Best Rooftop Tent for Small Cars: iKamper Skycamp 3.0 Mini
This aerodynamic and lightweight rooftop tent will fit any car you want to put it on, right down to a Mini Cooper. It’s also one of the easiest rooftop tents to deploy — setup takes less than a minute, and so does takedown.
The Skycamp Mini’s hardshell cover flips open to become one wall of the tent, the only wall without a window. That wall is lined with a quilted panel printed with a world map.
The quilting aids with condensation management, while the global map motivates tent occupants to plan their next excursion. Furthermore, the tent’s sides, front, and ceiling all have huge canopy windows for weather-protected circulation and amazing views.
The Skycamp Mini 3.0 is constructed of breathable blackout polycotton canvas and a waterproof polyester rainfly. For improved ventilation and uninterrupted viewing, the fly detaches.
The waterproof zippers on the fly will come in handy during a storm. Because there is no vinyl covering on the canvas or the fly, it is more breathable and produces less condensation than many other tents. It’s also quieter when there’s a breeze.
The tent’s foundation is comprised of honeycomb aluminum plates that trap air for increased insulation. On top of the honeycomb floor is a 2.25-inch firm polyfoam mattress.
If you want a firm mattress, this configuration is for you. If you don’t, you may replace it with a softer aftermarket mattress.
Climb the iKamper’s inbuilt telescopic ladder to enter the tent. The rungs of the ladder run parallel to the ground when it is fastened to the tent. Climbing the ladder is therefore safer and more pleasant than climbing other rooftop tent ladders. When the ladder leans against the canvas in other tents, the ladder rungs are inclined.
Best for Headroom: Roofnest Sparrow EYE
Roofnest’s two-person pop-up hardshell wedge tent, which was recently updated, has a higher peak than tents that rise in all four corners. This one is similarly very simple to open and has gear storage on top.
You reduce weight and complexity by using a wedge instead of a tent that raises in the tip and tail. Lifting struts are only required at one end of a wedge tent.
When you unclip it, the Sparrow EYE opens with a simple shove to engage the front struts. There are no tent poles to mess with, and there is just one awning to prop up.
Even without a fourth wall, the enormous entryway and side windows keep the inside of the tent fresh and cool.
The Sparrow EYE’s tent is made of a breathable polyurethane-coated polyester and cotton mix that is three times as waterproof as conventional hiking tents. It makes the tent feel more strong, protective, and secure, similar to a safari tent rather than a camping tent.
It’s insulating in cold weather and noise-reducing in wind. The twin side windows and door of the Sparrow EYE feature zippered mesh and zippered canvas coverings for as much bug-proofing, weather repellency, and circulation as required.