Roof top tents have so many cool and unique accessories that come with them. One of the best add ons you can buy for a roof top tent (RTT) is an annex!
Adding an annex is ideal for extra storage space, a changing room, dining area, and even more sleeping space. This sheltered area connects directly to your tent and oftentimes encloses your ladder and entrance.
There are a handful of RTTs that come with an annex upon purchase, while many other models offer it by being able to buy one separately, and some tents don’t have one at all! I will quickly walk through what to look for in an annex as far as features and specs go. Then I have listed my favorite RTTs that comes with an annex and also ones that can be bought separately too!
Why buy an annex for your roof top tent?
Adding an annex to your roof top tent makes your camping set up better in numerous ways! It offers a sheltered area to simply relax, eat, store gear, and take in the scenery of my campsite.
For dog users, many can’t carry or get their dog into the tent. The next best option is to have your furry friend just below you in the annex! You can make their own bed and set up their water bowl while having plenty of leftover space.
Many people enjoy camping with the whole family. While RTTs are limited to a maximum of five people inside the tent, you can fit another 4-5 in an annex! This accessory allows you to bring the whole family along and be comfortable while doing it.
The covered area provided by an annex is perfect for a changing room, storage area, and place to get away from bad weather. No matter the reason you want one, it will enhance your camping experience instantly turning your RTT into a two-story setup!
How much does an annex cost for a roof top tent?
If the roof top tent you buy doesn’t come with an annex included, you can buy them separately from the manufacturer for $200-$300.
There are some rare cases, like the iKamper annex, which cost almost $600! But that is the exception, not the normal. You can expect the fabric of the annex to match that of your RTTs.
One thing that changes drastically between tents is the size of the annex room. Some brands make extremely large rooms that are over 100″ x 100″, while some can be much more modest. If having a large space is important to you, be sure to compare the measurements between each RTTs annex!
Roof top tents with an annex included:
Now that we’ve talked about the typical cost of an annex as well as their common uses, let’s dive into my favorite RTTs that come with annex included!
Thule Tepui Autana Explorer 3 w/ Annex
Tepui is a beloved and trusted RTT brand. They produce a wide variety of high-quality tents at a fair price point. The Autana 3 and 4 are both great options that come with an annex included with the purchase price.
The Autana 3 fits three people and costs $2,149.95. This may be obvious, but the Autana 4 sleeps four people, with a slight price jump up to $2,399.95. Both models come with an annex included and have the same features, just differ in size and price.
What I love about this specific model from Tepui is the extended canopy entrance. This allows for the annex to be attached and fully enclose your entrance and ladder.
The annex area for the Autana 3 is 90″ x 90″ (56 sq ft). The Autana 4 on the other hand has an annex area of 108″ x 108″ (81 sq ft). The annex for both models is made of 260-gram polyester cotton. It is a 600D grade ripstop fabric with water-resistant ventilate coating and it is both UV and mildew resistant.
In simple terms, the fabric is extremely durable, thick, and will not experience wear and tear after many uses! A few more noticeable specs about the Autana is the fact that it is rated for 4-season use. It comes with a premium 2.5″ high-density foam mattress and an 8.5-foot telescoping ladder.
For the price, you get a really great RTT that comes with an annex that has plenty of room. Both sizes offer a covered canopy area and you don’t have to worry if this tent is durable or not. I love Tepui and this model, in particular, is great for someone needing an annex/tent combo!
CVT
My next recommended RTT that comes with an annex would be any model from the CVT line! This company produces some of the best and highest-quality foldable RTTs in the market. My pick is the Mt Shasta model because we camp as a couple and bring our pup along, so this would provide plenty of room for us.
The Mt Shasta by CVT has a starting cost of $1,895. I would recommend getting the extended model for an extra $200 because this will provide a canopy over the entrance and will allow the annex to enclose your ladder. I find annex that encloses the ladder to be way more attractive since you will be fully covered from sun, rain, and snow.
The base model of the Mt Shasta, which is the Pioneer edition, has a 280-gram poly/cotton fabric, a 3″ high-density foam mattress, a sliding ladder, and aluminum insulated floor. The fabric is waterproof and the same goes for the annex!
The Summit edition of the Mt Shasta costs $2,595 at its base price, but it comes with an insane amount of upgrades and comfort. If you’re looking for an all-season tent, this might be perfect for you. The upgrades include a softer mattress, telescoping ladder, 360-gram fabric, USB ports, anti-condensation mat, and much more! The fabric on the annex will also be upgraded as well.
The Hybrid edition is a fusion of both the Standard and Summit models mixing the best of both worlds for a fair cost. What’s great about CVT is its extremely thick fabric and comfortable mattresses. If you’re looking for a tent with an annex, this is a great pick, but I would highly suggest getting the extended fly.
You may be thinking to yourself, this is a pricey option, and it certainly is. However, you absolutely get what your pay for when it comes to RTTs and this purchase will leave you completely satisfied!
Tuff Stuff Ranger & Tuff Stuff “Elite” Overland
Both of these RTTs are produced by Tuff Stuff and come with an annex included in the price. I picked both tents because the Ranger sleeps three comfortably and the Overland sleeps a whopping five people. I like both of these RTTs and thought the different sizing options would be nice to choose from.
The Ranger costs $1,378.65 and comes with an annex that encloses the ladder! The fabric of this tent is made of a 280-gram poly/cotton ripstop fabric with a waterproof coating.
The annex in the Ranger can fit a queen-sized mattress! You can also retract the fold away ladder for increased space. The measurement of the annex room is 90″ x 90″.
Now, the “Elite” Overland model accommodates 4-5 people on top and an additional four people inside the annex room! The tent material is the same 280-gram waterproof material as the Ranger model.
