It’s also a great experience these days with towering tents held high on the roof of a car, made even better by the many experiences of many campers who live on the ground.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering buying a rooftop tent.
First, the advantages and disadvantages of roof tents
(1) Advantages of rooftop tents
EASY INSTALLATION: Designed for quick setup. Once in camp, you can loosen a few straps, pop it out and deploy the poles and ladders.
Rugged Construction: Typically, floors, tent fabrics, and pole materials are particularly strong enough to withstand stormy weather.
Comfort: Most come with ultra-luxury foam mattresses.
Camp Anywhere: Build on campsites, parking lots, backcountry dirt roads wherever you are. Although flat, a clean tent pad is not required.
(2) Disadvantages of rooftop tents (yes, there are some)
Cost: Definitely a lot more expensive than a camping tent (though cheaper than an RV)
Stay on the roof: While it’s quick to set up, minor drawbacks include more air resistance on the highway and the inability to maintain the setting when you’re driving away from long camps. You also need to consider whether you want to remove it outside of your camping trip.
2. How to know which tent is right for your vehicle
Most rooftop tents are over 50kg, so you’ll want to make sure your roof rack is up to the task. If you don’t already have a roof rack, you’ll need to consider the weight of the tent when purchasing a roof rack to use as the basis for your roof tent. It’s not always easy to find the specs you need, so you may need to contact the seller of the roof rack to get the information you need to determine what you need.
3. How to install the roof tent to the vehicle
While roof tents are easy to install once the vehicle is in camp, the initial process of securing the tent to the roof rack takes some time. Read and follow all provided installation instructions carefully. Also, you’ll need at least one buddy to set it up with you, as you’ll need help lifting the tent onto the roof rack. If you don’t have enough hands-on skills, you can also find a nearby auto repair shop. The installation fee should not be very high, just lift it up and screw a few screws.
4. Other shopping considerations
An important factor mentioned earlier is determining which tent model is suitable for the load capacity of the frame. After that, you need to consider the following:
(1) Attachments and Awnings: Some rooftop tents also include an extended living space or coverage area; others give you the option to add them later.
(2) Durability rating: While all roof top tents are very sturdy, some brands offer extra-rugged models designed for long trips in extreme climates. Some brands also offer a full mesh headliner as an option.
(3) Hard top: A soft top tent will be cheaper, but a hard top will protect things more fully while you are driving.
To sum up, if you can fully consider the above factors, you should be able to choose a roof tent that suits you. I hope it will be helpful to friends who are considering using roof tents. I wish you a pleasant trip.
Arcadia Camp & Outdoor Products Co., Ltd. is one of the leading outdoor product manufacturers with 20 years’ experience in the field, specializing in designing, manufacturing and selling products covering trailer tents ,roof top tents ,camping tents, shower tents ,backpacks, sleeping bags, mats and hammock series.
Post time: Aug-31-2022