They spent 6 nights in the desert to find out.
Article by Kai Burkhardt of CNN Underscored
June 28, 2023

Kai is a long-time tent camper who wanted to know: Rooftop tents “promise a more comfortable sleep experience and ultimate convenience, however, with a price tag of thousands of dollars … Are rooftop tents worth it?”

He mounted a Thule Approach M to his vehicle, drove from Boulder to Moab and camped in the desert to find out. He begins his review by explaining the general advantages of rooftop tents:

They’re engineered to handle highway speeds.
You sleep ‘up and away’ from the ground.
They’re often easier to set up and take down.

He discusses soft-shell vs hard-shell rooftop tents and ‘what to consider’ before clicking ‘add to cart.’

HIGHLIGHTS: WHAT HE LIKED ABOUT THE THULE APPROACH

“Assembling my ground tent took 7 minutes 20 seconds while the rooftop tent only took 2 minutes 25 seconds.”

“It was the best sleep I’ve ever had while camping. The Thule Approach and all other rooftop tents have a built-in mattress that you just can’t compare to an inflatable sleeping pad.”

“Another thing I loved about the Thule Approach was just how big its interior was… since it folds out past the roof of your car, there was tons of floor space. I slept in there with my partner and our 45-pound dog.”

“Taking down and packing up my traditional tent took 5 minutes 18 seconds and the Approach also took just a bit over 5 minutes.”

WHAT HE DIDN’T LIKE

“What I didn’t love about the Approach and rooftop tents, in general, was having to haul any gear you wanted in the tent up its ladder. If you’re just bringing a water bottle and a book up each night, this isn’t too troublesome, but I had to scoop up my 45-pound dog and carefully climb up the ladder, which required a fair bit of strength and balance.”

“… it’s kind of obvious, but you can’t go anywhere with the rooftop tent set up.” Pack, unpack, pack … “It doesn’t take that long, but it’s yet another task to add to the never-ending to-do list that’s inherent to camping.”

“… the prices for these things are exorbitant… $2,500 for a tent is no laughing matter.”