Built & shipped from Fullerton, California
We're the factory.That's the whole discount.
Rooftop tents, awnings, solar, power stations and 12 V fridges — built under one roof by a team that spent 20 years in manufacturing, and sold to you direct. Soft top $1,199. Hard top $2,499.
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Hard top, 79" awning, SP500 power station and a 50 L fridge — the whole camp. Competitors ask more than that for a bare tent.
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Our lightest tent, published as a net weight. Where the factory hasn't given us a number we print “not published” instead of guessing.
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Vehicles whose factoryrack carries a rooftop tent with real margin. Yours probably isn't it. We'll show you the math.
Start here
Two tents do most of the work.
The rest of the range exists for people who need aluminum, more headroom or a third body. But if you're getting off the ground for the first time, it's one of these two — and the gap between them is shell, not quality.
The part nobody else will tell you
Your factory rack almost certainly can't carry this.
Our lightest tent is 119 lb. Add mounting hardware and a set of crossbars and you're at roughly 151 lb sitting on a roof that's typically rated 110–176 lb while driving — and that rating already counts the rack itself.
That's not a Top Dog problem. It's true of every rooftop tent on the market, and most of this industry quietly lets you find out after the freight truck leaves. We'd rather put the math on the screen.
Tell us your vehicle, how your rack attaches and how far apart your bars are. We'll run the driving load and the sleeping load, show you which component is the limit, and say plainly when the answer is no.
Dynamic roof load, factory rack
- Ford Bronco110 lb
- Jeep Wrangler JL150 lb
- Toyota Land Cruiser 200154 lb
- Honda CR-V / Pilot165 lb
- Subaru Outback176 lb
- Land Rover Defender370 lb
Our lightest build lands near 151 lb. Only the Defender clears it on the factory rack. Everyone else needs a structural platform rack — which is exactly what the overlanding world already runs.
The full range
Aluminum, hybrid and wedge.
Hybrid
Hybrid Z-Type Tent 1m 60cm
Hard shell lid, fold-out room. Looks like a cargo box on the freeway.
$2,800
180 lb · sleeps 1–2
Hybrid
Hybrid Z-Type Tent 1m 90cm
The family hybrid. Three adults, one gas-strut motion.
$3,250
210 lb · sleeps 2–3
Hard shell
Aluminum POP Top Tent
60 seconds up. 90 seconds down. Two racks on the roof of the roof.
$3,300
158 lb · sleeps 2–3
Wedge
Aluminum Wedge Tent
600 lb static capacity. Ducting ports for heat or A/C. Two-year warranty.
$3,595
Wedge
Aluminum Shell Rooftop Wedge Tent
Lifting brackets. The wedge that stands up straight.
$3,795
172 lb · sleeps 2
Where we're genuinely different
Everyone else stops at the tent.
Most rooftop tent brands sell you a tent and maybe an awning, then leave you to assemble the rest of your camp from four other companies. We build the whole system — shade, power, solar and refrigeration — under one roof, one warranty, one phone number.
Car Side Instant Awning
Unzip, roll out, lock the poles. Shade in under two minutes.
$299 – $399
100W Monocrystalline Solar Panel
Folds flat. Charges in the rain, slowly, which is the point.
$240 – $349
Portable Power Stations
Pure sine wave. Overvoltage, overtemp, overload and short-circuit protected.
$249 – $749
e-Coolers — 12V Compressor Fridge/Freezers
Actual refrigeration. No ice, no drain plug, no soggy sandwiches.
$559 – $1,199
Who's behind it
Twenty years of manufacturing, pointed at the roof of your truck.
For over 20 years we were in the manufacturing industry, growing from a small start-up to the largest in the world in a few short years — past competitors, on innovative products, high quality standards and efficiency. We earned almost a dozen patents along the way. It had a lot to do with passion, and a belief that we could do better.
We are bringing that same passion and drive to Top Dog Tents. Our focus is developing high quality rooftop tents for cars, trucks, SUVs, cross-overs and trailers at a price you can afford. We don't claim to be the first rooftop tent company — but you'll quickly realize why we're the Top Dog.
Top Dog donates a percentage of each purchase to forest preservation and the national parks. We have a mission to not only get you into nature, but to preserve these places for the next generation.
Why campers love Top Dog
Customer reviews as published by Top Dog Tents. We don't publish star ratings until there's a verified review system behind them.
Straight answers
Common questions.
How much does a rooftop tent cost?
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Top Dog rooftop tents run from $1,199 for the fold-out Soft Top to $3,795 for the Aluminum Shell Wedge with lifting brackets. The Hard Top pop-up sits at $2,499. Because Top Dog manufactures its own tents rather than sourcing them, those prices sit well under comparable hard shells from brands that design domestically and manufacture through overseas OEMs.
Will a rooftop tent fit my vehicle?
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Probably not on your factory roof rack — and that is true of every brand, not just Top Dog. The lightest Top Dog tent is 119 lb before mounting hardware, while most factory racks are rated between 110 and 176 lb dynamic (while driving), and that rating already includes the rack itself. Most people need a structural platform rack that bolts to the vehicle's fixed points, or on a pickup, a bed rack. Our fitment tool runs the actual numbers for your vehicle and tells you when the answer is no.
What is the difference between a hard shell and a soft shell rooftop tent?
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A soft shell folds out over the side of the vehicle on a hinge, giving you more floor area for the money and less weight — the Top Dog Soft Top is $1,199 at 119 lb. A hard shell has a rigid lid on gas struts that pops up in seconds, packs down to a low aerodynamic profile, and protects the canvas year-round. Hard shells cost more and usually sleep fewer people for the same footprint.
What is the difference between dynamic and static roof load?
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Dynamic load is what your roof can carry while the vehicle is moving, and it is the number that governs whether a tent can be fitted at all. Static load is what it can carry parked, with people asleep inside, and it is typically three to seven times higher. A roof can pass the dynamic check and still fail the static one, because sleeping load is concentrated and sustained on the mounting points.
Do Top Dog tents come with a ladder and mattress?
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Yes. Every Top Dog rooftop tent ships with a telescopic aluminum ladder, a foam mattress, LED lighting and the mounting hardware kit — stainless plates, bolts, nuts and ladder brackets. The Aluminum Wedge also includes roof bars and carries a two-year warranty.
Where is Top Dog Tents located?
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Top Dog Tents is at 1156 E Elm Ave, Fullerton, California 92831, in northern Orange County. Sales: 949-289-5255 or info@topdogtents.com.
Talk to a person before you spend $3,000.
Call and describe your vehicle and your rack. If a Top Dog tent isn't right for your setup, we'll tell you that — it's cheaper for everyone than a return on a 130 lb freight item.