These things are absurd, I know. Is it really any better than sleeping on the ground?
It was me. This was me. I said it to an Outdoor Retailer representative from Yakima a few years back, standing in front a roof tent (RTT), attached to a pickup. It was parked next to a charming pretend camp setup. Truth be told, his reply was a bemused chuckle. It was something like “Don’t knock it until you try it”. I thought RTTs were too complicated and difficult to install and remove a roof and too costly to be worthwhile.
I was wrong. We’ll be able to get to the final point in a moment, at least the first two.
My mind began to shift not long after the awkward encounter with Yakima’s rep. I was camping in Big Sur with a friend. After setting up my ground tent, I was looking out at the trees from it when I noticed a woman pulling up with her RTT. She got out of her car, dropped a leveling block onto the ground, and then drove up to it. Finally, she got back in the car, smiling. She had unzipped her RTT cover about 30 seconds later and rolled it to the side. She walked up to the car’s ground, grabbed the ladder from the RTT, and then she stepped back about ten feet. The tent was now ready to go. She secured the rungs and was done. She was able to hang her feet six feet above the ground and had cold beer in her hands within five minutes.
It looked so easy, I thought. As I was shaking out my groundcloth and turning my tent upside-down to get rid of any dirt, I saw her packing the tent just as easily and driving off. Then it hit me: I get it. RTTs transform any car into a poptop camper. The whole thing was clear and simple, and I knew exactly what I wanted.
Two tents have been tried by me in the years since: one from Yakima, one from Thule. (Thule bought Tepui tents several years ago, and their RTT Division is now Thule Tepui). The Yakima Skyrise HD is an insulated tent that can be used in extremely cold weather as well as balmy conditions. The Thule Tepui High-Pro tent is lighter and has a smaller profile. This allows for greater wind resistance when driving. Both tents have been great and I am now a RTT camper. You can’t go wrong with either but I have a preference which I’ll share in a moment.
They are almost identical functionally. They are almost identical from the inside. The ladder acts as an unfolding mechanism for both tents. Once the ladder has been positioned, the tents can be erected. Both tents have large windows that can be closed using a hook-and-loop system. Awnings are also available that can be opened via the hook and loop system. There is also a rain fly that attaches from inside and takes only a few minutes.
When the tent is closed for driving, it’s covered with a weatherproof cover. Both the Yakima- and Thule covers have the same zipper and Velcro system. Although it may seem difficult to get the tent back in the cover when it is first installed, it is easy every time.
The Yakima Skyrise HD 3.
The tents come with foam pads that fold into the tent with the system closed. The Yakima’s pad is slightly thicker at 2.5 inches, compared to the Thule’s 2 inch pad. They are both extremely luxurious when compared to a standard ground camping sleeping pad.
Visit Rooftop Campers for roof tent hire Scotland.
This is what you get with a RTT. Luxury. These RTTs are so comfortable that they can be used as a substitute for ground camping. The foam pad is like a mattress at home, and it doesn’t move about the tent. After a few days camping, the tent feels great if you take off your shoes. It’s much easier on your back and knees to not have to bend and stoop to get out of the tent as you do on ground.
If I plan to travel a lot, I will leave my sleeping bag and blankets in the RTT. They fold up right with the tent once it’s closed.
Furthermore, the availability of campsites can change dramatically. While camping on the ground is not possible, you can level it in your vehicle with the help of leveling blocks. Your vehicle can fit on any ground that is flat or uneven.
It’s just too much fun to sit high off the ground and let your legs move freely, while holding a RTT. It’s hard to beat.