Roof Top Tent Advice - Expedition Portal Forum

The soft sided flip style ones are best suited for people who set up camp for days on end. I preferred this type for hunting trips as a base camp. They have the annex that can zip on and give you another enclosed space to get out of the rain without having to actually go up and lay in bed. I really miss having that feature. Setting them up takes 10-15 minutes typically. Putting them away takes 20-30 once you get good at it and usually requires climbing around on top of the tent to compress it enough to secure it shut. This is especially true if you keep bedding inside of it, which most do because thats part of the point of them.

Hard sided tents take about a minute to set up, and a few minutes to break down. I personally use the Alucab and its brilliant. All bedding stays inside, its got an insulated roof, double canvas walls so it retains heat, has power run to it, and can have gear stored on top of the tent. It was expensive, so unless your sleeping in it 40+ nights a year I dont know that many can justify the cost. If its raining and I have to put the tent away, I dont have to spend long in the rain to close it up. I did lose the ability to have an enclosed room at the bottom. The side access I use for the ladder also isnt shielded from rain, so if its wet out a little bit of rain gets in. Doesnt bother me much.

Different brand tents offer more or less options of course. Generally speaking anyone who has prolonged use of a RTT will recommend a hard shell. Less hassle, better in the wind, retain heat better, overall feels more secure. IKamper is a sort of hybrid between the two styles but I see people commenting on how thin the mattress is and Im not positive you can upgrade the mattress in those.

The soft sided flip style ones are best suited for people who set up camp for days on end. I preferred this type for hunting trips as a base camp. They have the annex that can zip on and give you another enclosed space to get out of the rain without having to actually go up and lay in bed. I really miss having that feature. Setting them up takes 10-15 minutes typically. Putting them away takes 20-30 once you get good at it and usually requires climbing around on top of the tent to compress it enough to secure it shut. This is especially true if you keep bedding inside of it, which most do because thats part of the point of them.

Hard sided tents take about a minute to set up, and a few minutes to break down. I personally use the Alucab and its brilliant. All bedding stays inside, its got an insulated roof, double canvas walls so it retains heat, has power run to it, and can have gear stored on top of the tent. It was expensive, so unless your sleeping in it 40+ nights a year I dont know that many can justify the cost. If its raining and I have to put the tent away, I dont have to spend long in the rain to close it up. I did lose the ability to have an enclosed room at the bottom. The side access I use for the ladder also isnt shielded from rain, so if its wet out a little bit of rain gets in. Doesnt bother me much.

Different brand tents offer more or less options of course. Generally speaking anyone who has prolonged use of a RTT will recommend a hard shell. Less hassle, better in the wind, retain heat better, overall feels more secure. IKamper is a sort of hybrid between the two styles but I see people commenting on how thin the mattress is and Im not positive you can upgrade the mattress in those.

Thank you very much for your detailed reply, I am certainly going to be seriously looking into a few different hardshell options including the Alucab! I have had two. I had a cheaper one and then upgraded to the largest CVT. I ended up selling them both off and went back to tent camping.

Pros: Quick Setup, Stable, and in the case of the CVT very well made.

• The last year we used the CVT it was setup and a wind storm came thru and shredded one tent in the group. We where out of the trees on the edge of a meadow and the trailer was rocking and the tent was being well tested. In the morning there was no damage to the tent.
• Setup was quick. We where able to setup the tent in about 15 minutes and then unroll the sleeping bags and was ready to go. The annex was nice but it added to the time to setup up camp and in the end we didn't use the floor.

Cons: Water Leaks in the Annex, Lack of room, and not comfortable

• The annex always leaked. The issue was the doors. They didn't or don't have a zipper along the bottom. Just a metal bar to help keep them weighted down and in high winds and large amounts of rain it would get inside the annex floor. So in the end it was easier to tarp inside the bottom of the annex and let the water drain on the ground.
• Being tall (Over six foot) we needed the largest CVT Tent so it had the length needed. The issue was I couldn't really get much done while in the tent section. I could sit up in the center. IN the annex the ladders took up a good amount of the free room. So it was always working around the ladders. To me I feel I have more freedom in a standard tent with the cots then I did in the Annex/Tent Combo.
• The mattress was horrible. I attempted to add some pads and etc but even my wife dreaded sleeping for a week on the RTT mattress. We looked at buying a new one out of Cali but never could get the company to commit on cost and a date.

The final thing that killed it for us was a family. While older kids could climb up and down the ladder our toddler couldn't. So that would mean going up and down with a toddler. My wife already struggled while pregnant getting down in the night to use the restroom. The other was our dog. Carrying a 60lb dog up and down the ladder was for the birds. Since we couldn't use the annex with a floor without getting wet we didn't feel comfortable leaving the dog down in the annex.

In the end back to a 10x14 Cabin tent with two cots. We have room for the Pack n Play for the kid and a dog bed for the woofer. It takes longer to set up but is more comfortable, dryer and to me more roomy. Also cost...all in we are in less than 1k. That RTT was over 3k and still didn't really fit what we needed.

