Watch This Before You Buy A Roof Top Tent | Harry Situations

Roof top tents are all the rage, but there are a lot of compromises that no one tells you about before you drop $1,500 on a tent. Well, no one else at least. Some things to consider before purchasing a roof top tent:

1) They aren’t mobile. I have a bunch of vehicles that I use for outdoor activities depending on where I am going, what I am doing, and who I am going with. A single tent won’t really work for me. Plus, I always seem to be on the move and you can’t move your vehicle with a roof top tent deployed.
2) They are heavy. The average roof top tent weighs over 100 pounds, and that weight is all above the center of gravity of your vehicle. No thanks.
3) They take a long time to set up and an even longer time to take down and put away. Go around the vehicle to undo all the straps. Go around the vehicle again to zip off the cover. Go around the vehicle again to deploy the tent, then one more time to put the poles in the rain fly. Doing all of this is a pain on a stock height vehicle, much less a lifted Wrangler on 37s!
4) They are expensive! Expect to pay upwards of $1500 for an RTT before you even have a way to mount it to your vehicle. The three ground tents that I use cost less than this combined. I’ve slept on the ground in Alaska and Canada where there are bear and moose, and in Africa where there are lions. If you encounter these animals in the wild, being six feet off the ground is a false sense of security. Sorry.

We don’t think that we are alone based on the number of RTTs we see for sale on Facebook Marketplace with ads that say “only used once”. These days though you see RTTs not only on the tops of Tundras and Wranglers but Subarus and vans as well. Harry Wagner has three alternatives that he uses that cost under $500 each; all in for the three tents they are still less expensive than a low-end roof top tent!

Night Cat Pop Up Tent- This is a cheap tent, it costs under $100 and shows in the construction. It packs up small enough to fit in most vehicles, but you wouldn’t want to take it backpacking. The best thing about the Night Cat is the innovative mechanism that functions like an umbrella and sets up super easy in a matter of seconds.

MSR Advance Pro 2- This is a backpacking tent, it costs $500 but it weighs under three pounds and hardly takes up any space in your vehicle. This is a four-season tent that isn’t mesh, the walls are made of ripstop nylon. While listed as a two person tent it is a better choice for one person on the trail.

ARB Skydome Swag- This tent costs around $500 also, and honestly it is gigantic when it is rolled up, removing the included egg crate bedding helps, but you will still take up a good portion of your truck bed with a rolled up swag. It is constructed of heavy canvas, which helps retain heat in cold weather, is dark as a cave inside, and doesn’t flap in the wind.
Drop a comment and let us know what you want to see next from Harry and Mike!

Want to know the different features of the Nitto tires we used?

More backcountry content from All-Terrain Family:

[MillerRL]

I didnt love the idea of a roof top tent at first but I have one now for a few main reasons and glad that I do!
1. I camp mostly while traveling to go on mountain bike rides so I already have a ton of gear non camp related and just being able to have all my blankets and tent on roof of car does save a good bit of space in 4runner.
2. Being off the ground is soooo nice. I just don't worry about critters or insects and if a rain storm decides to come in middle of night I don't worry about waking up in a puddle(Its happened in a ground tent for me
3. I have a clam style hardshell and yes it packs and unpacks super quick. I went with hardshell for that reason because yes soft rtt have same amount of time or more time to set up over ground tent.

[seanlee]

“I don’t like roof top tents because I like ground tents” good for you lol 👍🏼

[BeezinBeezus]

“I have to decide what vehicle to mount them on”

Also complains about how expensive they are...

[stfhaha]

Biggest advantages 1. Speed - you can setup by yourself in under a minute. This is for hard shell models. 2. Comfort - off the ground with a nice thick foam mattress. 3. Durability - material tends to be the thickest reinforced poly you can find, it won't get damaged in stiff winds as the skeleton is usually large diameter tubing. I've never slept as well as I do in a RTT.

