Pop-Top or Roof Tent?

[JonriceT6]

So do I get a pop top fitted or do I buy a roof tent for extra sleeping capacity!
has anyone ever fitted a pop top and regretted it?
I hear some horror stories about them leaking and popping up when driving and I’m not sure if I want to cut a hole in my van.
many advice would be great

 

[Pete C]

We don’t have one, but our camper is for two people only. If you need the extra sleeping space then I suggest you get a pop top, but choose really carefully - I have read the same horror stories as you !

Pete

 

[Paynewright]

I don’t want one for the reasons you describe. We’re planning on getting an adjoining driveaway awning tent as the lounge / cooking area with the portaloo in the connecting ‘tunnel’.

We love camping but don’t like sleeping 2” off the floor on air mattresses any more so want a proper bed (which will be in the van).

I do get the logic of a pop top and if we were doing proper off grid stuff and were cooking in there then we’d have one. If you do decide to have one picking the installer is as important as the make of pop top (from what I’ve read)

Ian

 

[Ali-G]

I wouldn’t want to be without mine, mainly for the ability to stand up and put my trousers on in the morning.

 

[Ayjay]

Who would be sleeping in the pop top? I ask as size matters when it comes to sleeping in the thing. You will hear ‘horror stories‘ stories about almost anything but for each one of them there are thousands of good news stories that you have not heard. As to the popping up thing, such events are few and far between as well and I’m pretty sure that it would generally be down to user error. Personally, I wouldn’t be without one as it makes the van a much nicer place to be - don’t under estimate the value of being able to stand up straight!

 

[Long tall John]

I wouldn’t get a roof tent. They’re so impractical.

 

[JonriceT6]

Thanks for the input guys.
we have a T4 movelite driveway awning as the living / cooking area, and my van is a day van with a forty winks bed in.
I have two kids 10 and 6 who I thought would sleep in the pop top, but I’ve also thought about a possible roof tent as an option.
It’s a tough decision.

 

[JonriceT6]

I wouldn’t get a roof tent. They’re so impractical.

In what way John?

 

[Ayjay]

Kids would fit nicely in a pop top but not a tall or even tallish teenager / adult - I'm 6'1" and there's just not enough length. I also agree with Long Tall John about the impracticality of roof tents (unless, to course, you need to stay up high because of animals etc.). And yes, I have used one and, frankly, found it a pain. However, there are a few on here who like them.

 

[JonriceT6]

One of my girls is quite tall, so not sure how long she would get out of a pop top.
we are still relatively young , 38+40 so wouldn’t have any issues getting in and out of a roof tent, and we can still hold our bladder through the night.
I’ve always had doubts with getting a pop top.

 

[Ayjay]

Sounds like you've already made your mind up!

 

[Skyliner33]

Kids would fit nicely in a pop top but not a tall or even tallish teenager / adult - I'm 6'1" and there's just not enough length. I also agree with Long Tall John about the impracticality of roof tents (unless, to course, you need to stay up high because of animals etc.). And yes, I have used one and, frankly, found it a pain. However, there are a few on here who like them.

I guess you mean in a SWB.

 

[Ayjay]

@Skyliner33. Yes and sorry but I should have been clearer and less presumptuous. That said, LWBs don't really exist in my personal universe

 

[Skyliner33]

@Skyliner33. Yes and sorry but I should have been clearer and less presumptuous. That said, LWBs don't really exist in my personal universe

You should come over to this parallel universe then. Far better with LWB in it.

 

[t0mb0]

There’s no reason to be scared of poptops if you choose a well known and reliable manufacturer and an installer with a track record of fitting them. You don’t say whether you have an LWB or SWB, but I have an LWB and can easily sleep in ours.

I don’t quite understand the benefit of a roof tent over a separate tent unless you’re on safari, which is unlikely in the UK.

 

[Long tall John]

@JonriceT6 its just my opinion. The Pfaff of putting it up, climbing up there, putting it down in the rain. I just don’t see any advantage over a normal tent. You won’t be able to get into low car parks And driving off a campsite for the day would just be hassle.

 

[Stay Frosty]

If you're going to take a canvas compound with you then save a shed load of money buying the T6 and get a 7 seater instead a Galaxy, S Max or Zafira would cost a fraction as much... could even get an estate car and caravan.
Pop top here although it can double as a bath tub or 12 man raft too so really couldn't manage without, one other advantage during warmer weather is rolling down the fart clearance filters either side of the pop top for the occasional waft of life saving oxygen from outside.

 

[JonriceT6]

@JonriceT6 its just my opinion. The Pfaff of putting it up, climbing up there, putting it down in the rain. I just don’t see any advantage over a normal tent. You won’t be able to get into low car parks And driving off a campsite for the day would just be hassle.

Roof tents take less than 60s to raise and lower. So not an issue with the faff, and saves everything getting wet, damp and dirty being on ground in bad weather, in my opinion.
I have a SWB T6.1.
Just concerns me cutting a hole in the roof of a £40k vehicle and having issues.

 

[t0mb0]

Roof tents take less than 60s to raise and lower. So not an issue with the faff, and saves everything getting wet, damp and dirty being on ground in bad weather, in my opinion.
I have a SWB T6.1.
Just concerns me cutting a hole in the roof of a £40k vehicle and having issues.

Give it a try I suppose, you can always sell it on if you don’t get on with it.

In all my stays on UK campsites I really don’t recall having seen a roof tent so I don’t imagine many people have direct experience of them.

 

[VanDamMan]

Hi .. I’m in the Solid Roof Club…..but I invested in a really good quantity awning/tent which gives loads of space Ok takes 10 min to blow up and yes it gets wet…But pop tops get wet and roof tents also … Camping isn’t pack away and forgot … roof tents in other countries are to stop the creepy crawling things getting in …so not really popular in UK ….there are some really clever ideas out there…why not wait till the camping + caravan show next year Show info and see if any thing suits your needs

im just in the process of getting an awning/ tent adaptor made….those clever types with wind out awnings make it so easy…but I have a cunning plan
Camping and vans are a journey….its good to think out of the box