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Some of you are in a real pickle right now. Camping is great, we all agree. But what if hiking and schlepping a week’s worth of gear is not so spectacular? Car camping is the perfect solution. It’s also a perfect excuse to load up on all kinds of tires, winches, coolers, and camping grills.
One of the best (and definitely one of the coolest) ways to upgrade your vehicle is to add a rooftop tent. These pieces of kit work great on trucks and rugged SUVs, but they’re just as cool on smaller cars. They’re impossibly rad on wagons, by the way.
Rooftop tents aren’t cheap, but you get what you pay for and the investment can give you years of unforgettable outdoor adventures. There’s a lot of information to digest before you punk down your cold, hard cash, so we’re going to break it all down for you, complete with a few of our favorite picks.
Best Overall
Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer 2
Best Value
Smittybilt Overlander
Editor’s Choice
iKamper Skycamp 2X
Best Soft-Shell Rooftop Tent
FSR Adventure GS
Best Hard-Shell Rooftop Tent
James Baroud Evasion
Best Rooftop Tent for Families
ARB Simpson III
Best Aerodynamic Rooftop Tent
Roofnest Falcon
Why you should trust us
We pride ourselves in providing expert analysis on all kinds of tactical, survival, and outdoor adventure gear. Want a down-and-dirty guide to everything you need for a great camping trip? We’ve got you covered. How about a bug out bag for the worst-case scenario? Yep, we can help with that, too. We have more than a few gearheads on our team, so jumping into the overlanding game was only natural. It doesn’t matter if you’re contemplating prepping your 4×4 for a cross-country expedition or taking a weekend vacation in your subcompact economy car, we’ve had the same thoughts and have probably acted on them. Let us be the bad influence you need to build your rig to handle anything up to and including the zombie apocalypse.
Types of rooftop tents
Rooftop tents are pretty straightforward, but there are a few key differences that can help you narrow down your search. The most obvious requirement is size. You’ll need to find something that fits your needs and your vehicle. Tent construction plays a role too, so pay attention to how each one goes from folded-up to ready-to-use. There are also accessories available to customize your rooftop tent, so factor that in when you’re making your initial purchase.
Soft shell vs. hard shell
Soft-shell rooftop tents are basically traditional tents that mount to your car. They’re relatively light and easy to set up compared to their hard-shell alternatives. They also breathe well and stay cooler during the summer. On the other hand, they’re nowhere near as durable or aerodynamic as a slick, hard-shell tent.
Having a hard shell on your rooftop tent adds protection against the elements, whether you’re parked for the night or blasting down the highway. Although they tend to be heavy, they make up for it to some degree with improved aerodynamics. Let’s be honest, any rooftop tent is going to have a negative effect on your fuel economy.
Both styles are viable options, so do a little digging if you still aren’t sure which is right for you.
Pop up vs. fold out
How your tent goes about its butterfly-like transformation also has an effect on the amount of real estate you’re left with. Pop-up tents are a snap to set up because they just extend vertically. When you’re ready to go, just collapse the walls and attach the roof to the floor. This means that what you see is what you get in terms of floor space.
Fold-out tents offer much more floor space––think double. This structural origami is more complicated than the alternative and constrains you to soft-shell designs, but you’ll benefit from much more space, both in terms of square footage and headroom. If you camp with a group, this is the way to go.
Add-ons
As is tradition, there’s also way more gear to acquire. Annex tents add enclosed space beneath a fold-out tent, which is great for storage or getting dressed. Some are large enough to sleep in, so you can bring more friends as long as someone’s willing to call dibs on the bottom bunk. Annexes are generally tent-specific.
Awnings add protection from the sun and rain. They’re usually compatible with a range of rooftop tents, and sometimes can be used on their own. Setting them up is as easy as unrolling them and attaching a pole at the two outer corners. Some even have screens to keep the bugs away.
Key features of rooftop tents
Weather protection
The reason we use tents in the first place is to get out of the elements. Some rooftop tents do that better than others. Hard-shell tents offer more protection against rain, snow, and falling branches. Soft-shell tents are more akin to traditional tents both in terms of limited weather resistance and weight.
A unique benefit of rooftop tents is getting you off the ground. That’s a big help during heavy rain that could flood your campsite and it takes the stress out of finding a patch of ground that’s smooth and flat enough to be comfortable. If you camp in an area where wildlife is a factor, being perched on a vehicle can add some peace of mind.
Ladder
Being elevated off the ground means you won’t be crawling into your tent like you’re used to. Instead, every trip in and out will involve a ladder. Manufacturers have accounted for different vehicles by providing telescoping ladders that can accommodate everything from compact cars to lifted trucks.
As you can imagine, this has an effect on convenience. If you like to camp with pets, be prepared to lift them into and out of the tent. Compliance is not guaranteed. Every midnight trip to the bathroom will also involve a groggy climb down and back up the ladder. It just comes with the territory.
Everyday practicality
Mounting a rooftop tent to your vehicle isn’t difficult, but it’s not something we’d want to do very often. Even if the weight is easy for you to lift, the awkward size of rooftop tents is a lot easier to handle with a helper. Your vehicle’s paint will appreciate it, too. As a result, many people install their rooftop tent once and leave it in place year-round.
The extra weight and aerodynamic drag take a toll on fuel economy and may limit where you can park taller vehicles. Make sure you take that into consideration. Some truck owners mount their tents low over the bed so they can save on gas and fit into their garage.
