When we started considering adding a rooftop tent to our camping setup, several things quickly came to mind. The first was, “Do we really need this for camping?” The quick answer? No! However, it has made our personal camping experience significantly better!
Previously, we stored our ground tent tote in the bed, which took up a decent amount of the already limited bed space. Mounting a tent to the rack and putting our sleeping bags in it would save us vital space in the bed.
What other benefits come with purchasing a rooftop tent? For us, getting up off the ground was definitely a most important benefit.
This has also made our campsite cleaner. We no longer have to deal with mud or dirt getting in the tent. Take your shoes off, store them in a shoe bag hanging off the tent, or set them in the truck bed! Another benefit is that it is always on the truck, ready to go! If we wanted to leave Friday for a short weekend trip, we could easily do so!
Table Of Contents
Set-Up Process
My wife and I can fully set up the tent and be ready to go in about 15 minutes. Setting up is simple!
- Undo and move the four over the bag straps.
- Unzip the bag around the body of the tent.
- One tip we learned to make the zipper easier to open (if your tent opens to the driver’s cab side) is to open up your rear window to give yourself extra room to move the zipper safely without snagging the fabric.
- Fold the bag off the tent’s body and undo four straps (two on each side of the tent body that act as compression straps).
- Undo the strap that secures the ladder to the body, bring it out towards the hinge, and open it away!
- Set the ladder (locking bottom to top to keep the extra ladder rungs out of the way!).
- Deploy rain covers.
- Set up your bedding, and you’re all set!
It may not be as fast as a hard-shell rooftop tent, but it’s hard to pass up at the 23Zero Breezeway 62’s price point!
Overview
The 23Zero Breezeway 62 is a tent with a 3+ person sleeping capacity made of a 280GSM ripstop polycotton canvas. It also comes with 23Zero’s light suppression technology (LST). The LST fabric allows the tent to stay about 20% cooler inside, and once the tent is closed up, it gets dark!
If you sleep a little later than normal, this keeps the morning sun out. The tent is rated for all four seasons and can be outfitted with an insulated winter insert for those cold camping nights.
The queen-sized rebound mattress is three inches thick and has a cotton top and waterproof base, eliminating the need for a condensation mat. The tent itself is compatible with annexes and optional accessories sold by 23Zero.
This tent weighs about 145 pounds and offers a 2-year warranty!
We saw this tent locally at a shop (Artemis Overland Hardware) and compared it to other options side by side. We decided that for the value, the Breezeway had everything we wanted: easily accessible replacement parts, bags, straps, etc. Initially, we were very impressed with everything this tent offered us for our adventures.
The Breezeway’s large openings allow you to adjust how you want air coming in and out of the tent. If camping on a hot summer night, you can keep the roof and two windows open for increased airflow. Conversely, on a cold winter night, you can keep everything closed up to keep as much heat as possible!
Exterior Build Quality
We have been super happy with how this tent has treated us! Each tent window has two zippers, with one zipper on each side of the main openings. The main bag has one large zipper that easily glides around the tent’s base during setup and takedown.
Four exterior straps secure the outer bag, and four more internal straps compress the tent. One more strap secures the 90-inch ladder to the base of the tent during transport.
Interior Build Quality
The interior of the tent matches the outside quality! You have a large open space with a three-inch mattress, allowing you to store small items next to you when in the tent.
The tent’s hinges have a hook-and-loop closure, so you can route cables up into the tent if needed! Inside, the tent is tall enough that you should have plenty of space to sit up or move around freely. Overall, we’re very impressed with the quality inside and out!
Two-Year Ownership Update
Over the past two years, the tent has held up great! We have had a very small hole in the bag and a worn segment on the opposite side. However, I truly believe this is due to possibly overtightening the strap on the back a few too many times.
Everything still functions as it should, and the inside still looks as good as it did the first day we opened it!
The outside bag has faded slightly (this lives on the truck as I do daily), but nothing affects the tent’s body. I have had to singe the straps occasionally to keep them from fraying, but the tent’s maintenance has been minimal!
Final Thoughts
Would we change anything at all? Honestly, the only thing I can think of changing on the Breezeway is the straps!
A good friend of ours suggested swapping out the strap ends with Cobra buckles instead of the loop-through closure the tent currently has. However, the tent itself has held up great, and we can’t wait to take this awesome piece of gear on more trips!
We fully recommend the Breezeway Series as a great option for anyone looking to add a rooftop tent to their adventure rig, whether a weekend warrior or a fully devoted overland rig!
How is this tent in the rain and wind?
Haven’t had any issues! The big rain cover over the top, has been great for keeping everything dry.