What is the Advantage of a Roof Top Tent?

While rooftop tents are quite new to North America, they have been quite popular in places such as Australia. Now despite their ongoing popularity, many people are starting to wonder if roof top tents are actually all that great or if they are just a novelty item. If you are planning on buying a roof top tent or if you are just curious about them and find yourself wondering, “what are some advantages of a roof top tent” then we have got you covered.

Let’s get started!

First off, What is a Roof Top Tent?

As the name implies, roof top tents are tents that you set up on the top of the roof of your car. We know, this sounds a bit “new age” and it might strike you as weird if you are a traditional camper. However, there are a lot of people who can vouch for roof top tents.

What are some Advantages of Roof Top Tents?

Roof top tents have pretty much taken the United States by storm but it has been around for decades in Australia. Australia is a beautiful land but Australia is also a beautiful land with tons of bugs, insects, and other creatures that you do not want inside of your tent when you are sleeping.

Thus, roof top tents were a genius idea for Australians. All of these creatures are less likely to bother the campers if their camp was set at a higher ground.

Roof top tent campers love the view that they get while they are up on a higher vantage point as well. They are able to see more of the landscape and it is just visually beautiful. Not only that but most campers feel safer when they are above ground versus being on the ground where any old ant or cricket (or worse) can just invade without a moment’s notice.

There are many pros to roof top tents, and down below we have listed a few:

● Strong, Quality Materials

• The roof top tent fabric, pole and floor are made with high quality material. This will ensure that your roof top tent will last you for many camping trips. Of course how well it holds up depends on the brand that you buy.

● Comfortable Sleep

• The majority of roof top tents come with a super comfortable and plush foam mattress. 

● Very Versatile

• You can literally set up camp anywhere with a roof top tent….well as long as the area has the green light to park.
  • Do make sure to check around for any hidden signs. The last thing you would want is to be awakened by an officer writing you a ticket.

● Beginner Friendly

• Is this your first time setting up a roof top tent? No problem! Roof top tents were designed for quick setup. Once you find a place to park for the night (or during the day if you want to sneak in a few hours of rest), undo some straps, pop open the dent, then you deploy the poles and ladder.
  • Sure it might take you a few tries to get it done quickly, but it will definitely not leave you pulling your hair out.
  • The roof top tent packaging should also come with clear instructions as well if you want to keep it handy.
  • If you are worried about this, then be sure to watch some tutorials on how to set up your roof top tent.

How do Roof Top Tent Work?

Roof top tents work the same way traditional tents work except instead of setting it up on the floor, you set it up on the roof of your car.

It is quite easy to set up but if this is your first time and you are unsure, do not hesitate to look up tutorials online.

There are plenty of great written articles or if you are more of a visual learner, be sure to check out video tutorials on Youtube and popular blog sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

● How much do roof top tents cost?

•  Roof top tents prices range anywhere from $1,500.00 to $3,000.00 depending on the brand and size.
  • However, you could be able to find some as low as $900.00.

● What are some good roof top tent brands?

•  The good thing about roof top tents popularity is that they have a high consumer demand rate which means many companies are creating their own roof top tent. For the consumers, it means one, more variety, and two, lower prices.
  • Here is a list of some of the best roof top tents on the market right now.

● How do I know if a roof top tent is compatible with my vehicle?

• The easiest way to figure out where your car works with a roof top tent is simply by double-checking. What we mean by that is checking to see if the tent, your vehicle and rack specs are all compatible with one another.
  • Please keep in mind that just because one roof top tent fits well with your vehicle does not mean that they all will. Size does come into play. Even if the roof top tent looks similar to the one you own now and it looks like it might fit, it is better to know that to guess wrong. 

● Are roof top tents affordable in comparison to traditional camping?

• This is a great question because despite how great an item is, how much it costs can pull in or push away customers. The short and simple answer to this is no. No, roof top tents are not more affordable than traditional camping.
  • Roof top tents are a lot pricier than a camping tent but they are, however, cheaper than renting (and buying) an enclosed camper or RV.

So Are There Any Cons to Roof Top Tents?

While roof top tents have their pros, they also, like most items, have their cons as well and here a few:

● Costly

• Roof top tents are nowhere as expensive as say an enclosed camper or an RV but they will cost you more than your traditional tent.
  • For some people that money is well worth it while others see it more as a luxury that they do not need.

● Bulky

• Roof top tents are known for their easy installation and set up but a con some campers find is the aerodynamic drag on the highway.
  • They also find it to be a bit heavy as well and some campers do not feel safe driving fast on the freeway with an entire tent set up sitting on their roof. 

● Time-Consuming to Remove

• You cannot leave your roof top tent fully set up when you wake up the next morning and decide to go for a morning drive. Which means..yes you will have to uninstall it and pack it up.
  • Some campers find it a bit annoying to remove it between camping trips as well.

Curious to Learn More?

It is one thing to read about roof top tents but it is another to read about it from someone that has actually experienced it. If you are curious about roof top tent and want to know the opinions of someone who actually used it, then we would recommend reading this great article by Gear Junkie.

The Final Verdict | Do the Pros Outweigh the Cons?

If you are a traditional camper then it is understandable why setting camp on top of your car may seem ludicrous. In fact, some campers find people sleeping in their SUVs quite strange as well.

This is because it is so different from what we are used to seeing so of course there will be some stares, some questioning glances, some remarks, but overall a bit of curiosity as well.

Whether or not you chose to invest in a rooftop tent is up to you of course, but there is no denying that there are many pros to this new-age way of camping.

If you happen to see someone (or a group of people) set up his or her roof top tent, do not hesitate to ask some questions of your own.

The truth of the matter is, you can read as many reviews online as you want but there is nothing like getting real reviews from real customers.

If you found this article helpful, feel free to pass it on to a friend who is also interested in roof top tents. After all, it seems as if their popularity is continuing to climb which means they are most likely here to stay.