Choosing the Right Tent: Lightweight vs Heavy Duty
Rooftop tents come in all shapes and sizes, but most can be roughly divided into lightweight options and heavier duty touring tents. Both have their place depending on your vehicle and the type of travelling you do. We have tried many roof top tent options over the last 8 years or so, and essentially landed back on the style we started with (clamshell), only lighter now with new technology.
If you’re mostly heading away for weekends or shorter trips, a lightweight tent can make a lot of sense. If you’re planning long trips through places like Cape York, the Kimberley or the desert, a heavier duty tent may be worth the extra weight. We changed our own setup to a lightweight Inspired Overland tent which is only 39kg, and have been loving how much weight it has taken off the roof of the Cruiser, and have found the canvas to be plenty thick enough.
We've tried heavier and bulkier tents like a James Baroud RTT. While it was very spacious and comfortable with an inbuilt fan (fancy!), it took too much roof space and really impacted our fuel economy. We also had a Drifta tent when we did our Aussie lap, which was side opening, so slightly heavier duty than what we have now, but was SO LOUD in the wind. It was a hard frame, with full thin canvas lining. RIP to us sleeping on the Nullabor.
Anyway, whichever tent you choose, it’s worth setting it up a few times at home before heading away, and doing a shakedown trip if you can before committing to a long stint in it. You’ll quickly work out how long setup really takes, where everything needs to go and whether there are any small (or big) adjustments worth making before you’re doing it in the dark at camp.
Lightweight Rooftop Tents
- Easier to mount and remove (ours is roughly 39kg)
- Better suited to vehicles with lower roof load ratings
- Less impact on vehicle weight and fuel use (we've certainly noticed this!)
- Often quicker and easier to set up
- Usually use lighter materials and may offer less insulation
- Thinner GSM Canvas can mean more light & heat
Heavy Duty Rooftop Tents
- Usually made with thicker canvas and stronger bases
- Better insulation and weather protection (better for those windy Nullabor nights)
- Well suited to extended touring and rougher conditions
- Generally more durable over the long term
- Heavier on the roof and can have a greater impact on fuel economy
Vehicle Compatibility
Before buying a rooftop tent, make sure it actually suits your vehicle and roof rack setup. Check your vehicle’s roof load rating and remember that the weight of the tent, roof rack and any other equipment mounted on the roof all needs to be taken into account.
Your roof rack also needs to be rated to support a rooftop tent. Not every platform or crossbar system is designed for the weight and movement involved. It’s also worth considering overall vehicle height (another reason we chose a slimline lightweight tent). A rooftop tent can make quite a difference to clearance through garages, shopping centre carparks and low hanging branches on the tracks.
It’s also important to understand the difference between static and dynamic roof load ratings. The dynamic rating applies while the vehicle is moving and needs to account for the tent, racks and anything else carried on the roof, while the static rating applies when parked and is usually much higher because the vehicle isn’t dealing with the extra forces created by braking, cornering and wind. Always make sure you account for the kids and/or furbaby ending up in the static load too!
Solar Compatibility
If you’re building a touring setup for longer trips, it’s worth thinking about how your rooftop tent will work alongside your solar system. Hard shell rooftop tents often provide a great surface for mounting fixed solar panels because the top is flat, rigid and permanently exposed to the sun. This can work really well if you want solar charging whenever the vehicle is parked, without needing to unpack anything at camp.
A permanent solar setup is particularly useful for stress-free running fridges, lighting and lithium battery systems while travelling, depending how much you drive and charge from that. Soft shell tents generally aren’t designed to support a fixed panel on top, but that doesn’t mean solar is off the table. Portable panels, folding panels and solar blankets can be set up once you arrive at camp and give you more flexibility when chasing the sun.
Flexible solar panels can also work well on some hard shell tents or curved surfaces because they add very little weight compared with a traditional framed glass panel. We currently have a large soft folding panel, as our lightweight rooftop couldn't have a traditional framed panel. We will eventually place a Sunman Flexible 430W Panel on there, which will certainly help on those trips where you're parked up for a few days. If you are installing a flexible panel, check out our install guide here.
When we had permanently mounted solar and no portable option, we found ourselves constantly choosing between parking in full sun, especially if our battery was down, or comprimising charge but being more comfortable parked in the shade. Ultimately, the best option depends on how you travel. If you prefer everything permanently mounted and ready to go, a hard shell tent with integrated solar can be a great setup. If keeping roof weight down and having flexibility at camp matters more, a lightweight tent paired with portable solar may suit you better. Below, parked in some scattered sunlight trying to make the best of both worlds!
Staying Comfy
Most rooftop tents come with a basic foam mattress and while they might feel fine for a night or two, longer trips tend to highlight where comfort can be improved. One of the best upgrades we’ve made is a self inflating mattress. They provide more cushioning, conform better to your body and can still pack down relatively neatly. Around 100mm thick is a good starting point if your tent has enough internal space when closed.
If you don’t want to replace the original mattress completely, a mattress topper can also make a big difference without changing the setup too much. We got fitted sheets that are designed for the 120 wide tent specifically, and just a slightly oversized mattress topper that is tucked under the mattress edges.
Airflow is another big one. Rooftop tents can become pretty warm during summer and condensation can build up in colder or humid conditions. A compact rechargeable fan is an easy addition. It keeps air moving during the night and many models also include an LED light. USB rechargeable fans are particularly handy because they can easily be charged from your auxiliary battery system.