[ianhillman]

Different strokes for different folks. I've had my Tepui for four years now. Camped all over Canada and up into the Yukon. I love being high and dry and away from the snakes and other creepy crawlers. As for set up and take down, 5 minutes max from start to finish. I can certainly live with that. After all, when your camping, you have all the time in the world. I love the built in memory form mattress for comfy sleeps. Enjoy your ground. I'll enjoy the sky. Happy camping everyone. 🍻🇨🇦🍻

[greedyg]

Video Title: “What I don’t like about roof top tents”. Content directly related to that topic, 30 seconds. But 8 minutes spent talking about why he likes about ground tents. 🤔 Should have been called “Why I like ground tents”

[sharonjones]

A roof top tent makes sense in north Queensland, salt water crocodiles and deadly snakes!

[johnniemeyer]

I think it’s awesome to see a new wave of people camping, regardless of what they purchase. Awesome video!!!! Let keep people off-road and camping !

[louielouie]

They great thing about the affordability of a traditional tent is you can own both a RTT AND a ground tent and take advantage of the options!

[CashFruit]

The only reason I prefer the roof top tent is because I feel a little more secure being at a higher vantage point and hard to access especially on top of a tall suv with the ladder pulled in. Everything else I totally agree with.

[palmergranite]

I like my RTT for several reasons. 1. I don’t have to find the best terrain—-I’m sleeping on 4” of foam, not rocks. 2. Stays dry when the flooding begins. 3. Never had any bugs or snakes. 4. I sleep a lot on bear country and just feel a little better (I may not be, but I feel like I am). I have one on my trailer and one on my car, so I can detach the trailer and claim my spot. 5. Never have to clean the ground off my tent or the ground tarp. Just my thoughts.

[nynomadfjc]

Too funny.. why does it seem like this video was more about the tires than the tents?

[ryanthir]

Great video if your comparing RTTs to ground tents!👍

I bought the Smittybilt Gen 2 RTT. My first and I love it! 118lbs. I mounted it with low racks on my pick up so it sits below the roof line. No drag
My son and I can get to free remote camping areas and have a nice camping area!
I sleep so well in the tent! Great mattress and ventilation!

[seanalexander]

I like the idea of a hard shell roof top tent. A lot more aerodynamic, you can keep your bedding up there, and it goes up and down much quicker. For me on the wet west coast, its kind of nice to be off the ground in the wet and the snow. Also give me a sense of security.

It does weigh a ton up on top of the jeep though. The body roll is noticeable

[pbc_]

I have 3 tents. Roof, ground and truck bed/back of suv.
They all have their uses.

[moreclips]

Very valid points to be honest. I’ve got a wedge style Rtt and I only use it when I’m in a spot with a view, bugs / wildlife around, or I need to load down my bed with gear. Otherwise, I use my camper shell with a 4” foam mattress.

I do find that the Rtts add a level of stealth, if you’re traveling in cities. Most assume that the Rtt is the only spot to sleep, therefore if it’s not deployed, no one’s sleeping in the truck. Saved thousands on hotels over the years and never got a single knock from law enforcement. Just something to think about.

[Charsept]

The way I camp and travel, a RTT fills my needs. I'm looking at it from the perspective of someone considering a small camper trailer. And it has a lot of advantages when comparing those.

[splatmacpuffin]

I’ve had both. Definitely prefer a RTT for my situations and I hate sleeping on the ground.

[wepopcreative]

I love my rooftop tent.. here in Australia RTTs are great cause high of the ground, the amount of times it’s poured with rain, and ground tent friends ended up being flooded out etc warm during winter etc I think someone who is happy sleeping on the ground isn’t going to see the value, but for people like me, I love camping with my RTT

[MrFlyingmachine]

From my experience, the benefit for these rooftop tent is the ease of take down. When we need need to clear out, a quick wipe down, take out anything that needs washing and then just fold it back up. Compare to a ground tent where the pain starts with proper cleaning both the tent and the tarp. Then you have to make all the right folds to get things to fit in their bags. This becomes especially time consuming if there has been a rain with some mud getting between the tent and the tarp. Been using ground tents for 20+ years, but a few weekends w/ my friend's roof top tent has me convinced that if possible a roof top or some sort of RV is the way to go.