One of the greatest things about camping is the gear. Camping starts with tents, and there are too many to choose from. Tents come in different sizes and styles to the point where you may not know which one to purchase. If you’re trying to decide if owning a rooftop tent is for you, look over these pros and cons.
Pro: Better Safety
Safety is crucial while camping. You’re outside, and you don’t have the comfort or the protection of your home. Camping means you have stepped into the animal’s domain; you’re in its home, and it doesn’t need to be considerate of you. You need to be considerate of it.
Getting a rooftop tent eliminates that problem immediately. It keeps you safe from small game, such as snakes, scorpions, and other animals that pose a serious threat. Sleeping on the ground means you’ll need to take extra precautions to protect yourself from getting bit. You have plenty of space on the roof of your car, and you’re off of the ground, keeping you safe from animals. You don’t need to worry about waking up with unwanted guests.
Furthermore, you need to think about petty thieves. There may be plenty of people camping around you who might look to you and your possessions for money. In a rooftop tent, they’ll make too much noise trying to get to you, and you’ll wake up in plenty of time.
Con: Mounting the Tent
Mounting the tent will come with its challenges, especially if you’re not familiar with this equipment. For starters, you need a few more tools to do the job than you would a normal tent. That means packing more to make sure you can set everything up correctly.
You still want to ensure you place yourself away from creeks, rivers, or lakes to avoid flooding, heavy rainfall, or any other weather dangers. However, you have to worry about additional considerations. Mounting the tent means you’ll need to have a ladder and find level ground because the vehicle needs to be stationary.
The mounting requires special brackets, bars, and roof mounting kits. These steps may make setup a little longer than your standard tent setup. You could mount the tent before leaving home, but then driving with it on the highway might be a little difficult.
Pro: No Insects
There are insects that fly and insects that crawl. The rooftop tent protects you from both. No matter how much padding and nailing you do with a standard tent, those creepy crawlers will still make their way inside.
Yes, you know that dealing with bugs is a possibility when you go camping, but that doesn’t mean you have to like it. The chances of a bug crawling alongside your car to get through the tent to you are rather slim.
While they can be pests, some bugs are more dangerous than others. You don’t want to run the risk of getting bit by a tick and developing the lime disease.
Keep yourself safe, guarded, and protected inside your rooftop tent. The zipper and shielding of the tent will also protect you from any bugs flying high that want to get inside.
Con: Pricey
They don’t come cheap. But, to be fair, most camping equipment these days comes with a price. If you want to make sure you have a good experience, you’ll need to spend good money. It’s never a good idea to buy cheap items and cut corners when it comes to camping.
For example, say you buy clothing that says it will keep you warm, only it doesn’t. Now you run the risk of getting frostbite while you’re out there. Or you buy a low-priced tent, but it doesn’t protect you from extreme winds and ends up blowing away.
A rooftop tent is pricey for a reason: manufacturers design them to protect you from the worst possible scenarios on a camping trip. So yes: when you purchase the rooftop tent, it will cost some money. But think about what it protects you from.
Pro: Weathers Storms
Rooftop tents can weather some of the most extreme storms since they provide more protection than standard tents. All that mounting you need to do to get the tent on top of your vehicle will actually come in handy.
The extra brackets and security mean that when strong winds come through, your temporary shelter will sustain. These tents will protect you from the elements, and many of them include additional rain covers for stormy nights on winter trips.
You never need to worry about the tent blowing away, either. If the winds aren’t powerful enough to blow your car away, then you can trust that the tent is safe.
Con: Extra Bulk
Rooftop tents come with a little extra baggage. They might not be as lightweight as a standard tent, but you can expect that with all the protection they provide. However, you need to consider that extra bulk and how your vehicle will handle it.
Technically, you can drive with the rooftop tent on your car. Can you speed? Technically, yes, but you probably shouldn’t. Speeding with the additional weight could damage the vehicle. Your car or truck’s MPG will decrease, and the additional weight can mess with your stability while driving.
Move carefully if you need to navigate from one site to the next without dismantling the tent, and refrain from any unnecessary travel.
Pro: More Mobility
While the tent offers more bulk, it’s still easier to move around while camping. For example, there may be moments when you need to move from one site to another. It’s too much work to take down the tent, store it inside the car, and then set out.
With the tent secured firmly on top of the roof, you only need to worry about packing up other items. It saves you time and offers more mobility. More mobility is especially appealing to those who live the outlander life. Having to constantly take apart and put together your equipment will get tiring.
If you have a wedge rooftop tent as a form of shelter, you don’t need to worry about that as an issue.
We know all about the pros and cons of rooftop tents here at Super Pacific Inc., and we believe that the good outweighs the bad. For more information, visit our website.
