Purchasing a product as expensive and technical as a rooftop tent (or RTT) is a bit of a daunting task. There is a long list of factors to consider with these tents, and many people overlook some very important details. If you make a hasty purchase, you could end up with a tent that doesn't work for you, a rack that doesn't work for your vehicle, a tent that doesn't work for your rack, or all of the above. These tents show up at your house in massive freight trucks with hydraulic lift gates, so returning one is quite the headache. After years of testing RTTs, we've definitely learned this lesson the hard way. It is crucial that you do the necessary research before purchasing a rooftop tent so that you don't open a very costly and time-consuming can of worms. Continue reading below to get an in-depth overview of what it takes to get the right RTT to save yourself from wasting any time or money.
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Initial Considerations
The first thing to consider is the logistics of owning an RTT because they are not for everyone. Keep in mind that you have to climb up and down a ladder to go to sleep or get up in the middle of the night. Everything that will go into your tent needs to be handed up to someone or taken up the ladder. For folks with injuries, disabilities, or large pets, a rooftop tent can be difficult or impossible to use. Also, be prepared to be climbing, crawling, leaning, and stepping all over your vehicle a LOT because there is no way around it. This doesn't necessarily mean that you will damage your vehicle by having a rooftop tent installed, but it is important to be cautious. Remember that they're heavy and that many models require assembly before you can even think about installation. You'll need some help from a friend for the installation process. Some of the assembly is much easier with two sets of hands, certain models require power tools, and they all weigh at least 90 pounds. The heavier versions that we've tested weigh upwards of 160 pounds. Sometimes, it might be best to install the tent professionally.
I'm In. What's Next?
Deciding that you're ready to purchase an RTT still doesn't mean that you're ready for one. Most vehicles are not designed to hold that much weight on the roof. You must know if your vehicle is rated to hold the amount of weight on the roof you will have up there. It's not just the weight of the tent but also your bedding, gear, people, and pets that you need to consider. If you overload your roof, you could potentially damage your vehicle or injure yourself or somebody else.
The Rack
Any old rack is not suited for a rooftop tent ' most racks are not rated for the weight. The crossbars that come stock on many trucks, cars, and SUVs are only rated to around 100 pounds. You absolutely cannot use any aftermarket clamp-style rack systems that grab onto the vehicle in between the car door and the roof. These racks put all the weight on four roof points and will likely damage your car with the weight of a rooftop tent. To safely mount a rooftop tent over the cab of your vehicle, you need to have a track system that distributes the weight down the length of the entire roof, beefy towers, and crossbars rated to the proper weight. If you're going to mount your tent on truck bed racks or on a trailer, again, be sure to check the specs of your products to confirm that they have a good enough rating for this much weight.
How to Choose a Specific Model
Once you've decided that you want an RTT, that your vehicle can handle it, and that you've purchased the right rack for the job, you can start looking at tent specs. Rooftop tents come in many shapes and sizes with a variety of features and prices.
Fold-out vs Pop-up
There are two types of RTTs: softshells and hardshells. Softshell tents are more compact while traveling and have thick rubber or Cordura covers when they are not in use. They unfold over the side or the back of your vehicle, and they generally take more time to convert from travel mode to camping mode and back. If you want to use the awnings, annexes, or rain fly for this type of tent, be prepared to spend another extra few minutes during camp setup and breakdown. In our experience, softshells tend to require some assembly out of the box that usually involves attaching the mounting tracks to the bottom of the tent as well as attaching the ladder. For the most part, softshells are substantially more affordable than hardshells.
Pop-up hardshell tents look like massive fiberglass cargo boxes when they are not in use and extend vertically or at an angle when it's time to camp. The ones that we've tested come fully assembled from the factory and only require one wrench to install on your rack. When it's time to convert this type of tent from travel mode to camping mode, most of the work is done by hydraulic pistons that open the tent like the trunk of a modern hatchback car. To fold the tent up, the weight of the roof plus a little bit of your body weight and gravity make the breakdown process super easy as well. The entire conversion process takes no more than a minute or two for setup or teardown. The upper half of the shell also doubles as the roof of the tent, so there is no need for a rain fly. Most hardshells take up a much larger area over your vehicle than softshells do while in transport, but that footprint does not grow when you're camping. This trait can be very helpful if you're camping in a tight forest or a crowded campground. Hardshells are quite a bit more expensive than their soft-topped cousins.
Weight
The weight of the tent can be a big deal for people with smaller cars; for people with larger trucks and SUVs, this is likely less of a factor. It's also important to consider that at some point, you will be lifting the tent onto or off of your vehicle. If this is something that you plan on doing often, that extra 20 or 30 pounds can be a significant deciding factor. However, with added weight generally comes added durability. If your tent is going to be getting a lot of use, whether it be off-road, at festivals, or just a ton of road trips, then it might be worth the extra weight to get a beefier model.
