Rooftop tents are increasingly becoming a popular option over regular tents, especially among road trippers, off-roaders and overlanders. A rooftop can be described as a vehicle’s roof bars or roof rack. The tent is designed to fold or collapse down into a flat package that remains mounted to the roof while driving. When you want to camp, all you need to do is fold the tent out or flip it over, depending on the design.

Most tents come with a comfortable foam mattress. You can sleep on the ground under the rooftop of your vehicle. In most cases, a ladder is included to make climbing up to the bed easier. A rooftop tent is normally mounted to a 4X4 expedition. Lighter and smaller rooftop tents are also available for small cars.

1. Faster Easier to Set Up

Rooftop tents generally take little time and effort to set up compared to regular tents. A properly designed hard shell rooftop can be set up by a single individual in less than one minute. All you need is to unlock some latches and popup up the tent using some gas struts. You then lock it into position with the help of safety supports. This process is much easier and faster than installing any type of ground tent since there’s no need to interfere with stakes, a footprint pole or guy lines. However, there are a few rooftop tents that may take slightly more time to set up.

2. More Comfortable

Rooftop tents normally have a mattress on the floor. The mattresses are always thicker, larger and more comfortable compared to sleeping pads found in ground tents. For instance, many rooftops have an approximately 2-3-inch-thick foam mattress that provides adequate back support. Besides, the mattress covers the whole floor of the tent. A roof top tent mattress for two people measures approximately 48 inches wide by 84 inches long. This is the same as a full-sized mattress. The large size makes it easy for you to spread and move around the room.

3. Easy to Find Campsite

It is usually easier to find a good campsite when you are using rooftop tents. The only thing you need to look for is a flat place to park your vehicle. It doesn’t matter whether the ground is rocky, wet, lumpy, muddy or dry. You don’t even need to worry about water getting inside the camp in case of rain. This is because your tent is already raised above the ground. Additionally, you can camp on solid surfaces such as a gravel parking lot or asphalt with rooftop tents. There’s no need to dig stakes into the ground as is the case with regular tents.

4. Better View

This is another reason why roof top tent is better than a regular tent. Rooftop tents put you five to six feet above the ground, depending on the height of your car. This allows you to enjoy a clear view of the surroundings while inside your tent. The joy of camping is the ability to catch a glimpse of those scenic views. But using a regular tent means that even a small shrub or hump can obstruct your view.

5. Cleaner

Rooftop tents tend to be cleaner because they are raised above the ground. You can put a doormat at the base of the ladder to help you wipe your feet when climbing in. This will ensure that no mud, sand, dirt or water gets inside your tent. Since the tent is raised, it is unlikely for the wind to blow dirt and debris inside. The interior of your tent will remain clean at all times. Additionally, the inside of your car will remain clean since you won’t be storing a dirty and wet tend inside.

6. They Are Safer

Many people agree that rooftop tents are safer than ground tents. Overlanders traveling to places like Africa prefer using rooftop tents to keep them away from predators such as hyenas and lions. Rooftop tents are safe since wild animals can’t climb into the vehicle and try accessing the tent. You can travel around and even sleep inside your tent at night without the fear of being mauled by wild animals.

In a nutshell, rooftop tents are much better than regular tents. They are easy to set up, comfortable, cleaner and offer better viewing among other benefits.