You’ve discovered all the benefits that roof top tent camping can offer, and who wouldn’t as roof top tents are an incredible invention. Whether it’s your first time in one or you’re an experienced car roof tent camper, there are a few things that you can do to make your roof top tent camping experience even better.
Find a Roof Top Tent Suitable for your Car
All roof top tents will add weight to your car; you need to find a tent that your vehicle can support. Additionally, make sure you purchase roof bars that are compatible with the roof top tent
Have a Trial Run
Roof top tents are super easy to put up and down, especially with enough practice. However, if it’s your first time having a roof top tent, it can seem like a daunting task. Before you install your roof top tent on your car roof, we advise that you have a trial run erecting the tent on the floor first. Here, you can get used to the mechanisms and the air assisted struts without having to reach up high to do it. By doing this, you’re also breaking in the zippers and the moving parts, so they’re not stiff when you go roof top tent camping.
Have Someone Tall with You
If you’re on your own or none of you are tall, then don’t worry. It just helps to have someone tall or a stall with you to help you open and close the tent safely without the use of the ladder.
Make Sure your Vehicle is Parked on a Level Surface
There may be a fantastic view overlooking a cliff, but if the ground isn’t a smooth surface, then you may need levelling blocks to even out your car. There’s nothing worse than slowly being rolled out of your tent at night due to the uneven ground you’re parked on.
Roll up the Cover when Opening the Tent
If it’s a windy day, there’s nothing worse than your tent cover always blowing in your face as you’re trying to erect your tent. When opening the tent, roll up the cover and wedge it underneath the base of the tent, so it’s not flapping in the wind.
Tie a Plastic Bag on the End of your Ladder
You could bring your shoes in your tent with you, but you don’t want wet, muddy shoes making your tent dirty. On the other hand, you don’t want dry shoes becoming wet on a rainy night. Tie a plastic bag on the end of your ladder and place your shoes inside. Come morning, you can easily put your shoes back on again without putting your feet on the floor and they’re protected from any rain overnight.
Try to Avoid Closing the Tent when it’s Wet
If it’s been raining non-stop and it’s unavoidable to pack your tent up when it’s wet, then don’t panic. However, if you’ve got some time on your hands to let the tent air dry or you’re able to dry it yourself, then it’s always best to do this before packing it away. By closing a wet tent, you’re trapping in the moisture with your bedding, meaning the dampness will destroy your bedding after too long. If you did close the tent when it was wet, open it again as soon as you can to protect your bedding.
Keep Windows Open on Hot Days
Roof top tent camping is one of the best ways to stay warm and dry due to the superior insulating fabrics that make up its body. However, on a hot day, it can get extremely hot if your tent doesn’t have any room to breathe and you’ll be climbing back up into a sauna and not a tent. When you can, keep the windows and doors rolled up to let it breathe so you climb up into a comfortable tent.
Get Some Lighting
There’s nothing more annoying than needing to have a pee in the middle of the night when you’re roof top tent camping as this means that you must climb down the ladder to do so. To prevent a misplaced foot on the ladder, make sure you have a good source of light with you to see where you’re going. Roof top tents are also a great base for LED lights or even solar lights.
Use Duvets and Pillows
If you’re going to go roof top tent camping, you want to camp in ultimate comfort. Ditch the roll mats and sleeping bags, these are only convenient for ground tent camping to optimise the storage space in your vehicle. With roof top tents, all your bedding is sealed inside the tent when it’s packed up, meaning you don’t have to worry about storing bulky bedding in your car. So, bring your comfy pillows and duvets (one to lie on and another to lie under) and sleep in comfort all night long.
Have the Time of your Life with Roof Top Tent Camping
Roof top tent camping is one of the best ways to sleep in the wilderness with too many benefits to count. If you’re worried about any negatives that may be associated with car roof camping, then follow these top tips for roof top tent camping and you’ll have the best camping adventure you’ve ever experienced.
