Rooftop Tents: Hard Shell vs Soft Shell, Rack Ratings and Fitment
A rooftop tent puts your bed on the vehicle, off wet ground and away from rocks and critters, and it sets up in minutes instead of the half hour a ground tent can take. The two big choices are hard shell or soft shell, and how many people it has to sleep. The choice that matters most for safety is the rack: your roof rack or bed rack has to be rated to carry the tent while driving. This guide covers all three, plus ladders, setup and how these tents ship.
Short answer: Hard shell tents open in about a minute and pack away fast, but cost more and usually sleep two. Soft shell fold-out tents give more sleeping room for the money and add an annex option, but take longer to pack. Whatever you pick, check that the tent's weight is under your rack's dynamic (driving) load rating and your vehicle's roof limit; the static rating only covers the weight when parked, including the people sleeping in it.
Hard shell vs soft shell rooftop tents
A soft shell tent folds in half over a hinged base and travels under a zip-on cover. To open it, you pull the cover, unfold the tent over the ladder, and set the window rods. A hard shell tent travels inside a rigid aluminum, fiberglass or polymer shell. You release the latches and gas struts lift the lid. Some hard shells are clamshells that open at one end; others pop straight up; and cantilever designs fold out a section of floor for a wider bed.
| Hard shell | Soft shell (fold-out) | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Latches and gas struts; makers cite under a minute | Remove cover, unfold, set rods; a few minutes |
| Pack-down | Close lid, latch; bedding can often stay inside | Fold, tuck fabric, zip cover |
| Sleeping room | Usually two people; cantilever models go larger | Two to four, often with an overhang over the ladder |
| Weather | Rigid lid sheds rain and snow | Rainfly over a canvas body |
| Annex room | Available on some models | Common; the ladder side becomes a ground-level room |
| Roof space | Some shells have crossbars or tracks on top for gear | Nothing carried on top |
Hard shell tents we carry
- OVS HD Mamba 2-Person Clam Shell: OVS says it opens in under a minute (two latches, a ladder and two window rods). Honeycomb aluminum shell, 220 lb dry, and two lid crossbars rated 45 lb open and 100 lb closed.
- OVS LD TMON 2-Person Clamshell: OVS's lighter-duty, budget clamshell with an aluminum honeycomb shell and interior lighting; it skips the skylight and insulation kit. Shipping weight about 150 lb.
- OVS HD Bushveld 2 and HD Bushveld 4: cantilever hard shells that fold out to an 84 x 64 in. or 84 x 72 in. sleeping area. Both open toward the passenger side.
- ROAM Desperado: ROAM says it sets up in under 30 seconds.
- Eezi-Awn Stealth, Blade and Sabre: Eezi-Awn describes the Stealth and Blade as all-aluminum hard shells, and says the two-person Sabre's gas struts set it up in seconds, with a K9 track on top for load bars or a solar bracket.
- Inspired Overland Carbonlite Mini and Carbonlite King: carbon fiber and aluminum. Inspired Overland puts the two-person Mini at roughly 100 lb; the King sleeps up to four. Both come with a hybrid air mattress with a built-in pump.
Soft shell tents we carry
- ROAM Vagabond 2.0 and Vagabond XL 2.0: ROAM's fold-out tents, with a 2.5 in. dual-layer memory foam mattress, LED lighting and an insulated base. The Vagabond Lite sleeps two on high-density foam.
- OVS LD TMBK 3-Person: sized for two adults and a kid. Listed at about 100 lb, with crossbars, hardware, an 81 in. sliding ladder and a travel cover included; OVS rates it four-season ready.
- Eezi-Awn XKLUSIV: Eezi-Awn's folding platform tent in a range of sizes from two adults up to a family of five, with add-on rooms.
What size rooftop tent do I need?
