HOW TO PICK A ROOF TOP TENT

We Break Down The Wide Variety Of Choices And Designs

You see them everywhere these days, from the grocery store parking lot to the freeway and all across the country from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine roof top tents are a hot item! The original roof top tents were soft sided, folding and made of canvas while modern rooftop tents are made from a wide variety of materials and come in several different form factors to suit a variety of purposes and lifestyles. At present there are over 40 roof top tent manufacturers and 5 popular designs on the market, the soft shell, hard shell, clam shell, hybrid and hard sided.

(INSERT VIDEO HERE)

The trend began quietly in Italy back in 1958 when the Autohome rooftop tent was introduced but really took off 40 years ago with the introduction of the Eezi-Awn in 1983 from a South African company by the same name. Since then rooftop tents have become an increasingly popular choice of adventurers and travelers worldwide as they provide a very attractive combination of convenience, comfort and protection. Rooftop tents provide a unique experience compared to ground tents, the height provides an increased feeling of security, gives you a great view of your entire camp area and lets you enjoy a nice comfortable breeze when you open the side windows. These days they are very popular with not just world traveling adventurers but also with thousands of weekend campers, outdoorsmen and overlanders who want to enjoy those same features and benefits, and if they look like world traveling adventurers well that is ok too.

a roof top tent sitting on top of a red vehicle — Modern roof top tents come in a wide variety of form factors and price points

So, you have decided you want one for yourself, but where do you start? The problem is they come in a wide variety of form factors, sizes and options with price points that range from less than $1000 to over $20,000 so it can be quite overwhelming to the average consumer. To help you sort things out we asked the Off-Road Travel TV staff to break it all down for you, from the different categories of roof top tents to the latest in technological advancements and design innovation. One of the first factors to consider is the vehicle you will be mounting the tent onto. Roof top tents can be fit onto almost any vehicle but the size and type of vehicle you drive may affect the choices you have when it comes to size, weight, fitment and tent style. The load capacity of your roof rack and the spread of the bars on your roof rack will determine the maximum size tent you can use on your vehicle.

A soft shell roof top tent — Soft shell roof top tents like this one from Cascadia are roomy and economical

SOFT SHELL TENTS

Soft shell tents are the original rooftop tents and still very popular due to their attractive price point. Soft shell tents are still the largest and roomiest of the roof top tent styles and also some of the lightest and most economical as well. The main drawback is they are also the most complicated to set up and take down which can prove to be a problem in inclement weather conditions when speed is of the essence. As you fold the tent back down, like any tent, you must be careful to be sure all the material is folding back into place properly and not getting pinched or bunched. This is not always easy depending on the height of your vehicle. The cover that holds it all together can be time consuming too as you have to walk around the entire vehicle when putting the cover on and be sure everything is tucked in nice and tight to minimize flapping and keep air from getting up under the cover. Speaking of flapping one of the most common complaints about soft shell tents is wind noise since their soft walls can flap and be very noisy in windy conditions. Finally aerodynamics are not the strong suit of soft sided roof top tents, they have the largest profile and tend to catch a lot of wind which may negatively affect your gas mileage. Still, dollar for dollar, they provide great value and an affordable solution if budget is one of your main considerations.

Some of the top manufacturers of soft shell roof top tents are EEZI-AWN, 23 ZERO, DOMETIC, TMBK and ROAM

Advertisement | Advertise with Us

A hard shell roof top tent — Hard shell tents are much easier and quicker to set up and take down than the soft shell versions

HARD SHELL TENTS

Traditional hard shell aka pop-up roof top tents are rectangular in shape and extend up with gas or spring struts that support the hard shell top and also help keep the soft sides taught helping make these hard shell tents considerably quieter than soft shell tents. Hard shell tents are also one of the easiest to set up and take down with only a few simple steps to put it up or down. This can be a big advantage when the weather turns sour and you have to set up or break down camp in a hurry. It is also very convenient when you get into camp late after a long day on the trail. Another advantage of hard shell roof top tents is the ability to add a thicker mattress if desired and also leave bedding and pillows inside the tent when closed down. The flat hard surface of the hard roof also lets you easily add solar panels and even cargo racks on some models if desired. Drawbacks of the hard shell style tents are pretty simple, less room, more weight and higher cost.