Cold Weather Camping & Drying the Tent
If you camp in alpine areas or through winter, a diesel heater can make a huge difference to both comfort and moisture management. We’ve been using one while camping in the snow around Kosciuszko and have had really good results, not just for warming the tent before bed, but also to dry everything out before pack down in the morning. We also have a small 12V heated blanket. Particuarly for those very early rises to make it to the slopes before the crowds!
Condensation is almost unavoidable in cold conditions. Warm air from breathing and body heat meets the cold tent fabric, and by morning you can end up with damp canvas, bedding and moisture around the mattress. Running the diesel heater for 15-20 minutes before packing up helps warm the tent, move moisture out and dry the fabric much faster. Opening a couple of vents or windows slightly at the same time allows that humid air to escape rather than simply circulating inside.
It’s particularly handy after a snowy or wet night when the outside of the tent is damp as well. It won’t magically dry a completely soaked tent in a few minutes, but giving it some heat and airflow while you make breakfast and pack the rest of camp can make a noticeable difference before you close everything up. As with any diesel heater setup, the heater and combustion exhaust need to remain outside the tent, with only the heated air ducted inside. Keep the exhaust well away from doors, windows and air intakes, maintain ventilation and use a carbon monoxide alarm whenever you’re heating an enclosed sleeping space. Always follow manufacturer specifications.
An anti condensation mat underneath the mattress is another upgrade we’d recommend, particularly if you camp in cold or in humid conditions regularly. It creates a small air gap between the mattress and the base of the tent, helping moisture escape instead of becoming trapped underneath. Without that airflow, the underside of the mattress can stay damp even when the rest of the tent feels dry, which can eventually lead to mould and musty smells. The combination of an anti condensation mat, good ventilation and a diesel heater has worked really well for us in cold weather. It makes the tent far more comfortable overnight and means there’s much less moisture to deal with when it’s time to pack up in the morning.
Ladder Safety
You’ll probably climb up and down the rooftop tent ladder far more often than you expect, sometimes in the dark, half asleep or with wet boots (or a few beers down)! One small upgrade we’ve recently made is adding glow in the dark grip tape to the ladder rungs. They are available at many local hardware stores, or we have an Amazon link here. It makes the ladder easier to see at night and also adds some extra grip when the rungs are wet or muddy, and is easily hosed off if it gets filthy. It’s an easy and cheap little upgrade, but one that makes getting in and out of the tent feel noticeably less slippery & sketchy.
Make Levelling Easy
One simple upgrade that makes setting up camp much easier is adding a small Lev-O-Gage or similar bubble level to the side of the rooftop tent. Once it’s mounted and calibrated on level ground, you can quickly check how level the tent is from outside the vehicle before you start setting everything up. Ours are installed on each side of our roof console, so we can easily tell if the car is level enough before even getting out to set up.
It’s especially handy when you’re pulling into camp late, parking on uneven ground or trying to get comfortable on a sloping site. Rather than climbing into the tent and realising your head is downhill, you can make a quick adjustment to the vehicle position or use levelling ramps like maxtrax before setup. We like this because it’s cheap, simple and saves a surprising amount of mucking around. If you’re fitting one, mount it somewhere easy to see from the driver’s side and make sure the tent or car is genuinely level when you install it so the reading stays accurate.
Organisation
Keeping a rooftop tent organised makes a surprisingly big difference, especially when you’re living out of it for more than a few nights. Make good use of the storage pockets and hanging organisers that come with the tent. They’re perfect for keeping things like phones, torches, books, glasses and toiletries off the mattress but still within reach.
Bedding is another area where keeping things simple helps. Lightweight down doonas usually compress much better than bulky bedding. It’s worth checking whether your particular rooftop can be closed with bedding left inside. Some tents have plenty of room, while others need thicker pillows or doonas removed before they'll close properly. Our sneaky way around this despite having a slimline tent was a deflateable mattress, that then allows for us to keep all our bedding inside when closed. Just always make sure you're not forcing your RTT closed, as that's a surefire way to damage hardware.
Tent Mounting Hot Tips
Before mounting the tent permanently, think about where the ladder lands, which awnings or shower tent opens, where drawers are accessed, where your solar will be (if permanently mounted) and where you normally cook. It really depends how you want your "living space" to feel.
If you’ve added 12V accessories to your rooftop tent, make sure the wiring is properly insulated, protected and fused. Any cable passing through metal or near hinges and moving parts should be protected with grommets or conduit, secured so it can’t rub through over time, and kept clear of pinch points. We’ve seen firsthand how quickly wiring can become a problem after a friend’s rooftop tent had a small electrical fire caused by this, which luckily was caught before it caused any serious damage. Contrary to popular belief, low voltage 12V systems can still produce enough current to cause a fire if a cable shorts out.
Also, after driving corrugated roads especially, it’s worth checking tent mounts, rack hardware and fasteners during a long trip rather than only before leaving home. Including them in your occasional vehicle checks is worthwhile.
RTT's = Freedom
A rooftop tent gives you the freedom to explore incredible places without needing to tow a camper behind you. You can head down rough tracks, pull up somewhere remote (or even on the track, if it's dire) and still have a comfortable place to sleep at the end of the day.
Choosing the right tent for your vehicle and travel style is only part of it. The small things you add along the way often make the biggest difference, whether that’s a better mattress, more airflow, smarter storage, a safer ladder or a solar setup that keeps everything running. Take the time to get your setup right before a big trip and work out what actually suits you.
That’s really the appeal of a rooftop tent.
Finn & Em ❤️