Most people assume rooftop tents are a relatively new innovation, but they first emerged in Western Europe in the s. Back then, it was known as “auto camping” or “air camping” and was marketed as a way to avoid crowded hotels and save money. Fast forward a few decades to the s, and it seems like rooftop tents have suddenly exploded in popularity. So what’s been driving the new wave of adventurous “auto campers”? You only have to look at the types of vehicles on the road today to understand a major reason why rooftop tents are trending. In New Zealand, Australia, and other parts of the world, more people are buying 4WD vehicles — utes, trucks, SUVs and station wagons. As a result of this, off-roading and overlanding is also becoming an increasingly popular outdoor activity. It’s fair to say that rooftop tents have benefited from both of these trends as roof tents are most commonly fitted to 4WD vehicles. But rooftop tents didn’t just hop on the 4WD bandwagon and ride it all the way to the bank. There are several key reasons why rooftop tents have captured the imagination of adventurers the world over.
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A well-designed rooftop tent can be set up in just a few minutes and packed down in the same amount of time. For a lot of people, this is much more appealing than mucking around with tent poles, pegs, and guy ropes that never seem to work how they’re supposed to.
A good roof tent costs a fraction of a campervan, caravan, or motorhome — and after a few years of use it probably works out cheaper than hotels, Airbnbs, and holiday parks. While the initial investment is nothing to snivel at, you’re essentially transforming your vehicle into your very own Airbnb on wheels.
What’s better is, the more your use, the faster it pays itself off. As if you needed another excuse to go on adventures.
One of the best things about roof tents is that they’re always set up and ready to go. After work on a Friday, you can chuck some clothes in a bag, buy some groceries, and head off into the wilderness for the weekend. All of your bedding and essentials can be conveniently packed away inside the roof tent, which means less time spent on planning and making sure you’ve got the right gear.
A rooftop tent allows you to camp in some of the most stunning, remote locations on earth. While it’s often possible to hike to these places with a normal tent, it takes a lot more time. With the roof tent, you can use 4WD tracks to access these areas faster. The best part is, you get to escape the crowds and noise of busy campgrounds. Hard to put a price on that.
If you live in a country with dangerous wild animals or insects, then a rooftop tent provides extra peace of mind. As a roof tent is screwed into your vehicle's crossbars and features more heavy-duty hardware than a tent you carry on your back, it’s also more secure and durable in wild weather conditions. This is especially true if you have a hard-shell rooftop tent, like the Bushbuck Armourdillo®.
Of course, a rooftop tent provides superior views to a regular tent. Having that extra elevation helps to eliminate any obstructions to your outlook. You could pay hundreds of dollars a night for a fancy hotel or resort with a scenic view, or you could get a rooftop tent and treat yourself to a “room with a view” whenever you want.
Another benefit of elevation is that you’re not sleeping directly on the damp, cold ground. You’ll also avoid the possibility of surface flooding under and around your tent in heavy rain. Some rooftop tents, such as the Bushbuck Armourdillo®, have insulation in the hard shell, which provides additional warmth and protection from the wind.
This is probably the most important question when you’re looking to buy a rooftop tent. It’s much cheaper to find a roof tent that fits your vehicle than to change your vehicle to fit your favourite roof tent. If you’ve got a decent SUV, 4x4 or utility vehicle, chances are it will be compatible with most rooftop tents on the market today. But it’s always a good idea to double check. The two numbers you want to check are:
Vehicle roof load rating (dynamic and static)
Crossbar (roof rack) load rating
As long as the roof tent weighs the same or less than your vehicle’s dynamic (moving) roof load capacity, it should be compatible. We recommend having roof racks with a load rating of at least 100kg and encourage our customers to use Rhino Rail Tracks (or roof racks of similar quality), especially if you’re planning on taking your roof tent off-road. Of course, you want to make sure the roof tent is compatible with the dimensions of your roof, not only its load capacity.
There are two main considerations when it comes to size:
The size of your roof and roof racks — both crossbar length and the distance between them
The size of the roof tent itself. Is it big enough for your needs?