Benefits of rooftop tents
Easy setup and tear-down
Compared to setting up a traditional tent, we’d argue that getting a rooftop tent ready for action is actually easier. Pop-up and fold-out tents are pre-assembled and ready to open in just a few minutes––or less. Many even have a mattress (or maybe sleeping pad is more accurate) that stays in place and is ready as soon as the tent is raised. Tearing the tent down is just as easy and there are no poles and stakes to keep track of.
We also appreciate not having to sweep the ground for rocks and sticks, only to find that what feels like level ground while standing is noticeably sloped once we lay down. Rooftop tents are always flat on the bottom, and your vehicle’s suspension does wonders to create a level foundation.
Extra security
Some people feel that crawling into a sleeping bag in a tent is a lot like creating a human burrito for bears. Rooftop tents are far from animal-proof, but the elevation adds a layer of security against pesky critters. Animals—especially creepy crawlies—are less likely to mess with you if they have to climb your vehicle to get to you.
The added height is also reassuring to some people. Sleeping on your vehicle’s roof puts you at eye-level with other people and above most four-legged friends. Maybe it’s all in our heads, but we can see why some people feel better about sleeping up high.
High-rise living
If Instagram tells us anything, it’s that camping is basically just an excuse to post pictures of your hiking boots sticking out of your tent with a breathtaking view in the background. Rooftop tents are absolutely killing it in the influencer world, but you can also enjoy the view without feeding your digital addiction.
There’s a reason people pay more for apartments and hotel rooms on the top floor. The view is just better from up there, and rooftop tents are no different. There’s something just a little more magical about opening your tent flap to a high-rise view of your favorite national park––with or without the hashtags.
Pricing considerations for rooftop tents
Budget
There are two types of products you’ll see sold for less than $1,000. The first is budget rooftop tents. These might work for people on a tight budget, but the build quality is going to be hit-or-miss and we can’t necessarily vouch for all of the manufacturers. If you’re planning a casual outing once or twice a year, there’s nothing wrong with giving these a try. If you’re planning an off-road run from the Great Salt Lake to Lake Tahoe, you better level up.
The other type of products you’ll see are accessories for higher-end rooftop tents. This includes annexes and awnings that add to the overall footprint of your shelter. They can be really nice to have. Some can be used on their own, but others need to be attached to an existing rooftop tent.
Mid-range
Most of the rooftop tents you’ll see on this list cost somewhere between $1,000 and $3,000. Most of these are soft-shell tents. Sticking to fabric construction keeps weight down and can make setting your tent up easier. Some people also prefer the more conventional feel of these tents.
You can also find a few hard-shell rooftop tents in this price range. These offer more protection, both for you while you sleep and for the tent while you’re driving. Weight starts to become more of an issue here, so make sure your vehicle and roof rack are up to the task.
Premium
If you have more than $3,000 to spend on a rooftop tent, you can get some seriously tasty gear. We’re talking about some of the most hardcore, expedition-ready equipment out there. Build quality is top-notch and the accessory catalog is chock full of goodies to customize your rig.
To justify this kind of spending, you’ll need to use your rooftop tent regularly––and for more than overnights at your local campground. That’s fine with us, because it’s a great excuse to burn those vacation days you’ve been hoarding and hit the trail with a few friends, a map, and cans of extra gas. Lots of extra gas. Double what you think you need.
How we chose our top picks
There are a lot of companies trying to cash in on the outdoor adventure market, and all products are not created equal. We tapped into our network of overlanding experts who have countless collective trips into the desert and frozen north using rooftop tents. These campers have real-world experience with all kinds of gear ranging from rooftop tents to locking axles. By consolidating their experience and our own market knowledge, we gathered some of the best options for this gear guide. Everything here is something we’d personally want to use.
FAQs on rooftop tents
You’ve got questions, Task & Purpose has answers.
Q. What are the benefits of rooftop tents?
A: Rooftop tents are popular because they’re easy to set up in a short amount of time. They also get your sleeping area off the ground which adds a layer of protection against water and wildlife. The views aren’t bad, either.
Q. What are the drawbacks of rooftop tents?
A: Rooftop tents are more awkward to get in and out of because you have to climb a ladder. They also require you to keep your vehicle parked once they’re up. Cost is another disadvantage compared to ground tents, but you may find that the pros outweigh the cons.
Q. Can I put a rooftop tent on my car?
A: You bet! Rooftop tents are built to mount on roof racks, not the roof itself. As long as you have an adequate support structure, you can mount a rooftop tent to your car. As always, check with the manufacturer if you have any concerns.
Q. Why are rooftop tents so damn expensive?
A: Rooftop tents are a lot more complicated to build than traditional tents. You also have to remember that they’re in use all the time. Even when a rooftop tent is collapsed, it’s still subjected to high speeds and the elements as long as it’s on your vehicle.
Q. How sturdy are rooftop tents?
A: Rooftop tents are tough by design. They’re very compact when collapsed, and there isn’t that much stress on them when they’re popped up. The weak point could very well be the roof rack you mount them on.
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Scott Murdock is a Task & Purpose commerce writer and Marine Corps veteran. He’s selflessly committed himself to experiencing the best gear, gadgets, stories, and alcoholic beverages in the service of you, the reader.