Roof top tents can range anywhere from 100 to over 200 pounds in weight. While those are both the end of the spectrum, there are many reasons a lighter RTT would be ideal for you.
Obviously, having a smaller vehicle like a hatchback or a sedan limits the amount of weight your car can handle. Another good reason is simply not wanting to maneuver a 165-pound tent when you need to mount and unmount it throughout the year!
For whatever reason you might have to want a lightweight roof top tent (RTT), this article will be exactly what you need. I will list my unbiased favorites and talk about the weights, specs, sizes, and why I like these tents in particular!
Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer 2
| Price | Weight | Dimensions Open |
| $1,199.95 | 108 lbs | 84″ L x 48″ W x 39″ H |
The Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer 2 is an exceptional two-person tent that can be used on any vehicle type. It weighs a minimal 108 pounds yet still has the durability to be used in all four seasons.
Sometimes buying a lightweight tent means forgoing all-season capabilities, but not with this RTT. It is very reasonably priced and it is made by Tepui, a pillar in the industry with a great tracker record.
Let’s talk a little bit more about the specs and why this tent is worth every penny! For starters, the fabric is a 260-gram poly-cotton blend which above par compared to most RTTs. It is also UV and mold resistant to handle those harsh elements.
The mattress is a standard 2.5 inches thick and the frame is made of 5/8 inch tubing for solid strength. One of the best features is the ladder, which is an 8.5-foot long telescoping ladder. Most RTTs in this price range have sliding ladders, which are a complete pain in the butt. This might not seem like a huge feature, but trust me this is a big selling point!
The specs on this RTT are very solid especially for how light it is. There are no compromised features and it is one of the rare lightweight tents that can be used in any season. I would personally go with Tepui because they are such a reliable and trusted manufacturer, so you know you will get a high-quality product for a fair price!
FrontRunner Feather-Lite
| Price | Weight | Dimensions Open |
| $1,099 | 95 lbs | 134″ L x 53″ W x 55″ H |
FrontRunner is well known for its roof racks and other vehicle accessories. This makes perfect sense for the brand to extend into the RTT market. That is where the ultralight FrontRunner Feather-Lite comes into play! It costs a modest $1,099 and sleeps 2 adults, plus a child or dog.
The specs on this tent are solid, but won’t allow for comfortable four-season camping. The mattress is 2.25″ thick, which is slightly more slim than the Tepui Ayer 2. The fabric is made up of similar specs to the previous tent with a 600D 260-gram poly-cotton material.
The Feather-Lite comes with a standard sliding ladder that has a 400-pound weight limit. Comparing the Feather-Lite to the Ayer 2, it’s roughly the same price and you’re forgoing more features than you’d be gaining in my eyes.
The true marketing trait of this tent is how insanely light it is. If you’re looking to get the lightest possible tent that can be used in 3-seasons out of the year, this is a great pick. I just wish the ladder was telescoping, not sliding.
FrontRunner is a great brand and for many people that will be enough to sell them on this RTT. I think it is a viable option, but to me, 13 pounds of less weight wouldn’t turn me away from the Tepui.
iKamper Mini
| Price | Weight | Dimensions Open |
| $3,499 | 125 pounds | 101″ L x 51″ W x 48″H |
This tent is for the hardshell RTT lovers out there! It is a fair bit heavier than its softshell counterparts, but can still fit on any vehicle type. It is priced at $3,499, but that is fair considering the features and quality this tent brings to the table.
This is the most compact and lightweight hardshell you will come across. This is because of iKamper’s patented foldout design as well as the high-quality ultralight materials used to construct the Mini.
The iKamper Mini has everything you could ever want in a RTT. It can be set up in just 60 seconds with the assistance of gas struts. It also has a 2″ memory foam mattress, hardshell locks, and the mounting brackets 2.0 system which allows you to mount your tent in a fraction of the time compared to other mounting systems.
The Mini also has a telescoping ladder and the fabric is extremely durable, yet breathable for great ventilation. The shell has a double-layered fiberglass design with an inch of air insulation between the layers for excellent insulation during cold nights. The base of the tent also has an aluminum honeycomb design for increased durability and insulation.
