Buying guide
How to choose a rooftop tent
Updated · 5 min read
The short answer
Choose a rooftop tent in this order: first work out what your roof and rack can carry while driving, because that eliminates most of the market for most vehicles; then decide how many people sleep in it; then choose a shell type based on how often you camp and how often you move; then check the fabric's waterproof rating and the mattress. Price comes last, because a tent that doesn't fit your rack is not a bargain at any price.
1. Start with your roof, not the tent
Find your vehicle's dynamic roof load rating in the owner's manual. Subtract the weight of your rack. What's left is your tent budget in pounds — and for most vehicles it is under 150 lb, which rules out a lot of the market.
If that number is disappointing, the answer isn't a lighter tent, it's a structural rack or a bed rack. Nearly everyone with a rooftop tent has one.
2. Count the people honestly
A '3-person' rooftop tent is three adults lying shoulder to shoulder with no room for a bag. Two adults in a 2-person tent is comfortable; two adults and a child in a 2-person tent is not.
Top Dog's 1m 90cm hybrid is the widest platform in the range at 175 cm wide by 210 cm long, rated for 2 adults plus a child or 3 adults.
3. Then choose the shell
Frequent camper who moves nightly: hard shell, for the seconds-not-minutes setup. Occasional camper who wants maximum tent per dollar: soft shell. Someone who wants both and can afford the weight: hybrid.
4. Check the fabric numbers
Look for a hydrostatic head rating in millimetres. Anything above about 1500 mm is waterproof for camping; 3000 mm is comfortably above that. Check whether the rainfly has its own rating, and whether there's UV protection — a tent that lives on a roof in California will die of sun long before it dies of rain.
- Body fabric: 280 GSM canvas, PU coated, 3000 mm — Top Dog Soft Top and Hard Top
- Rainfly: 420D oxford, PU 3000 mm, UV50+
- Mesh: 125 GSM heavy duty on every opening
5. Then look at the mattress and the ladder
The mattress is the difference between sleeping well and regretting the purchase. Look for real thickness — 2.4 to 3 inches — and a washable or removable cover. An anti-condensation mat underneath matters more than people expect, because condensation forms under the mattress, not above it.
Ladders should be telescopic aluminium with a published load rating. Top Dog's hybrids use a 2.6 m ladder rated to 150 kg.
6. Now look at price
By this point the list is short. Top Dog's range runs $1,199 to $3,795, and because it's a manufacturer selling direct rather than a brand sourcing through an OEM, those numbers sit below comparable hard shells elsewhere.
One warning: don't buy on price alone at the top of the range. If two tents are within a couple of hundred dollars, buy the one that fits your rack and your climate.
Questions
What size rooftop tent do I need?
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Match it to sleepers, not to your vehicle. A 2-person tent suits two adults; add a child and you want the 1m 90cm hybrid or larger. Bigger tents are heavier, and weight is the constraint that usually bites.
Do rooftop tents hurt gas mileage?
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Yes, measurably. A low-profile hard shell that closes to 10–17 inches costs less than a soft shell with a bulky travel cover, but expect a real penalty at highway speed with anything up there. If you only camp a few weekends a year, take it off between trips.
Can I leave a rooftop tent on my car all year?
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A hard shell, yes — the lid is the weather protection. A soft shell relies on its PVC cover, which is a consumable and will be the first thing to fail if it never comes off.