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Car roof tent, roof tent T5, roof tent T6
Roof tent with hard shell for panel vans, off-road vehicles and cars - the roof box tents from Top-Camp
The car roof tent has been around since the mid-50s and the hard-shell roof tent is currently experiencing a renaissance, and rightly so. The TopCamp roof tent with hard shell offered here is available in 5 different sizes. With 2 C-rails, you can easily mount your car roof tent with hard shell like a roof box on the roof rails of your car, SUV or van and off you go!
Hard-shell roof tents - for cars, camping buses and off-road vehicles (SUV & 4x4)
Hard-shell roof tents have been around for over 75 years. Although the materials and manufacturing processes of roof tents have changed fundamentally in recent years, the basic design has remained almost the same. The hard-shell roof tent has stood the test of time over all these decades and is therefore still used to some extent unchanged by manufacturers today. However, this is where the similarities between the various suppliers of car roof tents end. As is so often the case, the differences lie in the details and are not always apparent at first glance. Take a look at the tent material, for example. Many entry-level models are made of 100% synthetic fibre. Although these materials are quite light, these car roof tents have quite a few deficits in breathability and can quickly turn the roof tent for VW Bus into a sauna. In comparison, cotton or polycotton provides a better climate, but is a little heavier. The ventilation of your car roof tent and a breathable material is therefore the be-all and end-all. The roof tent Camper from TopCamp has 2 entrances equipped with mosquito nets. So nothing stands in the way of a proper supply of fresh air to your roof box tent.
Keeping car roof tents light - the compromise between weight and stability
When it comes to car roof tents, there are suppliers who try to score points with the explanation that particularly thick material promises waterproofness in the roof box tent. However, the thickness of the tent fabric has no effect on waterproofness. Just think of the absolutely dense and extremely thin material from which umbrellas are made. Basically, extremely thick material used in a car roof tent is just unnecessary weight. Weight on the car roof changes the centre of gravity and the handling of your vehicle. Therefore, avoid any unnecessary weight! Heavy fabrics tend to get soaked up and take longer to dry. Really good tent fabrics should be light, robust and, above all, breathable, like the polycotton blend fabric. The light weight of polyester, combined with the breathability and durability of cotton, robustly backed with ripstop is the ideal tent fabric for your roof box tent. The muted colours of car roof tents blend in well with nature and are less prone to staining. At the same time, they are light enough to prevent the T5 roof tent from heating up.
Waterproofness of the roof tent VW Bus and panel van
To protect your roof tent VW Bus and panel van in the long term, the hard shell must be made of a particularly resistant material. After all, it is exposed to one or the other branch, weather and other inclemencies. Therefore, the roof tent hard shell, the protective, robust plastic box, is particularly durable. Two points are primarily decisive for the waterproofness of the roof tent camper: Firstly, the way in which the material has been impregnated and the quality of the seams. Especially when it comes to impregnation, you should avoid tent fabrics that have only been coated. The coating can come off over time and the material has to be impregnated again. A better impregnation is when the tent fabric is completely immersed in the impregnation. Although such a treatment is more time intensive, it pays off in the long run. Problems with leaking roof box tents that have to be regularly re-impregnated can be avoided in this way.
Roof tent T5, T6, T4 with welded seam tape
Tent seams of the roof tent T5, T6, T4 should not only be double stitched, but also welded with a seam tape. Another quality feature of tents for car roofs is that the tent material is stitched and stretched seams cannot be avoided, especially under tension. These weak points should be welded and taped with special tape. An alternative is a special sewing thread that swells and thus seals the seams of your roof tent hard shell.
Wet mattress in the roof box tent
A regularly occurring problem is often caused by the foam mattresses commonly used in the roof box tent. As soon as the mattress comes into contact with the soaked tent skin, the mattress draws moisture like a sponge into the interior of the T5 roof tent. The problem can be easily solved with a PVC strip between the tent skin and the mattress. This strip separates the mattress from the tent fabric and thus prevents the direct exchange of moisture. Simple solution, but very effective when used.
Tents for the car roof - Important for the indoor climate: all openings with mosquito nets.
Large openings in the tent walls ensure a pleasant indoor climate in the car roof tent. This is particularly important in the summer months. Windows and doors provide ample ventilation to keep the tent cool, and the windows are also equipped with extra-tight mosquito nets. For roof tents for VW and other panel vans, the floor panels are particularly important. Wood-based floor units can reduce costs, but unfortunately are very susceptible to warping, rot and mould. An aluminium sandwich floor is slightly more expensive to produce for the car roof tent, but pays for itself in longevity. Aluminium is more resistant and, above all, lighter. This is interesting when you think about the mentioned centre of gravity of your vehicle and also the fuel consumption is not irrelevant.
Over 75 years of folding roof tents, the comfortable solution for your active adventure holiday! For those who have always found wet tent floors and fiddling with guy ropes, pegs and rock-hard floors annoying, a hard-shell roof tent is a good alternative. Quick to pitch, comfortable, weatherproof and with enough distance to the creepers on the ground.
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