So, you’re thinking of buying an outdoor roof tent and want to know what makes a great car rooftent? We’ve put together a few of our own experiences and information regarding rooftop tents to consider when searching for your own roof tent. This can aid you in choosing the ideal car rooftent available in UK. UK (for the price you pay).
How do you start? First thing to determine is what kind of rooftent is right for you?
Soft shell or a rooftent made of hardtop?
There is no simple answer to this question, and it all comes to deciding what’s best for you. Instead of going on and about the topic, we decided to create an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of rooftent. This allows you to look over the advantages of each type of roof tent, and choose what’s most important to you.
Soft shell in contrast to. Rooftent for hard shell
Here’s a list of the advantages and disadvantages of various rooftent styles.
Soft Shell Roof Tent
Lighter (better for cars with smaller size)
Less expensive
More space inside
Additional windows/skylights (some models)
Additional possibilities for mounting (opening the front, sideways or forwards)
Smaller mounting footprint
Annex room
Less aerodynamic
It takes longer to set up and then pack away (8-10mins)
One entrance
Hardtop Roof Tent
Faster setup and removal (4-6mins)
More aerodynamic
More protection
Two entrances (most models)
More expensive
Heavier
Less room inside tent
Larger mounting footprint
One mounting position.
No annex space
I hope that the information above will give you a better idea of what type of rooftent is the best for you. If not, do not worry what you should do is look over various roof tents and experience the feel of tent varieties.
What should you look for in roofing tent materials?
If you’re in the market for a soft-shell rooftent the quality of the material is crucial when you are making your purchase. Top and hard shell roof tents feature a strong (normally made of fiberglass) waterproof top. However, the sides of hard shells are made of fabric and should be breathable and waterproof. The different types and abbreviations of fabrics can cause confusion particularly when they are different versions of the same material.
To make it easier, we list the most important details to consider or inquire about when purchasing your rooftent.
Waterproofing
What should you look at when you check the watertightness of your roof tent? What to check is the Hydrostatic Head rating, also known as the HH rating. It is measured in millimeters and is the measurement of the size of a column of water a substance can endure before it begins to leak. For instance an 200mm HH rating could mean that the material can hold a water column around the size of a pint glass before it begins to leak. The higher the HH rating, the more waterproof it is, but make sure to verify this rating before you choose the rooftop tent you want to use.
UV Resistant
Every time you utilize your tent on the roof, you’ll be exposed to sun. It is therefore essential to ensure that the fabric isn’t going to be affected by sunlight’s rays. UV rays released by the sun can cause the material to fade or even degrade the roofing material. If you ensure that the material used to construct your roof tent is UV-resistant, you can extend the lifespan the tent. Which fabric is the most efficiently? Materials like Polyester, Nylon and Ripstop are all great UV-resistant fabrics.
Mould Resistant
As a citizen of the UK We all know that camping in the UK will without doubt, at some point, bring rain. However, this isn’t the only way that your tent can get wet. morning drizzle or even condensation can make your roof tent wet or damp. Therefore, you’ll need to dry out your tent prior to packing it away, and this isn’t always feasible. Therefore, being able to take your tent off even if it’s damp is an important aspect.
The material that resists mould will keep your roof tent from becoming mouldy (but not for long!). Still, you must ventilate your roof tent when you put it in a place that is very damp. The key word here is’resistant and you should be careful that you don’t leave your tent soaking wet throughout winter. If you’ve put it away in a wet state and then wait until the next day that is dry to let it air to prevent it from becoming damp when you get it open in the summer following.
What qualities should you be looking for in a roof tent?
The majority of tent makers will provide numerous amazing features for their roof tents. This makes your roof tent more luxurious when you camp inside it. But what are the things to keep an eye out for?
Windows and Skylights
Certain roof tents come with multiple windows, and skylights, which allow air and light to circulate through the tent. The main factors to be looking for is the high-quality zips as well as the use of bugs nets to ward off unwanted guests. Skylights in roof tents are fantastic for a little extra light and sun in the day, but are ideal for stargazing at night.
Mattress Mat, as well as Anti-Condensation Mat
As you settle to sleep to sleep in your brand new tent one of the worst things to discover is that your mattress is uncomfortable, or perhaps it’s damp and moldy. The norm in the industry is to use an extremely dense foam mattress that is at minimum 50mm or 2 inches thick. We would recommend that you go with 60mm or 70mm options can give you more restful nights. Also, ensure that the mattress cover can be removed for washing.
An additional feature that does not come with industry standards is an anti-condensation mat that can be placed under your mattress. It’s an essential piece of equipment to prevent your mattress from becoming damp and spongy. Certain rooftent manufacturers sell these items separately, however we suggest you find a rooftent that has this feature included.
Annex Rooms
Rooms with roof tents are ideal for a second living room for pets or kids. Not only do they work to sleep in, but also to store food, cook or eating out when the weather isn’t ideal. Some rooftents have an annex space, however some manufacturers will charge an additional fee to include this option.
There’s one thing you should consider before deciding to use an annex space with your vehicle, and it is the height of the mounting. In order for an annex room to be pegged correctly the height of your tent must be anywhere from 1.75m up to 2.1m. If your car is below this height Buy ramps for leveling your camper van to raise the height of your vehicle.
Other Extras
Beyond the above-mentioned features There are many additional accessories which can help make camping in a roof tent an extra special experience. LED lights that plug into 12v power source, storage nets for shoes and clothes because where can you store your shoes that are muddy inside a rooftent? We suggest taking a close review of what’s included and not included in your roof tent.
We hope that this article has provided you with some insight into what you should look for in a car rooftent the UK. The most effective piece of advice we can offer is to get in touch with the manufacturers and ask you about the products they offer if aren’t sure which one is the most suitable for your needs. If there’s anything else you think ought to be mentioned in this article or something you’d like to learn more about, please leave us a note below.
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