How Do Roof Top Tents Compare to Ground Instant Tents?

Roof top pop up and soft shell type tents are a sort of instant camping tents, it is just that they are perched on the roof. So how do they compare to standard ground instant tents?

Price

if you follow roof top tents industry, then you surely know that these tents are the most expensive on the market. This is even more so if you bear in mind also their limited size. So the price per square meter of such a tent is very steep.

Ground instant tents can be incredibly affordable. So regarding the price, these two groups of tents are simply beyond comparison.

Currently, all of them come from China. If you check on Alibaba and AliExpress, you will see that shipping for roof top tents is far more steep than for standard tents, this is likely because of weight. But even there, roof top tents are far more expensive.

Size and capacity

Rooftop hard shell tents are either hard-top pop-up type of clamshell type. You have a comparison between them in my separate text.

This implies that their dimensions are more or less determined by the car width. So the capacity of such tents is limited to up to 2-3 people maximum. Some clamshell type roof top tents are expandable and they may accommodate up to 4-5 people.

There are inflatable roof top tents that are the largest on the market. Some of them can accommodate up to 6 people. So this is more or less maximum you can expect from such tents.

On the other hand, ground instant tents for family camping can be huge, sometimes with the capacity of 12 people or so. Therefore there is no comparison here at all. Roof top tents are simply not a match.

Versatility

Regarding the camping spot

Obviously, roof top pop up and soft shell tents are pre-attached to the car’s roof. So you can use them only at places where you can get with the car. This looks like a very limiting factor.

You may think it is not much different with the ground instant tents. They are both heavy and bulky to be carried long distances. But, you can carry them short distances from the car parking to your actual camping spot.

Imagine you have a beautiful lake with possibilities to pitch a ground tent there, but the road ends some 50 meters away and you do not have a view of the lake from the parking. There is not much you can do about this, you have to stay at the ugly parking.

On the other hand, when you are in a camp with your ground family instant tent, you can leave it there and make tours with the car around.

Well, this is not so with the roof top tents. You have to close it on the roof and drive with it. But this means that your camp space may be lost for you and you will have to look for another when you get back. So this may be annoying.

Regarding weather conditions, climate and seasons

Most ground instant tents are cabin type, and this implies that they are mainly for calm weather summer camping. Though there are some great examples of true winter tents that are instant dome type. These are designed for the harshest possible weather conditions.

On the other hand, roof top tents are high above ground, fixed to the car, but the car itself is not so stable in strong winds. So the car plus such a boxy structure on top of it, is not a great option for windy places.

However, regarding cold protection, there are some excellent options to insulate some of roof top tents. So they can indeed be used in all seasons as well. But some of roof top tents are built as multi-layer structures and they can be used for cold weather adventures.

Ease of use

Roof top tents

The term pop up roof top tent applies mainly on the hard-top roof top tents and perhaps also to some of the clam shell roof top tents. This means that there is no assembly of any kind. You release side latches or buckles and the tent will raise practically by itself.

This is so with all hard top roof top tent. There are some clam shell tents that are also of this type, and this means they are without any part that expands or extends on the side of the car.

In any case, both types are easy to put up, but they are usually less user friendly to close. Though it is fair to say that they are very easy to use in general. In this video you can see the TentBox Classic roof top tent which is a hard shell pop-up hard top type:

Ground instant tents

There are some that you can make ready in 60 seconds. This should be taken literally so. Some have a fly that should be added separately. In any case, this is just a matter of a few minutes. Taking such tents down is also very easy.

Here is one example, the CORE Instant Cabin Tent 10 Person, please have a look:

Safety

I would say this is most important to consider in view of wildlife. If you are in an area where there are crocodiles around, you would certainly rather sleep in a roof top tent than in a ground tent.

How about bears and mountain lions? Well, I do not think any of them will help much. But you might have a bit more chance in a roof top tent.

Overall comfort

To get into a roof top tent, you have to use a ladder. This may be impossible for elderly users and users with mobility problems. Think also what you have to do when nature calls during the night. So in this sense, roof top tents cannot possibly match ground instant tent.

Think also about the overall size you have and how to organize your life in the camp when it rains. You cannot do anything in a roof top tent. Without some extra annexes or accessory elements discussed in my separate text, they are not so great in such situations.

There is no doubt that ground tents may offer far more comfort.

Conclusion

In summary, most roof top tents are with a limited capacity, while ground instant tents may be huge in size. There is also huge difference in price and comfort.

But there are good aspects of roof top tents and it is not without reason that they are so popular. However, note also that roof top tents are not the only off-ground sleeping option, there are many more as discussed in my separate text.