Most roof tents will specify roof rack size requirements. For example, for the Bushbuck Armourdillo® Rooftop Tent we recommend a minimum crossbar length of 100cm and a minimum distance between the bars of 75cm (recommended distance: 90-110cm). Choosing the right size for your needs depends on how many people will use the tent and personal preference. Most rooftop tents are designed for 1-2 people and allow around 700mm per person. So, if you’re after a 2-person roof tent, a width of about 140cm or 1.4m should be comfortable. If you’re planning to bring a child or dog along, you may want to consider something slightly bigger. The other size considerations are length and height. The average height of a man in New Zealand, Australia and the United States is 178cm, so most people will be looking for a roof tent that’s longer than that — around 2m is a safe bet as it allows extra space for gear. As for height, most rooftop tents will be designed to allow you to sit up comfortably, get changed, and get in and out quickly. We’ve found the optimal height to be around 1.1-1.3m. Obviously, a rooftop tent can’t be too big, or it will be too heavy. There’s always a balancing act between size and weight.
The design and layout of a rooftop tent has a significant influence on your camping experience. You want your roof tent to be functional, comfortable, and ultimately, to feel like home on the road. Here are some things to think about.
One of the main design considerations is how your roof tent opens. A side opening roof tent has its entrance on the passenger or driver’s side of the vehicle, whereas a rear opening roof tent has its entrance at the back. If your vehicle has a trunk, boot or rear door that opens upward, then a rear opening roof tent may prevent you from accessing it. However, a rear opening roof tent allows you to set-up at narrow campsites or roadsides. A side opening roof tent generally provides a wider sleeping area, suitable for two or more people. If you combine your roof tent with an annex or awning, you can access your vehicle from inside the annex. There’s no “better or worse” option when it comes to roof tent openings, but in general, people seem to prefer side openings as they’re more versatile. Our Ardvark Soft Shell Roof Tent has the option of both side and rear opening configurations.
There’s often not a lot of space for storage in a rooftop tent (that’s what the vehicle’s for), but you want to have easy access to the core essentials, such as clothes, shoes, outdoor gear. A simple and effective solution is gear bags fitted to the outside of the tent on either side of the ladder. You may also want to look for internal pockets and wardrobe for storing electronics and clothing you might use during the night or first thing in the morning. If you’re just using a roof tent for one person, there will always be plenty of storage space.
The other storage consideration is: Can you leave your bedding set up when the roof tent is closed? Hard shell roof tents, like our Armourdillo®, typically have more internal storage when the tent is closed. This allows you to store things like pillows and blankets when you're driving between campsites, freeing up space inside your vehicle. Most soft shell rooftop tents don't have storage space for bedding.
One of the greatest benefits of a rooftop tent is the elevated view you get from your “bedroom” so you want to make sure there are windows that allow you to appreciate it. Also, it can get pretty toasty when you’re camping in summer so having insect mesh fitted in the door, windows and air vents is essential for airflow.
Skylight windows are a luxury feature in some rooftop tents, which allow you to star gaze at night and wake up with the sunrise.
Obviously, you can use a head torch when you’re camping, but it’s much more convenient to have built-in lighting in your rooftop tent. With the Bushbuck Armourdillo®, we included both internal and external LED strip lighting, which can be plugged into a USB power bank. This is a ‘nice to have’ not a ‘must have’, but it adds a touch of homely comfort to your roof tent experience.
This one's a biggie. When you go camping, the less time spent setting up your tent, the better. Some roof tents take 30 seconds to set up, while others require a lot more time and effort. We've designed our rooftop tents to set-up super fast—both around the 30-second mark once you get the hang of it. Features like gas struts, self-deploying windows, and minimal poles, pegs, and ropes, can make a real difference to your set-up time.
We’ve got this far without even talking about the tent itself. When you’re buying a roof tent, the materials and quality of the tent are essential to how well it performs. Most rooftop tents will be made from a durable material, usually ripstop polyester, nylon or canvas. However, cheaper tents may not use quality fabrics. We recommend looking at the detailed specifications of the fabrics used and doing a Google search to understand how suitable they are for camping in a wide range of conditions. The fly and tent fabric should be waterproof, but may have different waterproof ratings (it’s more important for the fly to have a higher waterproof rating). The materials should also be UV-resistant as they’ll be exposed to plenty of sun on camping trips. If you’re serious about choosing the best rooftop tent, you’ll also want to take a close look at the hardware — mounting bars, bolts, screws, rivets, zips, latches etc. This is something we pride ourselves on at Bushbuck.
