You’re not going on any overlanding expedition without a tent. OK, that’s not true; some of you sleep inside your rigs or in off-road trailers. For the rest of us, though, we’ll need tents. No matter whether you’re a rooftop tent fan or a ground-tent devotee, there are plenty of options to pick from. In alphabetical order, here are the best overlanding tents that we’ve found.
Our Favorite(s)
Roofnest — Condor Overland
The Condor Overland from Roofnest takes the hybrid rooftop tent design to the next level providing a compact package when closed but a roomy and comfortable space when deployed. The aluminum shell not only keeps the tent protected, but also offers mounting points for tools and other accessories. Read our full review here.
MSRP: $3,745.00
Freespirit Recreation — Evolution 2
The FSR Evolution V2 is a premium rooftop tent that has earned its place in the upper echelon of hardshell RTT options. It’s thoughtful design, high quality construction, and four-season performance make it a stand out in a time when overlanders have such a wide variety of options in the market. Read our full review here.
MSRP: $4,095.00
Freespirit Recreation — Odyssey
Freespirit Recreation’s (FSR) Odyssey aluminum hard-shell rooftop tent is a slim, crossbar-capable, and side-hinged clamshell rooftop tent. It boasts a relative low weight at 134 pounds, despite its impressive spec sheet. Although we found it easy to use and rugged, we did feel it could benefit from slightly smoother-operating hardware and a comfier mattress. That said, for those wanting a slim, light, roomy and utility-rich aluminum hard-shell rooftop tent, the Odyssey is hard go beat. You can read our full review here.
MSRP: $3,295
OZTENT — RV-3
OZTENT’s RV-3 tent sets up in 30 seconds (no, really), packs down nearly as fast, and can withstand 50-mile-per-hour winds. These bona fides make it one of the best ground tents I’ve ever tested. It has a great design. We tested the OZTENT RV-3 over four overlanding trips now and have become absolutely smitten with the thing — especially for winter camping. It is rated at sleeping three to four people, and it may. All we know is that it has enough room for an extra-long cot, which is essential for tall overlanders, plus two-or-so-feet of space for standing and dressing. And it’s a pleasure to use. In fact, it might be the best ground tent for winter camping we have ever encountered. Read our full review here.
MSRP: $999.00
Honorable Mentions
ARB — Series III Simpson Rooftop Tent & Annex
A lot of overlanders first buy either a rooftop tent and then eventually step up to a canopy — or the other way around. Why not pull the trigger and get both at once? With the ARB Series III Simpson rooftop tent and annex combo, you can. The poly/cotton rip-stop canvas is rated at 300 GSM so you’ll stay dry in the rain. Climbing into the the tent is easy thanks to the 1.0-inch diameter anodized aluminum retractable ladder that can support up to 265 pounds.
MSRP: $1,789.00
Mountain Hardware — Space Station
When you absolutely positively have to sleep 15 people (for some reason), look no further than the Space Station tent from Mountain Hardware. Why would you get this for overlanding? Well, consider it a backup basecamp if, somehow, you and all your friends’ rigs break down and you need a place to stay while waiting for help. Hey, it could happen, right? That or — better yet — you want to host an overlanding party. Then you’ll definitely need this beheamouth.
MSRP: $7,500.00
iKamper — SkyCamp Mini 3.0
For those of you who’ve heard of — or seen — the gargantuan iKamper Skycamp but worried it was too big for your rig, iKamper has a new option for you: The Skycamp Mini 3.0. Just like the hard-shell foldout Skycamp, the mini expands off the passenger side of your vehicle. Since it’s smaller, the Skycamp Mini 3.0 only supports two campers. You can also choose the color of your hard-shell top color: Black or Rocky Black.
MSRP: $3,699.00
Marmot — Limelight
Not everyone wants a rooftop tent bolted to their roof nor does everyone want to lug around a big, heavy canvas tent — even when overlanding. For those, we recommend the modestly priced Marmot Limelight. It’s not your average backpacking tent; it’s a bit bigger. It can accommodate three to four people. It’s easy to set up, thanks its color-coded clips and poles. And it features a waterproof fly and floor to keep wet weather outside where it belongs.
MSRP: $358.95
The North Face — Trail Lite Tent
Now, this is arguably more of a backpacking tent. Well, not arguably … it is. But that makes it a great backup tent for overlanding. It’s wise to bring backup supplies, especially on longer adventures. That’s because you never know when it’ll come in handy.
MSRP: $299.99
Roofnest — Condor Overland 2
For 2023, America’s number-one rooftop tent, Roofnest, has completely redesigned its aluminum-shell foldout rooftop tent and taken it into its second generation. It’s called the Condor Overland 2 and it now features five accessory channels that run the entire exterior of the top shell — each M8 bolt inserted into any one of the five channels can alone hold 30 lbs, enabling optional crossbars, which can hold up to 160 lbs of gear when the tent is closed. The top-shell struts have been moved inside, too, for better packaging. And, speaking of inside, you can now leave your bedding inside the Condor Overland 2 when it’s closed. There’s so much more to this tent than we can list here. Read our full write-up on the all-new Condor 2 lineup here.
MSRP: $3,745.00
Roofnest — Falcon Pro
Speaking of premium aluminum clamshell tents, we have the latest from Boulder-based Roofnest, the Falcon Pro. Building on the success of its super-slim Falcon family of tents, the Falcon Pro puts an even more premium spin on the low-profile, quick-deploying rooftop tent. Made from aircraft-grade aluminum, the Falcon Pro is incredibly sturdy as well as waterproof. The single piece top shell means there are no seams or welds that can fail over time. What’s more, it comes standard with crossbars that can hold 150 pounds when the tent is closed and 75 pounds when it’s open. Climb inside and you’ll find a true memory foam mattress that’s 2.5-inches thick, LED light strip, and a 16-pocket gear grid. Falcon Pro measures 83.5 X 54 X 8 inches and weighs 180 pounds. Despite its compact size, it’s bigger on the interior than the original Falcon design. That’s because the unique U-bar that folds out creates both an awning at the same time as expanding the usable interior space.
MSRP: $4,095.00
Tepui — Ruggedized Kukenam 3
600D rip-stop fabric means this tent is durable, high-density foam mattress, mesh panels for increased air flow, internal pockets — these are all features you hope to get with other soft-shell roof top tents. But they’re all standard with the Thule x Tepui Ruggedized Kukenam 3 rooftop tent. Plus, it’s construction — the whole thing — is mold-resistant. So you don’t have to worry about it getting all, well, moldy after a rain storm.
MSRP: $1,894.61
Yakima — SkyRise HD
Last but not least, we have the Yakima SkyRise HD, which puts you up so high that you feel like you’re sleeping in a dang high-rise condo. Sweet. Weighing in at a mere 114 pounds, this light but weather-resistant rooftop tent isn’t too heavy. It’s also not too big either. Folded down, it measures just 58 x 48 inches. So it’s ideal for smaller overland rigs. Ya dig? It has an aluminum frame, foldout ladder, and four big ol’ windows to feast your peepers on during the sunset. You’ll just have to ignore the frame, which obstructs the side windows. Hey, maybe your high-rise condo is under construction, OK?
MSRP: $1,899.00
