

So we’ve seen the evolution of rooftop tents since they were first introduced, and have taken notice of which brands continue to make high-quality products. We’ve been camping, backpacking, and road-tripping since we could walk. If you plan on sleeping in the same place for multiple nights, but want to drive to a trailhead, your tent and your car are one. Plus, you’ll need a storage space between seasons, and if you decide to leave it mounted between trips, the extra drag will definitely affect gas mileage. You’ll also make sure you have at least one other person with you for mounting. Most options weigh at least 100 pounds, and some up to 200 pounds. They are significantly more expensive than a standard tent, so you better plan on getting your money's worth. Their heavy fabrics and thick tent poles are made to stand strong in heavy winds and rains. Most include a thick foam mattress that will blow your typical camping air mattresses out of the water.

Sleeping off of the ground puts you high above any roaming critters, too. No need to find a soft and perfectly flat tent pad - as long as the slope is minimal, you can set up shop anywhere. You can camp anywhere (well, almost anywhere).A ladder folds out so that you can climb up into your home away from home, far away from any puddles, insects, and roaming wildlife. These tents mount to your vehicle's roof crossbars and can be easily deployed in just a few minutes when you find a camp spot.

Setup is a breeze (after the initial install).Sure, traditional tent camping is still a grand old time, but rooftop tents have some serious perks. Nowadays, it's rare to not see a rooftop tent when you're just taking the dog for a walk, and it's practically guaranteed that you'll encounter a handful of rooftop tents when you're visiting a National Park. Since this boom, countless brands have begun putting their own twist on rooftop tent features. What started out as a fad that only appealed to rich outdoorspeople has since become much more accessible to all campers, thanks to new models for budgets of all sizes. Just a few years ago, rooftop tents began popping up in the outdoor market, but they were ridiculously expensive.