Honestly, I could go on and on about the Mini’s features, but I will save you the time. If you’re looking for a lightweight hardshell RTT, this is by far the best option. It is extremely tough and will keep you comfortable in any weather climate. But most importantly to you, this tent is really lightweight and compact!
If you have the money, springing for an iKamper will never leave you disappointed. This RTT will last you for years to come and you’ll hardly ever notice it’s on your roof!
Yakima Skyrise
| Price | Weight | Dimensions Open |
| $1,099 | 95 lbs | 84″ L x 48″ W x 42″ H |
Similar to Frontrunner, Yakima is a huge player in the crossbar and roof rack industry. Since their products align so closely with RTTs, they naturally decided to develop one of their own! The Yakima Skyrise comes in two sizes, small and medium, but we will be talking about the smaller and lighter version in this article.
At just 95 pounds, the Skyrise is on par with the lightest RTT’s in the market. The price is very reasonable at $1,099 because there are some really great features included in this model. This tent comfortably sleeps two adults as well.
The Skyrise comes with a telescoping ladder and a standard 2.5″ thick mattress. The fabric is super light since it is made of a 210D nylon material, which is the same as some backcountry tents. My only concern with this fabric is the durability, and I wonder how it would be able to handle colder weather.
Another cool feature in this RTT is the unique mounting system. It requires no tools, rather it has clamps that tighten onto your crossbars. The mounting system also comes with locks, which is great for security purposes.
I can’t overstate how much I love this feature! I could see this saving you tons of time and you would never have to worry about your tent being stolen.
I am impressed with a lot of the specs on the Skyrise. You get an awesome product for a reasonable cost too. My only concern is the durability of the fabric longterm. I could easily justify that with all of the awesome features which would usually cost me hundreds of dollars more.
Tuff Stuff Trailhead
| Price | Weight | Dimensions Open |
| $1,229.23 | 110 lbs | 95″ L x 56″ W x 50″ H |
TuffStuff has made a name for themselves in recent years by putting out some great RTTs that won’t break the bank! This particular model is a bit heavier at 110 pounds, but plenty of durability comes along with it.
The weight limit of this tent is an insane 800 pounds. I say insane because almost all RTTs hold 200 pounds per person. For example, a two-person tent would be rated to hold only 400 pounds. The Trailhead can handle this amount of weight due to the aluminum honeycomb floor. This helps reduce weight while also increasing strength.
The fabric is made of 600D polyester Oxford that is waterproof and UV protected. This tent is rated for 3-season use and sleeps two people.
You will find that this model has a 7.5 foot telescoping ladder. The mattress is a standard 2.5″ thick and the zippers are YKK which are extremely reliable. The Trailhead also comes with a shoe bag, 1000D PVC cover, and a 420D polyester Oxford rainfly.
Tuffstuff has been growing steadily as a more common brand in the RTT space. I really don’t have any complaints about this tent. I think the price justifies the extra durability in the flooring and ladder. I have seen 30% off sales for this tent where it costs just $860.46 from the manufacturer. If you can find a deal like that, take it!
This tent is still plenty light and those few extra pounds pack a bunch of durability in them.
Honorable mentions
If those options weren’t quite enough for you, I added a few more RTTs you could take a look at. I didn’t add them to the list because I felt the options above outperformed these.
However, I could see these being attractive options to someone looking for a specifically branded RTT. Either way, I wanted to include these because they are very lightweight as well.
- Hutch tents Prospector 2 (95 pounds)
- Overland Pros Anza 1400 (112 pounds)
- Tepui Baja Series Mesh Kukenam 3 (108 pounds)
Summary
Those are by far the best RTTs that are as lightweight as possible! These are my completely unbiased picks and I simply go off of the features and cost they are priced at.
That 95-pound mark is about the lowest true RTT you will find that can actually withstand weather and doesn’t use a weird blow up feature. In my eyes, if you’re concerned about a tent being too heavy for your car, what’s another 10-15 pounds going to do?
I would recommend going with the RTT that most closely matches your needs and lifestyle. Also, make your decision based off of key features that mean the most to you like looks, convenience, comfort, durability, etc! I hope you found this article plenty helpful to finding an awesome lightweight RTT for your next adventure!