It seems that the popularity of rooftop tents has grown exponentially in the four years since Hanna and I got into the overlanding scene. When we purchased our first rooftop tent, a handful of companies dominated the market, and very few styles were available.
Now, both overlanding and the rooftop tent market have experienced massive growth in the United States. We have loved watching this style of travel gain notoriety, attract new enthusiasts, and inspire more people to get outside and experience the world. It has been astounding to watch new companies succeed, innovation transform tent design, and vehicles of all shapes and sizes sport rooftop tents.
In the period from our first rooftop tent purchase—a CVT Mount Shasta Extended—to our current tent—a Freespirit Recreation Evolution—we have been blessed to have and extensively use three rooftop tents (the third being a CVT Mt. Hood). All of these tents served us well and saw their fair share of adventure, so it may come as a surprise that we’re leaving the rooftop tent game.
Our CVT Mt. Shasta on our first Jeep Wrangler.
The Truth About Rooftop Tents
Before this topic (and this subheading) gets misconstrued, let me be clear—this is not a clickbait blog. I’m not trying to drum up attention with some melodramatic cry into the abyss that is the Internet. So, here’s the truth about rooftop tents, no dramatization included.
They’re phenomenal.
We have camped across the United States in tents affixed to the roofs of our various vehicles. From blizzards at 9,000 feet in Montana to humid Georgia coastal towns, we have camped in all kinds of weather and through every season. We absolutely love the experience rooftop tents facilitate while still providing comfort, convenience, peace of mind, and safety.
If it was practical, we would keep our current rooftop tent and continue to use it. This brings me to the crux of this piece.
Why We’re Selling Our Rooftop Tent
The decision to part ways with our current rooftop tent—which has been with us for 18 months and made an appearance on our wedding day—was not easy. Determining to bid adieu to rooftop tents entirely was more challenging. Even with the logical factors stacked against keeping the tent, we still struggled to reach the logical conclusion to sell it.
Our Free Spirit Recreation Evolution on our road trip to get married.
If it’s the source of such heartbreak, why sell it?
The answer is anything a combination of multiple realities Hanna and I had to face. I’ll try to break them down succinctly below.
Travel Ambitions
I recently wrote a blog and made a video discussing the merits of the Jeep Gladiator as a long-term overlanding vehicle. In them, a point to which I continued to return was that our camping setup simply wasn’t conducive to our lifestyle on the road once we passed the threshold of several weeks. The rooftop tent contributed to this.
Because Hanna and I want to travel for months at a time, we need a space where we can comfortably work full-time, regardless of location or weather. A rooftop tent, while fantastic for shorter trips and sleeping, does not check those boxes. We need something with walls.
Vehicle Limitations
In addition to selling the rooftop tent, Hanna and I recently sold both of our vehicles. In their place, we purchased our new truck. Essentially, we wanted to retain as many of the advantages of the Jeep Gladiator and camper van as we could while consolidating them to one vehicle.
While we could mount and remove the rooftop tent dependent on the season or how we’re using the truck, doing so would be a huge hassle and simply isn’t realistic. Ideally, we would have a secondary vehicle dedicated to short and mid-length trips, and the rooftop tent could stay on it permanently. Budget and commonsense beg otherwise.
Storage (or Lack Thereof)
Rooftop tents are big, bulky, and a pain to lug around when not in use. In addition to limiting the vertical storage capacity of your truck bed, they are also difficult to remove and store when not in use. Given our propensity for moving frequently and our history of living in apartments and other small spaces, storing a rooftop tent is pretty much out of the question.
Cost
While there’s no doubt we’re deeply ingrained in the vehicle-based travel lifestyle, Hanna and I still adhere to a budget. Trust me; you’ll know when that budget disappears because I will suddenly have the most ridiculous vehicle buildouts of all time.
When it comes to rooftop tents, there is one overwhelming flaw—they are expensive. This is especially true if you want a nice, comfortable unit that will serve you well for years to come. So, while we love our rooftop tent and would like to hang onto it, our budget wouldn’t allow us to keep money tied up in it. Instead, we had to part ways and allocate that money to different aspects of our latest build.
Solo Safety
Because Hanna sometimes travels solo, her safety is paramount when we plan builds. That’s why we were outfitting a van—to give her a secure method of camping and travel where she could feel safe within four walls.
A rooftop tent, while arguably safer than a ground tent, is still composed of canvas. When Hanna heads out on her lonesome, it gives both of us peace of mind to know she can lock herself into a self-contained unit with walls and a door—two things the tent would never have.
Traveling with Pets
Up until this point, all our joint travels centered around Hanna and me. When we decided to get a dog, we had to adjust our mindset and our equipment. Sure, you can camp with a dog in your rooftop tent, but it is a hassle. I’ll also admit that I don’t enjoy having a dog in my sleeping area—I’m just weird like that!
Winter camping in our CVT Mt. Hood.
Rooftop Tent Alternatives
With the rooftop tent gone and no ground tent in our future, we’re tasked with finding an alternative method of traveling the country. Since hotels are out of the question ($$), our list includes a tow-behind trailer, truck bed camper, or another form of self-contained adventure unit.
Thankfully, we were able to attend a few overland events in 2022 and see several rooftop tent alternatives first-hand. As a result, we already know what direction we’re going. You’ll just have to wait as I drag out the suspense as long as humanly possible!
Our decision to sell our rooftop tent was not an easy one. We truly loved our latest tent and made some lifelong memories with it. If it made any sense at all in our current situation, we would have found a way to keep it and continue using it. It’s safe to say that we will have another rooftop tent in the future when our vehicle fleet is bigger, our living situation is stabler, and our lifestyle is more conducive to it.
What are your thoughts on rooftop tents? Do you have one or hope to own one in the future? Do you think they’re overrated? Let me know in the comments below!
Best,
-RW