Unless you camp every weekend or are a full-time overlander, rooftop tents may be more of a hassle than a convenience. I recently used a rooftop tent for an overlanding trip in Costa Rica. While it was exceptionally comfortable, I believe the long list of downsides far exceed the benefits of owning one.

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0:00 - Start
0:32 - A solid sleeping platform
2:12 - The view
3:05 - Convenient and fast setup?
5:20 - Being up in the air
6:35 - Stability and center of gravity
8:00 - What to do with it when not camping?
9:43 - Other issues

#rooftoptents #overlanding #rooftoptent

Here's the deal: Rooftop tents are extremely comfortable, warm, waterproof, and protect you from the elements. But for occasional, once-a-month campers, I believe the benefits end there.

They’re expensive, heavy, hog up your roof space for other gear, and can potentially throw off your vehicle’s center of gravity. They’re also a hassle to pack and unpack. And unless you have some kind of pulley system setup, they’ll likely be stuck to your roof full time. Hard shell tents may speed up the setup and tear down time, but they’re absurdly expensive, and still carry all to other downsides related to weight, space, and removal.

While rooftop tents may make sense for full-timers or campers who hit the woods every weekend, I think they’re more of a burden for ordinary weekend warriors that may only camp a dozen times per year. I will certainly rent a rooftop tent again. But I’m not sure I want the hassle of actually owning one.