4 Best Hardshell Rooftop Tent To Sleep On
What’s the best thing to sleep on when camping? For old-fashioned ground tents, you can choose from sleeping pads, air beds, or camping cots. Let’s be honest, none of them compare to a real mattress. Thankfully, rooftop tents come with memory foam mattresses.
A downside of softshell tents is the noise they make - the body fabric and rainfly can flap in the wind. The best type of hardshell rooftop tent makes for a quiet night thanks to solid construction and taught body fabric.
They’re the top choice for a quiet sleep in blustery conditions. What’s the best hardshell rooftop tent to sleep on? Find out below.
Best Hardshell Rooftop Tent
All these tents, sleep, two adults. Let’s find out what makes them unique and why you’ll get a good sleep in each one.
1. BunduTec BunduTop
What makes this South African-designed tent good for sleeping?
a. High-density foam double mattress
With a depth of 4 inches, it’s thicker than most on the market. It measures 78 inches long by 49 inches wide. Its height when open is 39 inches. (High-density foam is durable and supports the body well, providing extra comfort for heavier campers and side-sleepers).
b. Heavy-duty rip-stop canvas body fabric.
This is excellent for blocking out light - great if you don’t want to wake up at sunrise.
c. Sturdy in high winds
Its solid construction lets you sleep peacefully through the storm.
d. Built-in fan
Stay ventilated in hot weather – no waking up sweating.
e. Built-in ceiling light
It’s easy to operate – just press it (it’s in the center of the ceiling). No fumbling in the dark while you get ready to sleep.
Unlike most others, this tent is electric, not manual. At the push of a button, the tent opens fully within 30 seconds. It’s also pre-wired for solar panels.
2. Eezi-Awn Stealth
Why does the Stealth make it onto our list?
What is a laminated mattress and why does it matter?
Laminating combines multiple layers into one mattress. It’s a common procedure with foam mattresses. Layers can be different types of foam or other materials which are bonded using an adhesive.
Laminating provides durability and the flexibility of combining different materials in a secure way, ensuring layers remain in place.
This mattress has three layers including a firm base and softer layers at the top. It comes with a fitted sheet for protection.
The Stealth’s mattress is quilted. The quilt is the top layer of a mattress. You can recognize a quilted mattress by the indentations or “valleys” on the surface.
A quilted layer makes the mattress thicker and softer. It helps to secure the layers below, keeping them in place. The upper layers of a mattress are the ones that affect comfort most of all, so quilting helps preserve the mattress structure for long-term comfort.
A survey of bedding retailers showed they sold more quilted than non-quilted mattresses and customers found that they had more cushioning and were more durable.
The mattress is 3.5 inches thick, 84 inches long, and 52 inches wide.
The Stealth has insulation in the roof and floor, making four-season camping more accessible.
When fully open, its highest point is 56 inches – pretty spacious for tall occupants.
3. Eezi-Awn Blade
The Blade has many features in common with Stealth:
a. laminated double mattress. It’s slightly thinner; 80 mm thick (just over 3 inches). The mattress is 220 cm long by 145 cm wide.
- Insulation - in the roof and floor.
- Height - The highest ceiling point is 56 inches.
Lightweight
The features that make it good for sleeping are similar. The main difference between the two is that the blade is lighter, weighing only 175 pounds (80 kg). The Stealth weighs 220 pounds (100 kg).
When you get a rooftop tent, you need to make sure your vehicle can support its weight and the weight of any other equipment. The total weight the vehicle supports must fit within the vehicle’s static, dynamic and off-road weight capacities:
- Static - when your vehicle is stationary. The static capacity is the greatest of the three.
- Dynamic - when it’s in motion. It’s lower than the static capacity.
- Off-road - the lowest of the three – rough terrain reduces the dynamic capacity.
Some vehicles hold less than you might expect. For example, the Jeep Wrangler hardtop’s dynamic capacity is only 150 pounds (68 kg). You need to consider the weight of the jeep roof rack as well. For such vehicles, the Blade is a perfect choice.
4. TentBox Classic
With gas-assisted struts, the TentBox Classic pops open in less than a minute. What makes it comfortable?
The mattress is 210 cm long by 125 cm wide. When open, the tent’s height is 100 cm.
For winter camping, memory foam is the superior choice – it keeps you warmer than inflatable mattresses.
The roof is insulated by default but if you want extra warmth, TentBox offers a winter insulation package – an insulated pod that fits inside the tent.
You can easily attach and remove it. If your winter Overlanding plans are more extreme, the spacious interior makes it easy to store extra bedding while the tent is closed.
The body fabric is a durable rip-stop canvas with a polyurethane coating to protect you from rain and snow. While all these tents are waterproof, this one is treated with silicone seam-sealant.
Silicone is so effective at waterproofing, it’s often used for underwater projects. Silicone sealant can last up to 20 years, depending on the material it’s applied to, usage, and UV exposure. Materials waterproofed with silicone remain breathable.
The tent has windows on all sides - excellent ventilation for warm weather. No need to worry about waking up during the night feeling too hot.
Summary
The best hardshell rooftop tent we looked at has all the necessary qualities for a sound sleep. They make less noise in the wind. They come with high-quality mattresses, designed with comfort in mind. Then there’s flexible temperature control, ventilation, and effective waterproofing.
The TentBox Classic meets these criteria and it fits any vehicle - whether you want a jeep rooftop tent or something for a smaller car, you’re in luck. Could this be the tent for you? Take a closer look.