7 Advantages of Owning a Roof Top Tent

If you’re looking to buy or are just interested in roofing top tents you could be wondering about the primary advantages they provide over car camping.

The benefits of a tent on the roof are the ability to remain clean, dry, provide the ultimate in comfort and luxury and stay off of the ground in an easy and straightforward manner.

These are just a few of the prominent advantages that roof top tents (RTTs) offer to campers. There are many more benefits to highlight, some of which are clear and others that aren’t obvious to a beginner.

Let’s talk more about the advantages I’ve noticed from my camping experiences using an RTT! In the final part of the article, I will talk about the drawbacks I’ve encountered when owning one.

Cleanliness

For those that have camped in a ground tent you are aware of how fast the tent will get dirty. The dirt will cover the tent the second you lay it down, and when you enter the tent for a few times, you’ll be able to track dirt as well. The worst thing that can happen is when it rains and the ground becomes slippery.

With an RTT you don’t need to be concerned about these concerns since it doesn’t sit on the ground. When you get into the tent, you’ll be able to put your footwear in an waterproof shoe bag that is located just outside the entryway into your RTT. The process of putting your shoes on and off before entering the tent is much less difficult than with a ground tent.

Camping at the beach is fun in theory, but what amount of sand that makes its way into your gear and your tent is the most difficult part. Sand always seems to find ways to get inside the tent, but it will be significantly less when you use RTT. RTT.

Additionally, you don’t have to clean or rinse the RTT after a muddy camping trip as you would for a tent on the ground.

Comfort

The comfort of an RTT is unbeatable. One of the biggest advantages for me is simply having a flat sleeping surface. In a tent that is ground even with a comfortable mattress pad, the rough and uneven surface makes it very uncomfortable.

This is especially true when you are planning a lengthy camping trip that lasts for several days at one time. The built-in mattress that RTTs usually have is about 2-3.5 inches thick and is composed of high-density polyurethane. The mattress is quite comfortable.

When we talk about comfort, let’s talk about the bed. Being able to skip the procedure of blowing up an air mattress and constructing the bed is an enormous time cost saver.

Many RTTs, especially hardshells, let you keep your bedding within the tent after closing. This means sheets, pillows and blankets can be kept available for use inside the tent, without having to remove them each time you use them.

Apart from the fact that this can save you a lot of time, I enjoy knowing that I’ll not forget anything while I head out of the house to go on my next camping trip!

Effortless setup

It could be a controversial topic for some but I feel that RTTs are simpler to set up. One reason is that I am much cleaner since the tent never touches the ground.

However, I do not have to use the flimsiest poles, tie-downs or stakes to secure the tent. Setting up a ground tent isn’t easy and the amount of time to do that and to build the bed is likely to take 15-20 minutes total.

Certain RTTs are more efficient for deployment than the others. For instance, fold-out softshell RTTs require you to remove the PVC cover and undo multiple straps prior to using. Depending on the model the setup should be completed in about 5 minutes. I’d suggest that closing the tent requires an additional few minutes to tuck all of the fabric inside as you shut it.

However, many hardshell RTTs need only a couple of clamps to be removed, and the gas struts will let the tent open for you. This procedure takes about 60 seconds and with no effort required!

I have heard that there are pop-up ground tents that could be put up in just a few minutes. However, with the exception of the outliers, RTTs in my opinion have the edge here!

Gear that is packed less

If you are planning camping and pack your vehicle with the essentials, you realize the amount of space you’ve got to store everything you require.

This is where the RTT excels as it is situated on top of your car. Additionally, you do not have to think about the amount of space that the air mattress would normally take up. Also, as I mentioned when I spoke about comfort the majority of the bedding can be kept in the RTT when it’s closed too!

I can see this being an extremely valuable feature for a big family with space that is restricted inside the vehicle. It’s also nice for forgetful peoplelike me, who often forget some thing or two for my travels! A tent that is ready for use at all times ensures peace of mind, and is one less thing to worry about.

Luxury

There’s definitely a certain level of quality that is offered by an RTT. Making it a happy medium or a step up from a ground tent, but not as luxurious than a teardrop trailer. The cost of RTTs is high however not when you compare to other trailers!

Certain RTTs will cost upwards of $4,000 dollars and will be made of aluminum and steel. Other features include built-in fans LED lighting, solar panels automated closing and opening the awning, an annex, and many other features.

You can turn your RTT completely electric using solar panels that are attached directly to your tent. Certain RTTs have USB and 12V connectors in the tent, waiting to be connected to a power source.

I could talk for hours about the various upgrades that can be made to an RTT. It’s the only thing similar to it within the field tent category, which is why I find RTTs to be more lavish for campers.

All-season use

The best way for you to prolong your camping season to later in the year or year-round is to have a well-equipped camper and the right equipment. There are numerous RTTs for all seasons that are equipped with extremely durable fabric, anti-condensation mats, insulated floors, and even more addons.

A natural advantage they have is being elevated in the air. This allows you to stay dry and also not sleep on the frozen cold ground.

Tents made of softshell and hardshell can be used in four seasons however I’d give the edge to hardshells. If it does rain or snow, I’de rather be in the hardtop RTT that can keep me dry and handle the weight of the rain or water.

Fun factor

This is somewhat of an untangible value, but in my view it’s an advantage! Owning a RTT is just FUN! I truly enjoy being 8 feet off the ground and enjoying the best possible view when I am in my tent.

Friends and family will immediately tell you how cool it is once they actually get it! In the beginning, people were unsure of how it worked. After sharing a lot of photos on camping trips, people are in love and have come to me with inquiries.

RTT Negatives

If you bring your dog to camp, as we do it can be a difficult job to bring them inside the tent. Smaller dogs would not even think about it. But I own a 60-pound dog and it is a process to keep him inside every time.

If you’re an older person or just can’t carry your dog around because they are so heavy then this is something to be thinking about. There are solutions to this though. If you type “dog” using the search bar in the upper right hand corner of my site it will bring you to an article in which I provide a variety of examples on how for fixing this.

It’s not a walk in the park compared to making the tent doors open for them.

Another issue is the storage of the roof tent. Due to the lack of storage space or the inability to move the 100 – 200-pound tent the majority of RTT owners simply place the tent on their vehicle year-round.

This is fine but it could cause wear and tear to your vehicle as in addition to reducing your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.

These are just some of the disadvantages that have been a major issue for me as a keeper. I strongly recommend reading the article in which I discuss the tents with ground because I provide many more instances in which an RTT is at a significant disadvantage.

Finalizing

With all purchases in life there’s a certain amount of giving and taking. While the RTT offers a myriad of amazing and fun features but it also has its disadvantages.

In general, I believe that WAY many people are quite content buying an RTT in comparison to the ones who aren’t. People who aren’t satisfied with their purchase are those who get the least amount of use out of them.