Makers rate tents by how many people they sleep, but a "3-person" tent is usually two adults and a small kid or a dog. Look at the actual mattress or sleeping-area dimensions on the listing. Bigger tents are also heavier, which eats into your rack and roof capacity, and wider, which matters on a mid-size truck or a small SUV.
| Sleeps | Good for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Couples, solo travelers, mid-size trucks, lower roof weight | OVS HD Mamba, Carbonlite Mini, ROAM Vagabond Lite |
| 2 to 3 | Two adults with room to spread out, or a small kid | OVS LD TMBK, OVS HD Bushveld 2 |
| 4 | Families; full-size trucks and larger SUVs | OVS HD Bushveld 4, Carbonlite King, ROAM Vagabond XL 2.0 |
Dynamic vs static load rating: will my rack hold a rooftop tent?
This is the part people skip. Two numbers matter:
- Dynamic load rating is how much weight the rack (or the roof) can carry while the vehicle is moving, including bumps, braking and off-road forces. The tent, plus anything mounted to it, must be under this number.
- Static load rating is how much it can hold when parked. This is the number that covers the tent plus the people sleeping in it. Static ratings are much higher because the weight is spread out and not bouncing.
The lowest rating in the chain wins: the rack, the rack's mounts, and the vehicle's roof. Your owner's manual lists the roof's limit, and the rack maker lists its own. Some published rack ratings from our catalog:
| Rack | Dynamic | Static |
|---|---|---|
| Prinsu Pro Roof Rack, Land Cruiser 250 (and the GX 550 version) | 700 lb | 1,200 lb |
| Ruff Rax Roof Rack, Tacoma 2016-2023 (and the F-150 2021+ version) | 660 lb as listed (see note) | 330 lb as listed |
The Ruff Rax listings show a higher dynamic number than static, which is the reverse of how racks are normally rated. Until it is confirmed, plan around the lower 330 lb figure, and call us so we can check with Ruff Rax before you load a tent on it. On any rack, also check the vehicle's roof rating, which is often the lower number. For vehicle-specific roof rack options, see our Tacoma roof rack guide and 4Runner roof rack guide.
Roof rack or bed rack mounting?
On an SUV, the tent goes on a roof rack or crossbars. On a pickup, you have a choice.
| Roof rack (over the cab) | Bed rack | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | Highest point of the vehicle; watch garages and low branches | Cab-height racks keep the tent at or below the roofline |
| Bed use | Bed stays open | Tent sits over the bed; gear can go underneath |
| Load path | Limited by the cab roof rating | Loads go into the bed rails or bed, usually a higher capacity; check the rack's rating |
| Tent length | Must fit the cab roof | More room for a larger tent on longer beds |
Inspired Overland designed the Carbonlite Mini to sit behind the cab on a low bed rack, keeping the tent at cab height. CBI Offroad Fab makes cab-height bed racks such as the Tacoma Cab Height Bed Rack (2005-2023) and the Jeep Gladiator JT Cab Height Bed Rack, plus a Roof Rack Height Bed Rack for the 2024+ Tacoma if you want the tent level with a roof rack. Load ratings are not on those listings, so check the product page or ask us. Read more in our Tacoma bed rack guide.
Running a Jeep Wrangler without a full rack? The Dirtbox Overland Low Profile Rackless Roof Top Tent mounts to Dirtbox mounting brackets instead of a roof rack. Dirtbox does not list model years on the listing, so confirm your Wrangler with us.
Mounting hardware
Most tents bolt through channels or rails on the base to the rack's crossbars with plates or brackets. Crossbar spacing has to match the tent's mounting channels. OVS lists adjustable mounting channels on its hard shells, and the TMBK includes crossbars. Eezi-Awn sells its Roof Top Tent DIY Installation Kit (8mm bolts, nylock nuts, rectangular washers; the same kit that ships with its tents), and Inspired Overland offers a Rooftop Tent Hardware Kit. Use lock nuts, torque to the maker's spec, and recheck the bolts after the first trip and every few trips after.