When you’re buying a roof tent, it pays to take a look at the accessories and add-ons you can purchase down the line, such as an annex, awning, wall body, or additional ground tent. All of these things can take your camping experience to the next level. You might buy a rooftop tent for yourself and a partner to begin with, but if you have kids in the future you may want extra space to bring them along. Or you may buy a roof tent with the intention of taking it on hardcore outdoor missions, but may also want to use it on more laidback family camping trips. Having the option of add-ons that increase the living space of your rooftop tent gives you the freedom to expand and adapt over the years. As an example, the Bushbuck Armourdillo® Rooftop Tent has an Annex, Wall Body, and Airbeam Tent that can transform your roof tent into a multi-room camping set-up with kitchen, dining, storage and two extra bedrooms.
The Ultimate Rooftop Tent Buyer's Guide
A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing Your Rooftop Tent
Roof Top Tents (RTTs) have become increasingly popular among campers and outdoor enthusiasts in recent years. They offer a convenient and comfortable way to sleep while camping, without the need for traditional tents or RV's. If you're looking to buy a roof top tent, there are several important factors to consider before making your purchase. This guide will help you navigate the world of roof top tents and find the right one for you.
Vehicle: Roof top tents come in various sizes and weights,most of them can be used on a wider range of vehicles. Certain type of RTTs are specifically designed to fit specific vehicle models, just be aware of.
Size: RTTs come in different sizes, ranging from two-person tents to 5 Person RTT tents. Consider the number of people who will be using the tent and the amount of gear you'll need to store inside/outside. The more people you have, the larger the tent you'll need. Also, keep in mind that larger tents will take up more space on your roof and may affect the fuel efficiency of your vehicle.
Style：On the current market, there are two main types of roof top tents (RTTs) - soft top and hard shell. The soft top RTT can be 180 degree fold out with or without an attached annex. Hard shell RTTs come in three styles - fold out, clam shell, and pop up. Regardless of the price, the main differences between the styles are capacity and setup/take down time. The most popular style of hard shell RTT is the fold out style, which is compact in size but can accommodate more people. Among the fold out RTTs, aluminum models are more versatile as they can carry more gear like bikes, kayaks, and snowboards, and have a longer lifespan compared to ABS models. The Clam Shell RTT offers the quickest setup and take down time, but with limited space and a sleeping capacity of only 2 to 3 people. On the other hand, the Popup RTT provides 360 degree views and similar space as the Clam Shell RTT, but with improved height from end to end.
Weight: While the weight is an important factor, it's not the primary concern. Tents with a bit more weight tend to offer greater stability and durability. If the tent's weight is within the capacity of your vehicle, it will have minimal impact on fuel consumption. However, tents that are extremely light might be easy to transport but lack stability and insufficient insulation and protection, especially in inclement weather conditions like wind, rain, or cold. In these situations, adequate protection should be the top priority when making your selection.
Material:
When selecting a tent, the material of the tent shell is an important aspect to consider. ABS plastic, fiberglass, and aluminum are the commonly used options for tent shells. However, ABS plastic and fiberglass tend to have a shorter lifespan due to aging and can deteriorate over time. On the other hand, aluminum is known for its strength and durability but can be more expensive.
Regarding tent material, the two most prevalent choices are canvas and synthetic materials. Canvas tents are renowned for their toughness, insulation properties, and air flow, but they can be weighty and more costly, and they demand upkeep after camping in damp or humid environments since they consist of over 25% cotton. On the other hand, synthetic materials are lighter and more affordable, but is not provide adequate protection from the elements.
Frequence of setting up and taking down : It's important to take into account the type of camping you will be doing and the frequency of setting up and taking down the tent. For road trips that involve quick stops, a tent that is easy to set up and dismantle would be a better choice. In this case, a hardtop roof tent is the most suitable option. However, if you plan to camp at a site for more than three days, you have a wider range of options to choose from.
