There are a couple of questions I often get from potential customers and visitors checking out our camping setup;
“Don’t you worry about falling out in the middle of the night?” and “Why is a roof top tent worth the extra cost compared to a ground tent?”
To answer the first question; While sleeping in a ground tent, when was the last time you woke up in the dirt outside your tent? This excludes times when excessive alcohol consumption was involved and you don’t remember how you got there in the first place. The likelihood of ripping through the side of a rooftop tent is extremely small. Also remember the tent bows act as bed rails and keep you safely inside the tent if you roll up against them.
The second one isn’t as cut and dry of an answer. Like any outdoor gear, only you can decide if the advantages are “worth it” for your situation.
Here is a rundown of the main advantages to help you decide:
- These units are very versatile and are easily mounted on trailers, on pickup beds or the top of vehicles.
- Roof top tents are self-erecting and rapid to set up. You simply remove the travel cover and pull them open, it’s that easy. No assembling and threading poles or guide-lines to trip over. This is especially beneficial when pulling into a campsite late; you’re tired and just want to go to bed. You can literally pull in and be in bed in a couple of minutes. Also, packing up is just as simple.
- Then there is the benefit of being above the critter zone. No worries about visits from the local wildlife. In some parts of the country these are pests like ants and skunks. In other parts this is a matter of increased safety from slithering and crawling foes.
- Having a built-in flat floor is a great help. This translates into no more hunting for the prefect spot, clearing rocks or digging and grading out a level spot. Anywhere you can pull in, you can have a flat, level sleeping surface. This becomes useful for those who enjoy camping off the beaten path.
- Rooftop style tents also stay much cleaner when off the ground and out of the dirt. Have you ever realized after setting up camp in the dark the mess of an old fire pit too close to your tent in the light of day? Or how about that strange “natural attraction” rain run-off has for ground tents.
If a folding style rooftop tent looks like a great new item of outdoor gear for you, visit our tent unit page by clicking here for addition information and pictures.
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