Roam Adventure the Vagabond XL vs Crua AER Maxx

This Roam Adventure the Vagabond XL vs Crua AER Maxx comparison is about two soft shell type roof top tents built for year round use, with some common features but also with some important differences.

So what this is about and why this comparison

Here you have two softshell type rooftop tents from two renown brands. The Roam Adventure has more roof top tents on the market, and this Vagabond XL is the largest in their Vagabond series of three tents. The picture below shows how it looks.

On the other hand, the Crua Outdoors is best known for its remarkable and unique ground insulated tents. However, they have started building rooftop tents as well. This Crua AER Maxx is the larger of the two built in the same style, see what you have:

From the pictures you see that they look physically different. But here is a list of the most important common features that the Vagabond XL and AER Maxx share:

1. As mentioned, these are soft shell roof top tents.
2. They are built from a high quality polycotton fabric.
3. These tents are built to be used year-round in all seasons and climates.
4. Both have a highly waterproof synthetic fly added.
5. Both brands offer accessory insulation cocoon that can be added for extra protection against cold.
6. There are 2 skylight windows in both tents.
7. They have 4 openings on all the sides, this means one door with a mesh and a panel, and 3 separate two-layer windows.
8. You have the same inner floor area. It is around 4.4 square meters.
9. Excellent ventilation is guaranteed in these tents through their mesh windows and dual integrated wall vents.

There are more smaller details that are the same or similar, like dual boot bags, inner storage pouches, etc., but those listed above I see as the most important.

In the video below you can see more about the Roam Adventure the Vagabond XL:

Roam Adventure Vagabond XL and Crua AER Maxx comparison

From the pictures above, you have already seen that there are differences in the design, and the same holds for various parameters. This is the point of this text, to have two tents that are formally in the same group, built from similar materials, with the ultimate quality and craftsmanship, yet very different.

So here are some parameters and features of the two tents listed side by side. Note that I focus on differences only but you will see that sometimes they are small.

Most of the items in the table are obvious, so no need to discuss them separately. But some need a few words if you are not familiar with these tents.

Before I continue, to point out the inner dimensions of the Crua tent. There is some confusion with the numbers on their site, hopefully they will correct it, so I had to ask them several times. The correct inner size should be 92.9 x 73.2 inches (236 x 186 cm). This gives the floor area of 4.4 square meters, and this is the same as in the Vagabond XL.

Price: This you will see in the links below, it may depend on the seller but Crua Maxx is generally much more expensive.

Porch: The Roam Adventure tent has a true porch. This is an extension above the area where the ladder is located. So the ladder is fully covered, and you have a dry entry. You can get in the car and in the tent above while protected from the rain.

In the case of Crua, they call it a porch but this is just an angled wall in the area where you see the door and the ladder. So this is more an awning than a porch.

Awnings: All windows in the Roam Adventure the Vagabond XL have very useful and functional awnings. There are no awnings in the Crua AER Maxx.

Accessory annex: This is a big bonus of the Roam Adventure the Vagabond XL. They offer an incredibly functional and well-designed annex shown in the picture. There is no such an item available with the Crua tent.

Support poles: So this is about the poles that support the overhanging floor of the tent. In the case of the Vagabond XL you have the ladder that doubles as a support element. This is nothing unusual, many tents of this type have the same feature.

The platform of the tent is very wide. The ladder does the job, and without it the overhanging part would not be able to support the weight of users. But having an additional pair of support poles is a far better design.

So in this sense, the Crua AER Maxx is much better, the picture below shows its poles on the sides of the ladder. This is a more stable structure.

Use on the ground: Crua is a brand with plenty of innovations, and yo can see this in many of their products. So they have designed the AER Maxx so that it can be removed and used as a ground tent as well. This is a unique feature.

Warranty: In this respect, you will hardly find a brand that can match the Roam Adventure. They offer their 5-year warranty for the peace of your mind.

My rating

In the table below I give my plus for features where one tent is better. This is based on some argument presented above, the remaining are discussed below the table.

I think there are only a couple of the remaining features rated in the table that need a few words:

Fabric: In the Vagabond XL tent you have the tent built from a durable 280 gsm ripstop polycotton with UV protection, and they claim it is water and mold resistant.

The fly is also an incredibly strong 600D PU-coated diamond ripstop nylon. However, I did not find its waterproof rating mentioned anywhere, pity.

In the case of Crua, the inner tent is built from a 190 gsm ripstop polycotton with a PU 2000 mm rating, and the floor is a 210D polyoxford PU coated and with a 2000 mm rating.

The Crua AER Maxx fly is a 210D ripstop polyoxford, PU coated and with a 3000 mm rating, with a full dull silver coating UV 50+. So you have 5000 mm waterproof rating combined.

Clearly, you have great materials here and it may be pointless to give advantage to any of them. But indeed, the fabric in the Vagabond XL tent is stronger.

Protection: Both tents are built from top quality materials. So there is no doubt that the combined waterproof rating of the fly and the tent is enormous. However, the Roam Vagabond does not provide the numbers.

But when you see the general shape, you realize that the Crua AER Maxx is a true two-layer tent. The fly covers it completely, only on the front you have the inner tent visible but the wall is angled outward here.

Such two layers will give more protection from the cold and wind, if nothing else.

Also, the profile of the Crua tent is more smooth and aerodynamic that what you have in the Vagabond XL. This all may not be so important, but in my view, the Crua tent offers more protection.

Places to buy

Roam Adventure the Vagabond XL:

Roam Adventure

Overland Junction

Crua AER Maxx:

Crua Outdoors

Optics Planet

Amazon

Final thoughts

Let me know what you think, there is a comment box below. For more stuff of this type please check under the category Roof Top Tents. Check in particular this extraordinary Thule Approach M tent.

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.