James Baroud Nova rooftop tent review

Here’s the thing: There are rooftop tents and there are rooftop tents. Some are excellent, some are awful, some are somewhere in between. Given there are eleventy brazillion on the market these days, choosing the correct one can be a bit of a crapshoot. The James Baroud Nova is one of the good ones.

With that in mind, here’s our full review.

The first question should really be “what makes a rooftop tent good anyway?” It boils down to three main factors. The quality of construction, viability for Aussie conditions and how convenient they are when compared to a ground tent or swag. While that last one is entirely subjective, the other two aren’t and the James Baroud Nova scores top marks in both categories.

The James Baroud brand

James Baroud has been around forever. They pioneered hard-shell RTTs as one of the first companies in the space and the first to ever build an automatic opening unit. So yeah, to say they’ve got it dialled in is an understatement.

Everything about the Nova screams quality and practicality. Even if you aren’t aware of the history of the brand, you’ll quickly realise which end of the market this thing targets. Even as their tents were being put through their paces all over Europe and Africa, the crew at JB kept pushing the envelope. They incorporated construction techniques that’d allow a hole in the tent shell for a fan, taking care of any condensation problems. They also ditched those small tent windows for huge panoramic openings. Basically, they’re not just another tent company in so far as they’re one of the primary innovators in the sector.

The Nova is the latest incarnation of that innovation.

James Baroud Nova: The good points

In terms of sheer practicality and ease of use, there aren’t too many other tents on the market that’ll challenge the Nova for the title. There may be a few that’ll get in a couple of good shots, but I feel the Nova will still win the fight. 

First off, the mounting clamps are brilliant, easy to secure and easy to remove. Seriously the best I’ve seen. Then you have the set-up and pull down times. We’re talking under a minute. Most of that time is pulling the ladder out of its bag and clicking it into the two receptacles on either side of the tent. In terms of getting the tent itself put up it’s a matter of undoing two latches and giving it a little push. The gas struts take care of the rest. 

Your bedding fits without a worry and there’s plenty of storage for phones, laptops and snacks. You’ll also find a bunch of options available should you want to tailor it to your needs. 

The mattress is 65mm thick, which may not seem like a lot. But this isn’t some cheapo Clark Rubber special here. I weigh a somewhat portly 90kg and I found it seriously comfy both for quick overnighters and several day missions into the bush. The Nova’s interior length is the full 220cm too, so unless you’re a professional basketball player you can stretch all the way out in this thing too. 

Build quality and durability

JB built the tent shell from 4mm UV-protected ABS plastic, which is not only environmentally sound but excellent at temperature control. It keeps the hot sun out and the warmth in on colder nights at high altitudes. It also gives peace of mind when driving overgrown tracks. No fear of branches punching through your tent cover here. A couple of roof bars sit on top of the shell and can take an extra 50kg, which is great for a surfboard, a solar panel or whatever you need up there. 

You can zip the panoramic canvas walls completely out (another JB first) so you can enjoy a K’gari mojito with a hell of a view, if that’s your jam. Speaking of, the zips are all hidden and ultra-high quality. The triple entry points would make fitting this to any vehicle from a Subaru to a Superduty a piece of cake. Another nifty inclusion is the LED interior light that can be removed and used as a rechargeable flashlight – handy for those middle-of-the-night pee breaks.

The Nova not so good points

Okay, elephant in the room time. This thing is nobody’s idea of cheap. But, and it’s a big one, it is a price that’s on par with other contenders in this size and quality range, and as mentioned, the quality of this thing is simply out of sight. It’s cheaper than Darche and Oztent’s equivalents with a few extra inclusions, so while the cost is up there, that doesn’t mean the value isn’t. In fact, if I were shopping around for a clamshell that I wanted to last me for the next couple of decades, the Nova would be on the (very) short list. 

I even hesitate to list the Nova’s price as a negative, but I needed something to put in this section, and given there’s really not a lot to dislike about the James Baroud, that’s why it’s here. I guess I could also argue that I didn’t initially love the ladder that comes with the tent, but it seems a bit mean given it took about five seconds to get used to and I loved everything else.

Should you buy the James Baroud Nova?

If you’re shopping for longevity, high quality and a set-up and pull down that’s quicker than anything this side of a walk-thru camper van, then yes, you should buy this thing. It really is one of those rare products that exceeds expectations. I’ve used dozens of RTTs over the years and it’s easy to get caught up in the “they’re all the same” mentality. This one legit took me by surprise with how good it was.

If you’re in the market for a rooftop tent that you want to last you may not love the Nova like I did, but they’re well worth you checking them out.

James Baroud Nova at a Glance

Open Dimensions	1400W x 2200L x 1250H mm
Closed Dimensions	1400W x 2200L x 230H mm
Weight	68kg
Inclusions	4mm ABS construction, telescopic ladder, interior LED light (doubles as rechargeable flashlight), interior storage pouches, 270º panoramic windows, 65mm memory foam mattress, aluminised canvas, four-season capability
Price	$5,400
Warranty	5 years

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