If you want a serious rooftop tent, the Adventure Kings Grand Tourer MK3 is a big aluminium hard shell that opens in about 30 seconds, seals out the weather in four stages and has room to leave your bedding inside. It also weighs 95 kg. We spent some nights in it to see whether that weight is worth it.
What’s in the box
An aluminium hard shell rooftop tent with an aluminium honeycomb sandwich floor and roof, 320GSM canvas, gas struts, a ladder, a 75 mm high-density foam mattress and full-length accessory channels in the frame. The hardware is marine-grade 316 stainless steel, including the nuts and bolts in the fitting kit. Closed, it’s 2,261 × 1,415 × 264 mm.
What we like
- 30-second setup time
- 110 mm internal storage space
- Four-stage water protection
- Accessory side channels included
- Marine grade 316 stainless hardware
What we don’t
- Heavy total weight of 95 kg
- Mattress comfort is only alright
- Large when closed (2261 mm long)
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Adventure Kings |
| Material | Aluminium honeycomb shell320GSM canvas |
| Weight | 95 kgwith ladder and mattress |
| Size | 2,261 × 1,415 × 264 mm closed |
| Thickness | 7.5 cmfoam mattress |
| Height | 1.7 minside |
| Setup time | About 30 seconds |
| Features | Accessory channels3-side access316 stainless hardware |
Setup and space
Setting it up is easy: pop the latches, give the handles a light push and the gas struts do the rest, so it really is up in about 30 seconds, far quicker than a soft shell tent. Inside there’s a lot of room. The bed is 1,300 mm wide and 2,145 mm long, longer than a standard double, and with 1.65 m of head height you can get changed inside. The ladder goes on any of the three sides, so you can pick the entry that suits your camp or your awning.
Closed, there’s a 110 mm gap inside, so it still shut easily with our thick sleeping bag and pillows left in. That saves a lot of time at both ends of a stop.
Build and weatherproofing
The floor and roof are aluminium honeycomb sandwich panels: very strong, and they insulate better than a simple composite shell. The 320GSM canvas balances breathing with keeping the weather out, and the window awnings on tension poles let air in without letting rain in. Kings’ four-stage water protection is a smooth design with few entry points, an automotive-grade rubber pinch weld, a custom aluminium extrusion that stops water creeping in, and polyurethane sealant on the joins. All three entries have zippered mesh against midges and mozzies.
Accessory channels
The full-length accessory channels in the aluminium frame make it easy to add gear. We mounted the Kings 270 awning straight onto the tent body with its bracket set, and you can add camp lights, or a solar panel on top with the optional crossbars.
Weight and the mattress
At 95 kg with the ladder and mattress, the MK3 is heavy: that’s the price of the honeycomb shell and the big interior. Check your vehicle’s dynamic and static roof load ratings before you buy. The 75 mm mattress is alright, not exactly a cloud: fine for a few nights, and for longer trips there’s room to add a topper and still close the tent.
Grand Tourer MK3 vs Lite
Our own tent is the Kings Grand Tourer Lite, the lighter, lower version. The Lite is 25 kg lighter, sits just 180 mm high and costs less; the MK3 gives you a thicker mattress, heavier canvas and room to leave the bedding inside.
This one Grand Tourer MK3 |  Grand Tourer Lite | |
|---|---|---|
| Height closed | 264 mm | 180 mm |
| Canvas | 320GSM canvas | 180GSM polycotton |
| Setup (seconds) | About 30 | About 25 |
| Weight | 95 kg | 70 kg |
| Mattress | 75 mm | 50 mm |
| Price paid | $2,195 | $1,450 |
| Our score | 8.9 | 9.4 |
Conclusion: Kings Grand Tourer Mk3 Rooftop TentConclusion
The Kings Grand Tourer MK3 is a big investment that suits people who tour a lot. It opens in about 30 seconds, you can leave the bedding inside, and the aluminium honeycomb shell and four-stage sealing keep the weather out. At 95 kg you need to check your roof load, the mattress is only alright and it’s long when closed. If you want a permanent, quick home on the roof that takes accessories, it’s a very good tent.
The Grand Tourer MkIII opens in a genuine 30 seconds on its gas struts.
The aluminium honeycomb shell is strong and insulates well, you can leave the bedding inside, and the accessory channels are handy for touring. At 95 kg it needs a suitable vehicle and roof rack.
- 4WD tourers
- Couples
- Families
Yes, if you tour a lot. A 30-second setup, marine-grade hardware and 110 mm of internal storage space are a lot for the price. It weighs 95 kg and the mattress is only alright.
