Rooftop tents
Load rated moving, not just parked.
The three we would put in your room
What decides one of these is roof dynamic load rating, roof static load when occupied and garage door height with the tent fitted — measured before the order, not after it.
What decides the fit
- Roof dynamic load rating
- Above roughly 165 lb dynamic opens up most of the category including hardshells. Check the vehicle's figure and the rack's figure and use the lower of the two.
- Roof static load when occupied
- Most vehicles carry far more parked than moving, which is why a tent that seems impossible on the dynamic figure is usually fine once you have stopped. Both numbers come from the vehicle manufacturer.
- Garage door height with the tent fitted
- 8 ft and above of opening height accommodates most combinations. Parking structures are the other place this bites - many are lower than a residential garage.
Worth knowing before you order
Dynamic static
Two ratings, and they are the source of nearly every worry in this category. Dynamic load is what a roof can carry while the vehicle is moving, and it is the small number — it has to account for the forces of braking, cornering and bumps. Static load is what it can carry parked, and it is much larger, which is why a tent that weighs more than the dynamic rating can still safely hold sleepers at night. The tent's own weight must fit the dynamic rating; the sleeping weight is judged against the static rating. Both the vehicle and the rack have ratings, and the lower of the two governs.
Hard vs soft
Hard shells open in under a minute, close just as fast, are quieter and more aerodynamic on the road, and shed weather better — and they cost more and usually sleep fewer, because the footprint is the shell. Soft shells fold out over the side or the tailgate, which gives a much larger sleeping area and often an awning or annex underneath, and they take longer to pitch and pack, especially wet. If you move camp every night, a hard shell earns its money. If you stay put for days, a soft shell gives you the space.
Clearance
The number people forget is total height with the tent fitted, which is the vehicle plus the rack plus the closed tent — and that is what has to clear a garage door, a car park barrier and a drive-through. It is worth measuring the finished height and writing it somewhere in the vehicle, because the moment you need it is the moment you are approaching a barrier. Expect a real fuel economy penalty too; a box on the roof changes the aerodynamics more than its weight suggests.
A presentation set. Venerabull is in its first phase and is signing its first manufacturers — the models on this page are our own, shown so a maker can see the page their line would get. As lines are signed their real products and photography replace these, and anything that was never inventory comes down.
VENERABULL
Heavy, premium goods for the home and everywhere that isn’t. Venerabull LLC · New York.
Company
United States · USD
Everything we carry
Golf simulatorsEnclosures, launch monitors, impact screens
FireplacesLinear electric, gas inserts, mantels
Saunas & cold plungeCedar cabins, plunge tubs, water systems
Outdoor kitchensGrills, cabinetry, refrigeration
Wine cellarsRacking, cooling units, glass doors
Home gymRacks, plates, cable systems, flooring
Hot tubs & swim spasHot tubs, swim spas, covers and lifters
Standby generatorsAir-cooled, liquid-cooled, transfer switches
E-bikesCommuter, cargo, off-road
Rooftop tentsHardshell, softshell, awnings
Boat liftsFour-post, elevator, PWC lifts
Car liftsTwo-post, four-post, scissor
TrailersEnclosed, utility, car haulers
Dock hardwareLadders, bumpers, cleats, whips
Deck ovensStone hearth, electric, gas
RefrigerationWalk-ins, reach-ins, prep tables
Ice machinesCube, nugget, flake
Barber chairsHydraulic, styling, shampoo units
Pallet rackingSelective, drive-in, cantilever
Safes & vaultsFire safes, gun safes, vault doors
Espresso machinesOne, two and three group, grinders
KilnsPottery, glass, front and top loading