Top hard shell tent manufacturers include BUNDUTEC-USA, JAMES BAROUD, AUTOHOME, ROOFNEST, ROAM and 4x4 COLORADO

A clam shell roof top tent — This clam shell model from Roam is easy to set up and take down

CLAM SHELL TENTS

Clam Shell tents have evolved from hard shell tents and provide a roomier footprint and more options that a traditional hard shell tent. The clam shell design is also one of the easiest and quickest to set up, you can be in bed only minutes after pulling into camp if you like. Like a hard shell design the bedding can be stored inside the closed clam shell tent saving valuable room and time during set up and take down. These tents open like a clam shell, hence the name, with hinges located on the front or the side and they form a triangle shaped tent providing nice headroom at one end but very little on the other end. The popularity of clam shell roof top tents is growing due to the ease of use, lower profile and solid secure hard shell when closed. No messing with a fabric cover just fold it down and go. Clam shell designs can be heavier that soft shell tents so be sure to check your vehicles rack weight limits. Like the hard shell tents accessories like mountain bikes, kayaks and solar panels can be mounted on the flat surface of the top cover.

Some of the top manufacturers of clam shell tents include 23 ZERO, iKAMPER, TUFF STUFF and OVERLAND VEHICLE SYSTEMS

A hybrid design roof top tent — This hybrid model from Tuff Stuff Overland is both roomy and quick to set up and take down

HYBRID TENTS

Hybrid tents have come onto the market in recent years and actually take the best features of the soft shell tents and the clam shell tents to create a tent with the durability, convenience and aerodynamics of a clam shell with the roominess and flexibility of a soft shell tent. Hybrid tents feature innovative designs with multiple hinges which allow the tent to expand beyond the dimensions of a normal clam shell design. These designs allow for increased room at the foot end of the tent and provide a much roomier feel than a traditional hard shell tent or clam shell tent design. Despite the increased room the hybrid designs still deploy and pack up quickly so set up and take down is a breeze. The main downside to hybrid tents is there are more hinges and parts that could potentially fail when you are way off the beaten path.

Some of the top manufacturers of hybrid roof top tents include iKAMPER, 23 ZERO and INTREPID CAMP GEAR

A hard sided roof top tent — The latest evolution of roof top tent design are the hard sided models like this one from Anti Shanty

HARD SIDED TENTS

One of the latest roof top tent designs to come on the market is the hard sided roof top tent. These tents are innovative clam shell designs that feature actual hard walls with windows that fold into place once the top shell is opened. The biggest advantages of these hard sided tents are added security due to the hard walls and virtually no wind noise since there is no fabric to flap. And finally if you plan on traveling into ‘bear’ country the increased security of these hard wall designs are especially attractive. The downsides to these hard sided designs include higher cost and more weight.

Top manufacturers of hard sided tents are ANTISHANTY , REDTAIL OVERLAND and OVERLAND VEHICLE SYSTEMS

23 Zero tents on display at the Overland Expo — 23 Zero from Australia are one of the OG roof top tent makers and offer a wide variety of styles

So, as you can see there are many factors to consider when looking for a roof top tent. The good news is there is a roof top tent tent out there to fit every lifestyle and vehicle. you just have to decide which style you like, see what will fit on your vehicle and decide what kind of money you want to spend. Once you sort out those basic items your choice will become much easier. Good luck and we will see you on the trail.

TOP ROOF TOP TENT BRANDS

23 ZERO www.23zero.com

4X4 COLORADO www.4x4colorado.com

ALU-CAB www.alu-cab.com

ANTISHANTY www.antishanty.com

ARB USA www.arbusa.com

AREA BFE www.areabfetents.com

AUTOHOME USA www.autohomeus.com

BUNDUTEC USA www.bundutecusa.com

CANYON OFFROAD www.canyonoffroad.com

CRUA OFFROAD www.cruaoutdoors.com

DARCHE www.darche.com/en