The Ultimate Rooftop Tent Buyer Guide

Literally everything you need to consider when buying a rooftop tent.

Image showing the top of the Backwoods Adventure Mods Toyota Tacoma Overland Bed Rack | Free Spirit Recreation

Section 1

Roof Racks and Bed Racks

In order to have a rooftop tent, you'll need some way to mount it to your vehicle. SUVs and crossovers have the option of a 2-bar system or a platform rack. The 2-bar system works with your factory roof rails, if you have them, and the platform rack requires some light modification to the vehicle to provide a stable platform structure on your roof. The benefit of a platform rack over a 2-bar system is the ability to mount more accessories to the rack itself if that is a priority. Pickup trucks have the flexibility to utilize an above cab rack or a below cab rack. There are a wide range of available bed rack on the market so be sure to do your research and understand which will be right for you and your application. The benefit of an above cab rack gives you the flexibility to run any tent without limitations.

Watch our full walkthrough on racks and what to consider below:

Section 2

Fitment and Function

Does it fit? Does it work how you want it to? There are many things to consider when buying a rooftop tent specific to your vehicle application. A lot of this comes down to two things - fit and function. How it serves you and how it looks can be a conflict depending on your vehicle.

Watch our walkthrough below to consider all of the different angles of fit and function:

Section 3

Tent Features

How does it open? How do I enter and exit the tent? What kind of views do I have in the tent itself? We're diving into specific features of a rooftop tent and considerations to think about when purchasing one.

Watch our walkthrough below to learn about specific features of rooftop tents and what to consider before purchasing one: