For some time now, particularly due to the pandemic, the tourist motorhome experienced significant growth. Many people have opted for renting vans and motorhomes, but there is a third, more affordable way. The car tents are part of cheaper ways try this type of tourism.
It is a supplement that, as a rule, This generally works for any vehicle. However, there are different types of stores and some considerations to take into account.
Ideal for large models
The first thing is that it is advisable to choose a car with generous or at least acceptable dimensions, because the base of the house on wheels will be more comfortable.
This is particularly important if instead of a tent you opt for an even simpler option, that of the car mattress, which fit into the passenger compartment and turn it into a bed. The legal question is not a problem: you can sleep in the car as long as it is well parked.
If the option chosen is the shop, for practical purposes, this is camping. The only legal way to do this is to go to a activated zones for this purpose; otherwise, there is a possibility of receiving a fine.
There are mainly two types of car tents: those that are attach to tailgate and those who go to the the ceilingthe latter being the most common.
Decathlon car tents
Generally, they are specialized manufacturers the ones that stand out the most in this field, although there are also other companies that develop products in this line without being their specific activity. A clear example of this are the Decathlon car tents.
The sports equipment specialist has a fairly wide range of shops, all in fabric, without a hardtop, but which vary both in price (ranging from 600 to more than 2,000 euros) and in capacity, from the most modest accommodating two people to others that you also have room for two children.
Moreover, it also offers interesting accessories to complement tents, such as car side awnings or shoe bags.
rooftop tents
The predominant format is the trunks that when driving they are closed and do not swell much, and when it is time to sleep they open and form a hole for a couple of adults to spend the night.
Among its advantages is that Their opening and assembly are very simple. Also, due to its location, insects or other land animals are less likely to sneak into it. The most normal thing is that they have a ladder to be able to climb them, and the sizes are various. Some only occupy the roof of the vehicle, but others form a larger room. They are quite expensive and it is possible to find models over 1,000 euros and even over 2,000.
Outraged specialist manufacturersthere are specific cases in which the car brand itself offers them as an official accessory, such as mini with his Cooper S Countryman ALL4 Savage Edition.
rear tents
On the other hand, there are those are placed at the back they take advantage of the space of the rear seats, which are generally folded down to form the bed there. Additionally, they create an adjoining room that can be of varying sizes. The simplest ones have room to place two sleeping bags, but there are some that are converted into multi-room bungalows.
Their assembly complexity is variable, but the usual thing is that they require a bit of work to unfold them, mount them and secure them to the ground with pegs.
Among its advantages is the fact that They are cheaper than others being available from a few hundred euros, which is largely due to the simplicity of its components. Car manufacturers usually do not offer them, and third-party companies create models that are generally universal. An example is the Dometic HUB SUV connection tunnelwith a price of 180 euros.
Finally, in specific vehicles such as Retrieve, there are tents that are a hybrid between the two types and are mounted on the rear cargo box.