Rooftop tent on a pickup: on the cab, on the canopy or on a bed rack?
A pickup and a rooftop tent seem made for each other. Until you are standing next to the car with the tent in your hands, thinking: where do I actually put this thing? On the cab roof? On the canopy? On a rack above the open load bed? All three are possible in principle, but not all three are equally sensible. Our advice is clear: on a pickup you put the rooftop tent on a canopy or on a bed rack. The cab roof only if the roof load of your cab demonstrably allows it. In this article we put the options for a rooftop tent on a pickup side by side, including the part where it usually goes wrong: the roof load.
First things first: what does a tent like this weigh?
A hardshell rooftop tent is not a pillowcase. Our three models weigh, closed:
| Model | Weight | Closed (cm) | People |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dune | 60.5 kg | 212 × 131 × 11.6 | 2 |
| Oasis | 66 kg | 213 × 151 × 11.5 | 2 to 3 |
| Savannah | 74 kg | 212 × 145 × 13.8 | 2 to 3 |
Above all, remember that length: more than two metres. That becomes important in a moment, because the load bed of a double cab is shorter than that.
Option 1: rooftop tent on the cab roof (only if the roof load allows it)
The classic spot. Two roof bars on the cab, tent on top, done. Or so it seems.
Advantages: the load bed stays completely free, you do not need a canopy, which saves you that purchase straight away. Roof bars for almost any pickup are readily available.
Disadvantages: the cab roof of a double cab is short. A tent of 212 centimetres overhangs the roof at the front or rear on most pickups. Towards the rear that is allowed, it then hangs above the load bed. But the tent now also sits at the highest point of the vehicle: so you climb the furthest and you notice it most in the corners. And the roof load of a pickup cab is often lower than you hope. Go by the manufacturer's figure, not by your gut feeling.
Our advice: first check the roof load of your cab in the owner's manual or the manufacturer's specifications. On many pickups it is low: a Toyota Hilux is rated at 50 kg, a Nissan Navara at 56 kg, an Isuzu D-Max at 60 to 100 kg and a Ford Ranger at 80 kg (all indicative only, check your manual). With a tent of 60.5 to 74 kilos plus bars, that is tight or not enough. That is why we recommend a canopy or a bed rack for a pickup. Our roof load check therefore gives no cab value for a pickup, but refers you straight to the load bed.
Option 2: rooftop tent on the canopy (hardtop)
This is the option we get the most questions about, and the option we recommend. A canopy, also called a hardtop, closes off the load bed. Put the rooftop tent on top of it and you have a lockable load space under your bed and a tent at cab height. Bedroom upstairs, garage underneath.
Advantages: your gear stays dry and under lock and key. The tent sits at roughly the same height as the cab roof, so your vehicle does not get any taller than with option 1. And the whole thing looks like one setup, not like a tent stuck on separately.
Disadvantages: not every canopy can take that weight. And that is the whole story.
Plastic or aluminium canopy?
There are roughly two types of canopies.
Plastic canopies (ABS or fibreglass). Nice and smooth, often in the colour of the vehicle. But the roof is usually made for a pair of roof bars with a bike on them, not for 74 kilos of tent plus two sleeping people. Ask the manufacturer for the roof load, and ask twice: driving and stationary.
Aluminium canopies. Heavier in construction, with a roof designed from the drawing board to carry a rack and a tent. This is the type you see on overland pickups and the type we are working with ourselves.
With an aluminium canopy too: the canopy manufacturer determines the roof load, not the tent seller. Always ask for a written specification of the static and the dynamic roof load.
Static versus dynamic, in one paragraph
Dynamic roof load is what the canopy (or your roof) may carry while you drive. That is the tent weight plus the rack. Static roof load is what it may carry when the vehicle is stationary: tent, rack and two people lying in it. The static figure is almost always quite a bit higher than the dynamic one, because there are no potholes, braking and corners involved. You need to know both figures. The full explanation with a worked example is in our roof load check, always indicative only.
Does the tent fit on the canopy at all?
This is where that length comes back. The load bed of a European double cab is roughly one and a half metres long. A tent of 212 to 213 centimetres therefore overhangs the canopy by about 50 to 60 centimetres. Towards the front, above the cab, that is fine: the tent then hangs above the cab roof and is not in the way anywhere. Towards the rear, beyond the tailgate, better not. Then the tailgate becomes awkward to open and there is weight hanging outside the support points.
