The Freespirit Recreation Odyssey Series Rooftop Tent is a clamshell type, easy to use, ventilated, and with a unique 3-layer walls design, suitable for all seasons and climates.
Key features & benefits
- Clamshell type.
- 3 Layers of fabric.
- Ventilated.
- Two sizes.
- Low profile box.
- LED.
What this FSR Odyssey is about
So here you have a hard shell type series with two sizes, 49 and 55 inches, more precisely a clamshell structure with hinges on one side. These numbers describe the width of the roof top tents.
The tent is non-extendable type, and this implies two things. First, the sleeping area is directly determined by the box itself, and, second, it is easy to open and close.
The frame is patented and its basic elements are shown in the pictures below. So the bottom is not a solid piece, you have aluminum structure and a waterproof fabric there.
What you do not see are the elements shown in the picture below. So on the front you have an inverted U-shaped pole with two buttons on the sides, and you extend it when you open the tent.
You will hear click when it is properly extended. The tension pole in the picture connects this U pole to the lid, it is behind a zipper on the ceiling.
Below you see how the top looks, note that those elements are not cross bars, these are just the elements of the frame.
But cross bars are available and you can order them separately. They attach to the rails on the sides of the box.
When closed, the tent looks thin and elegant on the vehicle, you realize this from the picture above. Its dimensions for the two versions are shown below:
The windows and the door
There are two separate windows on the sides, you can see them below. They are double layer with zippered mesh and zippered panels so you can regulate air cross flow and privacy.
The door is large and also double-layer type, below you can see how it looks. The picture shows also the LED that you have inside. Observe also the two shoe bags on the sides, they are included with the tent. Note that there are several storage pouches inside as well.
But there is one more opening here. You have it on the underside of the lid, you can see it in the picture below. So this is a large vent that you can close or open to regulate air in the tent.
Materials
You have already seen some details about the frame. So this is an aluminum honeycomb plate. The floor is a 1.5 inches EPE (expanded polyethylene), very thick and completely waterproof material.
The best part of this tent is its fabric. So this is something unique to this brand. You have three layers of fabric. On their site they write this includes two layers of a 150D poly-Oxford plus a 90 g/m² poly-fil. The latter is likely a polycotton.
So this is a quilted structure, you can see below how it looks. They describe this as ‘sonic-welded’. From what I have seen around, this is an ultrasonic bonding.
This means that high-frequency (ultrasonic) sound waves are applied to two or more workpieces and they are held together under pressure to fuse them into a single piece.
They claim that this Tri-Layer fabric keeps you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, while wicking moisture away from the fabric.
There is currently no other brand on the market with such a design, but you can see it in some other tents from this brand, they are presented here in the site.
But there is also an integrated partial coverage fly, and this is a 210D poly-Oxford with a silver coating and 3000 mm polyurethane coating.
The mattress: You have a 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) high density foam, so I am not really impressed with its thickness.
The usual gas struts on the sides assist setting it up in seconds. Please see more in the video below. You might want also to check the GoFSR Odyssey manual that they provide with this tent.
Who is it for
Regarding capacity, they describe the two sizes as suitable for 1-2 and 2-3 people. The pictures below show what they suggest for using it. Perhaps this is possible, but I see them as suitable for solo use and for two people, respectively. The picture shows also that it fits to almost any vehicle.
The actual inner width is in fact 48 inches for the first version. Observe that the length is good for both.
Regarding climates & seasons, there is no doubt you can use this roof top tent in every season and in every climate. It is ventilated for warm weather environment, and when you close it completely you will be protected from the cold better than in any other single layer tent.
Note that with such three layers, the interior is completely dark when the windows are closed, so you can sleep longer in the morning, This may also be suitable for kids who need to sleep during the day.
Regarding the price, it is steep but this is quite typical for such a type. Note also that this is not an ordinary clam shell roof top tent, you have seen its features above.
Pros & cons
What I like:
- All seasons design.
- Ease of use.
- Quality and craftsmanship.
- Thin box.
- Integrated LED.
What I dislike
- Thin mattress.
- The price.
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: 87 x 52 x 7.1 in (216 x 132 x 18 cm).
– 55″ Version: 87 x 60 x 7.1 in (216 x 152 x 18 cm). - Box open size:
– 49″ Version: 83 x 48 in (211 x 122 cm).
– 55″ Version: 83 x 55 in (211 x 140 cm). - Peak height: 43 in (109 cm).
- Mattress: 1.25 in (3.2 cm).
- Recommended maximum speed: 70 mph (110 kmh).
Places to buy
Summary
In summary, in my view the best part of this Freespirit Recreation Odyssey Series Rooftop Tent is its fabric. Its three layers make it cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
The structure is fully closable when you sleep inside, it is easy to open and close, and craftsmanship is at a high level. This is a product with patented and unique features. Fully recommended.
For more stuff of this type please check under the category Off Ground Tents. In particular, check this Thule Approach M Roof Top Tent with its advanced design.
Let me know what you think. Did I miss mentioning something important? There is a comment box below.
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Thank you for reading and have a nice day.