Discover the advantages of travelling with a rooftop tent! When deciding between the classic tent and van, we help you make the right choice for your hiking adventures.
For your next trip, the decision’s been made: you want to experience it all out in the open! Watching all the action on the roads, exploring the trails, discovering new horizons, switching destinations easily between two days of pure adventure… For your nights, there are several options: camping in a tent or opting for a vehicle that allows you to sleep inside, like a van. The first solution is the most economical, but it’s less convenient. The second requires a certain budget! And what if we were to tell you there’s an option in-between? You can do your trip with a rooftop tent! Just imagine: waking up to a breathtaking view over the mountains, sleeping under starry skies. All this, while being comfortably set up on top of your vehicle. If you’re hesitating, we ask you 6 questions that should help you to know if it’s the best option. Are you tempted to try rooftop tenting? Here are 7 advantages, and find the answers to all the questions you’ve been asking!
A sleeping solution for every travel adventure! And before choosing yours, we recommend taking the time to ask yourself what your priorities are for your future hike. So, rooftop tent, standard tent, or van? Here are 6 questions to ask yourself to help you choose!
Roaming entails changing places every day, or almost, throughout your adventure. If this is your plan, you’re going to need to be able to store and re-set up your night shelter quickly and easily. In this case, we advise you to opt for a rooftop tent or van, rather than a standard tent. Both of these options are quicker, and you can move camp in just a few minutes. On the other hand, if you plan on staying in the same spot (supervised, camping type) over several days, the standard tent will be the most suitable and economical option.
If you want to settle into your camp spot for a few days and don’t need to move around in your vehicle, all of the options are fine! But if you need to move around in your vehicle frequently, you need to keep in mind that the rooftop tent option requires a few minutes of additional logistics to set up camp. Even though it doesn’t take too long, you need to plan some extra time to take everything down and store all the equipment in your vehicle. It’s up to you to see if this would be too restrictive, or not, for your daily life on holiday!
Not surprisingly, the most economical are the standard tents which cost around €30 for the cheapest. Then there’s the rooftop tent for which you’ll need to budget at least €750 if you plan to buy one, depending on your model and your vehicle. Finally, opting for a fitted-out van is the most comfortable solution, but also the most expensive. Prepare to pay around €1,400 for a week-long rental.
Are you one of those campers who like to set up in remote spots (but that are nonetheless allowed), that are difficult to reach by van? For this type of spot, the rooftop tent is ideal! It’s also the most practical option if you decide to stop en route to visit the historic centre of some little town, which often have heavy restrictions for large vehicles (like camper vans, vans). If, on the other hand, you only aim for camp sites, vast expanses of nature or all-terrain vehicle-friendly sites, rather opt for a standard tent or a van.
If you plan to set off for a weekend or just a week, the duration criterion matters less. But if you’re setting off for several weeks, or even months (lucky you!), 🙃you need to bear in mind that your choice will affect the level of comfort in the long term. Living with minimal belongings and in a small space doesn’t scare you? You can go for a standard small tent or a rooftop tent, which are more compact options. If, on the other hand, your priority is to sacrifice as little comfort as possible and live in as much space as possible, we recommend opting for a family tent or a van. Whatever you prefer, for a long road trip, always test your gear out before you leave, and make sure your mattress is comfortable enough for you to get a good nights’ rest.
Over and above the practical criteria, your choice of travelling home will, for the most part, be based on what you’re looking for. Relaxation, minimalism, roaming, novelty...? Here are our tips for making the best choice based on your motivating factors, to ensure you get the experience that’ll send you straight to heaven!
1. You want comfort
... A van is the most comfortable solution. You can even add a suitable rooftop tent to it, to gain space inside the van and take along even more gear: bikes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, etc. Most of the models are fitted out these days: kitchenette, storage, curtains, etc. Grand luxury! The car rooftop tent is also a good idea, as it guarantees a flat ground surface, without stones and those little earth-dwelling insects that have a knack of crawling into your sleeping bag with you. "Most of the models offer a real mattress, and that’s just what you want for comfort. “You can sleep just like at home!” (Maguy, Quechua Press relations Manager and certified roamer🥾)
2. Your priority is adventure and immersion in nature.
The tent, in its standard or "rooftop" form, is the option that takes you as close to nature as possible during your trip. The standard tent is still a safe bet and a basic for the camping experience. The rooftop tent is a good variation on this theme, with an undeniably fun side. It’s a bit like the modern version of a treehouse! It allows you to gain height, according to Jean, a seasoned camper⛺. “By being raised on the roof of the vehicle, you can see the landscapes better and you can almost touch the stars, it’s magical!”. Another advantage is that you can roam and set up camp in unusual places, that are sometimes inaccessible to vans and pedestrians, as Maguy says: “Going on an adventure with a rooftop tent is pure freedom”.
