Some of our favorite softshell tents are from 23Zero, however they make two models and we often get asked the main differences between the two. In today's Tent Talk Tuesday we're going to breakdown the pros and cons of each so let's get to it:
The Walkabout (pictured left) comes in 4 sizes, 56”, 62”, 72” and 87” - as you can see it has an extended overhang over the ladder. This feature creates an awning over the entrance of your tent but is mainly useful for folks looking to utilize an annex room. This additional annex room is sold separately but essentially makes your tent a duplex with a large privacy room and private enclosed access to and from your tent. This feature is popular for folks with a dog or kids they want to contain but not inside the tent, think of it as an enclosed porch. it's also useful for storage and privacy as it acts as an extension to the upper deck. The Walkabout has two large windows with individual awnings on each side which makes set up a little more complex with a total of 8 window rods.
The Breezeway on the other hand comes in 3 sizes, 56”, 62” and 72”. This tent also has an annex option but because it’s behind the ladder, you get much less sqft, plus your ladder sits outside the room so accessing the tent above requires you to exit the annex. Like the name suggests, the Breezeway has a ton of airflow with two giant windows front to back, and 4 total windows that sit flush on the sides. This feature makes it a popular choice for folks running it on a mid-height truck bed due to its ability to be mounted up against the cab as seen here. Also, because those side windows don't have an awning and there is no extension over the ladder, the Breezeway is a Breeze to deploy with only 4 rods supporting the rain fly.
In conclusion, you can't go wrong with either tent. They both feature 23Zeros signature LST (Light Suppression Technology) which essentially blacks out the interior of your tent regardless of day time. This also reduces interior temperatures up to 20% from heat transfer of the sun. Now some folks say this feature isn't relevant as they don't spend daylight hours in their tent, however we tested it in store and I will say even the heat from a sunrise can make a difference. Also, if you got little ones that need a day nap this is an incredible feature as the inside of the tent is literally pitch black in broad daylight.
Considering one of these tents, questions on others? We're here to help! Give us a shout and let's get lost this summer.