My top 5 roof tent tips
There’s a lot of buzz at the moment around camping and roof tents in particular. I’m seeing them pop up (see what I did there!) all over the place both online and in person, and as a Tentbox owner who has been exploring more recently, I thought I’d share my top five roof tent tips from my experience so far, and some of the products I am finding it useful to have with me. I am loving camping in my Tentbox!
I’m a Tentbox Ambassador so if you’re interested in more information on Tentbox in particular, please feel free email me and if you’d like to buy a Tentbox you can use my code in the image below to get £50 off any Tentbox model.
Camping with my Tentbox in Yorkshire over the May bank holiday weekend (yes, that is a WiFi transmitter right next to us!)
1. Set up in the light
This is so much easier at the moment (and for the next 6 months or so at least!). I camped in December and even though we set up at about 6pm it was pitch black! It is therefore possible, but we used a torch and it it definitely easier to do in the light. Setting up a roof tent is really straight forward and doesn’t take more than a few minutes, but it’s definitely much easier to do it in the light. For most roof tents you can’t leave your bedding in (for some you can!) so you also need light to be able to set up your bed properly. I have a variety of different lighting options - here are some I’ve tried and recommend (for different reasons!):
Torch with stand - I’ve used this Ring Rechargeable Worklight* which works great and shines a lot of light! The stand is adjustable to various angles and so could be used on the ground or a table (I’ve put it on a picnic table to help me put the tent up!).
Hang up light - once you’re in your tent it’s useful to have a light to hang from the top. The one I have is one that was purchased years ago, it’s very similar to this Camping Lantern*. It has two different light settings (useful for reading or more relaxed lighting) and I like the shape so it disperses light across the whole tent.
Fairy lights - it’s just not camping without fairy lights! I did get some battery powered ones with my Tentbox but I’ve since bought two of these Camping Lights*. They’re super versatile as can be used as fairy lights (I put them round the poles inside the tent) or as a torch. You can even use it as a portable charger too, though it doesn’t last long as only 2000mAh.
I haven’t yet tried a head torch but would also imagine that could be useful (also if getting up to visit the toilets in the night!). Yes, your phone may well have a torch but it just won’t be as effective for this as a proper torch. Make sure you remember charging cables as if you’re using these for a long period of time they won’t last more than a few hours so you might want to charge each day.
2. Get comfy
OK so it might just be one night you’re camping, but even so you want a good night’s sleep. And the opportunity to do much longer stays too hopefully! Here are the things I take with me to keep me comfy:
Mattress topper - I tried without a mattress topper and it was OK but honestly not the comfiest so I invested in a Panda mattress topper* (mine is the double size mattress for the Tentbox Lite 2.0 and it’s a great fit - perfect width and a bit of extra room at the end). I spent two consecutive nights in my Tentbox last week and didn’t feel uncomfortable in this. It does feel different to my bed, but I didn’t have any aches and pains. It is quite bulky, so I use some straps to roll it up and fasten it and then store it across the back seats of the car (I’m only ever travelling on my own or with a partner).
Pillow - I take the one I use at home as I’m very fussy about my pillows.
Layers - I have the Tentbox sleeping bags (though any work, I just didn’t have any!) and in summer that’s probably enough but you never can be sure and I like to have an extra blanket. I really like the Tentbox down blanket and have used this to wrap around myself when I’ve been at outdoor events. I keep it in my car at all times (apart from when it was suddenly really cold at home last winter and I used it on top of my duvet for a few nights!).
Eye mask - I use a heated eye mask every night at home so I take it away with me too as it helps me sleep. I’ll be honest, my Tentbox is really good at blocking out the light (it’s a slate one, I believe the orange let a lot of light in the morning!) but I like to have the eye mask anyway. I’ve had loads over the years - this DR.PREPARE Heated Eye Mask* is the one I currently have.
Ear plugs - I didn’t realise just how important these were on my first couple of camping experiences but I’ve had a couple since then where I’ve really needed earplugs - whether it’s to drown out wind noise or cattle! I’ve recently been trying a few different sorts including the Loop* Quiet 2 and Quiet 2 Plus - I really liked the Quiet 2 Plus but they fell out during the night (I’m a side sleeper). I’ve very recently invested in the Loop Dream earplugs and they’re the ones for me as they are comfier when lying on my side and I’m sure they block more noise out as well. I’m going to be taking them with me whenever I go away!
3. Check ahead to where you’re staying
I know the idea of just parking up somewhere for the night sounds super appealing, but it isn’t quite that simple in the UK and does involve a little bit of planning. You do have to get permission from the landowner and many car parks don’t allow overnight parking or camping (though there are some that do!). Although I haven’t experienced this, there are also some campsites that can’t allow roof tents, usually because they have pitches just for tents and you can’t leave your vehicle there. Roof tents are usually classed as motorhomes because they’re on the vehicle. So make sure to check ahead to where you want to stay to make sure you’re OK to stay there, and if it’s a busy time of year you may need to book.
4. Join CAMC
Linked to the above, I joined the Caravan and Motorhome Club as this opened up many more places for me to stay. The first of these was a marina that was only open to CAMC members, and since then I’ve stayed at two CAMC campsites. I have been really impressed with CAMC so far - I chatted to them at a camping show and really liked their approach, the only downside is roof tents aren’t eligible to go on their touring trips (not really sure why!). Their sites are super friendly and helpful, the security is tip-top, they’ve been lovely and quiet (even when the pitches are full) and the facilities are superb. They have wifi (and even a heatmap!), power, plenty of toilets and the showers are great too. I’ll definitely be staying at more of their campsites! Membership is a bargain too, and you also get discounted tickets to attractions such as heritage trains, museums, and other days out. I used this recently to get 25% off our train tickets at the Wensleydale Railway in Yorkshire after camping at Burrs Country Park (where I could see the trains on the East Lancs Railway from my tent!!!). I also really like their magazine and app for ideas for camping trips and places to visit.
5. Get all the apps (or websites!)
There are loads of places outside of campsites that you can stay, including pub car parks (I’ve stayed at two fab places like this and enjoyed a lovely evening with food and drink in the pub and then an overnight with an outdoor toilet). Yes, it’s a car park, but it can be a great spot to stay and enjoy a relaxed night. Here are the apps I’ve used for research or booking so far:
Park4Night - this was the first app I used and it has such a large database of places with really good filtering options. You can save favourites too so it’s useful for narrowing down options or saving places to remember for another time. It includes everything from parking spaces, lay-bys, farms, campsites, service stations, etc etc! I love that you can filter to see which have toilet and shower facilities.
BritStops - you do need to be a member to get access to BritStops (currently less than £40/yr) but once you do you have access to a database of places that will let you stop for free (they’re mostly pubs). The expectation is that you will go for a drink or some food and in return for that you can stay overnight in their car park. Some are amazing places with fabulous views and some have outdoor facilities you can use (water, electricity, wifi, toilets) but mostly they’re just car parks. I’ve just noticed on the website it does say it should be self-contained motorhomes rather than roof tents but I’ve used one of these before and just called in advance to ask if I could stay and they were totally fine with it.
CAMC - I’ve mentioned these above but they also have an app which I’ve used and it has loads of information about all their campsites including downloadable maps of the site and wifi hotspots as well as all the basic information you need and the ability to book.
Campy - I haven’t actually used any of the places I’ve found on here yet but I do like the interface and again it has lots of different filters. I think you can also search by availability which is useful for sure! This has been recommended by lots of other people so I’m including it here even though I haven’t used it much myself.
6. Have fun!
I broke the rules of my top 5 (you don’t know how much this disturbs me!) but seriously the most important part of camping is to enjoy it so I couldn’t not include this. Explore new places, or visit familiar places. Spend time on your own, or with loved ones. Travel miles, or stay near home. Follow your own rules and enjoy yourself!
*Affiliate link - if you purchase using these links I will get a commission from the retailer.