Four Years, Two Dogs and Two TentBoxes: Lois's Story

Lois Limb had it worked out. A Transit Connect bought in February 2022, a dog called Ralf by that May, and a bed in the back for whenever the two of them fancied disappearing for a few days. 

Then Rodney arrived.

"I wasn't really a camper beforehand. I'd got my van in the February and then my first dog in the May of 2022, and I had this idea of a dream life where we just travelled and camped in the van, but then Rodney came along and it was just a bit of a squeeze."

Something had to give, and it was never going to be the dogs. So Lois went looking for space and found it above the van instead of inside it, in the shape of a roof tent. Four years and two TentBoxes later, Lois hasn’t looked back.

"A TentBox Just Seemed Like the Right Addition"

"I'd just got my second dog, so my Transit Connect was a bit of a squeeze with us all in – a TentBox just seemed like the right addition!"

So, in September 2022, after much deliberation, Lois picked up a roof tent – a TentBox Lite 1.0. 

"I was slightly worried about the setting up and closing down, but after a couple of goes it was easy. I think looking back it was a valid worry, because I didn't know anyone with a TentBox, and they were quite a new concept, so I didn't have many people to ask for advice."

"A Bed on Top of the Van That Goes Wherever We Go"

Once it clicked, that was it. Suddenly, Lois didn't have to choose between the dogs or the trip - there was space for both. 

"The TentBox really changed it for us. It's a bed on top of the van that goes wherever we go. So genius!"

No more working out how to fit two dogs and all their gear into a van built for one. The tent went up on the roof, and the space inside stayed for Ralf and Rodney.

"I Was Definitely an Over-Packer"

Lois ran the Lite for over three years before switching things up. In February 2026, she moved to a TentBox Cargo, chasing a faster pack-down more than anything else.

"My set up with the Lite was quite a lot – I was definitely an over-packer. I swapped to the Cargo to have a quicker set-up and close-down time, so I streamlined my kit along the way. It's all definitely been a learning experience, but each trip teaches us something new and a different way to do things."

One upgrade earned its place well before the Cargo did: LadderSteps, fitted to turn the narrow rungs into something wide enough for paws.

"My favourite item is definitely the ladder steps – they changed the game for tentboxing with dogs, and saved my back haha."

Waking Up to White Sand and Clear Water

Brecon was Lois's first TentBox trip, and it's stayed a favourite ever since. More recently, though, it's the Isle of Mull that's stuck with her.

"I think the Brecon area will always be a favourite for tentboxing because it was where I went on my first trip, but recently travelling around the Isle of Mull has been absolutely incredible – waking up to white sand and clear water out the window!"

Just Go for It

Asked what she'd tell someone on the fence, Lois doesn't hedge.

"My advice would be to just go for it. It can be daunting if you're not a camper, but the only way to learn is to do – I guarantee you'll thank yourself on the first morning you wake up in your TentBox with a stunning view out the window."

Next on her list: the down blanket, and the new camping table.

Build Your Own Setup

Want to build a setup like Lois's and get outdoors more often? The Cargo is TentBox's fastest roof tent to open – 30 seconds, one-handed close – so if a quicker pack-down is what's calling you, it's the natural next step. Add the accessories that cover what she's built up along the way, and you've got the same dog-friendly, quick-turnaround camp she's been running since 2026.

• TentBox Cargo – the Cargo she moved to for a faster set-up and close-down.

• LadderSteps – turns the ladder into a proper stairway; her favourite upgrade, and the easiest way to get dogs in and out.

• Synthetic Down Blanket – on Lois's bucket list next; a 350g down blanket sized to fit the TentBox mattress.

• Camping Table – the "new little table" she's got her eye on, sized for two and quick to pack away.