Hard Shell Rooftop Tents

If you’re all about no-hassle camping, consider a hard-shell rooftop tent. 

Rooftop tents are skyrocketing in popularity thanks to an impressive combination of convenience, quality, and comfort. 

There are two types of rooftop tents: hard shell and soft shell. If your priorities include the fastest possible setup time and enhanced all-weather durability, you might prefer a hard shell tent.

In this hard shell rooftop tent buyers guide, you’ll learn:

• What is a hard shell rooftop tent?
• Advantages and features of hard shell rooftop tents
• Where to find the best hard shell rooftop tents

OVS Bushveld Hard Shell Rooftop Tent

Best for Bad Weather Protection

Hutch Tents Bonanza 2 Hard Shell Rooftop Tent

Best Budget-Friendly Hard Shell Rooftop Tent

FSR Odyssey Hard Shell Roof Top Tent

Best Designs for 1–3 Campers

What Is a Hard Shell Rooftop Tent?

A rooftop tent is a tent that’s installed on the roof rack or bed of a motor vehicle. There are two types:

• Soft shell
• Hard shell

Soft shell tents expand from their packed form into a setup that resembles a traditional ground tent, except that the tent is on top of your car. Hard shell tents have a solid outer shell that becomes a roof when the tent is opened up. 

Advantages and Benefits of Hard Shell Rooftop Tents

These are the key advantages and benefits of hard shell rooftop tents in comparison to soft shell tents or traditional ground tents. 

Fast and Easy Installation

All rooftop tents boast fast installation times. 

For hard shell models, setup is especially quick and effortless. We’re talking about mere seconds to transform a closed pack into a fully assembled tent. Undo a few straps, allow the tent to “pop” into place, and you’re all set. 

Strength and Durability

Compared to traditional ground tents, rooftop tents are generally made from stronger, more durable materials. Rooftop tents are high-priced, but they’re built to last. Thanks to solid tent-top roofs, hard shell varieties are especially strong and weather-ready. 

 

Common Features of Hard Shell Rooftop Tents

Hard shell rooftop tents typically include all of the best features that you find in high-quality traditional tents, such as weatherproof material, heavy-duty frames, and interior pockets. You can expect these distinguishing features when shopping for a hard shell rooftop tent.  

Hard Shell Lid Becomes Tent Roof 

Hard shell tents are known for extra convenience and extra durability. Both benefits come from the innovative design that converts the tent’s hard shell lid into a roof as the tent opens up. 

When you undo the straps holding your packed tent in place, the body immediately expands upward. The hard surface of the packed tent’s lid forms the roof, creating an extra strong barrier against the elements.

 

Built-In Ladder and Mattress

In an incredibly efficient package, a rooftop tent contains both a ladder and a mattress. 

Ladders use a telescoping design that takes up minimal space when closed but expands to ground level when the tent is opened. 

The built-in mattress forms the bottom of the tent when packed, then stays in place as the tent is opened up. With minimal effort, your mattress is always in place, providing corner-to-corner flooring every time you set up camp.

 

Price Range for Hard Shell Rooftop Tents

There are more types of soft shell tents than hard shell tents. If you’re shopping for a soft shell tent, you’ll find more variety and a wider price range. 

Here are the current price ranges for the soft and hard shell tents carried by Rooftop Tents USA. 

Rooftop Tent Style	Low Price	High Price
Hard Shell Tents	$2,699.99	$2,799.00
Soft Shell Tents	$1,145.99	$3,345.00

What Happy Campers Are Saying About Hard Shell Rooftop Tents

Hard shell tent fans love the convenience, quality, and comfort provided by this style of rooftop tent. 

This is what people are saying about hard shell rooftop tents:

• Installation process is incredibly fast and simple.
• Materials are high-quality and built to last.
• They provide superior comfort, security, and insulation.

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"This tent is overwhelmingly high quality. We got into it and it was like going to a mansion compared to our last tent. I can tell that this tent will fit our family for years to come."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Very easy to set up. Takes all of 3 minutes to open up and start putting my gear inside. It's also surprisingly warm … 20–25 degrees warmer inside the tent."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"The Odyssey 55” Premium is absolutely fantastic! It’s so easy to set up and take down, I can open it in less than a minute."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Tried out a ground tent… we had to set it up, put an air mattress down, then everything else. Now we just throw our pillows in and we’re done."

How Fast Can You Set up a Hard Shell Rooftop Tent?

When you hear people say that it takes a few minutes to set up a rooftop tent, they’re mostly referring to the time it takes to fill the tent up with their camping gear. The fact is, setting up a hard shell rooftop tent takes mere seconds. 

Have a look at this video to see how quickly a flat carrying case transforms into a beautiful tent. 

Caption: Freespirit rooftop tent walk-through video

Hard Shell Rooftop Tents From Rooftop Tents USA

If you love camping, you belong in a rooftop tent. These incredible accommodations help you camp more comfortably, more often, in more places. 

Rooftop Tents USA carries designs from all of the leading manufacturers. View all of our soft shell and hard shell rooftop tents here. 
Any questions? Contact Rooftop Tents USA via phone, email, or chat, and we’ll get back to you within an hour during business hours.