By Cheri Sicard
Rooftop tents that mount to the top of your vehicle look like a great camping solution, whether it be to replace an RV or to provide extra sleeping space for kids or guests while camping in your RV. However, there are a lot of issues and compromises associated with this type of tent that you don’t often hear a lot about.
In the video below from HarrySituations on Driving Line, Harry Wagner is here to fill you in on some important things to consider before you plop down $1,000+ on a rooftop tent.
Spoiler alert: Harry is NOT a fan of rooftop tents and in the video he lets you know the many reasons why. Harry says to peruse Facebook marketplace and you invariably see ads for rooftop tents that were only used once. That alone should make you wonder.
It starts with cost. Rooftop tents are EXPENSIVE. In the video, Harry shows three amazing camping tents that collectively cost far less than a rooftop tent.
In addition, these tents are heavy. Expect to add 150 plus pounds to your vehicle’s cargo carrying weight. One of these tents will also reduce your vehicle’s aerodynamics and raise its center of gravity. All this will result in lower fuel economy.
By contrast, a regular camping tent with a sleeping bag and pad weighs about 10 pounds and does none of the above.
What else doesn’t Harry like about rooftop tents?
- They’re not mobile. Once you set up camping, your vehicle needs to stay put, unless you want to break camp. Also, if you camp with different vehicles for different occasions, your tent can’t always come along.
- Despite conventional wisdom, in Harry’s experience rooftop tents are not all that quick and easy to set up. He demonstrates this in the video.
In the video, Harry shows three conventional tents that in his opinion are better choices than a rooftop tent.
Even so, he stresses there is no perfect tent for ALL times and situations, so he gives the pros and cons of each. He even says there may be instances where you might want a rooftop tent, even though he considers them a fad.
Whichever direction you decide to go, Harry’s video will give you a lot of factors to consider that might make you think twice about the value one of these tents might bring to your camping experience.
##RVDT2145
It’s obvious this no more than a commercial, I thought RVTrave was commercial free.
Can’t agree. Seems to me like he was presenting a variety of options if rooftop tents appeal to you. No commercial in sight.
There is a whole lot of information in this video that is not a commercial. I know he gave me things to think about I have not considered before. But if that’s all you choose to take away, that is surely your choice. But, once again, you are not everyone and others may benefit. At least I wasn’t called Johnny Robot this time.
Yes Cheri!
Also, I don’t think my dog would climb the ladder.
Hi, Bob. The weekend newsletters are “commercial free” for our members, not the weekday newsletters. I’m beginning to be concerned for your health, Bob. Your negativity, frequently directed toward RV Travel and our writers, among others, can’t be good for your blood pressure. Maybe you should check with your doctor to see if it’s OK for you to continue to read our newsletters. Or, at the very least, maybe you should just switch sides of the bed with your wonderful wife, because you obviously get up on the wrong side of it frequently. (Also noticed by several other of our readers.) Just sayin’.🙄 Have a healthy, stress-free day. 🙂 –Diane at RVtravel.com
P.S. I forgot to mention that if this were a “commercial,” where’s our commission? We get “zip, nada, zilch” from posting these informative videos. –Diane
Needed to be said, again
Uh?, Huh, Hmm, Duh? Mmm, Whaathu?, – Wow.
Here is a good thread about Rooftop Tents likes and dislikes from Expedition Portal on the web. This is an Overlanding site with comments from people who actually own and use Rooftop Tents all the time rather than one writers OPINION/COMMERICAL!
https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/is-the-roof-tent-trend-over.238091/page-6#post-3108261
My son and his wife had a rooftop tent that they used a lot – and really liked it. But then the baby came along and that was the end of the rooftop camper. It was also the end of the Bean brand trailer. I had a backpacking tent I carried with me on a cross country bicycle trip (waaaay back – ahem) and I got so good at setting it up I could do it in pitch darkness, which I did twice due to extremely bad planning that day.
My wife says tents are definitely in our rear view mirror.
Where I live, you can’t throw a fistful of gravel without hitting a pickup or SUV with one of these on top. I think they’re popular with hunters who do a fair amount of overlanding, so I do understand the appeal. I think this is one of those things that looks way more cool and practical than they really are. Have camped near some several times. They didn’t look like they were having fun. (Especially the girlfriends/wives) On one occasion, it was a particularly windy night and it looked miserable being an extra 6+ feet off the ground unprotected from the wind. It doesn’t surprise me that so many “only used once” deals are available. I suspect sightings of these will become more rare in another year or two.
More Rooftop Tent thoughts.
https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/are-rooftop-tents-like-boats.234729/
Thanks, bull. That’s a link to sign in to that website. Here’s the website address, if anyone wants to start there: https://expeditionportal.com/ Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Fad? These have been around for a long time. I am sure I saw these in Popular Mechanics when I was a kid. The pros and cons seem rather obvious to me before buying one.
Hi, Kelly. Yep, I just Googled it and quickly found an article and plans from Popular Mechanics in 1953 for a “Car-Top Sleeper”. Doesn’t quite fit the definition of “fad”, which lasts only for “a short period of time.” Have a good afternoon/evening. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Thanks, I was hoping I wasn’t nuts, — yet. (now you know when I was a kid. lol)
Not only are you “not nuts,” you also have an excellent memory, Kelly!👍 Have a good evening/night. 😀 –Diane
It sometimes amazes me at my long term memory. Now, who are you again and what were we talking about?
I can’t remember. Sorry, ol’ what’s your name.🙄😅 Yeah, I can remember things clearly from more than 70 years ago, but grab a pencil and paper to write something down before I forget? Oops, too late! Guess I’d better get tomorrow’s work done before I forget! Don’t want a bunch of unhappy readers (and employer😟). Have a good night, Kelly. 😀 –Diane
How long does it take to stake down compared to the rooftop