cocoon for your roof top tent.
On the other hand, it fits almost any car, so this is a versatile shelter.
What I dislike is the fact that there are no vents. In intervals with rain combined with winds, you will have to keep your windows closed. So you need vents, and I wonder what they were thinking.
Regarding the size, the smaller tent is perfect for solo use, perhaps too wide though but it is great to have extra space. But it is too narrow for two people.
On the other hand, the larger version is great for two users, but there is no way it can accommodate three.
Observe that the tent is not particularly long. It is certainly great for a person like me, but if you are a very tall person, you might want to consider something else.
Specifications
- Weight capacity: 750 lb (340 kg).
- Weight:
– 49″ version: 134 lb (61 kg).
– 55″ version: 154 lb (70 kg). - Box thickness: 7.1 in (18 cm).
- Box closed size:
– 49″ version: 84 x 54 in (213 x 137 cm).
– 55″ version: 85 x 60 in (216 x 152 cm). - Interior:
– 49″ version: 80 x 49 in (203 x 124 cm).
– 55″ version: 80 x 55 in (203 x 140 cm). - Mattress: 1.25 in (3.2 cm).
- Cross bars capacity: 250 lb (113 kg).
Places to buy
Final thoughts
In summary, this Freespirit Aspen Clamshell Roof Top Tent comes with some really great features, and its Tri-Layer Body design is one of them. With such walls, it is is almost like an insulated tent, and it can also be described as a dark rest shelter.
So you can use it year round and you can also sleep longer in the morning, the inner is dark as long as you keep the windows with panels on.
But not everything is perfect, the mattress is thin, and the shelter has no vents.
Let me know what you think about the tent presented here. Did I miss mentioning something important? There is a comment box below.
You might want to compare this tent with the Roam Adventure Desperado tent built in a similar style but with some extra features. Check my comparison of BadAss Rugged Clamshell Roof Top Tent and iKamper BDV Duo, they are built in the same style.
Bookmark this site and keep as a reference, you will always have new texts added here and this will keep you informed. Thank you for reading and have a nice day. Thank you for reading and have a nice day.
Hi, I am Jovo, the founder of this Off-Ground Tents site and several other outdoor sites. I have been mountaineering for almost 40 years already, and I have created this site to use as a reference for various types of above ground tents.