Best Rooftop Tents For 2022

Attention adventure seekers! Are you itching to head into the wild to experience the colors of nature? Have you planned your next trip and can’t wait to get started?

Well, even though your answers to the above questions are yes, there seems to be something that’s holding you back. Since you are here, it’s pretty much evident that that “something” is the absence of a rooftop tent.

Don’t worry! You don’t need to dig through various websites to find the best rooftop tent as per your requirements because we’ve got you covered.

In this post, we’ve compiled a list to help you find the best rooftop tents for your convenience, so without further ado, let’s get started!

Raptor Series Offgrid Voyager
ARB Series III Simpson Rooftop Tent and Annex
Smittybilt Overlander Tent
Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer 2 Rooftop Tent
Tuff Stuff “Ranger” Overland Roof Top Tent & Annex Room

Contents show

Raptor Series Offgrid Voyager

Features
• Accommodates 1-2 people
• A few seconds set up and tear down
• 300gsm poly-cotton canvas, and a double-layered Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) shell with 1” insulation

Specifications
• Weight: 159 lbs
• Dimensions: 4’5” W x 7’2” L

Among the thousands of rooftop tent options available, one of our favorites is the Raptor Series Offgrid Voyager.

Multiple reasons convinced us to label it as our top choice, with its quick and easy setup at the top of the list. The tent fits a stock roof rack, aftermarket crossbars.

The following is included with the tent:

Heavy duty telescoping 8 foot aluminum ladder
2 hanging shoe and storage pockets
A high-density 78” x 48” foam mattress
Heavy duty cover for when the tent is closed
Air vents with quick adjust control feature
Built in awning

Now, let’s talk a bit about materials. The tent’s floor is constructed from honeycomb aluminum panels. Its outer layer is made from a breathable 300gsm poly-cotton canvas and a double-layered Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) shell with 1” insulation. Also, the tent comes with a waterproof vinyl cover.

As far as its capacity is concerned, it can easily accommodate one to two people, thanks to its king-size mattress.

Unfortunately, you don’t have an option to choose your own tent color. It only comes in one.

ARB Series III Simpson Rooftop Tent & Annex

Features
• Comes with an annex
• Accommodates 4 people
• Weatherproof
• Bungee cord system for rapid installation

Specifications
• Weight: 154 lbs
• Dimensions: 4’7” W x 7’10.5” L

If you rely on reviews to decide while shopping, then your best bet is the ARB Series III Simpson Roof Top Tent and Annex, which has garnered 5.0/5.0 stars in its selling history. It is the improved version of Series II.

As you would have gathered from the name, this tent comes with a 100% waterproof and UV-protected poly-cotton annex for extra space and convenience.

The ARB Series III tent provides superior weather protection via its waterproof, 300gsm poly-cotton ripstop PU impregnated canvas and oxford polyester flysheet. In addition to this, ARB sealed the tent’s seams so that water doesn’t enter through them.

Another major attraction of this gem is its simple setup procedure, which only takes a few minutes, thanks to the bungee cord system. This mechanism also eases the packing down process.

The ARB Series III Simpson rooftop tent has a fine insect screen over every door and window to prevent insects from interrupting your peaceful sleep.

The parcel includes the rooftop tent, mounting hardware, wrenches, an aluminum ladder, UV stabilized laminated welded PVC cover, and an instruction manual.

Smittybilt Overlander Tent

Features
• Sunroof and side windows with mosquito netting
• Made from weather-resistant ripstop fabric
• Accommodates 2-3 people
• Interior LED strips

Specifications
• Weight: 116.5 lbs
• Dimensions: 95″W x 56″L x 51″H

If you are on a budget but don’t want to compromise on quality, then you should check out the Smittybilt Overlander Tent.

Even though it is one of the cheapest among our top 5 rooftop tents, it has excellent features, with its light-weightiness topping the list. It only weighs 116.5 lbs and can accommodate two to three people with plenty of room for movement.

This tent is made from poly-cotton ripstop fabric, which is water-repellent and wear and tear-resistant. In addition to this, it comes with a rainfly, made from waterproof and UV-resistant 600D polyester oxford fabric.

Now, let’s talk a bit about the interior. The Smittybilt Overlander Tent comes with a high-density 92″ x 55″ foam mattress. You don’t have to worry about it getting dirty because it comes in a cover made from washable and moisture & mildew-resistant polyester oxford fabric.

The tent is accompanied by mounting tracks, universal mounting plates, an aluminum ladder, and all the other required installation hardware.

Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer 2 Rooftop Tent

Features
• Made from 600 denier and a 260g poly-cotton blend
• Lightweight
• Mesh panels for ventilation and more airflow
• Includes a foam mattress

Specifications
• Weight: 105 lbs
• Dimensions folded: 42”L x 48”W x 11”H

This tent will sit perfectly on your car because the manufacturers will sculpt it based on your vehicle’s make and model. In addition to being a perfect fit, it only weighs 105 lbs, and thus, won’t be a burden to carry around. It has capacity of a minimum 165 lbs and maximum of 400 lbs.

As far as the materials are concerned, the Ayer 2 rooftop tent is made from 260g polyester cotton, making it breathable and lightweight. It has mesh panels, which enhances ventilation and provides a peaceful stargazing experience.

Don’t worry, these mesh panels won’t be a problem during harsh weather because the tent comes with a 600D ripstop fabric with water resistant ventilate coating. This tent can house from two to four people based on your size selection.

It has a stress-free set up as all the hardware comes in the parcel, and the complete procedure takes a maximum of 15 minutes.

Rugged Ridge Outland

Features
• Sleeps 3 people
• Made from superior quality poly-cotton windproof fabric and accompanied with a polyester rainfly
• Includes 3 inch foam matteres
• Excellent ventilation

Specifications
• Weight: 125 lbs

Our final suggestion in the list of the best rooftop tents is the Rugged Ridge Outland Roof top Tent.

The tent can accommodate up to three people with a maximum weight capacity of 660 pound.

The tent is made from superior quality poly-cotton windproof fabric. It is accompanied by a polyester rainfly for protection against harsh weather. In addition to being weather-resistant, this tent provides excellent ventilation, thanks to screened windows and awnings. The frame of the tent is made from sturdy aluminum.

As far as the installation is concerned, this tent is the most time-consuming one compared to other options discussed in this post. You’ll need at least two hours and help to install. However, the good thing is, all the hardware is included in the package.

Buying Guide

As you would have gathered by now, rooftop tents are expensive, and buying one without thorough research wouldn’t be a wise move by any means.

Don’t be scared, “thorough research” isn’t as scary as it seems. All you need to do is analyze a few factors, and you’ll be good to go. What are these? Let’s have a look:

Material

The material of a rooftop tent is probably the most essential element in determining its quality. The tent material’s scrutiny isn’t just limited to the exterior for countering weather conditions; it also includes the interior bedding, the frame, and the ladder. It would be best if you considered the following material properties while choosing a rooftop tent:

• The exterior of the tent should be weatherproof. In this regard, the best option is ripstop nylon, which has a special reinforcing mechanism that reduces wear and tear

• The tent’s ladder and frame should be made from a lightweight material. The most suitable choice is aluminum

• The interior bedding material should be soft and comfortable

Size

A tent’s size depends upon two factors: the size of your car and its weight carrying capacity.

Most of the time, a rooftop tent is only suitable for a maximum of three people with some room for movement. If you plan to camp out with more than the quantity mentioned above, then a rooftop tent might not be the best option.

Setup Ease

It is a no-brainer that no one wants to ruin their trip out in the wild by wrestling with their rooftop tent in a bid to set it up. You can avoid this fate by ensuring that your chosen tent’s setup isn’t very technical.

First of all, go through the product description to make sure that an installation setup accompanies the tent. Next, figure out the hardware required for setting up, and whether you have it or not. In the case of the latter, make sure that you get it before your trip.

Once your parcel has arrived, go through the setup guide thoroughly to understand the procedure.

Weight

Considering factors: the weight of the tent itself and how much it can sustain. It would help if you keep the following things in mind while deciding the weight:

• The tent should not weigh more than the car

• Estimate each person’s average weight and add it to figure out the tent’s minimum capacity

Accessories

Just having a rooftop tent isn’t enough for you to survive in the wilderness, you need a few accessories for maximum comfort. These include:

• A rainfly or canopy: for protection against weather

• A ladder: for ease of movement

• An annex: for extra space

These are our picks for the top 5 best rooftop tents. If none of them fulfilled your criterion, then make sure to check out our buying guide before ordering from anywhere else. Happy camping!

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Brent

Hey y’all, my name is Brent and I have been an outdoor enthusiast since I was born…at least as far back as I can recall. I never wanted to be inside, which was pretty difficult for my parents as a kid. I got hooked on Overlanding in my early 20’s after I rolled the first Jeep I owned into a shallow ditch, and I never looked back.