Guide 2025: Roof Tents for Cars – Which One Should You Choose?

Want to jump on the roof tent trend? Congratulations! You have many wonderful adventures ahead of you. But before that, you of course need to find a tent for your car roof that fits. Here we list what you should consider before buying a roof tent for your car. 

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1. How many people should fit in the roof tent?

The first and most important decision you need to make is how many people you want to be able to sleep up in the roof tent.

We at Taktältarna sell roof tent models suitable for solo adventurers, newly in love couples, and families with children.

Look at the width of the mattress; they range from 120 to 220 centimeters. We at Taktältarna have tents for cars from 140 centimeters wide up to 220 centimeters.

  • A roof tent with a 140 centimeter width is suitable for 2 adults or 2 adults and a small child.
  • A car roof tent with a 165 centimeter wide mattress fits well for 2-3 adults.
  • A roof tent with a 180 centimeter wide mattress fits two adults and two children or three adults.
  • A roof tent with a 220 centimeter wide mattress fits up to five adults.

Our most popular roof tents for cars among families with children are Åreskutan four-person and Svartberget Large.

The size you should choose ultimately depends on the size of those who will sleep in the roof tent, how much space you want, and perhaps how well you know each other!

If you want the option to sometimes bring more people, we recommend buying an awning where you get two extra sleeping places on the ground.

2. Which car do you want to mount the roof tent on?

Roof tents can be mounted on most cars – from Porsche to pickups.

If you have a smaller car, you may need to choose a smaller and lighter roof tent, for example our Åreskutan two-person with a 140 centimeter wide mattress or Svartberget Small.

You can easily find out which roof tents fit your car by checking two things.

3 things you should check before choosing a tent for your car

Before buying a roof tent for your car roof, there are two things you should check:

1. The maximum load on the car roof. The maximum load specified is the so-called dynamic weight, meaning the maximum load when the car is in motion. It is usually between 60 - 100 kilos. The maximum load is specified by car manufacturers because driving characteristics and the car's center of gravity change when driving with a load on the roof.

A stationary car can handle a significantly higher weight on the roof. Here you can read more about roof tents and the load on the car roof.

If you have a normal-sized car, like a Volvo V60 and up, you can most likely choose any size you want. But always check what your car's user manual says to be safe.

2. That your roof racks are suitable for mounting a tent on the car roof. We recommend roof racks that attach to the car's rails or fixed mounting points and have a maximum load of at least 75 kilos. The roof racks' maximum load must accommodate both the roof tent and the weight of the roof racks.

The roof racks should also be able to be placed between 70 and 110 centimeters apart. Read more on each roof tent's product page about what applies to the roof tent you want. Read more about roof racks and roof tents here.

3. The size of the car roof. Get an idea of how much space the roof tent you want takes up on your car roof. Length is most important – measure with the trunk open. You still want to be able to open it with the roof tent mounted.

If you look at our hard shell tents Blåsten and Totthummeln Large, it is also good to measure the width of the car roof as these are b

Here you can see our roof tents

Taktältarna sells roof tents that are designed and developed in Sweden. We ourselves are roof tent enthusiasts and test our roof tents in Åre where we have our headquarters. We sell both soft shell roof tents and hard shell roof tents. Here you can see where you can see our roof tents live.

3. Softshell or hardshell model?

Roof tents are often divided into two categories: softshell tents and hardshell tents. The names come from the cover that protects the tents when they are folded.

⛺️ Softshell

A roof tent with a softshell often has a transport cover made of PVC or canvas.

Our softshell roof tents are Åreskutan 3.0, Lillskutan and Åreskutan XL.

Some of the biggest advantages of softshell roof tents are

1. That they generally have a lower price than hardshell tents.

2. That they are roomier, which means the mattress is often thicker and you can leave your sleeping gear inside when you fold up the roof tent.

3. Thicker mattress. All of our softshell tents have an 8 cm mattress.

Roof tents of hardshell model take up less height when folded and then look like a regular roof box.

⛺️ Hardshell

Hardshell tents have become very popular in recent years and are appreciated by many who want the simplest possible setup.

When folded, hardshell tents resemble a classic roof box. The shell can be made of either aluminum (which makes the tent heavier) or ABS plastic.

At Taktältarna we have three different models of hardshell tents; Svartberget, Blåsten and Totthummeln.

The advantages of hardshell roof tents:

1. They are faster to fold up and down. If this is a "deal breaker" for you, hardshell might be the right choice. The hardshell tent unfolds in just a few seconds.

2. Lower profile and more aerodynamic when folded.

3. Integrated light strips

Example of hardshell model tents on the car

In the photo above you see our roof tents Totthummeln and Blåsten. They are both hardshell roof tents with an aluminum shell.

These roof tents fold straight up, which means the roof tent does not take up any space beside the car.

Time to set up: 2 minutes
Time to fold down: 5 minutes

Hardshell tents with ABS shell

See the picture below. Hardshell tents that unfold on the side of the car often have a shell made of ABS plastic. Above you see our model Svartberget.

What a softshell model roof tent looks like when folded

This is what a softshell model roof tent on a car looks like when folded. The cover is fastened with a zipper and is completely waterproof.

Time to unfold a softshell tent: 5 minutes
Time to fold a softshell tent: about 7 minutes.

Look out for smart features when buying roof tents for cars

Many roof tents may look alike but often differ greatly in details between different brands.

This can for example involve floor type, mattress quality, type of ladder, and tent fabric quality.

At Taktältarna we constantly work on product development to offer our customers the very best roof tents for various adventures.

The very best is of course to touch and feel before a purchase to find a model that appeals to you.

Besides the quality of the roof tent, it is also worth looking at the company behind it. How is the customer service, warranties, availability of spare parts, and so on? Feel free to check what our customers say about us on Trustpilot!

Need help?

Our team is here to help you find the roof tent that best suits your needs and conditions.

Welcome to contact us at info@trailathletics.shop

Or phone: 0647 69 05 01

Elisabeth Standár, grundare av Taktältarna, sitter vid ett campingbord intill en bil med taktältet Åreskutan på och med berget Åreskutan i bakgrunden

Why you should choose a car tent from Taktältarna

Taktältarna is a Swedish company, based in Åre, with a big heart. We prioritize a personal approach and always being available to help both new and previous customers with support and advice.

With a roof tent from us, you can feel confident that we are always here. Should an accident occur and a part breaks, we will replace it at no extra cost. This is an important part of our sustainability work as we believe it can contribute to repairing instead of buying new.

We at Taktältarna develop high-quality car tents, tested for Nordic conditions. We ourselves are dedicated roof tent enthusiasts and know what is needed for a truly great camping experience.

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