Service accessibility : When making a purchase, it is crucial to take into account the brand's reputation for customer service, particularly for mechanical products like roof tents. It is reassuring to know that the company in question has readily accessible customer service and that RTTs accessories can easily be purchased. Additionally, it is wise to consider the cost and timely availability of replacement parts in case of any damage or wear and tear over time.
Price: The cost of soft-top roof tents can vary from $800 to $2,300, while the price of hard-top roof tents ranges from $2,000 to $4,000. Many clients question the significant difference in price, despite the similar appearance of roof top tents.
However, I explain that opting for a low-priced option from overseas suppliers like Alibaba may result in an unreliable product with little to no support. The cost of raw materials for roof tents is comparable, but the key factor in determining which brand you want to buy from is the quality of service and timely delivery they offered. Some brands that take responsibility for their products and offer fair pricing are usually a better option, compared to those that charge high prices and place blame on the customer in case of any issues.
Why are Roof Top Tents (RTT) popping up all over campsites these days?
As you can tell from the number of roof top tent installs we’ve done in our two California shops lately, RTTs are rapidly gaining popularity. Here’s why.
Speed
. Quick set up and tear down- today's roof top tents are a snap to set up. You literally just unsnap the locks, and up pops your tent! All of our roof top tents include gas-strut assisted opening. So there is no heavy lifting or finicky set up. These roof top tents cannot wait to go camping- you just have to set them free!
Comfort.
Roof Top Tents come with a built-in mattress. Forget about rolling off of your 2 ft wide sleeping pad or cursing the low battery on your noisy air mattress pump. Our high quality roof top tents come standard with a cushy, wall-to-wall foam mattress.
Convenience.
Sleeping bags and bedding can be left inside the tent when you are packing up. This also frees up space inside your vehicle for other camping essentials or companions. The speedy set-up, built-in mattress and bedding storage space really come into play for long road trips or campers who like to move around a lot.
Elevation
. The view from the roof is both more private & less obstructed by ground brush, offering you an entirely new perspective while lounging in bed. Panoramic view from above? Heck yeah!
Security
. Sleeping off the ground offers peace of mind from critters, bugs, and all sorts of things that go bump or rustle in the night. You're also way less likely to find a rock or pokey stick on your roof than you are on the ground. Meaning you'll sleep better and wake up refreshed & ready to explore.
Style.
They're really cool. It feels like you're in a treehouse. Yes, it's stating the obvious, but being awesome and looking great is a big reason why you're seeing them at all the epic outdoor camping locations!
Want more information on canvas roof top tent? Feel free to contact us.
Can I test out a roof top tent to see what it feels like before I buy?
Yup! Please get in touch to make an appointment at one of our two California Showroom Locations, located in San Francisco and San Diego. You can climb up in our demo models and have a thorough discussion with our knowledgable staff about fitment to your vehicle and any other questions you have.
What is the best type of roof top tent- Hard shell or soft shell?
Hard shell all the way! (unless you have a small car)
Hard shell (or hard top) roof top tents are: more aerodynamic (fuel efficient) while driving;
much
faster to set up & to put away; quieter on windy days (less material flapping about); better insulated; and frankly better looking (in our opinion).
Soft shell roof top tents tend to have a smaller footprint when closed (making them great for small vehicles). But, if your vehicle can handle the size, we strongly recommend a hard shell roof top tent.
My roof rack says the load capacity is 200lbs, so... how can I sleep in the tent (which weighs 150lbs) on my car?
What, you weigh more than 50 lbs? And you want to use your tent for sleepovers? This is actually no problem. Roof rack manufacturers are referring to the “dynamic load capacity” in this case, which is the amount of weight the roof racks can safely withstand while driving the vehicle. When your car is parked and your roof top tent is open, the roof rack is not being subjected to abrupt changes in momentum caused by cornering, acceleration and breaking, so the “static load capacity” of rack systems comes in to play. The static load capacity is dramatically higher than the dynamic load capacity, since vehicles are engineered to withstand the weight of the vehicle itself, in case of a roll-over. For this reason, it’s totally encouraged to have sleepovers in your roof top tent, even if you weigh more than 50 lbs.
