The roof tent is the quintessence of the idea of adventure. You, your car, the “maggiolina” on the roof and the possibility of camping and sleeping wherever you happen to be. As if the world were at your complete disposal. But despite the romantic and adventurous aura that has always surrounded roof top tents, all that glitters is not gold. First of all because the possibilities for free camping are really limited (at least in our country) and then because they are there before you reach for your wallet several pros and cons to consider in a car roof tent.
Rooftop tent: the definitive buying guide
When you start dreaming of buying a rooftop tent there are at least 3 big thoughts you need to think about: what type of beetle do you want to buy; what type of car do you have (and reasonably you will, since the tent will last longer than your car); what type of camper are you. At the intersection of these 3 sets lies exactly your next car tent.
Roof tent for cars: how they are made
There are essentially 2 types of car roof tents: the so-called hard-shell and the soft-shell.
The roof top tent hard shell they are the ones that close inside a hard shell, normally made of fiberglass or PVC. The shell consists of the roof and floor of the car tent, while the walls are normally made of fabric – generally technical synthetic, now almost more cotton. The awning opens by folding with a rack mechanism or with poles with joints, in some models by hand and in others with an electrical system to be connected to the car. Most open vertically, but there are also models that open like a compass. Rigid roof tents have the advantage of being able to leave at least the mattress inside, of having a “real” roof over your head and, being careful when closing them, of limiting cuts to the fabric to a minimum
The soft-shell roof tents they are the ones completely made of fabric with the poles inside for assembling them. They are substantially similar to a normal camping tent, except for the base which rests on the roof – or rather the roof rack – of the car. They have the advantage of being lighter, they are not always and not necessarily easier to assemble, and probably after many years the fabric could deteriorate more than what happens with PVC or fibreglass. Another aspect to consider is that It is not always possible to leave the mattress insidethus forcing you to inflate and deflate it every time you move.
Both one and the other model are available in different sizes, for 2, 3 or even 4 guests. Obviously the more space they have, the more they take up, which leads to the next point.
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What car do you need for a rooftop tent
Having said that beautiful are beautiful and fascinating are fascinating, but then you have to ask yourself what car do you need for a rooftop tent.
The first aspect concerns the weight that the car can support on the roof, considering that it will be around 50 or 60 kg. It is true that manufacturers of roof tents aim to make them increasingly lighter to broaden the potential market base, and it is true that they provide special tables that tell which cars are compatible with that model of tent. But if you are thinking of buying a used “maggiolina” then it is worth checking this aspect carefully.
The second aspect to consider is the shape of the vehiclean aspect that is regulated byarticle 10 of the Highway Code. In practice, each vehicle has a maximum size beyond which it cannot travel on the roads. Not only that, because the question of the maximum or limit gauge also concerns the possibilities of stopping in the so-called camper parking areas (this is because campers and caravans are approved as recreational vehicleswhich is not the case for cars with a tent on top).
What type of camper am I?
But above all the question to ask ourselves, even first of all, is what kind of camper we think we are. Because the fascinating image of the car with the tent on it in front of a lake in the middle of the mountains at dawn is fine, but then in Italy for example free camping is basically prohibited everywhere. And other countries also have their own regulations to respect. And so before spend from 2,000 to 4,000 euros for a roof tentremaining in an average price range, it is good to also put all the pros and cons of this solution on the table.
Rooftop tent: the Pros and Cons
1. It costs less than a camper (but more than a traditional tent)
Objective: a roof tent on average costs between 2,000 and 4,000 euros. Which makes it significantly cheaper than a camper but also significantly more expensive than a traditional camping tent. The good news is that you can move it from one car to another, and it will be with you for many years. For or against? It depends on how much you want/can spend and the time horizon you give yourself for your trips with the car roof tent.
2. Your car will consume more fuel
Inevitable as soon as you put something on the roof or behind it (see bike rack). How much? Difficult to establish, because it depends on the speed, the route, the driving style, the weather conditions. But there is no doubt that it is 50 kg more, and still a bulky object that impacts the aerodynamic coefficient of your car. Also, at least a little, the roof tent affects your riding style a little, in the sense that the additional mass on top of the roof should cause you to take curves and hairpin bends with caution, just like when you have bikes on top of the roof.
2.1 Extra bulk
There are two other aspects to consider with a tent over your car: you may have some difficulty in underground car parks in cities, and you may have a surcharge on ferries, where the height of the car is often a determining factor in relation to the ticket.
This is definitely a con compared to the camping tent.
3. You have less freedom of movement
It seems like a paradox, but if you think about it, it’s like this: every time you need to move the car, you have to close the roof tent. Of course, if your tent holiday style is truly on-the-road, that is, one night here and the other who knows where, it’s not a problem. But if you are looking for a tent to stay camping for more than a couple of days and you need to move then it is a Con.
4. Is it more or less practical than a normal camping tent?
Good question. Certainly a roof tent means that every time you want to get in you have to climb the ladder, which is decidedly less practical and quicker than throwing yourself into a classic camping tent. However, you may have a slight advantage in the case of cold weather, to the extent that not being in direct contact with the ground you can improve the thermal insulation a little. But just a little.
5. Is it comfortable?
Neither more nor less than a camping tent. If it’s cold, you’re the same cold, if it’s hot, you’re the same hot, and if it rains you’re more or less in the same conditions (somewhat better with the hard shells). What if it’s windy? Many fear that in strong winds the roof tent could detach from the roof rack, or cause the car to overturn. Unlikely, at least to the extent that it would take such a wind that you would be in difficulty even with a traditional tent or a camper or caravan
6. It’s bulky
There’s no denying it: before buying a car tent, also think about where you will put it when you finish your trip. Because you wouldn’t want to travel 365 days a year with your tent on the right roof rack? It would be a problem for the car’s consumption, for its wear, and also for the wear of the tent, which is not made to always be at the mercy of the weather.
7. Don’t assemble it yourself
Not so much when it comes to opening and closing it, but when it comes to putting it on the roof rack or taking it off. It’s a job for which you necessarily need two people.
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