Rooftop tents offer a much better camping experience than traditional ground tents. They can give you a closer view of the beautiful night sky and a cozy mattress for a comfortable sleep. If you’re an overlander or just a fan of camping, chances are RTTs are also on your wishlist.
But did you know that a quality rooftop tent is ten times the price of a ground tent? Yes! You’ve read that right. The most affordable rooftop tent for overlanding can already cost you $1,000. How much more if you buy the highest quality and the most iconic hardshell rooftop tent?
But why are rooftop tents so expensive and what makes them worth a thousand dollars? Rooftop tents are expensive mainly because of the materials used to construct them, their complex design, features, accessories, and the benefits that you will get from choosing them over ground tents. Also, the third-party rack, the size of the rooftop tent, ladder, build-in bed or mattress, and weather-proofed walls can add to the cost and widely vary the price of rooftop tents.
Why Are Rooftop Tents So Expensive?
Hardshell rooftop tents are more expensive than softshell rooftop tents. The Ikamper Skycamp Mini and the Ikamper Skycamp 2.0 are the two most-known hardshell rooftop tents in overlanding. They are expensive, but the camping experience they provide is more than worth their price.
One should take note that when buying rooftop tents, you’ll get what you pay for. The higher the price of a rooftop tent, the better the camping experience it will give. If you choose a rooftop tent worth $2000 or more, you can expect to have more accessories and unique features. Also, expensive tents will definitely last longer because they are made from high-quality materials. Just make sure that you buy from trusted and reliable shops. Here are the reasons why rooftop tents are expensive and why some of them can cost up to $5000.
Materials
The materials used to construct the rooftop tent will mainly dictate how much it will cost. This is the main reason why some rooftop tents can cost half the price of your vehicle modification for overlanding. There are two main kinds of rooftop tent: the softshell rooftop tent and the hardshell rooftop tent.
Softshell rooftop tents are lightweight, more affordable, and more likely to fit small cars. They fold in half and extend as you open them. On the other hand, hardshell rooftop tents pop up and are made from tougher materials, so they are more durable and able to withstand strong winds. Hardshell rooftop tents are more expensive as compared to softshell rooftop tents.
Third-Party Racks
The original roof rack system of your vehicle may not be able to support the rooftop tent you want to install on your car. You have to purchase a new roof rack system that is able to hold your rooftop tent. This is an additional cost, and another reason why installing a rooftop tent on your car is expensive. If you want to install a hardshell rooftop tent, a crossbar roof rack system that is able to hold the tent can cost between $50 and $250.
Features
Some rooftop tents have added features that make them stand out. The more features that the rooftop tent has, the more expensive it will be. Take, for example, the Ikamper Skycamp 2.0. This rooftop tent has canopy windows that have 3 layers: a see-through vinyl window, a mesh window, and an outer polyester window. If you want to stare at the beautiful night sky before going to sleep, you can roll up the two layers for extra ventilation without the risk of getting dengue from mosquitos in the forest.
Accessories
If the rooftop tent you are eyeing is beyond your budget, it probably comes with additional accessories to provide you with a better camping experience. These additional accessories can be extra awnings, storage shelves, or cargo boxes. If you want to customize or personalize the rooftop tent, you can do so, but expect additional charges.
Ladders
A ladder is necessary for you to climb up the roof of your car. Rooftop tents come with a ladder that is designed to match the tent. When you buy a rooftop tent, it comes with a ladder that is also made of high-quality materials. Some are built-in. You just have to pull them down to open up the tent. The ladder is not an additional cost, but it is one reason why rooftop tents are expensive.
Weather-Proofed Walls
It can be windy on the roof of your vehicle. When it’s summer, an elevated position can expose you to too much heat from the sun. During the winter and fall, it can be super windy at the top, but with a hard shell rooftop tent, these are not a problem. Despite extreme weather conditions, it is peaceful and quiet inside the rooftop tent because of its sturdy walls.
Size
Some rooftop tents are expensive because they can fit up to 5 people, like the Tuff Stuff Elite Overland Rooftop Tent with Annex Room. You can find rooftop tents that can fit 1 person up to 5 people, and as the size of the tent gets bigger, the higher the price will be. If a rooftop tent is expensive, it’s probably because it can fit more than two people.
What Are the Advantages of a Rooftop Tent?
If you purchased a rooftop tent, what benefits will you get? What do rooftop tents have that ground tents can’t provide? How comfortable and convenient camping experience do they give that they cost thousands of dollars? When you upgrade your ground tent to a rooftop tent, one thing is guaranteed: the benefits you will get are worth more than, double or triple, your investment.
Rooftop Tents are Easy to Set Up
The most iconic Ikamper Skycamp Mini only takes 60 seconds to set up. Can you believe that? If you feel tired and want to take a break from driving, you can just pull over and open the rooftop tent to recharge your mind and body. You can immediately lie down and get cozy on your mattress with a rooftop tent. Rooftop tents are not only easy to set up, but they are also easy to pack up, as fast as how you open them up.
They Provide Comfort
Nothing beats the comfort that a thick and soft mattress can give you when you have a rooftop tent. You can’t have this with a ground tent because finding flat ground is difficult offroad. Pebbles, thick grass, wet roads, and icy ground can hinder you from having a comfortable bed to sleep in. Rooftop tents come with a thick mattress that is built-in and ready to use whenever you feel like taking a rest under the stars.
Safety for a Peaceful Night Sleep
It is safer at the top of your car than on the ground, especially at night. How can you sleep peacefully when all you hear is hissing and howling? With rooftop tents, you can sleep peacefully with the beautiful view of the night sky and no worries of snakes that can trespass into your comfort zone.
This is not to scare you, but the wild is home to lots of animals, some of which are not as friendly as you think. Rooftop tents can give a much safer home than ground tents.
Rooftop Tents Offer a Great View From Above
You can’t deny the fact that the view is better at the top of your car than on the ground, especially at night or if the camping site you choose is near a cliff. Overlanders describe this experience as “camping a little closer to the stars”. If you are an astrophile, rooftop tents can lift up your mood because they can offer you the best night sky view where you can see lots of stars.
You Can Camp Anywhere With a Rooftop Tent
If you want to set up a camp near a river or a shallow lake, you can easily do so if you have a rooftop tent. When you go overlanding, thinking about where to camp is as difficult as thinking about what to eat for lunch. This problem will haunt you every single day of your overland journey as the sun starts to go down.
But when you have a rooftop tent, you are free of this problem because you can camp anywhere, even in the middle of extreme road conditions.
Are Rooftop Tents Worth It?
Rooftop tents are expensive because of the materials used in construction, the additional cost from the third-party rack needed to install them, their accessories, and the features that make them stand out from traditional ground tents.
For the high price of rooftop tents, you’ll get several benefits, such as comfort, convenience, a great night sky view, and safety. Will all these, are rooftop tents worth it?
We have now come to the last part of the article. If rooftop tents are expensive, why buy them? What makes them worth it, or are they even worth the investment? If you spend money on rooftop tents, the return on this investment is guaranteed to be positive.
Given the benefits, features, and appealing design of rooftop tents, they are worth the investment despite their relatively high price. Rooftop tents are definitely a must-try. You just have to find one that really fits well with your vehicle, and you’ll get to fully enjoy the benefits of sleeping a little closer to the sky.
