In recent years, there's been a huge convergence in minimalist car camping and rugged off-roading communities.
With this rise of Overlanding—and other vehicle supported adventure—rooftop tents (RTTs) have become increasingly popular. People have begun to look for ways to camp more efficiently and comfortably than a conventional tent or expensive RV.
The team here at Intrepid Camp Gear is passionate about this venture and have dedicated what we do to finding ways to camp more efficiently, and make the outdoors more easily accessible. The result? The GEO 2.5
So, why would you spend thousands of dollars on a tent that sits on the top of your car?
That's a great question, and there are definitely some factors that make or break this decision, which have all played into the design of the Geo 2.5.
They're Convenient and Fast
Initially RTTs took just as long to set up as conventional tents. This is still the case with certain types of rooftop tents and has taken a great deal of time to perfect.
When you get to your campsite late at night or in unideal conditions, modern rooftop tents are quick to set up and make the difficulties of setting up camp a problem of the past.
Our patented design takes less than 60 seconds to set up with enough room to store sleeping bags and pillows inside your tent.
And when it's time to break down camp and hit the road quickly, it's just as fast to break down as it is to setup.
You Don't Have to Sacrifice Storage
For many of us, the tops of our vehicles need to be available for gear like mountain bikes, kayaks, surf boards, or paddle boards. In the past, rooftop tents didn't allow for this, but many modern RTTs, including ours, have options for crossbars to mount your gear.
Storing equipment in an elevated location at night or outside of your vehicle while driving keeps your gear safe and the inside of your car organized. Tents should give us easier access to go do the things we enjoy, not restrict us, and this has been a primary goal in the design of our tent.
Forget Having a Bed in the Back of Your Car
Most of us have done it at least once or twice.
As nostalgic as it is, it would be nice to have a back seat once in a while. Or simply have a trunk to store the rest of your camping equipment and bags. A rooftop tent is the perfect middle ground between sleeping in a tent under the stars and sleeping in the comfort of your car.
Stay Elevated and Protected from the Elements
This is a big win for the people out there who want to avoid bugs. Sleeping high above the ground means you'll have a lot less of the more bothersome parts of camping—bugs, animals, ect.—to worry about. Hard shell RTTs also tend to be more structurally sound than typical tents, so no need to worry about the occasional windy day and the sleepless night that comes with it.
Because of the comfort that has been achieved by tent mattresses, sleeping pads are no longer necessary to avoid rocks or terrain on your adventures. You'll get a good night's sleep and wake up well rested for a full day of doing what you love.
All in all, a rooftop tent is an investment in peace of mind and a quality night's sleep.
Leave it on Your Car Year Round.
If your tent isn't too heavy or bulky, you may decide to leave it on your vehicle year round. Modern RTT's typically have aluminum shells, so the elements and sunlight will have a minimal effect on the quality of your tent.
Like the GEO 2.5, more slim tents have been developed that decrease the wind noise you experience while driving on the day to day, and don't effect gas milage as strongly as their thicker counterparts.
These slim tents are also far more aesthetically pleasing on your roof than original bulkier tents. Some would argue, including myself, that a 4x4 looks far better with the addition of a quality RTT.
With good reason, the rooftop tent market is growing rapidly. As the industry has grown and more improvements are made, it makes increasingly more sense for adventurers across different pastimes to look into purchasing one of their own.
If you're a climber, hunter, fisher, or outdoor enthusiast of any kind, your experience will be elevated with the addition of a rooftop tent.
