What is a Roof Top Tent?
Definition: a roof top tent is a tent specifically designed and manufactured to be mounted on top of vehicles, with the help of specific cross bars or roof racks. Roof top tents must be closed or folded, depending on their style, while the vehicle is driven and they must be unfolded / unpacked / opened for actual use in a campsite. Roof top tents are now a very popular overlanding and camping habitat, as they are more affordable than RVs and camper vans and more expensive, yet more feature-packed, than classic ground tents.
What can I do with a roof top tent?
The first thing you can and should do is go on an adventure! Roof top tents are awesome for camping just about anywhere your vehicle can reach (off road capabilities are a bonus, but not a must) and we’re sure you’re going to enjoy the view waking up in one of them. Even better, there are roof top tents with skylights that are great for sky gazing, making for a very chill getaway.
What are the types of roof top tents?
The vast majority of roof top tents fall into the soft shell or hard shell roof top tent categories. A third type would be the inflatable roof top tent, but it’s not exactly a popular solution. Pop-top or pop-up camper tents are a separate type of roof top tent that is integrated into the vehicle. As far as sizes go, roof top tents are classified into 1-2, 3-4 and 5 person roof top tents, with the option of expanding living space with an annex and usable space with awnings.
If you want to learn more about the types of roof top tents and the differences between them, we recommend our separate post on the topic.
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Your Questions on Roof Top Tents
Are roof top tents a new invention?
Surprisingly, they are not at all a new invention – the first roof top tents started popping up (literally and figuratively) as early as the 1930s in Western Europe and you can even buy a roof top tent from one of the original manufacturers. For example, Autohome, an Italian brand that also operates in the US, has been selling some amazing roof top tents since 1958. Since 2005 they have helped popularize the roof top tent, alongside other reputable roof top tent manufacturers such as Cascadia Vehicle Tents, IKAmper, Roof Nest and ROAM Adventure Co.
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Why are roof top tents so popular?
Roof top tents have become very popular mainly due to their aesthetic appeal, comfortable sleeping options, the incomparable views they offer by being a vantage point up high, utility / convenience in setting up camp, year round freedom based on their amazing insulation capabilities and these are just one of the many reasons we’ve identified and talked about in-depth.
» Read More: Why are roof top tents so popular?
Why are roof top tents so expensive?
Roof top tents are so expensive mainly due to their limited production per unit, complex design, expensive materials, complex assembly requirements and a multitude of other factors we’ll dive into to help you decide if you should investing in an RTT for your vehicle.
As with many things in life, you pretty much get what you pay for and roof top tents can vary wildly, between $500 for an entry level / possibly used or refurbished roof top tent (a truly rare, lucky find that’s a 50% – 50% gamble in terms of getting something you’d consider of a minimum acceptable quality for that price) and as much as $7,500 for a premium roof top tent with all the bells, whistles and gizmos (think NASA level insulation, solar panels, carbon fiber panels and more).
If you want to dig further into the factors that make roof top tents much more expensive than ground tents, read on below:
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How much do roof top tents cost?
New roof top tents from reputable brands cost as little as $1,099 on the budget / entry-level side, while premium options that are more feature-packed and built with the highest quality materials can cost as much as $7,500. Keep in mind that there are customizable roof top tents with various options that can add hundreds of dollars to the final cost and there are tens of accessories you can buy for them, ranging from organizers to lighting systems. That means you can easily spend over $10,000 if you can afford it and want the absolute top-of-the-line overlanding camping solution.
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What are the most important features of a roof top tent?
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Roof Top Tents 101
While there’s a lot more in terms of roof top tent fundamentals in our Ultimate Guide to Roof Top Tents, the following pieces of information are required to make an at least partially informed purchase decision.
How do roof top tents work?
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How much do roof top tents weigh?
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How do you know if your car can handle a roof top tent?
You’re a couple of searches and a simple calculation away from figuring out if your car can handle a roof top tent safely and without risking any damage during actual usage. In most cases, if you own an SUV, Jeep, van or truck, you’re good to go, whilst sedans, hatchbacks, coupes are almost never a safe fit for a roof top tent. On top of that, you can pretty much rule out putting a roof top tent on any vehicle with a rooftop load limit under 165 lbs.
But let’s jump to the steps you should take to be absolutely sure you can buy, install and safely drive with a roof top tent.
» Read More: How do you know if your car can handle a roof top tent?
Do I need a roof rack for a roof top tent?
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» Read More: Do I need a roof rack for a roof top tent?
How to Choose Your Roof Top Tent
Now that you have a better understanding of roof top tents, including how they work, what their features and price points, it’s only normal that you’re going to ask yourself before spending that kind of money…
How do you pick a roof top tent?
You’re a couple of searches and a simple calculation away from figuring out if your car can handle a roof top tent safely and without risking any damage during actual usage. In most cases, if you own an SUV, Jeep, van or truck, you’re good to go, whilst sedans, hatchbacks, coupes are almost never a safe fit for a roof top tent. On top of that, you can pretty much rule out putting a roof top tent on any vehicle with a rooftop load limit under 165 lbs.
But let’s jump to the steps you should take to be absolutely sure you can buy, install and safely drive with a roof top tent:
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As we love over-analyzing any purchase decision, we recommend reading further so you can make your own check list of priorities in terms of features and accessories for your ideal roof top tent.
» Read More: How do you pick a roof top tent?