Also watch the width. The Oasis is 151 centimetres wide closed and has a side opening: so the ladder ends up next to the vehicle. With a canopy that is usually not a problem, but measure whether the ladder does not end up on the side step or the wheel arch.
Option 3: rooftop tent on a bed rack above the open load bed
No canopy, but a steel or aluminium frame in or over the load bed, with the tent on top. You see this a lot with people who want to keep the load bed open for a quad, a motorbike or simply a load of sand. This is also an option we recommend.
Advantages: the tent can sit low, sometimes level with the cab or just below it. Lower centre of gravity, less wind, less climbing. And the load bed remains partly usable.
Disadvantages: everything under the tent sits in the rain. And a bed rack has to be properly secured to the load bed itself, not to the plastic bed liner.
Our bed rack: the SAN HIMA universal tub rack
For this option we have a rack in our range that fits almost any pickup: the SAN HIMA universal tub rack. Powder coated 3 mm steel, adjustable in width from 135 to 170 cm and in height from 37 to 53 cm, so it fits a double cab, extra cab and single cab. Load capacity: 300 kg dynamic (driving) and 500 kg static (stationary). With 60.5 to 74 kilos of tent you are well below that, even with two sleepers on board. There are two LED work lights at the back, handy when loading in the dark. You mount it yourself, or you let us do it when you collect in Hoogwoud.
The three options side by side
| Cab roof | Canopy | Bed rack | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our advice | Only if the roof load of the cab allows it | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Load bed free | Yes, completely | No, but closed off and dry | Partly |
| Gear dry and under lock and key | No | Yes | No |
| Tent height | Highest option | Cab height | Cab height or lower |
| Extra costs besides the tent | Roof bars | Canopy + rack (we arrange it) | Tub rack (we have it) |
| Biggest risk | Cab roof load, overhang | Canopy roof load | Securing it to the load bed |
What we do with it
Our advice for every pickup: put the tent on the load bed, on a canopy or on a bed rack. We sell rooftop tents, have the SAN HIMA tub rack in our range and arrange the canopy for you. We work with aluminium canopies for the pickups you see most in the Netherlands and Germany: Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max. Tent ready, so with rack and mounting points. Because a canopy differs per model and year of manufacture, it is not listed as a separate item in the shop: we arrange it on request, matched to your vehicle and your tent.
Want to know what is possible for your pickup? Just message or call: +31 6 28075883, or email info@lcmoffroad.com. Send us the make, model and year, and together we will look at which combination of tent, canopy and rack fits and what it costs. Anyone collecting in Hoogwoud gets free mounting help, and we supply stronger bolts than standard.
Still not sure which tent? Have a look at the Dune (2 people, lightest model), the Oasis (side opening, 2 to 3 people) or the Savannah (most interior height), or use our tent chooser. If you want to stow a few more things on top of the tent, there is the heavy-duty cargo bar.
Frequently asked questions
Can the rooftop tent go on the cab roof of my pickup?
Only if the roof load of the cab allows it. Check the manufacturer's figure in your owner's manual: on many pickups it is 50 to 80 kg, and with a tent of 60.5 to 74 kilos plus bars that is tight or not enough. That is why we recommend a canopy or a bed rack.
Can a rooftop tent go on a canopy?
Yes, if the canopy is made for it. Ask the canopy manufacturer for the written dynamic and static roof load and compare it with the tent weight (60.5 to 74 kilos for ours) plus the rack plus the sleepers. Aluminium canopies are generally built for this, plastic canopies often are not.
What roof load does my pickup have?
That is in your vehicle's manufacturer documentation and differs per model and year of manufacture. Our roof load check gives no cab value for a pickup, but refers you to the load bed: canopy or rack. If you still want to consider the cab roof, check your owner's manual. For a canopy, the canopy manufacturer's specification applies, not the vehicle's.
Does a 212 cm rooftop tent fit on a double cab?
On the canopy or a bed rack it overhangs by about half a metre at the front, above the cab. That is normal and not a problem. Make sure it does not stick out beyond the tailgate.
Is a rooftop tent on a pickup higher than on an SUV?
On the cab roof of a pickup, usually yes. On a canopy or bed rack the tent sits at cab height, comparable to a tent on an SUV with roof bars.
Do you arrange the canopy as well?
Yes. We arrange aluminium canopies for Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max on request, tent ready with rack. For the open load bed we have the SAN HIMA universal tub rack in our range. Call or message us with make, model and year for the options and the price.
