The Complete Roof Top Tent Guide – This Is What You Need To Know

Investing in a rooftop tent is a great choice. It maximizes your vehicle’s interior space, offers excellent views upon waking, and generally stays cleaner from sand and dirt. Most importantly, it keeps unwanted critters at bay.

However, with the surge in popularity of rooftop tents, the market is now flooded with numerous options.

How do you choose the right one? As a dedicated rooftop tent enthusiast, I've put together this guide to help you navigate the choices. Here’s what you need to consider before making your purchase!

The Main Types of Roof Top Tents

Soft Shell

A soft shell rooftop tent is the most affordable option and resembles a standard tent mounted on top of your vehicle. It’s lightweight and can be spacious enough for families. However, it’s the slowest to set up and pack away, as you’ll need to walk around the car to tuck in all the flaps and wrestle the protective cover over it.

Soft shell tents are popular with families due to their affordability and additional space. They also offer the option to add an annex underneath. I personally use a soft shell tent and, while it has its drawbacks, it has served us well during extended trips—twice, for four weeks each time, exploring Central Australia with two adults and two kids, as well as for numerous shorter excursions.

Pros:

- Affordable

- Lightweight

- Optional annex room for extra sleeping space (ideal for families)

Cons:

- Slowest to set up and pack away

- Can be noisy in storms due to flapping

- Less aerodynamic

- Overhangs the car when set up

Hard Shell – Pop-Up

Hard shell pop-up rooftop tents are known for their quick setup. When deployed, they resemble a large cargo box atop your vehicle. These tents use gas or spring struts to keep the walls taut, which reduces noise during storms. The hard top provides robust protection against the elements. However, they are generally more expensive and offer less space compared to soft shell tents.

Pros:

- Quick to set up and pack away

- Can usually close with pillows and blankets left inside

- Quieter in storms due to less flapping of walls

- Accommodates a thicker mattress since it doesn’t need to fold over

- Some models can be fitted with solar panels on top

- No overhang when set up

Cons:

- Reduced head height

- More expensive

- Heavier

- Internal moving parts make repairs more challenging

- Less interior space

Hard Shell – Clam

Clam shell rooftop tents are the quickest to set up and pack away. When deployed, they form a large triangular shape on top of your vehicle. All hardware, such as hinges, is mounted on the same tracks, making maintenance and repairs easier. The fabric is stretched tight, reducing flapping during storms, and you can adjust the roof angle by repositioning your vehicle to better handle the weather.

Pros:

- Fast setup and takedown

- Taut walls minimize flapping in storms

- Easier access to moving parts for repairs

- Roof angle can be adjusted by moving the vehicle

Cons:

- Limited headroom at one end

- Expensive

- Heavy

Other Roof Top Tent Types

Among the less common roof top tents, the inflatable tent stands out. As the name implies, it’s set up by pumping air into it, offering a spacious interior.

Pros:

- Very lightweight

- Compact for storage

- Can accommodate up to 5 people

- Some models can be used as ground tents

- Floats (though not recommended for actual use in water)

Cons:

- Expensive

- Not the fastest to set up

- Requires inflation with a pump

Important Considerations Before Buying a Roof Top Tent

How many beds do you need?

If you only need to accommodate 1 or 2 adults, you'll find the most options available. However, if you need to sleep more people, your choices become more limited. For families or larger groups, affordable hard shell tents with ample space can be hard to find, making soft shell tents a popular choice. Soft shell tents fold out over the side of your vehicle, effectively doubling your sleeping space and allowing for the addition of an under-awning tent to create extra room at ground level.

Hard shell tents are generally suitable for 2 people, making them ideal for singles and couples. While hard shells are easy to use and compact, singles might face challenges when packing up a soft shell tent alone, as it often requires someone to hold it down while the other person zips up the cover.

How Much Weight Can Your Vehicle and Roof Racks Handle?

Roof top tents typically weigh between 49 kg and over 90 kg, so it’s crucial to ensure that your vehicle, when fully loaded with the tent, does not exceed its Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM). The GVM is the maximum weight your vehicle can handle safely when fully loaded.

Equally important is the weight capacity of your roof racks. Roof racks have two key weight ratings:

- Static Load: The maximum weight the racks can support when the vehicle is stationary.

- Dynamic Load: The maximum weight the racks can handle while the vehicle is in motion.

Often, standard roof racks may not be sufficient for carrying a roof top tent, and you may need to invest in aftermarket roof racks designed to support heavier loads.