How Do Rooftop Tents Handle Different Weather Conditions?

Rooftop tents can perform remarkably well in almost all weather conditions. Here you have a description of some possible situations, with some tips to use and apply.

Windy weather conditions

Roof top tents are normally with a low peak height, and this holds even for those boxy pop-up roof top tents. But did you know that there are even inflatable roof top tents, and they can be indeed very large.

Such a boxy structure perched high on a car or an SUV is everything but a wind-friendly construction. But surprisingly, some of them can indeed take a lot of wind pressure.

For example, I have seen a statement on TentBox site that all their tents can be safely used in wind speeds up to 24 mph (38 km/h). They also claim that many people have reported using their tents in much stronger winds.

This is still well below a gale speed. So if you are in situations of strong winds, it is best to wait till it is over.

As you know, many of these tents come with awnings supported with extra poles. So if it is very windy, you will want to close all this. By doing this, you will reduce chances for damages, and this will also reduce the noise.

Some of roof top tents have gas assisted struts. But it is unlikely that you may have the tent collapsed because of a sudden wind pressure increase.

On the other hand, a roof top tent is always firmly fixed to the vehicle. This connection is far stronger that what you can have with stakes used with any ground tent.

But there is one more detail to consider. If you have ever been in windy places with your car, you know that the car can shake a lot in the wind. With a roof top tent on, this is even more so.

As a result, the ladder may not be firmly in place. It may move sidewise as the car shakes due to the wind. Now, in expandable tents, a ladder is a part of the support system.

The extended platform of such a tent is supported by the ladder. Anchoring the ladder so that its base remains in place may help. This may save the tent’s platform from damaging hinges that keep the two platform halves connected.

In the video below you will see those two pieces connected with hinges. Note that the person in the video positions the ladder at an angle that looks not steep enough to me. But he is an expert, and this is his tent. You will see these details at 6:15 in the video, have a look:

Roof top tents and rain protection

I have no doubt that, regarding rain protection, roof top tents are in general far better than ground tents. There are several reasons for this.

Obviously, a roof top tent is safe from ground water, so no need to worry about ground-level flooding or puddles. As you can imagine this is not so with ground tents.

Hard shell type roof top tents have at least one part of the roof or wall that is a solid material, fully waterproof of course. The fabric walls are usually made of a highly waterproof synthetic or polycotton material. In terms of numbers, you can typically expect 2000 mm HH or much more.

To see what I mean, check the Roofnest Condor and Condor Overland that have a 3000 mm polycotton fabric. But you have even more in Crua AER Maxx where the combined rating of its two layer fabric is 8000 mm.

Roof top tents in snow conditions

I think the main issue to consider here is a possible snow accumulation on the tent. This because you might be concerned that it could close or collapse on you.

This is unlikely, but let’s see how this is regarding the types. In the case of hard shell roof top tents, you always have some sort of lifting mechanism (gas struts).

In some of the clamshell roof top tents you can have some extra gear on the lid even when you sleep inside. If you need an example, take the TentBox Cargo. It can support up to 88 pounds (40 kg) of weight even when open. So you will not have issues with snow accumulated on it.

This limit may be lower in pop-up hard shell RTT. Note that in this case you have a flat roof, so it may be good to clean it if you have a really fast accumulating snow on the roof.

With soft shell RTT you have a canopy similar to ground tents. But I am sure that support in these tents is always much stronger than in any ground tent. In other words, even a soft shell roof top tent will surely work better in snow conditions than most of ground winter tents.

Cold protection in roof top tents

Being far above cold ground is one thing that makes the difference. But there is much more regarding roof top tents.

These tents, regardless of the type, always have a solid platform with some sort of insulation. In addition, you always have an open cell foam mattress in the package. Such a mattress is an insulating layer itself.

In the hard shell RTT, practically always you also have some insulation underneath the lid. As you realize, a big part of such a tent is insulated.

Regarding walls, most of them have polycotton which naturally gives a bit of insulation. If the tent is also with a full coverage fly, then this is yet another layer of protection.

But there are some incredibly well-designed RTT with three layers of fabric used for the walls. Check this Freespirit Evolution to see what I mean.