How do you choose a great roof top tent that’s going to be just right for you and your next adventure? Here’s 13 points to help you choose a roof top tent that is best for you. 

With competitive price and timely delivery, Sunday Campers sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

You’ve probably already done a bit of research, had a look at roof top tents pros and cons, and pictured yourself kicking back up in your ‘room with a view’ on a beautiful beach watching the sunset, or waking up in front of a stunning snow-capped mountain.

At Intents Outdoors we’ve been designing, importing and working with roof top tents for years. So here’s some things to think about to narrow down the choices to find a roof top tent that will work for you. Catch our next blog for a list of exactly what to look for when checking out a rooftop tent in person.

But first here’s our list of things to consider beforehand to decide what kind of roof top tent will be best for you.

Budget

Like most things these days the sky’s the limit. See what's available your price range. High end tents have a lot of features and branding. And also be aware that really cheap roof top tents aren’t going to be great quality or last a long time.  

Design

There are lots of designs around. Lots of soft top styles and ‘clamshell’ hard tops mounted on roof racks. Some soft shells have an extended awning over the entrance, useful in the wet and some don’t with a clear view front and rear. Some open up by unfolding, some pop up, some are manual, some automatic, some are custom built into the roof, some open to the side or rear or both. Do some research, see what you like, know what you want. 

Use

What are you going to be using the tent for? Campsites or hardcore 4x4 offroad mud? How often are you going to be heading out? Summer camping or out in winter snow? Are you easy on your gear or give it hell? How are you going to get it on and off the roof? Have you got somewhere to store it? Will your vehicle with roof tent on top fit in the garage? Will you be leaving it up on the roof for the summer months or taking it off after every trip? Uses and needs are not the same for everyone – answers to these questions help you decide which tents are a good fit for you.  

Capacity

How many people will be using the tent? Most models are for 2 people, but 3 and 4 person ones are around. 

Weather

It hot and sunny, sometimes windy, and rains a fair bit in NZ. Is the tent weatherproof and waterproof? Make sure it has a decent rain fly over the top. If the main tent is a lighter polyester fabric, it should be PU coated and tape seamed or if a heavier canvas should be ‘weathered’ or ‘seasoned’ to become completely waterproof. Check that the internal ridge poles are sturdy or can be supported with stabiliser bars. 

Tent base

The company is the world’s best canvas roof top tent supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

The base of the soft shell tents is aluminium - thicknesses vary. To handle knocks and scrapes from putting it on and taking off the roof racks aluminium tread plate bases are sturdier and have a more rugged look. Make sure that the sandwich base of the tent is made of waterproof polyurethane materials and not of cheap MDF or wood which if wet will not last.

Packed Tent Profile

Roof top tents add extra height and weight to your vehicle.The bigger the profile the greater the drag and higher the centre of gravity when driving. Have a look at photos and the measurements of packed tents. Square slide ladders have a big profile, telescopic ladders a low profile. Some tents also have raised hinges to allow more bedding to be packed away, but this will also mean a higher profile. 

Fabric

The rain fly over the top of the tent is usually polyester and should be a good thickness and waterproof to keep rain off the main tent (PUmm is usually minimum to be considered waterproof). The main tent is usually a durable polycotton canvas - 280gsm to 380gsm is fine (too light is not great but heavy canvas can be overkill, too). Some tents are polyester so will be lighter and should have an adequate PU coating to be waterproof. 

Ladder

Check that ladders fit the height for your vehicle. Roof top tents usually have an aluminium two piece sliding ladder or a telescopic ladder. Sliding ladders come in 2 pieces and extend out before locking into place. One half sits on top of the other half, so the roof top tent has a bigger profile with a large rectangular ‘bump’ in the middle. Telescopic ladder heights can be more easily adjusted and the ladders have a much lower profile when packed away. 

Vehicle Heights

It’s important to work out the height of your vehicle set up - measure from the top of the roof racks to the ground. Make sure that any tent annex and ladder are ok for your set up. 

Annex (Annexe)

That room option under the tent - some people love them and some never use them. Annexes are useful but require a bit of effort to set up and pack away.  They can give you an extra room, a space to sleep, get changed or store extra gear. They come in different setups with doors, windows, awnings and back access to the vehicle, floors, no floors, detachable floors ... see which layout appeals to you. And again, make sure the height will suit your vehicle.

Travel covers

An important and often overlooked part of the tent that needs to be watertight and waterproof to keep the tent dry. Hardshells usually have popup fibreglass or aluminium covers which double as the tent roof. Softshell tents usually have heavy duty PVC covers secured with zips or Velcro – both have pros and cons. See how the cover hangs and is stored when the tent is open. Black covers may end up getting really hot in the summer sun, grey or khaki less so. 

Extra Features

Other things to look out for are … gear lofts to stow gear, shoe hammocks to keep your shoes dry and in reach under the tent base overnight, bungy cords to help pull the tent sides in to make pack up easier, comfy mattresses with washable covers, colour combos, LED lighting, even remote controls … and make sure that the supplier carries a range of accessories and spare parts just in case.

For more information, please visit springbar canvas tent.