Hitch-Mountable: ‘Rooftop’ Tents, Down To Earth

Coming soon, the Hitch n’ Pitch moves the rooftop tent off the roof and onto a trailer hitch.

Rooftop tents are a burgeoning trend in camping. But they come with a downside — they’re stuck to your vehicle’s roof. If you want to drive away from a campsite, your tent needs to get folded up and come with.

Enter the Hitch n’ Pitch. A new concept, the stand mounts a soft-side rooftop tent to the back of a vehicle via a trailer receiver. When driving, the tent folds up and sits low-profile like a hitch-mounted bike rack.

To camp, fold the tent down and extend the Hitch n’ Pitch legs. These support the tent a few inches off the ground. Then, use the rooftop tent as normal, except closer to the ground.

Want to use your car during the day? Simply un-hitch the tent and drive away. It’ll stay free standing on the platform.

Another advantage: The system brings the tent much closer to the ground. This is a bonus for those with tall vehicles who don’t love climbing the sometimes-slippery ladder half-asleep in the dark.

Rooftop Tent Advantages?

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Weighing in at more than 100 pounds, rooftop tents have built-in memory foam mattresses. They have a hard floor that is flat and free from rocks and pinecones.

Their walls are canvas or heavy nylon, much more burly than your typical camp tent.

I’ve used them a ton, and they’re comfy. They make car camping more restful, especially when on the road for extended trips. But then again, they have their disadvantages, and some of them might be fixed by this design.

We’ve not tested the Hitch ‘n Pitch yet and are not sure how it will affect vehicle handling. You’ll be mounting well over 100 pounds on the trailer hitch, which is bound to have some effects.

But this is an interesting concept and could add versatility to this type of tent.

The Hitch n’ Pitch isn’t on the market yet. Pricing also isn’t set, but according to the brand, “we expect that costs to initial buyers will be approximately the same as a quality rooftop tent.” That means in the $1,000 range, a significant investment that puts this (especially when coupled with a pricy rooftop tent) out of reach of many campers.

Anyone interested can sign up at the brand’s website for updates on availability and pricing.