Best Truck Roof Top Tent for Weekend Camping?

[Frankenchevy]

G-son Kooper's Taco has a 23zero tent on it and the reason it'd on ALL the time is ....it's a bitch to remove .....heavy and awkward, need a crane to lift it and a tall place to store it...... not my cup of tea, but I didn't by it, so I keep quiet!!!

This is another consideration for the OP. They vary in weight from 80 to 300lbs. 200-300 lbs above the COG of your vehicle will be noticeable, especially in evasive maneuvers. Sounds like his is on a bed rack. Some racks are cab height and some are much lower to keep the RTC even with the roof line.

 

[Ricko1966]

I have a 1970 VW bus with a Riviera penthouse hardshell popup on it,had a 73 westy.Lots of companies made roof top tents for VW busses. I consider both of mine hard shell tents on sunroof model vw busses. My uncle had a similiar hard shell pop up on his ford econoline in the early 70s. Yea you didn't put them on for a weekend then take them back off but in reality they are hard top tents,on vans. Sure they are not as nice,and not as modern,but still tents.

 

[Bennyt]

Best tent is a $50-100 tent at Walmart that you can throw in the bed of your truck when needed and in garage the rest of the time

If you actually do any offroading, adding 200 pounds to the highest point can make vehicle unstable. Plan on damaging it on tree limbs as well. Also creates a lot of drag on highway.

Once you are over 45, and have to pee every few hours, climbing down the ladder in a hurry, in the dark, is a recipe for disaster.

My neighbor had one on his off-road trailer. Basically a small truck tool bed with rack for bikes, kayaks, and tent on top. Used it 2x a month for 2 years. Finally sold it after his wife fell coming down the ladder. Bought himself a Jeep trailer that is only one step.

 

[idahovette]

This is another consideration for the OP. They vary in weight from 80 to 300lbs. 200-300 lbs above the COG of your vehicle will be noticeable, especially in evasive maneuvers. Sounds like his is on a bed rack. Some racks are cab height and some are much lower to keep the RTC even with the roof line.

Kooper's is on top of his cab high canopy......so it's way high. He hasn't said anything about being top heavy or effecting the way it handles?? And a good 500 lbs

 

[idahovette]

Best tent is a $50-100 tent at Walmart that you can throw in the bed of your truck when needed and in garage the rest of the time

If you actually do any offroading, adding 200 pounds to the highest point can make vehicle unstable. Plan on damaging it on tree limbs as well. Also creates a lot of drag on highway.

Once you are over 45, and have to pee every few hours, climbing down the ladder in a hurry, in the dark, is a recipe for disaster.

My neighbor had one on his off-road trailer. Basically a small truck tool bed with rack for bikes, kayaks, and tent on top. Used it 2x a month for 2 years. Finally sold it after his wife fell coming down the ladder. Bought himself a Jeep trailer that is only one step.

At my stage of the game, I have to disagree @Bennyt .....the best tent is the one I got rid of 25 years ago........my body says YEAH

 

[Bennyt]

At my stage of the game, I have to disagree @Bennyt .....the best tent is the one I got rid of 25 years ago........my body says YEAH

Fortunately I have a 10x10 vertical wall tent and bunk bed cots. The cots are as comfortable as a bed. But as soon as my youngest is done with scouts, I plan to sell most of my camping gear off.

 

[Bennyt]

Kooper's is on top of his cab high canopy......so it's way high. He hasn't said anything about being top heavy or effecting the way it handles?? And a good 500 lbs

He may not want to admit that he made his truck handle worse. 500 pounds in the bed of a taco can be rough, I can only imagine that much weight above COG.

 

[legopnuematic]

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Enough said.

 

[legopnuematic]

Sooo many driving around in the rain ALL winter with a tent, fuel cans, shovel, hi lift, cheese grater boards and another couple grand of random “overlanding” accessories just getting soaked in traffic on I-5 month in month out.

But when they get high centered on a curb in the Starbucks drive thru and have to camp for the night they will be ready.

 

[TotalyHucked]

At my stage of the game, I have to disagree @Bennyt .....the best tent is the one I got rid of 25 years ago........my body says YEAH

I'm only 35 and agree with this lol. We used to camp regularly when I was in HS and college and I'm done sleeping on rocks/roots/uneven ground. Maybe if I lived in Colorado/somewhere beautiful to camp and had more mild weather to enjoy it in I'd consider it occasionally. But down here in the muggy south, no thanks. Only camping I do now is renting a cabin in the woods

 

[idahovette]

^^^^You are wise beyond your years, Zach!!!!!^^^^^^^^

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

But when they get high centered on a curb in the Starbucks drive thru and have to camp for the night they will be ready.

We have those here in Houston too. My OBS 2wd Crew Cab does more off roading than they do!

 

[YakkoWarner]

I do a lot of camping because my seasonal second job (January-March) requires me to stay on-site from Friday night (after my regular day job) to Monday morning (when I go back o my regular day job). I have a pretty substantial 10x10 wall tent that just stays set up for those 3 months. Its not necessarily in jest when I tell people I live better on site there than at home - it takes a full weekend to set up and another to pull it down but I have a lot of luxuries that wouldn't be practical for a weekend only setup. On odd other weekends when I need to be there just overnight, the back seat of the squarebody Suburban makes a perfectly acceptable bed.

 

[TotalyHucked]

With a hard shell, it’s at least possible to face the hard side to the wind. The wind and rain are about what you’d expect from any tent.

There are full hard sided RTCs, but they are very pricey. Here’s an example that runs $20k.

Introducing The World's First Hard Sided Roof Top Tent

The world's first hard sided roof top tent. This is what happens when you cross a rooftop tent with the luxury of a hard-walled camper!

unsealed4x4.com.au

Also, 20k for a tent is insane

 

[Ricko1966]

I'm only 35 and agree with this lol. We used to camp regularly when I was in HS and college and I'm done sleeping on rocks/roots/uneven ground. Maybe if I lived in Colorado/somewhere beautiful to camp and had more mild weather to enjoy it in I'd consider it occasionally. But down here in the muggy south, no thanks. Only camping I do now is renting a cabin in the woods

You take a blow up pool mattress or a folding lounge chair to sleep on. Slept on both many times. If I can I take the VW bus it's awesome. Went on a float trip with a bunch of friends one year all driving some kind of truck/suburban etc. Calling me on my cell harassing me,where you at we passed you a long time ago,won't that thing go any faster etc.got to camp pushed up the top,threw all my gear up in the roof tent grabbed a beer out of my ice box and took a little break on the hide a bed couch in it. While they were setting up tents.I slept on the pull out bed that night.They all slept in tents on rocks,except Billy who spent the night in jail. They thought the bus was cool then.