Camping Guide
Weather-protected from the roof tent into the motorhome
The combination of roof tent + caravan/motorhome is particularly convenient if you add an awning or add-on tent to the roof tent. This means you can always switch back and forth between your two “living spaces” in the dry. However, pay particular attention to the height of your vehicle so that the awning reaches down to the ground.
But before you start looking for a suitable roof tent , you should first consider a few things. Because what about the roof load? Is it easy to mount a roof tent on a caravan or motorhome? And where is the roof tent actually attached?
Caravan and motorhome plus roof tent: pay attention to roof load and stability
Dethleffs, one of the best-known manufacturers of motorhomes and caravans, writes about roof loads on its homepage: “In general, the roofs of our vehicles are conditionally accessible. The maximum permissible roof load is 100 kg.” Limited accessibility means that point loads in particular must be avoided, as this could lead to dents on the roof.
Roof load: note the differences
How much your caravan can withstand on the roof therefore varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Here are our tips for fitting a roof tent on a caravan or motorhome:
- To attach the roof tent, you need a roof rack on the camper/caravan roof. Ideally, make sure that roof racks or corresponding attachment points are already available ex works.
- As with a car, the load-bearing capacity of the caravan roof should be checked in advance.
- Consult a specialist if you want to retrofit a roof rack – in order not to jeopardize the stability of the vehicle, adjustments or reinforcements may be necessary before your camper van can carry a roof tent.
Combine a van with a roof tent: How to make it perfect
Do you have a converted van or other panel van with you on your camping trips? Then at least the roof load shouldn’t be a problem. However, even large vans such as the VW Sprinter often only offer space for two people. If you are traveling with a family of four or want to set up a cosy living room for bad weather days, even the larger vans will reach their limits. But a roof tent on the car roof can also help out here.
If you have a roof hatch in the car roof, you can even create direct access to the bedroom, i.e. your roof tent on the roof, from below, from the interior of the camper van. In this combination, you don’t have to worry about rain – similar to a setup with an awning on the roof tent, which also encloses the entrance to the camper van or caravan – as you don’t have to climb into the roof tent via the ladder attached to the outside.
Adventure roof tent plus campervan: an ingenious team
And this is how it works: You mount the roof tent on the roof of your converted van so that the entrance to the roof tent is positioned exactly above the roof hatch of the car. The ladder that you normally use to get into the roof tent is not needed on the outside. This is because you can now climb directly into the tent from inside your van through the roof hatch.
You can find even more information and practical tips on installing a roof tent on a motorhome in our blog post Roof tent on a motorhome: advantages, installation and tips.
Are you a caravan or motorhome dealer and do you like the idea?
Then we look forward to hearing from you at wholesale@campwerk.de!
