{ TOP 10 } Best Roof Top Tents – 2020 Reviews

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A roof top tent is one of the best ways to enjoy life on the open road without having to look for a campsite at night. When you have a roof top tent, your car or truck is your campsite.

That being said, roof top tents are quite complex pieces of gear. There’s a lot of technology that goes into building a quality roof top tent. Plus, you need to be sure that you have a model that works well for your vehicle and your camping needs.

To help you find the right model for your needs, we put together this ultimate guide to the best roof top tents. In this article, we’ll give you recommendations for our top ten favorite roof top tents on the market today. Then, we’ll even offer some of our top tips for finding the right roof top tent for your next road trip adventure.

One of the simplest, yet most functional roof top tents on the market today, the Yakima SkyRise Rooftop Tent is a solid option for nearly any mid-to-large size vehicle. The tent is built using 210D nylon rainfly for maximum durability as well as mesh paneling for added ventilation on hot days.

The Skyrise comes in two size options (2 or 3 person) and can be fit to trucks, crossovers, and SUVs. Inside, the tent has a 2.5” inch foam mattress across the floor for maximum comfort. Plus, you can easily mount the Skyrise without tools and set it up in just minutes to maximize your fun outside.

• Affordable
• Can be used on a variety of vehicles
• Fully waterproof design with mesh for breathability
• Comfortable mattress

• Not a lot of interior space

The TMB Motorsports Pop Up is a hard shell roof top tent that’s perfect for any adventure. The tent can fit most vehicles, including crossovers, so long as the vehicle has roof rails and crossbars.

The tent is made from a thick, waterproof polyester canvas and a hard-sided aluminum shell for maximum weather protection. Included with the tent is a memory foam mattress, which is perfect for getting a great night’s sleep. Oh, and the best part? The TMB Motorsports Pop Up tent can be set up in just seconds. All you need to do is open the latches and crawl in!

• Quick and easy to set up in seconds
• Very comfortable memory foam mattress
• Can be mounted on most mid-to-large size vehicles

• Not a lot of ventilation
• Not ideal for winter use

Designed with extended adventures in mind, the Tepui Explorer Autana is a fully-featured roof top tent for a truck or SUV. The Explorer Autana has a private canopy entrance and a removable annex to maximize your interior living space.

The tent uses an A-frame design that is spacious enough to sit fully upright for comfort at night. Made from super-high quality 600D ripstop polyester fabric, the Explorer Autana is durable enough for year-round use. It also has large windows for plentiful ventilation and a telescoping ladder for easy access.

• Included annex doubles living space
• Large windows for ventilation
• Telescoping ladder for easy access
• Strong enough for winter use

• Expensive
• Very heavy
• Takes a while to set up and take down

A great mix of both performance and comfort, the Pittman Outdoors AirBedz is a premium hard shell roof top tent. This tent is made with an insulated and durable aluminum base that can be mounted onto most SUVs and trucks.

Quick and easy to set up, the AirBedz provides a spacious interior for added livability. It even includes a high-density foam mattress that’s perfect for a good night’s sleep. The best part? The AirBedz tent packs down into a super sleek hard shell box that maximizes your vehicle’s fuel efficiency on the road. What’s not to love?

• Fuel efficient hard shell design
• Spacious interior for two
• Includes premium telescopic ladder
• Includes a sunroof for added natural light

• Very expensive
• Too big for most crossovers and smaller vehicles
• Not very practical for short trips

Made to accompany you wherever life on the open road might take you, the Tepui Explorer Kukenam is a classic A-frame rooftop tent that works with most roof racks. The Explorer Kukenam is made with 600D ripstop polyester and cotton fabrics for exceptional durability and year-round performance.

Inside the tent, there are four large internal pockets for gear storage, as well as a 2.5” high-density foam mattress. The windows and the doors of the Explorer Kukenam also have no-see-um mesh netting for added comfort when camping during the summer months.

