Rooftop Tent

[badgett]

Does anyone have experience with the rooftop tents from Aliexpress?

 

[highdesertranger]

I know one of the biggest complaints about roof top tents is you have to break them down every time you move. if you just pull over for one night you need to set up at night and break down in the morning. it becomes a big hassle. highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

In windy regions you'll be swaying back and forth, sort of like sleeping on a small boat.

As for anything from Aliexpress, my impulse is to run away.

 

[GypsyJan]

Also, you have more of a chance escaping bears, mountain lions, and the boogie man if you sleep in your vehicle....hard to drive away as easily if you're on the roof.

 

[bullfrog]

Cut a hole in the floor and install a sunroof!

 

[B and C]

Some places in bear country you are not allowed to sleep in a soft sided camper. A rooftop tent would be a soft sided camper.

 

[crofter]

I have experience with Aliexpress, but it was not a good experience.

Also thumbs down on the rooftop tents. Ground tent is better, and if that is not a good option then the rooftop version would not work either.

I was in a campground that came under rifle fire. Everyone was out and about getting dinner at that time, and were able to duck behind trees, logs, etc. Except that guy up there in the rooftop tent was pinned down in his tent, no cover. You could be that guy if you go for a rooftop tent. 
~crofter

 

[becida]

Looks like no one has an answer to your question, I don't either.   But there was this guys blog, he drove around the world and used a roof top tent all along his trip and it seemed to work well.
http://transworldexpedition.com/ is the URL of the blog.

 

[JuanKnucklehead]

After long hard thought on the subject, Im going to live in the van and tent is for, camouflage, bathroom & storage when parked.
Just seems easier to me

 

[BelgianPup]

I've seen photos of them, but it puzzles me why anyone would use one. I just don't see any advantage, plus all of the problem issues everyone has posted.

 

[Ccfree]

I just received a Trustmade ($1473)from camping world that I believe is the same one by Aliexpess. Which means it has a returnable location you can take to in most states. Plan is to make into a poptop. Mine came in the most destructed cardboard box I have seen and no damage to the item. As my neighbor said it did it’s job.By the way it is huge and heavy (not a one person lift well for us mortals) about 82”*48” and about 12” high and I’m guessing a hundred and fifty pounds) I have not used it as yet.

 

[Qxxx]

I tent camped for many decades. In contrast to what practically everyone here has said, I like those car top popup tents. I wish I had one back in the 1990s and early 2000s when I had my Cherokees. It would have made a great combination, 4x4 to get way back into wilderness places, and MINUS the hassles of putting up the regular tent.

My dome tents would take 1/2 hour or so to setup and about the same to put away: ground cloth, tent setup, move padding and sleeping bags and other stuff from the car to the tent. And the worst part is, tents are a horror to pack up when wet.

OTOH, some of the popup tents can be erected and taken down in a just few seconds. Plus the padding and sleeping bags can stay in the tent. 3 years ago, I met a couple with a dog in Death Valley who had a rather small Honda Element with a popup tent, and they loved it. If you can park near some trees, then you have some shelter from high winds, and if "really" strong winds do come up, you can drop the popup in a few seconds and sleep in the car. Try taking down a regular tent in a heavy storm. It sucks. And there is another big advantage over a regular tent that is soggy and wet. With the popup you park, flip it up, and let it dry out. 

I have a van now, but if I had just a regular car or SUV, I would strongly favor the popup tent over a regular ground tent ... any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

 

[becida]

I've seen photos of them, but it puzzles me why anyone would use one.  I just don't see any advantage, plus all of the problem issues everyone has posted.

Picture the vehicle with the tent set up on a sidewalk in front of someone's house in Bangladesh and the vehicle just does not have room to sleep inside.

 

[Ccfree]

Has anyone used a rooftop tent?