Rooftop tents initially gained popularity with overland adventurers who wanted a way to stay above ground and away from predators as they explored the Australian Outback. But their convenience and easy setup has made them a lust-list item for campers everywhere. Just attach a tent to your vehicle’s roof rack, and you can deploy it almost instantly by unfolding and extending its ladder. This makes parking at trailheads, campsites, and just about anywhere else you can park a breeze.
The market has responded. There are now dozens of great options, ranging from low-cost soft shells to durable, weatherproof hard tops, and a few innovative options in between.
he obvious great thing about rooftop tents is that you can set up camp just about anywhere. Is the ground soft and muddy? Is your trailhead parking lot made of large, sharp chunks of gravel? Worry not, you’re high above it all. And if the ground is uneven, a few carefully placed hunks of wood under your tires can level your vehicle—and your tent.
You’ll also be high above curious animals—large and small—that might walk by your tent in the night. Its kind of like being in a tree fort that comes with a soft foam mattress and a watertight roof. Not so bad, folks.
Key Rooftop Tent Considerations
What you gain in convenience, you might lose in rooftop storage. There might not be enough real estate up there to accommodate both a rooftop tent and a cargo box or rack. But many options have flexible layouts so you can still use your vehicle’s hitch to attach bike racks or storage trays.
These tents are a big purchase, in price and, well, actual size. Many options weigh more than 100 pounds, so double check that your vehicle’s roof or factory rack is rated to carry the load. If not, you may need a stronger, aftermarket roof rack. In addition to the initial sticker hit, you can also expect your fuel efficiency to decline, adding to the overall cost. Then again, think of all the money that you won’t be spending on hotel rooms and snake-bite kits.
Hardshell vs. Softshell
A soft shell is going to be a lot like a more standard tent—think canvas walls and roof. This helps keep its cost and weight down. Hard shells are a bit heavier, but the shell adds more protection, both to the tent during transportation and to you during inclement weather like sleet or thunderstorms. Soft tops are easy to unfold, but hard shells can be even easier, popping up like a clamshell ski box. As for cost, most soft shells come in around $1,000 to $2,000, while hard shells can run $2,000 to $5,000.
Where to Mount
Even small cars can accommodate a rooftop tent with the right rack, like this from Thule which attaches to your door frame. Be sure to check the weight limit of your car's roof in the owner's manual
How We Rated Them
We researched 18 expert sources and 1,100 consumer reviews to select the top seven rooftop tents of the year. To determine our Total Expert Score, we calculate the ratings from trusted publications such as Gear We Are, HiConsumption, and Gear Junkie, and convert them to a 100-point scale to make it easier for you to weigh the best options. Our Consumer Score represents the percentage of consumers who rated the product at least 4 out of 5 stars on retail sites like Amazon, REI, and Backcountry.
—BEST OVERALL—
What makes this tent the best is the fact that it is not just a tent—you can remove the mattress and unzip the mesh walls and use it as an everyday cargo box. With the inside gutted, you get 23 cubic feet of storage space, plenty of room for skis snowboards, even tools and sawhorses. You won’t find that versatility in any other dedicated rooftop tent.
In tent mode, it can comfortably accommodate two adults. It has two doors and two mesh windows, complete with no-see-um netting, and a 3-inch foam mattress. Released in December 2018, the Hybox does not yet have many expert and consumer ratings. However, our early review of the tent earned it a spot on our 2018 Gear of the Year list. And other expert sources, like Gear Patrol, also rate it extremely highly.
—BEST ANNEX ROOM—
Many rooftop tents give you the option of adding an annex room beneath the tent where it hangs over the side of the vehicle, but few include one with your purchase. The Ranger Overland from Tuff Stuff does, and it comes in at an impressive 90 x 90 inches. Tha’s plenty of room for more campers (or lots of gear) in addition to the main tent itself, which can accommodate two full grown adults on its foam mattress. Of course, if there are only two of you, then use the annex for a kitchen, living room, or changing room.
The tent install is easy and shouldn’t take two people more than an hour or two. Amazon reviews also noted this tent’s high quality for the lower price. “From what I can tell, this tent is built with the same quality and materials as the higher-priced tents on the market,” said one.
—BEST THREE-PERSON TENT—
Yakima Skyrise 3
Total Expert Score: 95/100 | Consumer Score: 75% give it 4 stars or higher
A mid-priced, secure rooftop shelter with a stunning view of the stars.
Closed Dimensions (WxLxH): 56 x 48 x 16 in. | Open Dimensions: 56 x 96 x 48 in.
Total Weight: 115 lb. | Material: Nylon
Thats right folks, Yakima doesn’t just make roof racks, it makes it possible for you to sleep on them as well. This tent has a bunch of ventilation and even a mesh sunroof to let you cool down and look at the stars. But fear not, waterproof rainfly and double-layer windows keep out the weather on those days when you aren’t able to check out the stars. Plus, it will work with other Yakima accessories, like an annex room and kayak rack.
Customers said it kept them cool on hot nights, warm on cold nights, and dry when the skies opened up. Switchback Travel wrote that the Skyrise “offers the right combination of price, usability, and weather protection.” And one reviewer on REI emphasized, “Seriously, opening a children’s pop-up book is about the same level of difficulty as pitching the Yakima SkyRise.” In addition to the medium three-person size, it also comes in a small two-person model.
—BEST TWO-PERSON TENT—
Front Runner Roof Top Tent
Total Expert Score: 94/100 | Consumer Score: 100% give it 4 stars or higher
The lightest rooftop tent that even solo adventurers can install and set up.
Closed Dimensions (WxLxH): 53 x 49 x 8 in. | Open Dimensions: 53 x 134 x 55 in.
Total Weight: 93 lb. | Material: Oxford tent fabric
—BEST HARD TOP—
iKamper SkyCamp 2.0
Total Expert Score: 86/100 | Consumer Score: 100%
A durable hard top that pops up and flips open
Closed Dimensions (WxLxH): 54 x 86 x 13 in. | Open Dimensions: 83 x 86 x 43 in.
Total Weight: 155 lb. | Material: FRP and polyester/canvas
This expandable hard shell doesn’t only slide up like other hard shells, it opens like a clam to form one side of the tent while a platform folds out the other side. What’s not covered by the open hard shell is weatherproofed with a durable polyester canvas blend that keeps the outside world out. The comfy mattress is big enough for a family of four, or three full-grown adults, so bring buddies. The iKamper also comes with locks installed, and has an insulated bottom to help keep you warm. That means you’ll be comfortable when you’re in it, and comfortable that no one is walking away with it when you’re not.