{"id":15071,"date":"2026-06-16T12:14:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T12:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15071"},"modified":"2026-06-16T12:14:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T12:14:31","slug":"which-is-right-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15071","title":{"rendered":"Which Is Right For You?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"justify-start\">\n<nav class=\"align-left col-span-full mb-base\" data-pom-e2e-test-id=\"breadcrumbs\"\/>\n<p>Buying a soft-shell rooftop tent to save money seems smart\u2014until you&#8217;re scrubbing mildew off the cover.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Published June 16, 2026 06:00AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Let\u2019s get one thing clear up front: most of us don\u2019t <i>need <\/i>a rooftop tent. Legend has it rooftop tents were originally created so adventurers could sleep off the ground away from dangerous wildlife. I live in the Southern Appalachians, so I\u2019m not worried about lions and tigers, and car campers have survived for decades pitching tents on the ground. Rooftop tents aren\u2019t strictly necessary.<\/p>\n<p>But they\u2019re appealing for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is that sporting a rooftop tent on your Subaru tells everyone in the Trader Joe\u2019s parking lot that you do badass adventures on weekends. I\u2019ve had a series of rooftop tents on vehicles over the years and developed some very strong opinions, which boil down to this: rooftop tents make car camping easier, especially if you get the right tent for you and your vehicle.<\/p>\n<p>Having a popup tent already attached to my vehicle minimizes prep, gets me out the door faster on weekends, and means I\u2019m more likely to go camping. Many rooftop tents are easier to set up than a traditional tent when you\u2019re at camp, and just as easy to break down when it\u2019s time to go home. Streamlining that process has resulted in my camping more often when I have a tent on my vehicle. And that\u2019s the single best argument I can make for these expensive pieces of gear.<\/p>\n<p>I also like getting off the ground. It rains all the damn time in the Southern Appalachians, and getting the tent off the ground and out of the muddy soup is an absolute delight. It also means you don\u2019t have to spend 20 minutes clearing rocks and sticks before pitching your tent.<\/p>\n<p>There are two basic types of rooftop tents: hardshell and soft-shell. The question you have to answer is which style is right for you. Keep reading and I\u2019ll break down the pros and cons of each so you know exactly what you\u2019re getting into before you drop your hard-earned cash on one of these tents.<\/p>\n<h2>Hardshell Rooftop Tents Are Easier\u2014But You Pay for That Convenience<\/h2>\n<p><!-- --><\/p>\n<section id=\"\" class=\"content-card rounded-xl px-base-loose pt-base-loose pb-loose shadow-sm shadow-black\/10\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744741\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">At $4,000, Thule\u2019s new Widesky hardshell rooftop tent is pricey, but more weather-resistant and streamlined than a soft-shell rooftop tent. <\/span> (Photo: Courtesy Thule)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Hardshell Rooftop Tent Pros and Cons<\/h3>\n<p>+ More aerodynamic while driving<br \/>+ Hardshell material withstands weather and aging well<br \/>+ Often easier to set up and break down<br \/>+ Many hard shell tents have cross bars on their exterior so you don\u2019t lose any carrying capacity<br \/>\u2013 More expensive<br \/>\u2013 Often larger and don\u2019t fit well on compact vehicles.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/section>\n<p>The hardshell rooftop tent is exactly what it sounds like: a tent sandwiched inside a hard shell built to withstand the elements. These shells are waterproof, and the black poly seems to withstand mildew better than soft-shell covers (more on that below). They\u2019re also typically more aerodynamic with a lower profile than their soft-shell counterparts. The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-afl-p=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avantlink.com\/click.php?tt=cl&amp;mi=20281&amp;pw=209007&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sylvansport.com%2Fshop%2Floft-rooftop-tent%2F%3Fsrsltid%3DAfmBOop_DuhhFeRzMrAmUsf8bqOWpb_0Lx_QLCjQFGM9JQ5z_WZcYtxG&amp;website_id=209007\">Sylvan Sport LOFT,<\/a> which I tested earlier this year, is only eight inches deep when closed. That low profile helps minimize drag while driving.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744744\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Black hardshell rooftop tent mounted on black truck \" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2744744\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Hardshell-Rooftop-Tent_Averill.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" bad-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Hardshell-Rooftop-Tent_Averill.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\">The Sylvan LOFT hardshell rooftop tent mounted on the author\u2019s truck. (Photo: Graham Averill)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hardshell tents are also generally easier to set up and break down, usually requiring nothing more than releasing a couple of latches before the hydraulic arms take over the heavy lifting. And one of my favorite things about hardshell tents is that some of them\u2014not all\u2014can accommodate crossbars, so you don\u2019t have to sacrifice a roof rack to sport a rooftop tent.<\/p>\n<p>Everything sounds great, right? But factor in the cost: hardshell rooftop tents are typically far more expensive than soft-shells. Take two new options from Thule. The Swedish company recently released a new soft-shell, the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thule.com\/en-us\/rooftop-tents-and-accessories\/rooftop-tents\/thule-approach-2-s-_-901024\">Approach 2 S<\/a>, and a new hardshell, the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-afl-p=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/backcountry.tnu8.net\/c\/2850304\/358742\/5311?