Seasons
It is important to consider the type of weather you will be camping in. Somebody headed to Moab in July probably does not need the same type of canopy as someone headed to the Cascades in April. Breathability is key in high temps, so a thicker canopy might leave you baking on hot days. That being said, if you want a tent that can handle anything but still offers a good amount of ventilation, we'd recommend you go with a 4-season model. All of the softshell tents we tested have a removable rainfly, but with taped seams and waterproof canopies, the 4-season models don't need one in lighter rain. Hardshell models don't need a rainfly at all because the shell that encloses the tent during travel mode becomes the tent roof while in camping mode.
Ladders
There are two types of ladders for RTTS: sliding and telescoping. The telescoping ladders are more versatile, but sliding ladders are sturdier. If you aren't afraid of drilling into a sliding ladder to give yourself a few more options for height, tents that come with this ladder type are generally cheaper.
Security and Privacy
Not everybody has a garage, and sometimes it's necessary to leave your vehicle at a trailhead or parking lot for extended periods. If this is the case, getting a tent that locks to your rack is wise. As far as privacy goes, in an RTT, you're a bit exposed to onlookers in many ways. That said, some tents include large awnings and annexes that can give you a private place to change, shower, or hang out at a crowded campground or festival.
Mounting System
The mounting system that comes with your tent can be very important depending on your vehicle, your rack, and the type of use you have planned. If you're going to be taking the tent off of your vehicle regularly, a tool-free system might be the right choice. It is important to note that the tool-free systems can be limited as far as the width and spacing of the crossbars and racks they fit. For a more permanent, more customizable mounting system, we recommend you go with a tent with the standard track mounts.
Accessories
When you're car camping, you want to have all of the amenities available, and there are all kinds of accessories for RTTs. There are internal shelves, LED lights, boot bags, deluxe mattresses, and interchangeable canopies. If you're the type that likes to have all of the bells and whistles, then you should choose a tent that has all of the options. Keep in mind that some tents come with included accessories while others will charge you an arm and a leg to upgrade.
Style
For many people, style is everything. After all, it feels good to look good and stand out. On the other hand, a lot of people don't care what the tent looks like as long as it does its job. Certain brands offer a multitude of colors and styles, while some only offer one generic option. If you don't mind sacrificing a bit of style for functionality, you can save yourself money by going with a less popular or colorful model.
Conclusion
I'm sure you've noticed, but you can't swing a dead cat these days without hitting a roof top tent. There are now dozens of purveyors of car-top sleepers with some auto dealers even selling them as add-on upgrades. If you don't have one yet, statistically, I'd say you will soon enough. For those inclined to sleep on their roof, how does anyone know which tent to purchase? (Lead image: Chris Collard)
Should you buy a roof top tent?
The first order of business is determining if you should buy a roof top tent at all. Plenty of people have made the leap without fully vetting of the pros and cons and ended up turning to craigslist in an effort to recoup their misspent funds. This is a heady topic and one we've covered before: 'Head to Head ' Roof Top or Ground Tent?' or 'Travel with a Roof Top Tent, but Which One?'
Suffice it to say, there are advantages to sleeping atop your car or truck. The most noteworthy is the convenience of setup and the ability to camp on any surface no matter how rocky, root-strewn, or mired in mud. The disadvantages include added weight, a rather small internal volume, and the ladder always crops up as a potential negative. My relationship with roof top tents qualifies as a love/hate one for a single reason: the difficulty of mounting and removing a RTT. Newer quick release systems like those on the Yakima SkyRise are a much-welcomed innovation, but it still requires two people to lift the tent on and off, and then there's the problem of where to store a 100-pound lump of metal and fabric.
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For the sake of this discussion, we'll assume you have done your homework and concluded you are a roof sleeper.
Hard or soft shell tents?
This too is a subject we have discussed at great length on Expedition Portal. If you want the full breakdown of the good and bad of each style, I'd recommend reading: 'Head to Head: Hard or Soft Shell Rooftop Tents?'
To summarize, hard shell tents are unrivaled for ease of setup and takedown. They're also a touch on the large side atop your roof since the sleeping footprint can't be folded in half like a soft shell tent. They are certainly more aerodynamic, arguably sleeker looking, and often better equipped to fend off high winds when pitched. Soft shell tents can be considerably cheaper, fit on a smaller roof a bit better, and have the lowest purchase price with several tents ringing in below $1,000.
Are they really worth the money, and which tents are the best value?
It's an old chestnut and one I repeat all the time, but you usually get what you pay for. It's also important not to correlate price with value. A $3,000 roof top tent can often represent a wiser purchase than a $1,000 tent depending on your individual needs. If it lasts five times longer, has more features, and just works better, it's worth the extra money and thus is a better value. Just keep in mind, much of this value business is subjective.