3. You want
Camper novelty from one end of France to the other, and beyond, of course! But even if you adore this, would you like a bit of novelty, all while keeping the camping spirit? We advise you to test the rooftop tent experience, a good compromise between the traditional tent and the van, which will add a touch of originality to your adventure!
Does the rooftop tent seem to be the most suitable means for your next hike, but you’re still a bit hesitant? To help you decide if it’s a yes or no, this is just what you need, we’ve prepared a list of 7 benefits of a rooftop tent. Let’s go!
1. Keeping your feet dry when it rains: unlike the standard tent, you can easily separate the spaces between the ground and your tent. So if it rains, the ground is wet and/or if you want to keep whatever’s under your shoes from landing where you sleep, a rooftop tent could prove to be mighty handy!
2. Gaining space in your car (or van) boot: with the tent stored on the roof of your vehicle, it doesn’t encroach on your storage space. Want to extend the living space? Some canopy models can connect to your rooftop tent, for added comfort. This is the case with the MH500 2P Quechua connected canopy, which adjoins the MH500 2P tent.
3. Sleeping comfortably: lying on a flat surface, your tent guarantees you nights on a really flat floor, without stones, twigs or insects.
4. Setting up camp more quickly than with a standard tent: Once you’ve woken up and are ready to leave your spot, you just need to deflate your mattress, roll up your sleeping bag and fold the tent back into its cover, directly on your roof. “En route!”
5. Bivouacking/camping wherever you like: as long as you respect some rules and the laws in the country concerned, you’re free to choose to sleep in the spot you like. We’ve even recorded a podcast episode on this topic!
6. Saving compared to a van or camper van: the rooftop tent is always friendlier on the pocket than buying travelling vehicles.
7. Experiencing something new: this type of tent also lends itself well to having a totally new experience out in the heart of nature. Observing the countryside with a bit of height, sleeping under the stars while also staying sheltered, listening to birdsong from the treetops... If you’ve never tried this before - get to it!
You’re the one who gets to choose where to stop to sleep with your rooftop tent: in principle, wherever you park, you should be able to deploy your tent. Of course, you do need to check the laws in the area you find yourself in. Certain areas, such as classified areas, private property, the edges of historic sites and shorelines remain inaccessible for camping of any kind. To guide you, we tell you a little bit more about wild camping!
Most vehicles, like vans, are able to accommodate a rooftop tent. But to be sure, we advise you to check two things:
- the surface area available on your car roof compared to the dimensions of the tent;
- the ability of your roof rack bars to support your tent and the weight of its occupants.
Take note, if your vehicle has a sunroof, we advise you against installing a tent on top of it, as a safety precaution.
This varies according to the model. And it also especially depends on the weight that your roof rack can support! For example, the Quechua M500 2-person tent weighs 55.5 kg and can be installed on any vehicle with the appropriate dimensions and whose roof rack bars can support a minimum weight of 75 kg. To check this information, view your vehicle’s manufacturer’s book, which indicates the maximum supported load.
To give you an indication of the ideal rooftop tent trip timings, our adventurer Maguy has tested it for you!
- Over a weekend (2 to 4 days)
It’s best for short stays! You can set off at the last minute, and that’s the real plus. Every morning, you’re free to spontaneously decide where and when to go!
- For between one and three weeks’ holiday
No problem either! Rooftop tents are really very comfortable: mattress, duvet, pillows, etc. You can sleep (almost) like at home, with an added view.
- For a road trip (from one month to several months)
Why not, but you need to be aware of the drawbacks of longer road trips. Storage, organisation, cooking, cleaning: it all changes up a bit every day. For example, you can’t shower for as long as you do at home, but after all, these are habits to be challenged. At the end of the day, there’s nothing stopping you from staying at camp sites too, to mix it up a little.
So... rooftop tent, tent, or van? The answer depends on each trip (desires, budget, duration, weather, etc.). If you’re looking to travel with a rooftop tent, spontaneity, comfort and fun are on the cards! Now all you need to do is choose your rooftop tent model. Feeling a little lost? Follow our guide!
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