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.backcountry.com%2Fthule-widesky-tent\">two-person Widesky<\/a>. They\u2019re essentially the same size, but the soft-shell runs $2,499 and the hardshell $3,999. You\u2019ll find tents across most budgets, but that price gap between hard and soft is about what you can expect.<\/p>\n<p>The footprint of most hardshell rooftop tents is also larger than soft-shells, which means they might not fit well on your vehicle. I have an F-150 with a 5\u20196\u2033 bed, and Thule\u2019s Widesky is too large to center over that bed\u2014I\u2019d have to mount it so it extends over the cab or sticks out a foot past the tailgate. How a tent sits on your specific vehicle is worth thinking through if aerodynamics, gas mileage, and general aesthetics matter to you.<\/p>\n<h2>Soft-Shell Rooftop Tents Are Cheaper\u2014But There Are Trade-offs<\/h2>\n<section id=\"\" class=\"content-card rounded-xl px-base-loose pt-base-loose pb-loose shadow-sm shadow-black\/10\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744742\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Thule Approach 2 S softshell rooftop tent deployed on rendered car on white background\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1482\" height=\"801\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2744742\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Thule-Approach-2-S-Rooftop-Tent_Courtesy.png?width=1920&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x, https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Thule-Approach-2-S-Rooftop-Tent_Courtesy.png?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 2x\" bad-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Thule-Approach-2-S-Rooftop-Tent_Courtesy.png?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">Thule\u2019s Approach 2 S soft-shell rooftop tent is more affordable, but less convenient than a hardshell rooftop tent. <\/span> (Photo: Courtesy Thule)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Soft-shell Rooftop Tent Pros and Cons<\/h3>\n<p>+ Less expensive<br \/>+ Compact design allows them to fit better on smaller cars and trucks<br \/>+ Often lighter than hardshells<br \/>\u2013 Set up and take down is often more involved<br \/>\u2013 The cover doesn\u2019t handle weather as well.<br \/>\u2013 You lose rooftop carrying capacity<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/section>\n<p>Instead of a hard poly shell, soft-shell rooftop tents are tucked inside a waterproof, ripstop nylon travel cover that zips off when it\u2019s time to set up camp. Setup is a little more involved than a hardshell\u2014the \u201cwings\u201d of the tent fold out and pop up, then you add poles to the various roof peaks and you\u2019re good to go. I had a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-afl-p=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avantlink.com\/click.php?tt=cl&amp;mi=16837&amp;pw=209007&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dometic.com%2Fen-us%2Fproduct%2Ffront-runner-roof-top-tent&amp;website_id=209007\">Front Runner soft-shell tent<\/a> on my 4Runner for years and thoroughly enjoyed it. The biggest benefit of the soft-shell is its compact footprint, which fits well on smaller vehicles. They\u2019re also often 30 to 50 pounds lighter than a hardshell of comparable size. To compare the two Thule options again: the Approach 2S is just 43\u2033x48\u2033x11\u2033 when closed, while the Widesky is 83\u2033x55\u2033x8\u2033. The soft-shell weighs 110 pounds; the hardshell comes in at 147.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744745\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Softshell rooftop tent deployed on Toyota 4Runner at campsite in woods.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2744745 size-full\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Softshell-Rooftop-Tent-2_Averill.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" bad-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Softshell-Rooftop-Tent-2_Averill.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\">The author\u2019s Front Runner soft-shell rooftop tent on his Toyota 4Runner. (Photo: Graham Averill)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If soft-shell rooftop tents are cheaper, lighter, and fit well on more vehicles, are they the better choice? Maybe. But those ripstop travel covers don\u2019t handle weather and aging as well as hardshell counterparts. I found myself scrubbing mildew off my soft-shell cover more often than I\u2019d like. The travel cover you unzip also has to be stored somewhere, which is one more logistical step when you\u2019re setting up camp. And packing soft-shell tents away is often more involved\u2014you have to tuck all of that fabric back into itself from all sides, a job that frequently takes two people. I also haven\u2019t found a soft-shell yet that can handle crossbars on top of the shell, so you lose rooftop cargo capacity.<\/p>\n<h2>Hardshell vs. Soft-Shell Rooftop Tents: The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>So which rooftop tent style is best for you? To some degree it depends on your situation, but here\u2019s my hard-earned opinion: hardshell rooftop tents are just better. I\u2019ve had both, and the ease of use combined with the ability to still load a paddleboard or surfboard on top seals the deal. Spend a little more and you\u2019ll get a much more streamlined, low-maintenance experience. And if budget is the limiting factor, there\u2019s nothing wrong with pitching a tent on the ground like we\u2019ve all done for decades\u2014you can just leave your mountain bike on your Subaru so everyone in the Trader Joe\u2019s parking lot knows you\u2019re cool.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/outdoor-gear\/cars-trucks\/hardshell-vs-softshell-rooftop-tent\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Buying a soft-shell rooftop tent to save money seems smart\u2014until you&#8217;re scrubbing mildew off the cover. Published June 16, 2026 06:00AM Let\u2019s get one thing clear up front: most of us don\u2019t need a rooftop tent. Legend has it rooftop tents were originally created so adventurers could sleep off the ground away from dangerous wildlife.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15072,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wild-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15071\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}