The Ultimate Camping Experience with the Tesla Roof Top Tent


The Ultimate Camping Experience with the Tesla Roof Top Tent inside two people

When planning a road trip or any other adventure this summer, a huge part of one’s budget is bound to be spent on hotel rooms and lodging. So many people allocate way too much of their trip’s budget to stay in unnecessary and unexciting hotels when the answer is right in front of them.

The Tesla and rooftop tent combo would save a person a ton on travel costs. This style of camping is catching on in popularity as adventurers and travelers alike opt for additional savings and added comfort.

Many people see the rooftop tent as gimmicky or impractical. They argue that many of Tesla’s electric vehicles already have a “Camp Mode” specifically for spending the night in your car. While that is a great feature of those Teslas, the tent method is the ultimate form of camping. Read on to learn more about the ultimate Camping experience.

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The Ultimate Camping Experience Starts with Savings

A rooftop tent for your Tesla is an investment. It is important to purchase a quality rooftop tent so you can be sure that it’s comfortable for years to come. Here’s what to look for when shopping for a quality tent:

  • Efficient setup times (5-15 minutes)
  • Good ventilation to catch the summer breeze
  • Good insulation for the colder months
  • Quality mattress with good reviews on comfort
  • Order a complete kit with no additional purchases needed

One can find rooftop tents for as high as $4,000 and as low as $400. We’ve found that the best value rooftop tent is around $1200.

The Ultimate Camping Experience with the Tesla Roof Top Tent inside

You will also need a quality roof rack to mount the rooftop tent to your Tesla. This is our favorite roof rack hands-down, because it’s a suction cup mounted rack that fits any Tesla and can be removed with ease when not needed.

The added bonus of the tent setup is the fact that you can have it for years. Travel expenses will go way down when you don’t have to pay for nightly hotels, and the savings will grow year by year. A rooftop tent will become a vital part of the camping experience for the adventuring Tesla owner.

For daily hygiene, it is recommended to use public showers (rest areas or some national park trailheads) or use quick shower wipes. Hesitations of using public showers are understandable, however most of the time they are very sanitary and pleasant showers. A cheap pair of “shower sandals” is a nice addition as well.

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Why Use a Roof Top Tent Instead of Camp Mode?

Tesla has made an initiative to make their electric vehicles convenient and comfortable for get-aways and road trips. The Camp Mode feature allows the occupants to access the battery’s power for temperature control, music, and other helpful features. This feature is great for quick naps or breaks but not a long night’s sleep.

When one puts the seats down and inflates a travel mattress, they can enjoy a comfortable night in the car, but is that really camping? Nothing really beats sleeping in the night air under a blanket of stars, but surely that is fodder for a hot debate, so consider these objective setbacks to this feature:

  • Not convenient for those with more luggage
  • Limits travelers to staying in the car
  • Will only accommodate two sleepers

When one travels, they are going to have luggage, sometimes far too much. Consider traveling in the Tesla Model Y, which has a hatchback and a small front trunk for a little more added storage space. To lay the seats flat and put out an inflatable mattress, one will first have to move their luggage and rearrange everything.

Having a rooftop tent set up will ensure that a traveler has more than enough room to stretch out after a long day of exploring. In the Model Y, one will be able to stow their luggage in the cargo bay and camping gear in the front compartment without having to tediously shuffle everything around every night that you stop to rest.

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How Many People Can Stay in a Roof Top Tent?

The cargo rack on a Tesla Model 3 has a maximum dynamic weight rating of 195 pounds and a maximum static weight rating of 500 pounds. What this means is that when a traveler is parked for the night, their Tesla will be more than capable of supporting two sleepers.

As long as the total weight does not exceed 500 pounds, they could even fit a third person. Families with two young children could even be within the weight limits for a tesla roof mount. This feature is fantastic for families on a road trip trying to save a few bucks and build some really unique memories.

Some rooftop tents also have a section that sleeps on the ground, allowing more people to rest safe from the elements. These tents are more expensive and require longer setup times than the more common two-person tents, but they are still a viable option for larger groups of travelers. Keep in mind that some campers will be on the ground.

If one were to camp in the bed of the Tesla Cybertruck, they would be able to fit a ridiculous amount of people. Depending on how many campers are in the party, a traveler is probably going to need a specifically designed tent system that adds space via a platform and an overhang or something similar.

Other Benefits of the Roof Top Tent

Some other benefits of the rooftop tent are:

  • Sleeping elevated off of the ground
  • Perfectly level sleeping
  • Camping with a mattress

A traveler will not have to struggle to find the perfectly leveled spot to stake the tent with this system either. One will thank themselves when they finally sleep a night in a tent without discovering they had set up camp on a bed of roots or that there is one overlooked rock that’s digging into their back. Consistent sleep is a huge benefit.

For those who feel like a night of camping equates to a night of tossing and turning, think again. For added comfort, standard rooftop tents come with a built-in mattress/ sleeping pad. A traveler will never have to compromise on a goodnight’s sleep when camping again when they use a rooftop tent system with a comfortable mattress.

Nothing compares to a night of fresh air after a long day of traveling. Listening to the sounds of a sleepy campground while the soft summer air breezes by is a treasure. With the structural integrity of the Tesla and the functionality of the rooftop tent, sleeping under the stars in the fresh air is more than a possibility.

The biggest benefit of rooftop tents has to be how quickly and easily they can be set up. Some can be set up in a minute, others in ten. Either way, that setup time blows pitching a tent the old-fashioned way out of the water. This would really come in handy on those days where a traveler ran out of time and found themselves setting up camp in the dark.

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Conclusion

The next big thing for camping has to be rooftop tents. They are affordable, practical, and easy to set up. These innovative shelters will elevate your modern camping experience with improved comfort and a speedy setup time. They make the perfect addition to the modern traveler’s adventure gear, and they belong on a Tesla.

Many people see Tesla’s electric vehicles as ecologically advanced machines of luxury and little else. In reality, Tesla is creating the adventure car of the future. When you pair the impressive features of the new Teslas with the simplistic practicality of rooftop tents, they are sure to have a unique and cost-effective adventure.

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Greg

The articles here on ThatTeslaChannel.com are created by Greg, a Tesla vehicle and Tesla solar expert with nearly half a decade of hands-on experience. The information on this site is fact-checked and tested in-person to ensure the best possible level of accuracy.

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