One of the many attractive selling points of a rooftop tent is its quick and easy setup process. However, some take longer than others due to a variety of factors!
The biggest thing to consider when looking at how fast you can setup a rooftop tent is by the design and style. In general, a pop-up rooftop tent is the fastest to set up! Oftentimes, you can have the tent completely set up in under 60-90 seconds.
Some brands have a more robust design than others. We will go over specific examples of some of the fastest rooftop tents to set up and why they are quicker than others in their space!
Which overall roof top tent design is the fastest?
Pop-up RTTs take the cake here! Some pop-up models can be fully deployed in less than 90 seconds. There are even a couple of outliers here that aren’t a pop-up, nor a softshell.
The pop-up design minimizes the number of steps to complete the setup. All that is required is unclipping the latches and straps that keep the roof tent closed. Then you give each end of the tent a push upward, and the gas struts do most of the work from there.
This process includes the ladder being equipped as well. Depending on the environment you’re in, you can open one or multiple rain flies which will add a couple more minutes to the setup time.
This guy gives a great example of how quickly one can set up a pop-up tent. He uses a Roam rooftop tent for his demonstration but it’s very similar to most other brands in terms of design. You can skip ahead to the four-minute mark of the video if you’re interested in seeing just the setup.
Another consideration I would like to point out is being able to leave bedding in the tent. Often times, foldable tents won’t close completely when you leave a pillow or sleeping bag in them.
With a pop-up tent you can leave most of the bedding material in the tent and not worry about it being too bulky to shut! So if you have a topper on your mattress, you can leave it in the tent and not spend time rolling it up and packing it in the car.
Why do foldable roof top tents take longer to setup?
The reason for this is because foldable and softshell rooftop tents require more steps in the setup process. It varies depending on each RTT model, but you can typically expect setup to be around 10 minutes give or take.
When you start to set up a foldable rooftop tent, you have to unbuckle and take the cover off. This eats up a solid couple of minutes. On top of that, they get muddy and dusty over time which is a pain in the butt. Depending on the cover being a zipper or velcro, it may be faster for some than others.
Then you must unstrap the compression clamps which hold the tent together. Another added step is setting up the extension hoop and staking it into the ground.
Lastly, you need to deploy all of the spring rods. The number of rain flies and spring rods you need to install will vary from tent to tent.
A nice feature to have, but one that is not necessary for a hard shell, is a snow pole. The hardshell already has a sturdy cover that won’t be weighed down by snow. The thin fabric on a softshell tent needs this extra support so it doesn’t rip.
After these steps are taken, you’re finally done with the setup of your softshell roof tent! I think foldable tents are great and offer many benefits, but it lacks a speedy setup process.
For a great visual, here is a quick video on what to expect for your standard foldable tent process.
Foldable roof top tent exceptions (fastest set up times)
While for the most part foldable tents will take longer to setup, this isn’t always true. A couple of manufacturers have innovative designs the utilize the foldable tent style, but don’t have a shell or cover.
Two tents that feature this hybrid design are the FSR High Country and the X Cover. These tents can be setup in under 60 seconds with very minimal effort. What’s better, you aren’t stuck in that three person tent capacity. The tents can accommodate four, even five people at a time!
iKamper’s X Cover in particular has some really unique features and can even have a rack on top of the tent to carry other equipment like bikes, skis, etc.
Here is an awesome demonstration on how this design works. This is the FSR RTT.
How fast can you set up a roof top tent?
You can open a hard shell roof top tent in less than 60 seconds. Soft shell roof top tents typically take a bit longer to set up at around minutes.
This depends solely on the style roof tent you have. It can range anywhere from one to fifteen minutes for a complete setup. From pop-up to clamshell to foldable tent designs, each will vary in set up time. Furthermore, some brands within these styles add more features than others.
Either way, a rooftop tent beats a regular ground tent in most scenarios. Some ground tents are super quick to deploy. However, breaking it down will take longer and you then have to worry about mud and dirt on the tent.
Take into account the breakdown of camp. You’re usually scrambling to clean everything up and pack all of the gear into your car. The cleanup and break down of any rooftop tent is much more streamlined than almost any ground tent!
Does the size of a roof top tent effect set up time?
Yes, size matters! XL foldable tents will take longer to put together. In other words, tents that fit four people comfortably usually require more steps to setup. The main reason is simply due to the larger footprint. You will have a bigger cover, an extra ladder most likely, and the tent is much heavier.