Ladders, setup time and daily use
Every tent ships with a ladder, usually telescoping or sliding aluminum. OVS lists an 81 in. ladder with the TMBK and a 96 in. ladder with the Bushveld tents. On a lifted truck or a bed rack, measure from the ground to the tent floor before you buy; ROAM sells a 12 in. ladder extension for its ladders (it requires drilling the ladder).
Setup time is where hard shells earn their price. If you move camp every night, a tent that opens with a few latches and closes with bedding inside saves real time and frustration. If you set up base camp for a few days, a soft shell's extra room and annex may matter more. ROAM's Vagabond 2.0 Annex adds a ground-level room under the ladder side, 6.5 ft long per ROAM.
Mattress, insulation and condensation
Check the mattress spec on the listing: OVS lists a 2.4 in. mattress over an anti-condensation mat in the Mamba, and ROAM lists 2.5 in. memory foam in the Vagabond 2.0. Condensation builds up under any mattress on a cold night; an anti-condensation layer and cracking a window help. For cold-weather camping, ROAM sells Vagabond tent insulation for its V1 and V2 tents.
How do rooftop tents ship?
Most full-size rooftop tents ship by freight truck, not parcel. The OVS listings say to plan on a delivery appointment, and Eezi-Awn ships its hard shells within the contiguous U.S. only. Shipping weights run from about 115 lb for the TMBK to about 175 lb for the Bushveld 4, so have two or more people (or a forklift for the heavier tents) for unloading and mounting. Inspect the crate before signing for it.
What NVMOS carries
We carry rooftop tents from ROAM Adventure Co., Overland Vehicle Systems, Eezi-Awn, Inspired Overland and Dirtbox Overland, plus the roof racks, bed racks, annexes and hardware to go with them.
- OVS HD Mamba 2-Person Clam Shell
- OVS HD Bushveld 4
- ROAM Vagabond 2.0
- Eezi-Awn Stealth
- Inspired Overland Carbonlite Mini
- Prinsu Pro Roof Rack, GX 550
Browse by category: Roof top tents, Complete roof racks, Bed racks, ROAM Adventure Co., Overland Vehicle Systems, Eezi-Awn, Inspired Overland, Shop by vehicle and vendor warranty policies.
Frequently asked questions
Is a hard shell or soft shell rooftop tent better?
It depends on how you camp. Hard shells open and close in about a minute, can keep bedding inside, and shed weather well, but cost more and usually sleep two. Soft shell fold-out tents give more sleeping room for the money and often take an annex room, but take longer to set up and pack.
What is the difference between dynamic and static load rating?
The dynamic rating is how much a rack or roof can carry while driving. The static rating is how much it can hold when parked. The tent must be under the dynamic rating; the static rating has to cover the tent plus the people sleeping in it. The lowest number in the chain, rack or roof, is your limit.
Can I put a rooftop tent on a bed rack?
Yes. Many truck owners mount the tent on a bed rack, often a cab-height rack so the tent stays at or below the roofline. Check the bed rack's load rating for the tent's weight, and make sure the tent fits the rack's crossbar spacing.
How much does a rooftop tent weigh?
It varies widely. From our listings, Inspired Overland puts the Carbonlite Mini at roughly 100 lb, OVS lists the LD TMBK at about 100 lb and the HD Mamba at 220 lb dry, and the HD Bushveld 4 ships at about 175 lb. Check the product page for the exact weight.
Do rooftop tents ship by freight?
Most full-size rooftop tents ship by freight truck and need a delivery appointment. Plan on two or more people, or equipment for the heavier tents, to unload and mount it.
Will a rooftop tent fit my vehicle?
Most tents are listed as universal and mount to any roof rack or bed rack rated for their weight. What matters is the rack's load rating, the vehicle's roof limit, crossbar spacing and the tent's footprint. Call us with your vehicle and rack, and we will check it.
Not sure what fits? Call a real person at (920) 249-7744 or send us a message, and we'll check fitment before you order.
