Everything you want to know about roof tents - and then some

Roof tents can be attached to most cars with standard roof rails . With a roof tent, it's easy to get out into nature and you decide where you stay for the night. Once you've found your spot, it only takes a few minutes to go from parking to ready camp. Inside the tent is a thick mattress which, in combination with the whistling of the wind, makes you sleep like a baby.

Can your car really handle the weight of a roof tent and your whole family up in it? The short answer is YES. You can find the long answer here .

Different types of roof tents

There are essentially two types of roof tents – soft shell and hard shell. Softshell looks like a normal tent and unfolds like a fan. Our roof tents Åreskutan and Lillskutan are soft-shell roof tents.

Hard shell looks more like a box that folds up automatically (or by cranking) up a roof box with the help of hydraulic pistons. There are also roof tents with air ducts as struts and which are folded up with the help of an air pump.

This is what you should consider when buying a roof tent

Before buying a roof tent, you should first ask yourself a few questions. What is most important to you when it comes to your new roof tent - price, quality, how quickly it can be folded up, how many people can fit, service, smart details?

You also need to check that your roof racks have an approved maximum load that can handle a roof tent.

Here you can read more about what is good to think about when buying a roof tent

All the roof tents we sell at Taktältarna are soft shells. We have chosen to sell softshells because we think they are more affordable and also more spacious and more fun than hardshells.

Roof tents are suitable for both glamping and tougher adventures

The ease of unfolding and collapsing the tent makes roof tents perfect for everything from aspiring outdoor enthusiasts to those looking for a glamping feeling and seasoned adventurers who may want to use the roof tent as a base camp for their adventures.

This is how you pitch a roof tent

Here you can see a video where Ola from Taktältarna folds up our Åreskutan roof tent.

The history of the roof tent

The first roof tents appeared in Western Europe already in the 1930s. They became popular early on in what was then East Germany where they were sold as accessories to the characteristic Trabants.

In the late 1950s, both hard-shell and soft-shell models were patented by Italian inventors. First up was the hard shell model "Autocampeggio Stogl" which would later be named Maggiolina. In 1959, the soft shell model Air Camping came. Both models were launched at the same time and quickly became popular with the general public and then moved on to adventurers and extreme campers thanks to adventurer Nino Cirani's adventures with his Land Rover.

After that, roof tents have spread to all continents and have been popular in outdoor and expedition circles, especially on large cars such as jeeps and Land Rovers in Australia, Africa and the USA.

In recent years, more and more roof tents have started to appear on ordinary cars and campsites. They have been particularly popular in the undeniable stronghold of camping life – Germany. Now they have also finally started to be seen more and more on the roads here in Scandinavia!

Roof tent for hunting and fishing

A roof tent is also suitable for those who are going out fishing and hunting. Go to the location of the hunt in the evening and you don't have to get up in the morning to transport yourself first.

Roof tents can also be advantageously used as an extra room when you have (or receive) an unexpected visit, as an epic sleeping place when you're going to competitions, exhibitions, festivals and concerts (yes, we've tried!).

Can you pitch a roof tent in the winter?

When more and more Swedes are now discovering the amazingness of the roof tent, we are often asked if it is possible to use our roof tents in the winter. The answer is yes! We ourselves have been out and tested our roof tents in sub-zero temperatures. Here you can read what you should think about when you go roof tenting in the winter as well as our best tips for it.

Can you pitch a roof tent with a dog?

Roof tenting with a dog works great. If it's a small dog, you can just lift it up into the roof tent by carrying it while you climb the ladder. If you have a larger dog, you can either buy a special ramp or you can lay out sleeping mats on the bonnet and windscreen and let the dog go up there and jump in through one of the roof tent's windows. Here are more tips for those who want to tent with a dog .

How to find campsites for rooftop tents?

Alone by the water, surrounded by beautiful nature and beautiful views. It's the ultimate tent camping site in our opinion. But how to find it? Here you will find 5 tips on how to find the perfect campsite for roof tents

Is it possible to rent roof tents?

Renting a roof tent is a good option for those who don't think you would use a roof tent that much, for those who want to make a more sustainable choice, or for those who lack space to store a roof tent. At Taktältarna we offer rental of roof tents in Östersund and Stockholm. We also collaborate with various partners in other places in the country. Here you will find current places where you can rent roof tents . There are usually also private individuals who rent out their roof tents at, for example, Hygglo or Blocket.

More advantages of roof tents

Rooftop tents are simply the perfect way to experience vacation and adventure. Here we list 16 advantages of roof tents .

Keen to try a roof tent?

We at Taktältarna are experts in Roof Tents. In our webshop we sell roof tents developed and tested by roof tent enthusiasts in Åre. Do you have questions and concerns? Get in touch ! We help you take your adventure to the next level.