Opens on the side of the car, not the back
Every other hard shell in this range opens at an end. The AT12 opens laterally, along the vehicle sides, so the customer sets up and steps in from beside the car instead of walking around to the tailgate. On a narrow pitch, in a car park, or on a roadside where traffic passes the rear of the vehicle, that is not a convenience — it is the reason the tent is safe to use.
The shell has a single door on the side. That is deliberate: one entrance means one opening to seal, one piece of fabric to tension, and one clear place to stand. The awning mounts on the opposite side, so access and shade never compete for the same face of the vehicle.
Breathable fabric, and why 1,000 mm is enough here
The AT12 uses an uncoated 70% polyester / 30% cotton fabric rated at 1,000 mm. On its own that number looks low next to a 2,500 mm PU-coated shell, and it is the figure most likely to be misread in a quotation.
The reason it is sufficient is structural: the shell and the rainfly shed water before it reaches the fabric. The main body never holds standing water, so the fabric’s job is breathability rather than waterproofing. Moisture vapour passes through the material instead of being trapped against it, which means far less condensation forms on the inner walls overnight.
That is the trade this model makes, and it is a deliberate one: condensation is the number-one complaint about hard-shell tents in cold and humid climates — Northern Europe, the UK, coastal and mountain areas — and no amount of coating fixes wet walls in those conditions.
Where it wins
Northern Europe, the UK, coastal and mountain markets. Anywhere the customer camps in damp air and wakes up to a soaked interior on a coated tent. Quote the fabric number together with the structure, never on its own.
18.5 cm body, Z-fold, one floor slot
The shell is a two-side folding Z-shape at 18.5 cm closed, with a 3 cm mattress and a single slot on the floor. The opening mechanism does not consume a side slot, so the floor slot stays available for an awning bracket or a light bar.
Sizing
Two builds: AT12a closes to 142×220×18.5 cm, AT12b to 142×210×18.5 cm. Both sleep two to three, weigh 72 kg and open to 110 cm of headroom.
