What to look for in rooftent materials?

So, you’re considering buying an outdoor roof tent and want to know what makes an excellent car roof tent? We’ve put together a few of our own experiences and information about roof tents to consult when you are looking for the perfect roof tent. This should assist you in selecting the perfect car roof tent in UK. UK (for your needs).

Where do you begin? The first thing to do is decide which kind of rooftent will work best for you?

Soft shell or a hardtop rooftent?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this, and ultimately, it comes to deciding what’s best for you. So, instead of rambling about the topic, we decided to create our own pros and cons of each type of rooftent. This allows you to look over the advantages of each type of roof tent and decide what is important to you.

Soft shell in contrast to. Rooftent for hard shell

Here’s a list of the advantages and drawbacks of different rooftent designs.

Soft Shell Roof Tent

Lighter (better for cars with smaller dimensions)
Less expensive
More space inside
Skylights and windows with extra windows (some models)
Additional possibilities for mounting (opening either front, sideways or forwards)
Smaller mounting footprint
Annex room
Less aerodynamic
More time to set up and 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

Hope that the above information will give you a better idea of what type of rooftent is best for your needs. If not, don’t fret it’s not a problem. The best thing to do is to look at various roof tents and experience the feel of the different tent kinds.

What should you look for in roofingtent materials?

If you’re looking for a soft-shell roofing tent, the quality of the material is essential when you are making your purchase. Rooftents with a top or hard shell feature a strong (normally made of fiberglass) waterproof top. However, the sides of these roofs are made of fabric and should be breathable and waterproof. The many different kinds and terms used to describe material can make it difficult to understand especially when they’re just different versions of the same material.

For ease, we have highlighted the essential specifications to consider or inquire about when buying your roof tent.

Waterproofing

What should you look for when examining the watertightness of your roof tent? What to be looking for is the Hydrostatic Head rating, also known as the HH rating. It is measured in millimeters and is the measurement of the length of a column water that a particular material is able to endure before it begins to leak. For instance the 200mm HH rating means that a material will support a water column that is about the size of a pint glass before it begins to leak. The higher the HH rating, the more waterproof, so be sure to verify this rating before you choose the rooftop tent you want to use.

UV Resistant

Almost every time you use your tent on the roof, you’ll expose it to sun. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the fabric isn’t going to be affected by sunlight’s rays. UV rays scattered by the sun can reduce or even destroy the roofing material. By ensuring that the fabric that you use for your rooftent is UV-resistant, then you can prolong the lifespan the tent. What fabrics are the most effectively? Materials like Polyester, Nylon and Ripstop are all great UV-resistant fabric.

Mould Resistant

As a citizen of the UK We all know that camping in the UK will without doubt some time bring rain. However, this isn’t the only reason your tent can get wet. condensation from the morning or even drew can make your roof tent wet or damp. Therefore, you’ll need to dry your tent prior to packing it away, and this isn’t always feasible. Thus, the ability to take your tent off when it’s still damp is a crucial factor.

A mould-resistant material can keep your roof tent from becoming mouldy (but not for long!). It is still necessary to let your roof tent air out 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 stored it in damp conditions it is best to wait until the next day that is dry to allow it to air to keep it from becoming moldy when you take it out in the summer following.

What qualities should you consider when buying a rooftop tent?

Many tent makers offer many wonderful features in their rooftents. That makes your rooftop tent a luxurious experience when you camp inside it. What are the signs to keep an eye out for?

Windows and Skylights

There are roof tents with several windows, or even skylights that allow air and light to circulate through the tent. The most important points to consider is the high-quality zips as well as the use of bug nets to block out 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

If you’re settling in to sleep in your brand new tent one of the worst things to discover is that the mattress you’re sleeping on 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 least 50mm or two inches thick. However, we suggest that you go with 60mm or 70mm choices will provide you with more restful nights. Make sure the mattress cover can be removed for washing.

An additional feature that isn’t standard in the industry is an anti-condensation pad that can be placed under your mattress. It’s an essential piece of equipment that will stop 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 in the roof tent annex are ideal for a second living room for pets or kids. Not only do they work to sleep in, but also for cooking, storage or eating when the weather isn’t ideal. Some rooftents have an annex space, however some manufacturers will charge an additional fee on this extra feature.

There’s one aspect you must consider prior to deciding whether or not you want to use an annex space with your vehicle, and that is the height at which you can mount it. In order for an annex room to be properly pegged out the height of mounting your tent should be between 1.75m up to 2.1m. If your car is below this height Buy ramps to level your campervan to increase the height of your car.

Other Extras

Beyond the above-mentioned features There are many other accessories that will make camping in a tent an extra special experience. LED lights which plug into your 12v power source, storage nets for shoes and clothes because where can you store your shoes that are muddy inside a rooftent? We recommend taking a careful look at what’s not included in your roof tent.

In the end, we hope this article has provided you with some insight into what you should look for in a car rooftent the UK. The best advice we can offer is to contact the manufacturer and speak to the company about their offerings if are unsure of which is the ideal for you. If there’s anything else you think ought to be mentioned in this article or something you’d want to know more about, please leave us a message below.