However, this is not all. Many RTT brands offer insulating cocoons as accessories, so you can order such an item separately and use when needed. Read more in my text about insulated rooftop tents.

Roof top tents in a warm environment – heat protection

This is related to the protection of cold. As mentioned, some of RTT are insulated, so it can protect you from the heat as well.

But there is no doubt that ventilation and air circulation are even more important regarding this issue. From this perspective, rooftop tents are great. You will always have windows at least on three sides.

In addition to this, many of them have one or even two skylight windows that double as vents. Nevertheless, it may be challenging to stay cool in a hot weather. This is so with ground tents as well but with such tents you might have a bit more freedom in moving around, pitching it in a shade etc.

Here are a few things and tips that may help with roof top tents:

Choose the right tent material

I already mentioned about fabric used for roof top tents. So if you can choose, better go for a polycotton than a synthetic tent. Note that polycotton fabric is not necessarily breathable. The coating they apply to make it waterproof is the reason behind this. But polycotton will still make the tent cooler.

Consider using a reflective cover

You can use any larger tarp with a heat-reflective material applied on one of its sides. Such a cover makes the shade for the whole roof top tent, and it deflects the sun’s rays. This can considerably reduce heating in the tent. One example of this you have presented here in the site, the Crua Koala Set with its tarp.

Some roof top tents brands make such reflective covers suitable both for cold protection and heat protection. One great example is the Tuff Stuff Overland Xtreme Weather Covers Roof Top Tents.

Try to park in the shade

This should be a great option, but it may not always be available. Though, you would not use your roof top tent a lot during the day in any case. But your daily activity will be around it, and this is why it may be good to find a shade.

With this the tent will not overheat during the day and it will be more pleasant when you go to sleep. Think also about UV effects on your expensive shelter, it is better to avoid direct sunlight in any case.

Use windows and ventilate

Roof top tents are positioned high on a car, so they are always designed to offer great views. Some have windows on all four sides, and they are always double-layer type, with a mesh and with a panel.

So open the panels and ventilate the tent during the day so that it does not get overheated. This will make it more pleasant in the evening.

Keeping them open will also allow vapor to escape if condensation was created during the night.

Every type of tent gest heated during the day, so combine some of the tips above and this will help in keeping the interior of your roof top tent cool and comfortable, and this even in the hottest of climates.

Dust protection

I guess you have noticed that many brands promote their roof top tents by taking pictures in some desert-like environments. This is indeed reality for some people.

In the case of winds in such a surrounding, there may be situations when you have to close all those large windows. Otherwise you will have the tent full of dust.

This is one of the reasons why you want to have vents in your tent. I must say that not all of them come with vents. This is typical for pop-up roof top tents, but there are some great exceptions. The Freespirit Evolution shown above is a great example.

UV protection

UV exposure is very harmful to any tent. You do not see it, it is in a different light spectrum, but you can be sure it is there.

I have seen some statements that only two weeks exposure is enough to reduce the tear strength of the tent fabric by half. This sounds like a too strong statement to me, but there is no doubt that radiation is bad.

The same holds for soft shell roof top tents. It is best if such a tent has a removable rain fly, and if possible with a reflective features. So if the fly gest damaged, you can order a new one, this a small part of the price of an expensive roof top tent.

Some good brands have separately designed reflective covers for practically all their tents. Check at Crua Outdoors to see what I mean.

But the situation is definitely better with hard shell roof too tents. This in particular holds for those that are made of aluminum. This is much stronger than any fabric used in any tents.

Final thoughts

To summarize, in this post I have discussed a variety of environmental and weather conditions which you can find yourself in with your roof top tent. From everything you have seen above, I think it is obvious that these shelters can outperform ground tents in many ways.

They are extremely easy to use, very reliable, and usually suitable for year round use. This is not so with ordinary ground tents. But there is a big difference in price, be aware of this.

Let me know if you have questions, there is a comment box below. Check out also my another text about using rooftop tents on various types of terrain.

You might want to bookmark this site and keep as a reference. This will keep you informed, you will always have new texts added here. Thank you for reading and have a nice day.