ARE ROOFTOP TENTS WORTH IT?
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 [...]