To best understand if a tent is worth the asking price, you have to dig into the details of materials and construction with the same keen eye used to evaluate more obvious features and design attributes. An Eezi-Awn tent comes with a hefty price tag, but once you begin to carefully scrutinize each component, that outlay of cash will likely seem justified. Little things like the thread used in the stitches, or the type of mesh built into the tent body can have an everlasting impact on durability and the prolonged user experience. All fabrics may look the same, but there is a significant difference in one over the next.
The Yakima SkyRise I reviewed earlier this summer has been chided by some for its use of inexpensive materials, but then again, it's also half the price of other roof shelters. If you're crossing continents, by all means, spend the extra cash and buy the brawn you'll need. If you simply like having the best tent in the industry, that's fine too. Just be prepared to open your wallet nice and wide. For the casual weekend user, maybe the entry level tent with less exotic materials will suit your needs. With so many options on the market, there are sufficient choices between budget and high-priced models.
When assessing materials, take into consideration the types of fabrics, zippers, and stitching thread used in construction. Ask about the decking material and unassuming details like the type of fasteners and closure systems holding it all together. Inquire about the foam used in the mattress, or how the fabrics have been treated for weatherproofness. The devil is in the details.
Pay attention to features often overlooked.
I have witnessed many shoppers at trade shows and expositions inspect every corner of a soft shell tent, not batting an eye toward the cover. I've been hassled by a poorly designed cover on many occasions. Other buyers fail to closely evaluate little things like the buckles on a hard shell tent and whether or not they're easy to use or likely to cause a loss of knuckle skin with each deployment. How does the ladder attach? Does it lock, and can you climb down the ladder in bare feet without grimacing in pain?
I realize much of this is hard to do given few people get to see, touch, and feel a roof top tent before pulling the trigger, but you should still do your research as best you can'which brings me to my next point.
Customer reviews'can they be trusted?
I write product reviews for a living and I'll be the first to admit that sometimes I get it wrong. I'm also not paid by a vendor to champion their product, nor do I make any more or less money with a good or bad review. Customer reviews on the other hand, are motivated by individual motives and come from the deep and mysterious psyche of the anonymous collective. Many good and bad reviews are written by people who have never even seen the product they have such a strong opinion of. I have also caught myself penning a negative review only to realize I misused the product.
There's another element to the customer review mentality. For some people, admitting they bought a lesser product is a shameful offense, so they'll defend their purchase to the death. Their tent may be leaking, busted, and giving them a rash every night, but they'd rather say it's the best tent ever than concede to their $2,000 gaff. And there are plenty of people who will never be happy with any product. You have to know how to read between the lines and when to dismiss a suspicious review. My suggestion is to ask for an opinion from someone you know and trust.
Shop the service, not just the product.
Even the best manufacturers make mistakes. How a particular company provides service to their customer is as important as the product itself. In the many years I've spent evaluating tents and products of all kinds, I have interacted with company representatives so dedicated to customer satisfaction they deserve an award. Others are less eager to please the consumer, or frankly, lack the resources to do so despite good intentions. Time in business is no indicator of good service, but it is telling. Buying a tent from the brand-new and unknown ACME Tent Company is always going to come with risks. When things go pear-shaped, you can't be too surprised.
Attack of the clones.
Twenty years ago there weren't many choices for roof top tents, particularly in the hard shell segment. With the growing popularity of overlanding and car camping in general, more than a dozen new brands have popped up in the last 5 years. Many of these new tents, or should I say nearly all of them, come from the same few factories in Asia. Now, before we dive willingly into that rabbit hole, let's still the air on one particular point.
Products made in Asia, as is true for products made anywhere, have just as much chance of being superb as they do lousy. Factories will make what they're asked to make, for better or worse.
In the case of roof top tents, it's not uncommon for one factory to make tents wearing a number of different brand labels. This creates some confusion. Some will suggest that just because two tents originate from the same factory, they are identical. While that's often the case, it is not always true. Even if they are identical clones, it's important to factor in the label on the tent and the customer support behind it. I suggest buying the tent with the better brand reputation as who knows if company XYZ will even be around if you need warranty or repair assistance.
Ready to pull the trigger?
If you think you are ready to dive into roof top living, it might be worth the time to see your options in the flesh. This used to be a tough thing to do, but with overland expositions cropping up all over the country, the best opportunity to get your hands on a tent before buying is to attend one of these shows. In some cases, you can make the purchase on the spot and drive home with your new toy.
Do your homework well and chances are you'll end up with the best product for your individual needs. The best part of roof top tent ownership? Your car is more or less always ready for an adventure. Just toss some supplies in the back of your rig and hit the road. ' CN
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