Best Roof Top Tents: Enjoy the Outdoors from Your Vehicle

The top choices for roof tents for sleeping on top of your car

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Austin Fracchia,Linsay Thomas

/ LAST UPDATED ON May 19, 2020

There's nothing quite like experiencing the great outdoors from the comfort of your own vehicle. That's why we like rooftop tents: the convenience of camping without leaving your own vehicle. Finding the right rooftop tent requires a little bit of research beforehand, so here's our handy guide to get you started.

Best Overall

Tepui Explorer Kukenam Rooftop Tent

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Summary

A great rooftop tent designed to survive all four seasons.

Pros

Good construction overall. Fairly easy to set up and use regardless of the weather conditions.

Cons

Pricey compared to many other similar roof tents you can buy these days.

Best Value

Smittybilt Overlander Tent

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Summary

A standard-size tend with a good degree of weatherproofing to keep the rain out in the spring and summer.

Pros

Installation can take some time, but it's fairly straightforward and can be done alone.

Cons

The cover is prone to tearing after some use or in bad weather like windy conditions.

Honorable Mention

Tepui Explorer Ayer Rooftop Tent

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Summary

A quality two-person tent that can fit onto the roof of almost any medium-to-large vehicle with the right equipment

Pros

There is a good amount of comfort when using the tent. The interior is spacious enough to fit two people comfortably.

Cons

High price compared to other rooftop tents available on the market.

Best Roof Top Tents: Enjoy the Outdoors from Your Vehicle

Tips

You will need the right roof racks for the tent to fit properly and securely on the top of your vehicle.
Keep an eye on the weight of the tent and its occupants. Most roof racks are designed to take a few hundred pounds alone.
Buy a four-season tent if you want some weatherproofing for harsh climate conditions all year.

FAQ

Why Trust Us

Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, “wisdom of the crowd” assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.

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Q. Why should I buy a rooftop tent?

A. Keeping your tent on top of your vehicle offers a lot of conveniences when traveling.

Q. How do I install the tent?

A. Each tent is different in the particular installation process but most secure to the roof racks using supplied hardware and (sometimes) tools.

Q. What is the maximum weight of the roof?

A. This depends on the roof racks you have. Most are limited to a few hundred pounds, so you will need the right rack or platform to hold more than 500 pounds if necessary.