Roof top tents are extremely durable and cost a fair chunk of change. These tents make camping more glamorous by keeping you clean and comfortable throughout the trip. They differ drastically from ground tents in an abundance of ways.
For someone who has never used or even seen a roof top tent, it could be a very fair question if they can be used on the ground or not. It depends on what you mean by the term “used”.
Roof top tents can not be used while on the ground. Entering one while on the ground may cause damage by bending the aluminum mounting tracks or cracking the base of the tent.
When you receive your tent, the installation process does require the tent to be put together on the ground. When doing this, no extra weight should be put inside the RTT.
When is it safe to have your roof top tent on the ground?
The only time you should have a roof top tent (RTT) on the ground is when you are in the process of moving it to a safe location for storage, installing mounting tracks, during initial assembly, making modifications to the tent, or airing it out.
When you’re RTT is first delivered you have to set up it on the ground. You will install the ladder, mounting tracks, and any other accessories that it comes with. The mounting tracks can easily handle the weight of the tent when sitting on the ground since most RTTs have a minimum weight limit of 400 pounds on top of that.
I don’t recommend storing a RTT on the ground and it isn’t because of the mounting tracks. It is more of a concern of rodents, water damage, and the risk of having heavy objects fall on it. For a detailed guide on How To Store Your RTT, check out my other article where I provide some ideas and best practices.
Some owners, like myself, leave their RTT on for most if not the entirety of the year. However, there are huge downsides to leaving it on your round. Primarily, you will see fuel loss and added wear and tear to your vehicle.
Getting inside a roof top tent when it is on the ground
In no circumstance should you get inside the tent while it is on the ground and where the surface is rough or uneven! The aluminum mounting tracks may be able to handle the weight. However, the other side of the RTT which folds out does not have a mounting track and is not designed to make contact with rough and uneven surfaces.
The base of a roof top tent is typically made of a thin layer of sandwiched aluminum sheets and if it is more heavy-duty, an aluminum honeycomb. Either way, you don’t want to scratch or cause worse damage to the base of the tent. Any cracks could cause numerous issues down the road such as a lack of insulation, water leaks, or the inability to hold any weight.
When on a soft on level surface, I don’t see why you couldn’t get inside the RTT, especially if it is a hardshell where the entire tent is resting on its mounting tracks.
One concern I have is the RTT not being mounted to anything. If you put too much weight on one end of the tent, it may cause the other side to lift up and slam on the ground. This is the one scenario I could see causing damage, even if it is on a soft and flat surface.
Since owning my RTT I can’t think of a reason or scenario where I would need to get inside my it while it is on the ground. You can usually just open it up and reach inside without putting any weight inside the tent itself!
Recommendations
If you’re new to RTTs or just interested in researching about them, I have made loads of helpful resources for you to learn from! I would recommend checking out the beginner info section of the blog where I have numerous articles specifically for first-time users.
It would also be worth while looking at the recommended gear page where I give my picks for my personal favorite camping gear items.
You could also check out our Youtube channel where we talk about all things roof top tent related!
All of the above are fantastic resources to learn more information and better immerse yourself in the world of roof top camping!
Conclusion
To be safe, I would highly recommend not entering a RTT on the ground. Whether it be due to the possible damage to the mounting tracks or the fact that it is not mounted to anything, both are unnecessary risks.
RTTs cost thousands of dollars, anything you need to do on the ground can more than likely be done while mounting to your vehicle or trailer. While these fun toys are extremely durable and made to last, like anything, they can break quite easily if used in the wrong way.
At the end of the day, this is a very avoidable problem. Be smart and careful when you do set it on the ground, but everything will be just fine!