Car-top tents are a relatively new genre of camping gear in North America. They are essentially tents that pop-up, or fold out, from on top of a vehicle.
After a month on the road in a model from Tepui, I’ve come to love the style of camping for some situations. Rooftop tents are a neat new tool for campers.
Call it a rooftop tent, car-top tent, or pop-up, these new-fangled camping rigs are making ripples in the media. If my experience over the last month is telling, you can expect to see them at a campground near you very soon.
A tent on your car or truck may seem a little counterintuitive. Why not just set it up on the ground? After driving from Colorado to Alaska with a Tepui Kukenam Ruggedized rooftop tent mounted on the camper top of my Ford Ranger, I’m a believer.
The rooftop tent has changed the way I camp and opened up new alternatives. It has plusses and minuses, but it is the greatest new product I’ve found in years to get a great night’s sleep in the outdoors.
This post is meant to explain rooftop tents, providing background on these contraptions and answering some of the questions my fellow campers have asked. We’ll update this article as needed to stay in front of the genre.
For a review, check out our post on the Tepui Kukenam Ruggedized rooftop tent.
And no, I won’t be giving up my backpacking tent. But if I’m car camping… there’s a pretty good chance I’ll be popping the top regularly for the foreseeable future.
Rooftop Tents: A Primer
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A Night In The Walmart Parking Lot
Rooftop Tent Pros & Cons
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Car-Top Tent Types
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Car-Top Camper Installation
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