• Annex sold separately
• Installation can be tricky

Crafted for smaller SUVs and crossovers, the Tepui Explorer Ayer is a roof top tent that’s built with the same great fabrics found in all of Tepui’s tents. The Ayer uses an A-frame design to shed rain and snow while providing ample interior living space and a comfy 2.5in foam mattress.

Thanks to the included telescoping ladder, the Ayer is easy to access, even if you need to answer nature’s call in the middle of the night. The tent’s large interior pockets make gear organization a breeze, while the no-see-um mesh netting around the tent helps keep creepy crawlies out during the summer months.

• Sized for smaller vehicles
• Affordable compared to other models
• Includes quality telescoping ladder
• No-see-um mesh netting

• Minimal headroom due to A-frame design
• Installation requires specific a crossbar set-up

As the lowest profile soft shell rooftop tent available today, the Tepui Low Pro is a revolutionary roof top tent for any car-based adventure. The Low Pro is highly aerodynamic and gas efficient, thanks to its streamlined 10” profile.

Plus, the tent is built on a TEC composite base, which helps cut weight for use on smaller vehicles. Inside, the Low Pro continues Tepui’s great legacy, with a comfortable 2.5” foam mattress and mesh netting for ample ventilation. Like all Tepui tents, the Low Pro also has a telescoping ladder for your convenience.

• Aerodynamic and fuel-efficient design
• Lightweight TEC composite base
• Telescoping ladder
• Lots of ventilation

Built with comfort at the forefront, the Overland Vehicle Systems Nomadic 3 is a large roof top tent for three people. The Nomadic 3 is made using marine grade 600D rip-stop canvas with waterproof treatment for maximum weather resistance and is mounted onto marine grade stainless steel for durability.

The interior of the Nomadic 3 is very spacious as it extends far off the side of your vehicle. Inside the tent is an included 3” thick high-density foam mattress with a quilted cotton cover to maximize your comfort as you sleep. The tent even includes a tubular telescoping ladder for easy access for the whole group.

• Very durable materials and design
• Fully waterproof fabrics
• Thick 3” foam mattress
• Includes a telescoping ladder
• Spacious interior with gear storage pockets

• Not very well ventilated
• Too heavy for most smaller vehicles

One of the world’s premier soft shell roof top tents, the Tepui Ruggedized Autana is a do-anything shelter for the most exciting of road trips. The Ruggedized Autana is a spacious 4 person tent with a diamond plate base for added durability and robustness.

The tent is made from ultra-durable ripstop fabric throughout for added weather-resistance in foul conditions. The Ruggedized Autana is best used on a truck or 4×4 trailer. Plus, it even includes an extended canopy with a removable annex to maximize your comfort and living space on the road.

• Incredibly durable construction
• Includes a removable annex and private canopy entrance
• Has built-in screen sky panels for natural light
• Very spacious

• Very expensive
• Not suitable for SUVs and crossovers
• Very heavy (245lbs)

The perfect rooftop tent for campers on a budget, the Smittybilt Overlander is a quality shelter that doesn’t break the bank. The Overlander can fit 2 or 3 people on its full-size foam mattress and has a large sunroof for stargazing at night.

Built using 600D heavy-duty fabrics, the Overlander is waterproof for those summertime storms. Each side of the Overlander even has mesh mosquito net windows for added breathability. If all of that wasn’t good enough, the Overlander even has interior LED strips to add some ambient night while you relax at night. Plus, it can also be combined with an optional annex to double your living space.

• Very affordable for a roof top tent
• Waterproof construction
• Included interior LED strips for nighttime lighting
• Can be combined with an optional annex for added living space

• Not suitable for winter use
• Quite bulky when packed up

A roof top tent is a complex piece of gear. So, when you’re shopping around, keep these key factors in mind:

Tent Weight

When it comes to roof top tents, the weight of the tent is incredibly important. This is because every vehicle has a max load that can be mounted to its roof. Smaller vehicles, like sedans and crossovers, can hold significantly less weight than an SUV or a truck.

So, before you buy a roof top tent, check your vehicle’s specifications to see how much it can hold. Don’t forget that you need to factor in the weight of you and your gear in addition to the weight of your tent when doing your calculations.