Holden vs Ford, Apple vs Android, League vs Union. Just some of the great debates that you’re bound to have around the campsite. But there’s one discussion that is much more important. Should you camp in a roof top tent or a ground tent?
We’ll take you through the benefits of each sleeping solution so you can make the right choice for you.
Altitude Matters
No, we’re not referring to how high up in the mountains or how close to the sea you are. We’re referring to how high you are off the ground. This can be a huge deciding factor when selecting how you are going to spend your nights. Many of our Feldon Shelter customers have chosen a roof top tent for their adventures so they can camp up off the ground, with no chance of waking up on a soggy ground, or next to a curious crocodile. It seems whenever we camp in a ground tent, half of the beach ends up inside and cleaning it out can be a nightmare. With a Feldon roof top tent , you can leave your shoes in the handy storage bag right by the top of the ladder (with less chance of spider invasion), and climb on up to an ever clean, sand free habitat.
Of course, if you are more of a ground dweller, there are benefits of being closer to the earth’s core. Ground tents have evolved over time to have great access and storage. It’s much easier to have your worldly possessions accessible in a ground tent than having to lug them up a ladder. Not to mention if nature calls in the middle of the night, a ground tent may just be a little more…umm....convenient. Ground tents are obviously much smaller and if you go with a hiking option like our fav’s from Wilderness Equipment they are lightweight and durable so you can hit the trails with your home on your back as opposed to your roof.
The Set Up, Pack Up Conundrum
Roof top tents have been around for a long time. The pioneer companies of roof top tent camping set out to design a sleeping solution that was easy to set up and pack up, as opposed to a lot of ground tents on the market. Roof top tents give you the ability to set up just about anywhere that is level. If you want water views and feel like camping in the middle of a river crossing, then simply fold out your roof top tent and climb on up for the night. (Don’t leave your shoes on the ground though as I said before, they’ll get wet). With a quality roof top tent, you can pretty much camp anywhere where you can have your car level for a good night’s sleep.
Ground tents have come a long way and are reasonably simple to set up on most surfaces, plus you don’t need to be near your car. If you decide that you want to leave your campsite and have a five-star restaurant meal for dinner, you can jump in the car and drive off. We don’t recommend this if you have a roof top tent set up. You’ll ideally want to pack it away first.
A good night’s sleep
There’s a couple of extra things to consider when sleeping in a ground tent, one being a mattress. You’ll most likely want to consider investing in an insulated mattress, such as what we offer from Klymit and Sea To Summit. Having an insulated mattress will be vital to staying warm on a cold night.
With a roof top tent, such as Feldon Shelter, a thick, comfy mattress is already in there when you fold it out. The added bonus of being off the ground means you don’t have to worry about sleeping on a cold surface.
Buy it right, buy it once.
If you are going to be leaving your vehicle and heading off on an overnight hike, then a ground tent is the only solution for you. If you are travelling and able to have your vehicle on your campsite, a rooftop tent is going to be a great investment.
Here at Adventure Merchants, we source the finest products from the best suppliers. This means that you can shop with confidence knowing that the products we sell have been researched for their quality and service. If we wouldn’t use it ourselves, then you won’t find it in our shop. Our roof top tents from Feldon Shelter are made with features that are designed to suit your lifestyle. Clever additions such as storage for your poles and gadgets, is what sets Feldon Shelter roof top tents apart from the rest.
If you decide a ground tent is right for you, we have a range of tents from our supply partners that you’ll love. Sea To Summit has a range of tents that are designed to be practical, lightweight, portable and of the highest quality available. There’s a lot of cheap imitators out there, so talk to us today so we can get you sleeping in a tent that’s right for you.
So if you have any more questions about roof top tents vs ground tents please give us a call on 02 7955 9005, fill out a contact form, or visit us in-store and we’ll answer all your questions to figure out your ideal sleeping solution.