However, the annex on the Elite Overland is 113″ x 90″ in size. The side walls are 420D Oxford walls and has a 1000D PVC floor. “D” stands for denier and is the measurement of yarn thickness, which signals to the fabrics durability and strength. The seams of the annex are also taped to prevent moisture from getting into the room.
Both of these models have a lot to offer in terms of value. You get the annex included and a great tent at a very reasonable price point. Tuff Stuff has steadily made a name for themselves as they continue to produce really nice RTTs for a low price point!
Guana Wanaka
The Guana Wanaka comes in three different sizes, but all of them have the unique annex included with it. I will be focusing on the 55″ model in particular, which fits three people and costs $1,950.
This RTT has one of the most unique annex options across all RTTs. The annex doors come with poles that allow it to be turned into three separate awnings! This is a special feature that I haven’t seen on many other RTT models, especially for a cheap price that is bundled with the cost of the tent.
The annex encloses the ladder and has a removable floor. The annex room is extra large, it is 100″ x 100″ and is 75″ in height! This room is massive and gets even bigger by upgrading to either of the two bigger models offered by Guana. There is also a door in the annex on the vehicle’s side so you can access that space and easily grab items out of your car! Each door has a mesh door to cover it as well.
The annex in the Guana Wanaka is unbelievably large but also has a very unique awning capable configuration. You’re also getting a great tent with a fabric that is made of 600D waterproof ripstop polyester canvas. Some other features in the tent include an anti-condensation mat, a plush 3″ mattress, and durable parts used in every part of this RTT!
The big selling point with this RTT is definitely the included annex. There are only a couple on the market like it, but they are sold separately by the other brands and cost almost $600!
ARB Series III Simpson
ARB is a leader in the roof top tent industry and needs no introduction. This Australian based company knows how to make great tents at a reasonable price.
The Series III Simpson costs just $1,537 and comes with an annex included in the price! This model has evolved over time and has improved over each of its previous series.
The annex in the Series III Simpson is completely waterproof, has UV-protection, and is made of a poly/cotton rip-stop material. The entrance is also covered by a canopy so the annex does enclose the ladder!
Unfortunately, I could find the exact measurement of this annex. But I still felt compelled to add this RTT to the list because of its great specs and value!
The tent itself has a comfy 2.5″ mattress and you can store all bedding inside the tent when folded, which saves a lot of time and space. This model also has a bungee system, which keeps fabric tucked in the sides of the tent for a super-fast breakdown and set up process.
I find that the Series III Simpson is a great tent for the price you can buy it at. They are a very well known and respected RTT brand, so you don’t have to worry about the quality and durability of it! Developed in Australia, it has been tried and tested in the toughest of elements.
I love this pick because you get all of the features, specs, and quality at a much more reasonable price point.
RTTs with annex bought separately
There are plenty of great RTTs out there with annex’s that are sold separately. The additional cost will range from $200-$300, but here are some of my favorites!
Smittybilt Overlander
This RTT is probably one of the most popular models on the market due to its low entry price. It is also manufactured by Smittybilt, a well respected automotive accessory company.
The regular-sized Smittybilt (model 2783) sleeps 2-3 people and can be bought for roughly $900 on Amazon. The Smittybilt XL (model 2883) sleeps 3-4 people and costs a couple more hundred bucks at $1,099.
The smaller Smittybilt Overlander (model 2783) has an annex sold separately for around $200. Click here to check Amazon’s current pricing for it! The space of the annex is 84″ x 60″. The fabric is made from 600D ripstop polyester, which is on par with other brands in the market. The one thing to note with this model is the ladder is not enclosed by the annex.
The Smittybilt XL has many of the same specs, but it is obviously bigger and also has a canopy covering the entrance of the tent. This enables the annex to enclose the ladder. The price for this annex is around $280 and the size of the annex room is 82″ x 93″.
Both of these annexes are made from a quality 600D material and have mesh netting to keep bugs out. You can also access the vehicle with the inner door flap integrated into the annex.
There is a reason this model in particular is one of the most popular RTTs! The price and quality are unmatched. If you’re looking to save money while having a nice tent and solid annex room, this is probably the pick for you!
iKamper
I love iKamper RTTs because they are one of the few hardshells that have an annex option. You pay a premium for iKamper tents because of the high-quality materials used in them. The annex is no exception, as it costs $689.
The annex is made of 150D polyester and is 100% waterproof. It attaches to the main entrance of the tent and encloses the ladder. More importantly, iKampers innovative designs make setting this annex up a breeze!
The annex room dimensions for the Skycamp 2.0 and 2X models are 141.7″ x 122″ x 70.8″. If you’ve been comparing measurements to the other annexes on this list, you know this is a massive annex room! Like the Guana Wanaka, the three doors can be turned into awnings as well. The floor of the annex can be removed
iKamper’s RTTs are worth every penny! They are super comfortable, durable, and can be used in all weather conditions. I also like the fact that iKamper offers so many accessories such as inner insulation, move stands, and an awning option.
The hardshell of this tent is made of double-layered fiberglass with an inch of air insulation between each layer. This makes for a warm night of sleep, even in the coldest of weather! I would highly recommend an iKamper tent to anyone in the market that has the money, you won’t be disappointed!
Conclusion
I would highly recommend an annex for any roof top tent user, whether they are a beginner or a seasoned vet! The extra space gives you so many versatile options and enhances your camping experience significantly.
I found that annex’s that enclose the ladder are far more practical than one that simply sits under the ladder and tent. I have done hours of research on RTTs and believe these to be the best with annex’s included and offered separately.
I hope you found my unbiased recommendations helpful and now feel ready to purchase an annex or a new RTT that has the perfect specs for you!