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Best Rooftop Tent for a Land Cruiser
Best Rooftop Tent for a Land Cruiser
- Gear, Tents
There is no arguing that there is something special about spending the night (or many) in a rooftop tent. Certainly amongst the Land Cruiser community who have a spirit of overlanding at their core, it seems to have a certain alacrity. So it must be asked, "What is the best rooftop tent for a Land Cruiser?"
Not only is it a little cooler up there catching any bit of breeze that might be available, but also there is an element of security and comfort in knowing that only by means of a really concerted effort would a predator gain access to your lofty residence. A rooftop tent is also quite simply the best way to simplify your camp setup, especially in areas where said predators reside.
Rooftop tents (RTT) have really somewhat changed the game for overlanders around the world. There is something so comforting about spending the night above the ground in a place that is unfamiliar. From a campsite where ant invasions take place on a scale of mass proportions, to areas with larger creatures with a more carnivorous diet. Or just campsites with uneven and rocky ground, the roof top tent can quite literally be a lifesaver.
There is obviously a downside to this sleeping arrangement when your travel companion might be your very overweight brother in law who happens to lash out in his sleep while living out his dim and distant misspent youth in the centre of a rugby scrum. However there is no doubt that the convenience and comfort far outweigh the added fuel cost and compromise of decreased rooftop packing space.
Before we answer the question we posed earlier, lets dive a bit deeper.
Benefits of a Rooftop Tent on a Land Cruiser
Rooftop tents are really sort of the penthouse of tents. Because they are raised off the ground they offer premium views over their grounded counterparts. They are quick and easy to set up in virtually any environment come rain (or snow) or shine.
While there is some buffeting and rocking in adverse weather conditions, rooftop tents don’t have any pegs that rip out in the dead of night with high winds, causing your accommodation to collapse on you, often leading to the use of some desperate and abusive french. They tend to handle these harsh weather conditions much better than ground tents due to their solid base, and robust and durable build quality and design.
They often come with a mattress already as part of the design and supplied with the tent, and for the most part they are very comfortable. However, it’s never a bad idea to add an extra layer of eggshell foam on top of it. In many of them there is space to pack all your bedding inside the rooftop tent, which makes more space available in your vehicle, another time saver when setting up camp.
Rooftop tents are for the most part made with quality as a priority. In general, this means thick mattresses, high grammage ripstop canvas, good zips, sometimes interior lights, storage compartments, and quality insulation. The water resistance is generally quite good, particularly on your hard top variety where only the side walls are subject to the elements, and if looked after properly, they will look after you for a long time.
Disadvantage of a Rooftop Tent
Aerodynamics & Space
Having the aerodynamics of a brick there is certainly an trade-off of having a bulky rooftop tent (even the more sleek designs) on top of your Land Cruiser and that is an estimated increased fuel spend of around 10%. If you own a 100 Series 4500EFI which is notorious for its healthy appetite, you should be used to high fuel spend and an extra 10% won’t shock you.
The rooftop tent will also take up most of a full-length rack. Certainly at least for a hardshell. A softshell will be a bit less. Once your rooftop tent is securely attached to the racks, it can sometimes take a stretch of the imagination to find additional space for anything else that still needs to go on the trip, like jerry cans and a gas bottle. Most hardshell designs are designed for two people, and that is without standing. While some softshell designs are larger and can be a bit wider, they are still very vertically challenged.
Accessibility
Another con to a rooftop tent for some is the ladder. Often designed with very narrow footholds to save on space, these 2 meter high contraptions certainly wouldn’t be a fireman’s tool of first choice in a rescue situation. And there can be a similar urgency for some when nature calls at 2 o’clock on a frosty morning only to find the ladder rungs iced over and really quite the hazard at any degree of speed.
Load Bearing Capacity
A good quality well engineered roof rack is essential. Mounting points both to the vehicle as well as to the rooftop tent are always high stress points. Many overlanders have experienced the emergency bush repairs to broken roof rack mounts.
In most cases, roof racks shouldn’t really be taking on more than around 80-100kg. Depending on your rooftop tent, this can pretty much use up this quota, again forcing you to get creative with packing inside your Cruiser. There are outliers like this rooftop tent by Front Runner that only weighs 43kg, the lightest rooftop tent on the market.
Pro Tip: It is always better to pack your heavier items as low in the car as you can get them, as this will lower your center of gravity and maintain more of the cars unloaded handling ability.
Other Good To Knows
Hardshell or Softshell
There are really only two types of rooftop tents – hardshell and softshell. They come in varying degrees of shapes and sizes, but for the most part, they follow the same designs.
The hardshell roof top tents tend to have a pop top that can just be lifted by releasing 2 catches on the one side, and allowing the gas strut mechanism to do the rest. This is the design that Alucab’s Gen 3 Expedition follows.
There are some premium brands like the Opus Camper Trailers which erect themselves at the push of a button. We have at times watched, somewhat enviously we might add, the ease with which these erect themselves, particularly after a long, dusty, and tiring day.
Softshell rooftop tents require a bit more effort for the setup, as you often have to fold the tent open and set up a few poles and other gizmos. This also usually involves first removing a dust cover. However the softshell is really only adding a minute or two to your setup time, and are often significantly cheaper than the hardshells. They also tend to weigh a bit less, like Front Runner’s Roof Top Tent.
Dimensions also vary somewhat, however on average you’re looking at about 2.3 meters long by 1.4 meters wide for external and around 2.1 meters by 1.3 meters internal. It’s about a 200-210 mm additional height on top of your Cruiser when closed, something to keep in mind when driving into your garage with your newly fitted pristine Alucab or something similar. Open, they usually stand around 1.6-2m high, with an internal height of around 1.6m.
Attaching or Detaching Your Rooftop Tent to your Land Cruiser
Attaching a rooftop tent on your cruiser requires no less than two people, and in some cases a third is advised. As mentioned earlier as well, it is essential that you are making use of a good quality and well engineered roof rack and mounting points, as this may save you from a world of frustration down the line.
Many who have the space and height capacity in their garages, utilize a system of pulleys, which when secured to the loosened rack, make the lift from the vehicle a relatively painless process. Some even utilize a small electric winch pulley system, which is really painless in operation, even if it is a little more damaging to the budget in the purchasing of such.
Price
Finally, the price for a rooftop tent is usually quite hefty. At least much higher than that of a ground tent. But then again all that quality and convenience must come at a price. However, as long as you are not breaking the bank, the cost is worth it. The great thing is that you don’t have to break the bank to begin enjoying this overlanding penthouse living, as entry level tents like the Tentco Safari Rooftop Tent start at R11,500.00. If you are looking to splurge a bit, then you may want to look at Alu-Cab’s Gen 3 Expedition Tent. This rooftop tent will set you back around R40,000.00, but you can understand why when you climb inside one and feel the overall design and finishes.
Our 2 Cents
So to come back to our original question, “what is the best rooftop tent for a Land Cruiser?” the answer is this. It’s the one that best suits your needs. By taking into account all factors, things like accessibility, design, and perhaps most importantly, price, you need to decide what is going to suit your needs the best. Perhaps you are just entering the game and looking to do the odd weekend away. Then it probably doesn’t make sense to go for an Alu-Cab Gen 3. But maybe you’ve been at it a while and are ready to make that commitment. Well then that is the one that could be best for you.
Happy camping!
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