Sprache wechseln
A glance at the history of camping reveals a relentless march from simple beginnings. The traditional ground tents that have been the home of every self-respecting explorer for centuries, are nostalgic creations that require a meticulous approach: poles must align, stakes must be driven into an unforgiving earth, and the fabric must behave itself. Typically, this feat can take between 15 and 30 minutes, certainly longer if the tent is large or the weather foul. Packing it away will echo similar labours.
But, as with all great adventures, innovation has provided a solution—rooftop tents. These elevated constructs promise simplicity and efficiency, enabling us to concentrate more on the journey rather than the tedious erection.
SOFT SHELL
Setting up the modern soft-shell variant involves removing its cover, deploying the ladder, unfolding it from its sturdy base, and using spring steel poles to raise the porches. With some practice, a single person can be ready in five to fifteen minutes. Packing up, a ceremony in reverse, is almost as quick, delayed merely by the folding and tucking in of the tent fabric before repositioning and securing the cover.
HYBRID
Consider the hybrid, a marriage of the swift and the sturdy. Hybrid tents aim to strike a balance with their blend of features, boasting set-up times of around three to five minutes. The assistance of gas struts renders the task efficient, leaving you only to deploy the ladder and open the tent extension. Closing away is just as easy, with a little extra time for tucking away flaps of tent so that they don’t get trapped when the lid closes.
HARD SHELL
Hard-shell rooftop tents, the fortresses of our mobile adventures, offer the quickest deployment. Release a few clasps and they spring into readiness in little more than one minute. Folding them away is similarly decisive, leaving you to lock those clasps and focus on the journey ahead.
CONCLUSION
In addition to their lofty comfort and level floor, rooftop tents in all their variations, afford the modern adventurer a precious commodity—time. Whether you arrive at your destination weary after hours of driving, or the weather has turned viciously against you with rain, sleet or howling winds, you can be inside your tent within minutes of turning off the engine. And it makes no significant difference whether one or two people are involved in pitching.
Small details such as bungees, which you pull around the waist of the tent to draw in the material as it folds closed, are a big asset and are included as standard on most modern tents.
The rooftop tent, regardless of style, commands minimal assembly time, leaving more time for the things you really enjoy… and let’s not forget the fantastic views in the morning.
Here’s to less time spent on trivialities and more spent embracing the vast and welcoming unknown.
