What vehicle tents are for
A vehicle tent uses the car, van, pick-up or motorbike as part of the camp. Some sit on the roof and keep you up off wet ground, some fix to the side or back of the vehicle and add a room or some shade, and some give a bike a shelter of its own. They suit road trips, touring and campsites where you park beside your pitch. Nearly all of them fix to something on the vehicle, such as roof bars, roof rails, an open tailgate or an awning rail, so check what yours has before you choose.
The ranges in Vehicle Tents
- Roof tents open on the roof bars, with a ladder down: hard-shell, pop-up, fold-out and inflatable. See roof tents.
- Tent boxes are hard-shell roof tents that close into a low box for driving and open on gas struts or a hydraulic lift. See tent boxes.
- Car awnings give shade and rain cover beside the car: 180 and 270 degree awnings, wing-shaped sunshades, rear awnings and roll-out awnings for caravans. See car awnings.
- SUV and tailgate tents join on to the open boot of an SUV, estate or van, along with tailgate changing tents. See SUV and tailgate tents.
- Truck bed tents turn the load bed of a pick-up into a floor to sleep on. See truck bed tents.
- Trailer tents are the awnings, porches, screens and shower tents for caravans, motorhomes and camper trailers. See trailer tents.
- Motorbike tents keep a motorbike, scooter or bicycle dry, and there is a light touring tent for trips on the bike. See motorbike tents.
How to choose between them
Start with where you want to sleep. To sleep on the vehicle, look at roof tents and tent boxes: they need roof bars rated for the load, and the tent travels with the car, so camp is packed up each time you drive somewhere. To sleep in the car, or in a tent beside it, a tailgate tent or a car awning adds room and shade for much less weight. Pick-up owners have the load bed as well as the roof. Caravan and motorhome owners will find their awnings and screens under trailer tents.
Then check the fit. Several makers here ask you to compare your vehicle's roof or rear shape with the product picture before ordering, because fit varies between models.
Questions people ask about vehicle tents
Do I need roof bars?
For a roof tent or tent box, yes, or a roof rack, and the tent with its bars must come inside the roof's dynamic load, the figure in the car's handbook for driving. A tailgate tent or a rear awning fixes to the open boot instead. See roof tents for how the load ratings work.
Can I drive off and leave the tent pitched?
Some can stay. The dual-use SUV rear tent here also stands on its own as a shelter, and one 180 degree awning is free-standing. A roof tent or tent box goes wherever the car goes.
How long does delivery take?
Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when that tent usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.
More to look at