What you’ll want to watch out for as the limiting factor is that dynamic load capacity- the weight on your roof rack while you are driving. Be mindful that you mount your roof top tent on a heavy duty rack system- all the way from the crossbars to the feet of the rack. Otherwise you’re limited by the lowest capacity component in the system. And obviously, you should never be in a roof top tent while the vehicle is in motion, as this would exceed the dynamic load capacity.
If you need help getting an appropriate roof rack and installing a roof top tent in California, please get in touch. We can help you assess the rack racks you currently have in place, or get you set up with a rack system if you don't already have one. Rhino Adventure Gear is an authorized Rhino-Rack dealer, and we also carry other rack systems that are popular with the off road community.
What is the best Roof Top Tent for sale?
Good question. We firmly believe in only selling the best of the best. This applies not only to roof top tents, but to all our overlanding and backcountry camping equipment. As outdoor lifestyle and roof top campers have exploded in popularity, so too have the number of companies manufacturing roof rack tents. We’ve been approached by numerous manufacturers asking us to carry their brands. But Rhino Adventure Gear is a family-owned, local California overlanding shop, not an online megastore looking to profit off a trend. We care about our customers’ long-term satisfaction and want to be confident about every tent we sell, so we are extraordinarily selective about the roof top tents we offer for sale. If you see a tent on our site, you can be sure we’ve vetted it thoroughly, used it ourselves, and have demo units on hand in our two California Showroom Locations for you and the family to come test out.
Most of our customers come to our site specifically to buy a James Baroud, iKamper, or Camp King roof top tent. They've done their research and they're asking for a specific RTT by name. If this sounds like you please head on over to our Roof Top Tent shopping page, and select the tent you’re looking to buy. If you are just beginning your roof top tent buying journey, and want to do more research first, please read on to get caught up on the best roof top tents on the market.
iKamper Roof Top Tents made a big splash with their historic Kickstarter campaign, which raised over $2.3 million. The brainchild of a father who was frustrated with cramped camping solutions for his family, the iKamper Skycamp was specifically designed with family camping in mind. After 20 iterations and design tweaks over years of development, the Skycamp was born. The folding mechanism of the floor is unique to hard shell roof top tents, in that it is the only hard shell roof top tent on the market where the footprint of the tent extends beyond the roofline of the vehicle.
Enlarging the sleeping area of a hard shell roof top tent to accommodate a king size bed required extensive engineering and use of cutting edge materials, like the aluminum honeycomb flooring that enables the platform of the tent to overhang the vehicle.
King Size bed can sleeps 4 people (2 adults & 2 kids; or 3 adults)
Hard Shell Tent with Skylight window
Many modular accessories (annex room, awning, storage shelves)
James Baroud tents have withstood the test of time and come with all the bells and whistles included. These luxury touches enhance the comfort and ensure the longevity of the tent:
Ultra thick, moisture-resistant foam mattress
Solar powered, reversible ventilation fan
Bright, removable LED flashlight
Mosquito-proof screened windows & doors
Storage pockets
Market-leading 5-year warranty
Available in hundreds of colors (New as of !)
The James Baroud roof top tent lineup includes 3 body styles- clamshell, extended clam shell, and full opening / flat top. Each of these are then available in standard or XXL size, and with or without an integrated storage tray on the exterior of the tent. The naming conventions can get a little bit confusing, so be sure to scroll through the photos on our Rhino Adventure Gear product pages where you’ll find a helpful model comparison chart, as well as dimensional information and feature summaries of each type of James Baroud Roof Top Tent.
Another huge selling point of the Baroud RTTs is the sweet line up of cleverly engineered awnings and accessories. For example, the new James Baroud Tunnel Awning, allows you to climb through the roof of the awning directly into your roof top tent via an enclosed tunnel as you ascend the ladder. Combine the Tunnel Awning with a 3-wall Awning Enclosure/Annex Room, and you get two separate but connected sleeping spaces (your RTT and the annex room on the ground).
The distinguishing feature of the Camp King RTT is its aluminum shell construction. A 2 mm thick, powder coated aluminum shell makes the Camp King RTT strong enough to support its own rack system and carry a gear load on top of the tent. Whether it’s a set of MAXTRAX, mountain bikes or surfboards, you can mount it on top of the Camp King RTT.
