Jo, the unexpected camper - my experience with Tentbox
No one is more surprised than I am that I am writing this, but as anyone who knows me will tell you, it’s my truth (honesty is one of my greatest values!). Here it goes. I’ve been camping in a Tentbox (more on this soon)… and… I absolutely bloody loved it!
Happy Jo checking out her Tentbox for the first time
So what on earth is a Tentbox and why do I love it? Well, quite simply, it’s a tent in a box (I know right!). But there’s more to it than that… the box lives on top of your car! You might have seen these on top of cars as you’ve been driving around recently as it’s becoming a bit of a revolution. And now I’ve experienced it I can see why. There’s just so much freedom in having a tent with you at any time, and without it taking up any storage in your car. Plus it’s so easy to put up and away too.
I have a small car - she’s a Mazda 3 hatchback called Cherry and I love her. She’s my adventure buddy. But she doesn’t have a whole lot of space if I’m honest, especially as she has a car seat in the back for my nieces. But with the Tentbox, it doesn’t matter. All I need to do is pack my bedding and any food or clothes or other stuff in the boot or the car, and my accommodation is already there on my roof bars.
Excited Jo in the Tentbox with the skylights open
My car didn’t come with roofbars as standard so I had to add those (I got ones from Mazda and fitted them myself - you can check out my video to see the process which was much easier than I imagined!), and I got my Tentbox fitted for me by Winston’s Adventure Equipment. I went for the Lite 2.0 which is probably the most suitable for 2 people - it’s the width of a double bed, and a bit longer. There’s also the Lite XL which is much bigger and good for a family (it fits four people), or the Cargo, Classic or newer Go models which are all slightly smaller but can still fit two adults.
Tentboxes are suitable for most cars, though you do need to check the dynamic load limit (how much it can carry whilst driving at speed) to make sure it can handle the weight. But most cars (even small ones!) can handle the Lite 2.0. Mine wouldn’t manage the Lite XL so do check - there are details on the Tentbox website.
So where have I been in my Tentbox? Well, full disclosure, I’ve only actually spent one night in my Tentbox as unfortunately it was taken from me not long after I got it. I’ll talk more about this later in the post.
As I mentioned at the top of this post, I’m not a seasoned camper. I occasionally stayed in a caravan with my family and I stayed on a blow-up airbed in a tent one night at a car festival in my 20s but other than that I’ve very much been a hotel/Airbnb kinda gal. So, for my first camping experience, I wanted something that was relatively comfortable. Basically, I wanted access to a toilet. As wonderfully romantic as it sounds to be camping in the middle of nowhere, I’m not ready for that yet. I also wasn’t sure if I’d manage to sleep well, and I didn’t want to be too far from home. So I set a one hour limit, and found a pub on the outskirts of the Peak District to stay at (they have dedicated camping spots on the car park for motorhomes). It cost me £10 and I enjoyed a meal and drink there and then used their facilities overnight. I used the Park4Night app to find this place, though there are other apps too which I’ll share more on in another post.
I didn’t have much with me - just a couple of the Tentbox sleeping bags (which you can join together if you wish) and a Tentbox Down Blanket which I used underneath me like a mattress topper to add a bit of comfort (this blanket is very versatile, I’ve since used it for wrapping round myself at outdoor events and as an extra layer on my bed when the temperature suddenly dropped!). I’ll be honest, my night in the Tentbox wasn’t the most comfortable night’s sleep I’ve ever had. But equally it wasn’t at all bad, and perfect for the odd night. I’d like to do longer trips in future and think I’ll invest in a mattress topper for those. I would definitely recommend some lighting, I got a camping light which has fairy lights as well as a torch functionality and I used the fairy lights in my tent which was lovely for reading before I went to sleep. There are plenty of pockets on the inside of the tent for storing things like a book/tablet, drink, snacks, and overnight essentials. I went in summer so just had a big cosy t-shirt, but in winter I’d probably take an Oodie for the nighttime toilet trips! I documented my experience in a video which you can see below (as you can tell, I got very excited!).
I genuinely loved my Tentbox experience. It’s so easy to put up and away, even on my own. And it’s great to have the freedom to camp without having to take much with you, and I loved being up high too. The views were amazing (yes honestly, even though I was in a pub car park!) and I spent a good few hours the next day working from the Tentbox. I can see this becoming my new favourite mobile office location!
Lots of people complain that you can’t camp anywhere you like in the UK with a Tentbox. That is indeed true, but that’s the law and is the same with any sort of camping. You can camp at most campsites (check first but usually a Tentbox is classed as a motorhome as you need your car with you), and there are loads of apps to help you find suitable places to stay either for free or a small fee.
As mentioned, unfortunately my Tentbox was stolen a couple of weeks after this trip and I didn’t get to do the other trips I had planned. It’s not a nice topic to discuss but it’s an important one as it’s part of my experience.
Firstly, it will not stop me repurchasing a Tentbox and I don’t want it to put anyone else off.
Tentbox - very much approved!
However, clearly they are being targeted and taken (I know others who have had them stolen too). This is sad, but it does happen. And there are things you can do to minimise the risk. Things like security bolts, alarms, trackers, and so on. And also make sure you have them insured (though this can be tricky and the full cost often isn’t covered). My experience has definitely set me back as I haven’t been able to do some of the adventures I’d hoped to, and I’ve missed out on some opportunities. But I won’t let it continue to hold me back as having the Tentbox and having that one night was such an incredible experience and something I deserve more of.
So, what’s next for me? Well I’m now ready to get a replacement. I’m going to get the Lite 2.0 again (I was tempted by the Tentbox Go but I want the additional width, headroom, and comfort you get with the Lite 2.0). I’ll be looking out for the Black Friday deals which I believe start this week. And because of the time of year I’ll be getting the thermal kit too. And I’ll definitely be prioritising security this time. And then, I’ll be off adventuring! I don’t know where yet and I suspect for the next couple of months it’ll only be the odd night as I don’t have any large blocks of free days. But I’m going to be out and about exploring and getting used to camping, so that I can do some longer adventures next year. I want to explore more of the British Isles, and I want to take her abroad too.
Tentbox Ambassador code
I’m registered as a Tentbox Ambassador and have really enjoyed helping other people work out which Tentbox is best for them. Please do get in touch if you’ve got any questions I might be able to help with. I also have an Ambassador code which gets you £50 off a Tentbox purchase when you buy direct from the website - see the image for details.
“Life is about the memories you make and the adventures you take”