Are you about to expand your camping equipment with a roof tent? Before buying one it’s good to know that not every roof tent is suitable for every car. It’s therefore advisable to first see what does and does not suit your car, so that you know what to look out for and which rooftop tents are suitable for your camping adventure. That’s why in this blog I will share a number of useful tips on how to choose a rooftop tent.
Rooftop tents have been around for decades, but with the increasing popularity of camping and overlanding, the use of a roof tent has also become increasingly popular. Maybe it reminds us of our childhood when we liked to climb into tree houses, but a roof tent is above all very practical. It’s easy to set up (often you just have to take off the cover, loosen some straps and unfold the tent) and quite comfortable too. In addition, you are safely above the ground from animals that crawl on the ground and it saves space in the back of the car because you don’t have to take a separate tent and associated items with you. So a roof tent is the perfect option for anyone who likes to travel by car for camping and overlanders who cannot sleep in their vehicle and want to save space. But as mentioned, not every roof tent fits every car. So below you will find 5 tips that are important to know before buying and that are helping on how to choose a rooftop tent.
#1 How many people should be able to sleep in the roof tent
To start with, it’s of course useful to determine how many people should be able to sleep in the roof tent. In addition to the number of people in general, you can also look more specifically at how many adults and children, and how large the mattress should be. Because roof tent for the same amount of people does not always have the same size. For example, I have a roof tent that is suitable for two people, but the maximum width of the mattress is only 120 cm. I will mainly sleep in it alone and occasionally with Niels, but in both cases that is fine. We are both not that tall and in our Sprintervan we also sleep in a bed of this width. But maybe that’s different for you. Therefore, look not only at the number of people that the roof tent is suitable for, but also at the ratio of adults to children and how big the mattress is when the roof tent is unfolded.
#2 Maximum roof load of the car
A roof tent can easily weigh tens of kilos and although you might expect that every car can carry this weight, that is certainly not always the case. It’ss good to know that the maximum roof load has nothing to do with the weight that the roof can carry while camping. That is generally not a problem and in that respect almost every car is suitable for a roof tent. However, the maximum roof load does have to do with the stability of the car while driving and the safety of occupants in the event of an accident in which the car is more likely to roll over. Depending on the size of the car, the type of car (SUV or station wagon, for example) and the quality of the material and suspension of the car from the manufacturer, the maximum roof load per car can vary greatly. There are cars with a maximum roof load of 100 kg, but also cars with a maximum roof load of only 30 kg. Therefore, check this in advance to determine which roof top tents are suitable for your car. When determining the maximum roof load of the car, also take into account the weight of the roof racks or the roof rack on which the roof tent is mounted. After all, it is the total weight on the roof, the roof tent including the roof rack.
#3 Maximum loading weight of a roof rack
Another weight to pay attention to is the maximum loading weight of the roof rack or load bar kit on which the roof tent is mounted. For example, a roof rack generally has a higher maximum loading capacity than a load bar kit. The maximum loading capacity can often be found in the product specifications of the manufacturer.
#4 Dimensions of the roof tent
In addition to a number of weights, it’s also useful to look at the dimensions of the roof tent in relation to the car itself. For example, a station wagon logically has more length on the roof than a sedan and an off-road vehicle has more width than a small passenger car. Due to wind noise and fuel consumption, you do not want the roof tent to protrude too much when closed. In addition, with regard to the size, I would also like to mention the tip to take the trunk into account, so that it can still be opened completely without hitting the roof tent. This obviously won’t bother you if your car has a rear door that opens to the side, but most cars have a trunk that opens upwards and you don’t want the roof tent to protrude too far back, causing the trunk to no longer open properly.
#5 Soft or hardcover
Most people prefer a roof tent with a hardcover, but it also has a number of advantages over a roof tent with a soft cover. For example, a hardcover is less vulnerable to certain weather conditions when closed, it’s often slightly easier to set up than a roof tent with a soft cover and the hard surface may be suitable for attaching a flexible solar panel. This allows you to charge a battery or power station via the solar panel on the roof. A disadvantage, however, is that a hardcover is generally a lot heavier than a roof tent with soft cover and they are also a lot more expensive. This makes a hardcover roof tent not suitable for every budget and every car.
There are many different roof top tents available, but based on the above tips you may be able to exclude many roof top tents, leaving you with a clear selection to look at. This not only takes away a lot of the stress of choosing, but you can also be sure that you are buying a roof tent that is suitable for your car. You then only have to look at which roof tent appeals to you most and suits your camping needs. Because although there are large price differences, a roof tent is always an investment, so it’s nice to know how to choose the right rooftop tent.
