3 of the Best Rooftop Tents: Your Home Away From Home

Rooftop tents have become well-known over the last few years thanks to Instagram and other social networks but they’re hardly a new invention. They’ve been around for over 50 years and have seen lots of innovation over the decades.

Modern rooftop tent brands are light and don’t need a lot of space, making them perfect for travelling anglers. Let’s look at our 3 top-rated choices for rooftop tents you can use for your next fishing trip.

1. Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer

Thule is a well-known brand in car accessories, with a wide range of roof racks in their catalogue. They’ve put their rooftop carrier expertise to good use in the Tepui Explorer Ayer rooftop tent.

The tent uses market-leading mounting hardware and it’s backed by Thule’s warranty and reputation. It’s easy to install and the tent itself is convenient enough for daily use.

Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer 2
Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer

Specifications

The Tepui Explorer Ayer tent sleeps two people comfortably. When it’s closed, it’s only 107 cm wide, 122 cm long, and 28 cm deep. When open, the width doubles to 214 cm and the depth increases to 99 cm.

The tent is only 48 kg so it won’t add a lot of weight to your vehicle or have a big impact on your fuel economy.

Durable and Light

The Thule rooftop tent is a softshell design, using a combination of nylon and cotton. This helps keep the weight down but is still plenty durable for trips where you might be camping beside a different river or lake every night.

Plenty of Built-In Storage

The Tepui Explorer Ayer has four large internal storage pockets that you can use to store fishing gear, camping accessories, or even your folding kayak. This means you won’t need to clear out the tent every time you move to a new spot — just close it up and drive away.

rooftop tents storage
Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer storage

Accessory Compatibility

Thule’s tent is compatible with many of its other auto accessories, giving you options for expanding its versatility. You can add the Overcast Awning, the Weatherhood Covering for extra protection against inclement weather, or the Boot Bag for even more storage.

Can It Handle Any Environment?

Thule claims they designed the Tepui Explorer Ayer to keep the elements out in any season. This is true to a point, but the stock configuration is more of a three-season tent.

If you want a roof tent you can use year-round, no matter what the weather is like, you’ll need to add the Weatherhood accessory.

rooftop tents
Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer

Features and Accessories Anglers Will Like

There are lots of things to like about the Thule rooftop tent, including:

  • High-quality materials and build quality
  • Thule’s warranty
  • Accessory compatibility
  • Ease of use

Combined with the minimal weight and small footprint when closed, the Tepui Explorer Ayer is ideal for travelling anglers.

Thule tent space
Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer space

2. iKamper Skycamp 2X

If you’re looking for a slightly more durable option, hardshell rooftop tents are the way to go. The iKamper Skycamp 2X is one of the best choices because of its hybrid approach.

The Skycamp 2X uses a hardshell enclosure, but the tent itself is a softshell design, giving you a more flexible and roomy layout.

iKamper Skycamp 2X
iKamper Skycamp 2X

Specifications

The Skycamp 2X tent sleeps two people and offers several insulation options for four-season camping. Closed, the Skycamp 2X measures 130 cm wide, 193 cm long, and 33 cm deep. When open, the width and length don’t change, but the height increases to 122 cm, giving you plenty of headroom.

This tent weighs 59 kg so while it’s a bit heavier than our first choice, it’s a reasonable weight for a hardshell design.

rooftop tents mattress
iKamper Skycamp 2X mattress

Several Insulation Options

For warmer weather camping, the standard setup offers all the protection you need from the weather. For colder nights, add the quilted liner for some extra insulation.

If you’re camping in particularly cold weather, the second layer of insulation is available to keep you warm all night.

rooftop tents
iKamper Skycamp 2X

Excellent Aerodynamics

Hardshell tents tend to be less aerodynamic than softshell designs because you can’t compress them as much. The Skycamp 2X has great aerodynamics, reducing the impact on your vehicle’s fuel economy.

High-Quality Fit and Finish

Another disadvantage to some hardshell tents is the build quality. To keep the price down, some manufacturers cut corners on the fit and finish.

The Skycamp 2X goes in the other direction. You’ll pay more for it than some budget rooftop tents, but you’ll get your money’s worth.

iKamper Skycamp 2X
iKamper Skycamp 2X

Features and Accessories Anglers Will Like

The main benefits of the Skycamp 2X are the quality and ease of the setup. iKamper claims the tent offers a “1-minute setup” and in our experience, that’s pretty accurate. With this tent, you can have your base camp set up in a couple of minutes, giving you more time on the water.

features and accessories
The Skycamp 2X is customisable!

3. James Baroud Evasion

If you lean more toward a 5-star hotel than a rooftop tent, the James Baroud Evasion is the right choice for you. The Evasion is the most comfortable of all the tents on this list, with a three-inch foam mattress. It’s almost getting into the territory of a rooftop camper rather than a tent.

It includes a rechargeable ceiling light so you don’t have to use a headlamp to see what you’re doing. It also has a solar ventilation system that keeps the air flowing to keep things fresh.

James Baroud Evasion rooftop tents
James Baroud Evasion

Specifications

The Evasion rooftop tent has space for three people. It measures 140 cm wide, 200 cm long, and 33 cm deep when closed, and expands to a height of 99 cm when opened, with the same footprint.

That extra comfort comes at the cost of a heavier design. The Evasion tent weighs 65 kg so you’ll want to have a little heavier-duty vehicle and roof mount than the other tents on our list.

Comfortable Sleep

The Evasion is the most comfortable of all the tents on our list. Comfort might not be at the top of your list when it comes to camping priorities, but why not get the best sleep possible after a day on the water?

If your significant other isn’t interested in roughing it, this tent could be the way to convince them to join you.

rooftop tents

Easy to Set Up

The Evasion tent uses gas struts to raise the lid automatically. This makes the setup a breeze, especially considering the extra weight that comes with the solar-powered ventilation system.

Great Ventilation

Speaking of the solar-powered ventilation system, it’s another great feature of this tent. It helps keep it fresh, even after you spend a few nights in it.

James Baroud Evasion

Features and Accessories Anglers Will Like

Aside from the comforts this tent offers, anglers will also love the durability.

James Baroud has tested the Evasion to withstand winds up to 100 kilometres per hour. If you’re camping on a lakeshore or alongside a river with no trees or other natural windbreaks, it can get pretty windy. The Evasion rooftop tent will hold up nicely in those conditions.

iKamper rooftop tents
Courtesy of iKamper

When you’re on a fishing trip, rooftop tents are your home away from home. It doesn’t matter if you’re in it for one night or a dozen, or whether you’re camping in one place or moving from one day to the next. The last thing you want to do is fight with your tent.

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SourceEvasion
Francesca Gilbert
Francesca Gilbert
Francesca's passion is travel, the outdoors and being out on the water. She enjoys all that life has to offer. A budding socialite, she lights up any event or party she attends. Francesca's travelled the world and is no stranger to adventure, frequenting some of the most remote locations on the planet. She's also no slouch when it comes to wetting a line. So look out for Francesca's insights on the latest sport fishing destinations and outdoor experiences.

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