The most comparable roof top tent to the Camp King is the Alucab, which also has an aluminum shell. However, we sell Camp King RTT over the Alucab, because we believe the build quality is superior. Camp King Industries uses only premium Australian materials in their RTTs. The best way to appreciate the significance of quality materials is to make an appointment at a Rhino Adventure Gear Showroom and spend some time opening and closing tents, laying on the mattresses and operating the zippers. Below are some additional details on the Camp King Roof Top Tent features:
Strong aluminum shell
Breathable natural fabrics
Eco-friendly foam mattress
Ultra high quality seals
Heavy duty struts for easy, assisted opening
How do you install a roof top tent? What type of roof rack is required?
Unfortunately there isn’t a simple, ‘one size fits all’ answer to this question. It really depends on the type of vehicle you have, the type of tent you get, whether you have factory roof rails pre-installed or not, and what mounting configuration you’re looking for.
Some types of vehicles have tons of compatible aftermarket roof rack options; others not so much. Sometimes roof rack installation requires precisely drilling into the roof of the vehicle; other times it’s pretty simple.
If you’re in California and looking to get set up with a roof top tent but aren’t sure what rack system you need, fill out this form or get in touch to chat with our roof top tent installation teams in San Francisco or San Diego. They’ll gather information about your vehicle, and discuss options for how we can help get you set up.
How long will it take for the Roof Top Tent I bought to be installed?
We always do our best to give you an accurate estimate at the time of purchase, or when we send out a quote for a custom build project. If we have inventory of the specific roof top tent and roof rack you need, we can usually schedule you in for an install within a week or two, depending on how busy we are at the shop. Other times we have to wait for an incoming shipment of tents to arrive, and it’ll take longer.
If you have an upcoming trip planned, be sure to complete your order well in advance to give us enough lead time to acquire any backordered parts. Usually purchasing your gear 4 to 6 weeks before a trip is sufficient, but the more lead time the better. Again, we’ll give you an estimate specific to your order when you buy your equipment.
Even a basic roof top tent installation often requires coordinating multiple vehicle-specific parts- roof rack crossbars, feet, bracketry etc., and if just one of these is out of stock, we’re dependent on the manufacturer’s supply line and shipping times to get it in hand before we can complete the install. Manufacturers across the overlanding industry are struggling to keep up with rising demand and tariffs on raw materials, so we often experience backorder queues in the 4 - 10 week range if we have to custom order something for your build. We appreciate your understanding that there is a difference between sourcing quality overlanding products from around the world and buying diapers that you can have delivered within 2 hours from Amazon.
Will a Roof Top Tent fit in my garage?
Well, it depends on the height of your garage, your vehicle, and the profile/height of the roof rack you use to attach the tent. Some measuring tape and a careful look at roof top tent and roof rack dimension charts are probably your best bet to get an accurate answer this question.
If you have a large or lifted vehicle and a low clearance garage, but really want to keep your tent in the garage, you could consider mounting the tent to an off road trailer with an overhead rack system instead. This has the advantage of keeping the roof of your vehicle free for other cargo such as surfboards, kayaks or mountain bikes, and it means you can easily detach your camping equipment from your vehicle.
Still have more questions about Roof Top Tents?
Browse our selection of Roof Top Tents and scroll through some images to get a sense of what it would look like on your vehicle. Don't be shy about giving us a call if you have a question specific to your vehicle that wasn't addressed above!
Most likely the one you have now! Most vehicles have the capacity to carry a roof top tent, you must check your vehicle's dynamic roof capacity. This is the most important number as it indicates
how much weight your vehicle can safely carry while driving.
The different models of roof top tents that we carry vary in weight – this means that if you have a smaller
vehicle with a lower dynamic weight rating, you will likely want to look at the lighter models – “The” Softshell or the Sky Loft.
After finding the right tent for your needs and vehicle, you will need to ensure your vehicle can support an appropriate roof rack system – you need to have cross rails to mount the tent to, and the same weight rule applies. The cross rails must have the dynamic capacity to carry at least the weight of the tent. This is especially important to keep in mind if you want to add accessories to your tent or rack.
Please see our Roof Rack FAQ for more specifics.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Car Top Tent Manufacturers. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.