If you’re a family of four, your options are limited to a foldable style tent. The reason for this is a folded roof tent doubles its size when opened. Whereas a pop-up tent’s footprint stays exactly the same. Foldable tents offer more room when opened than any other design.
As I touched on earlier, the innovative hybrid design can beat even the quickest pop up tents. This is the rare exception in which a foldable tent can compete.
Top picks for fast roof top tent setup times
Here are a few of my favorite picks from reliable brands that ensure a quality product and fast setup!
- James Baroud is one of the top brands in the industry. You can pop one of these open in less than 30 seconds! They price their products at a premium, but rightfully so! They only make clamshell and popup hardshell RTTs. You cannot go wrong with one of these bad boys!
- The Tepui HyBox is similar in design to the James Baroud roof tent. Tepui is a pillar in the RTT community. This tent even features extra cargo space inside the tent while maintaining a low profile. This tent is priced very reasonably.
- Roofnest Falcon offers a different style of a tent with its clamshell design. Super quick setup with only one side popping up with the assistance of gas struts. You can even add a rack on top of this RTT for bikes or other equipment.
- FSR Odyssey hardshell rooftop tent has an insanely sleek and minimalistic design. A variant of the clamshell-style, this uniquely designed tent can fit up to three people
- FSR High Country (foldable style) particularly great for four season use and inclement weather.
- X Cover (foldable style) top of the line quality with great accessory options. Probably one of the best all around tents for someone needing to bring extra gear along with their RTT.
Keep in mind these are my personal recommendations for tents you can set up in the shortest amount of time! They are all high-quality tents and would make any owner happy with their purchase.
If you have a family and need a bigger tent, this list may not suit your needs exactly!
What about closing the roof top tent quickly
Again, hardshell’s have the advantage here over any foldable RTT. If you find yourself camping in snow or cold weather, you will notice ice and condensation build-up on the tent.
You can imagine that the fabric on a pop-up RTT would be better protected from absorbing water and snow because of the hard shell. Whereas a softshell tent is completely fabric.
As condensation builds up and freezes along with snow, the foldable tent becomes increasingly hard to close. Sometimes you even have to thaw your RTT before it can close completely.
Now you might be thinking to yourself, I have zero plans to be camping in the snow. But condensation build-up happens quickly overnight and it doesn’t need to snow to freeze up your tent.
How to speed up the time to mount/dismount your roof top tent
I would consider this to be part of the “setup” process for a RTT because most users aren’t keeping it attached all year. Taking the tent on and off can be tedious and requires many helping hands.
For the most past all RTTs have the same mounting process where you simply tighten the bolts on four mounting brackets. The best way to speed this process up is by adding a quick-release mounting system.
Each respective tent manufacturer often has its specially fitted quick-mount system to fit the tent or mounting rack perfectly. This system will cost anywhere from $100-$200 depending on the brand.
Instead of fastening eight bolts every time you go to mount the RTT, you can cut the install time down to a fraction of what it was before. Simply clamp four mounting brackets and you’re done!
Are there disadvantages to a hardshell roof top tent?
Even hardshell rooftop tents have their drawbacks. The biggest limitation of this design is its fixed footprint.
Foldable tents range from 2-4 people capacities. Where the largest hardtop you may find can fit 2.5-3 people. A half person is a small child or dog by the way.
Even though I would recommend a hardshell tent to anyone who asked, they’re not right for all campers.
Another drawback is they are not cheap! For a decent hardtop tent you’re looking at about a $3,000 price point. They’re expensive for a reason. These tents are top of the line and have seamless designs!
Hardshell roof top tent pros
- Hardtop RTTs often have more height inside the tent. When opened the Roam RTT is 42″ tall. This gives you plenty of headroom.
- Hardshell tents are great for inclement weather like wind, rain, or snow. It provides a thicker layer between you and the elements and can handle the weight of snow on top of it.
- They are durable! You never have to deal with those pesky tent covers! You just pop the tent up and push it shut. The covers collect dust, mud, and break down over time. Hardshell tents will not see the effects of normal wear and tear.
- Hardshell RTTs are more fuel-efficient. They are low profile compared to their counterparts. This decreases air resistance and offers a smoother drive to your next destination.
- Not in all cases, but insulation is better in a hard shell. That thick layer above you keeps heat in better than an all fabric RTT will.
Wrap Up
Cutting down your setup time for a RTT comes down to two factors. The style of your RTT and the mounting system that is equipped. For roof tent owners that have been through a couple of models, I believe you would find this a reasonable consideration.
At the end of the day, all roof top tents are fast in their own right and beat a dusty old ground tent any day!