As you could imagine, adding a heavy and large obstruction to the roof of your vehicle will bring several side effects. One of them is the added wind resistance and “squirrelly” feeling as you reach higher speeds. For many owners, it brings the question, “how fast can I safely drive with the roof top tent mounted”?
You will notice additional drag from the roof top tent, but you can safely drive at a normal speed with it mounted. When you add a roof top tent it won’t affect the speed at which you can travel, rather how far you can travel on a single tank of gas.
While we have determined it is safe to drive as you normally would from destination to destination, the roof top tent (RTT) will have a significantly negative effect on your fuel efficiency. Let’s talk about some factors that play into that, what we can do to counteract it, and what you might experience as you drive with your RTT.
Which roof top tent allows for the best drive?
For anyone concerned about how their vehicle will respond on the road to having a roof top tent mounted on it, a hardshell style tent is your best option.
I will go on to name a few examples in particular, but overall, it is fair to say that these styles RTTs are slimmer and more importantly designed to be aerodynamic as well. The less drag they produce, the smoother and more quiet drive they will allow for.
The issue with many softshell RTTs is the fact that they are often taller than hardshells. This is because softshell tents are foldable which makes them double in thickness when closed.
An extremely slim hardshell roof top tent is the Roofnest Falcon. The shell as made completely of aluminum and is a sleek 7″ thick when closed. Even better, this tent is made from quality materials and has the features to make it one of the best in its class.
The FSR Odyssey shares a 7″ thick low profile design like the Falcons. It is also a great RTT option that can be equipped with a mounting rack to haul additional gear.
Another RTT that will provide a great drive is any from the James Baroud lineup. As a worldwide and premium tent manufacturer, they obviously make a great product. But more relevant to us, they design the shell of the RTTs to be as aerodynamic as possible.
Now, not all softshells are overly thick. For example, the Low-Pro series from Tepui is 7″ thin at its lowest point, and 10″ high at its thickest. Normally, softshell RTTs will sit at a height of 13-14 inches tall.
How mounting placement can improve driving
A topic that aligns with how fast you can drive is how and where you mount your RTT.
“How” you mount your RTT, refers to the what kind of rack it sits on. Some crossbars will sit higher than others, causing more drag. Permanent roof racks can offer a more low-profile design that can improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency and drive.
“Where” you mount your RTT is aimed toward the position of it. If you have a truck, mounting it in the bed would be much better in terms of drivability in comparison to the roof or canopy!
Another thing to give some thought is to try and center the RTT as best as possible. This will keep your vehicle’s weight distribution close to its original makeup.
For more RTT Mounting Ideas, check out our article that has helpful pictures. It also talks about best practices for mounting a RTT and some other safety measures. If you’re more interested in which crossbars and roof racks are best for RTT, click here to check out the article I wrote about it!
Vehicle type and fuel efficiency
The vehicle you drive will probably play the biggest factor in your fuel economy and how it drives with a RTT on it.
For example, if you have a small sedan or hatchback which is light and optimized for fuel economy, it isn’t made to handle the extra weight. Therefore, the vehicle will see a larger drop in fuel efficiency than a truck or large SUV would.
No matter the vehicle, an RTT will reduce fuel efficiency. If you have your RTT mounted year-round and it is your daily driver, I would highly recommend reading my article on Preventing Fuel Loss With A RTT. It will lend some simple and helpful tips for optimizing your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
The type of vehicle you have will also limit your options as to which RTTs will fit it properly. With a smaller vehicle, it is hugely important you don’t overload it!
Trailers
Many overlanders and RTT owners opt to use a trailer to mount their tent to. I think this is a great option because you can bring along more gear, create a basecamp, and easily detach the trailer while leaving your RTT on it.
That being said, I would have reservations about driving at fast speeds with a trailer. It doesn’t even have much to do with the RTT, but more so trailers in general.
If you have ever rented a trailer from U-Haul or some other moving truck company, you may have rented a trailer to tow. If you’ve ever gone over 55 miles per hour you quickly notice how much the trailer “wiggles”. So while the RTT may not slow you down, a trailer probably will.
Even with that, trailers are insanely robust and useful. I wouldn’t let getting to my destination quicker deter me from this purchase.
Wrapping up
In my opinion, driving extra fast usually only gets you to your destination a few minutes quicker. Most campers don’t care about that, rather they want to make sure they are traveling safely to their next awesome adventure!
When I added the RTT to our FJ Cruiser, I was nervous at first about the added weight and vehicle being top-heavy. But to my surprise, the vehicle handled it quite well and now I hardly even notice it is there as I drive to work or the grocery store.
If it is extremely windy and your vehicle sits higher than most, it would probably be a good idea to drive a little more conservative. Other than that, I truly think putting a RTT on your vehicle won’t affect your driving habits all that much!
In my experience, they are safe, fun, and worth every penny you get out of them.