What Cars Can You Put a Rooftop Tent On?

Camping with a car may seem like a different vehicle route compared to most rooftop campers, but this vehicle style is actually just as appropriate when it comes to rooftop camping.

 

What Cars Can You Put a Rooftop Tent On? 

There are so many different vehicles out there that fit the bill for successfully installing a rooftop tent​. This is great for just about everyone, as you likely already own a car that can support a rooftop tent, and if you don’t there is certainly one out there that can fulfill your needs. Cars may seem like an unlikely choice when it comes to using a vehicle for rooftop camping, but if they fit the necessary requirements, there is no reason that a car can’t serve you well. 

The cars you can use for rooftop camping include any car that has a dynamic weight capacity over 165 pounds, has factory-installed roof rails, and has a roof rack that supports the weight of the tent without exceeding the dynamic weight capacity of the vehicle. 

When it comes down to it, there is no “one” car that is best for rooftop tents. Every individual is going to have different needs and different preferences when it comes to what their car is equipped with. This makes saying which is best rather futile, as every person is going to have a different preference. However, there are intrinsic qualities that give your car the ability to support a rooftop tent, even with its smaller overall size. 

As previously mentioned, the two most important features of your car that allow you to put rooftop tent on its roof are roof rails and a dynamic weight capacity that is not under 165 pounds. Along with this though, you have to take into account the weight of the roof rack you will install as well as the weight of the tent. Both of these items are heavy pieces, which many individuals tend to forget to combine, leaving room for serious error. 

Roof top tents are not light pieces of equipment and often run to be well over 100 pounds. Just the same though, the roof rack that you install to secure your rooftop tent is heavy as well, adding even more weight to the roof of your car. Know both exact weights, combine them, and then compare it with the dynamic weight capacity of your vehicle. If these two items combined exceed this weight, you will need to decrease the weight in one or both areas. 

This does not mean that you can remove hardware from the roof rack or your rooftop tent, but to decrease the weight to allow for your car to safely support a rooftop tent, you will need to either find a lighter tent, a lighter roof rack, or go lighter in both areas to lighten the load your car has to drive with. This will allow for better fuel efficiency and will decrease the drag you notice on your car when driving at higher speeds. 

 

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