A lot can be transported on the X-Cover from iKamper. The roof tent is equipped with crossbars. Photo: CAMPWERK

Roof load: All questions and answers – this applies to the roof tent

When deciding which roof tent is right for you and your car, there is one crucial factor that must be taken into account: The roof load.

The roof load is the weight of all objects that can be attached to the roof of your vehicle.
This can be, for example, a roof rack, a bicycle, a kayak or a roof tent.
The roof load must never be exceeded!

So before you buy a roof tent, you should definitely check the permissible roof load for your car.
The details can be found in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

Roof load: calculate the maximum weight correctly

As soon as you know the maximum roof load of your car, you should match this with the weight of the desired roof tent plus the required roof racks.
This is because not only the roof tent, but also the racks have their own weight, which must be factored into the roof load: A roof tent weighs between 50 and 80 kg, depending on its size.
Roof racks can be calculated with a weight of approx. 3-6 kg.

If you have the option of transporting other equipment on or next to your roof tent, such as a kayak or smaller items such as an axe, shovel or a solapanel, you must also take the weight of your equipment into account.

X-Cover: Das Dachzelt kann als Dachträger genutzt werden. Foto: iKamper
Be careful with the roof load: The X-Cover is equipped with crossbars and can be used as a roof rack. Photo: iKamper

Tip for a tight roof load: In many cases, the ladder of your roof tent can be removed and transported in the trunk of your car.
This saves weight on the car roof.

Example: With two to three people, you are X-Cover from iKamper well equipped.
The tent weighs 71 kg(larger or smaller roof tents can be found in this comparison in the overview). A suitable roof rack weighs around 4 kg.
The total weight would now be 75 kg, but could be reduced by 6 kg if you transport the roof tent ladder in the trunk.
An Audi A4 carries a maximum roof load of 90 kg.
With this car, you could even mount a kayak on the X-Cover.
With a Skoda Octavia with a roof load of 75 kg, however, things are getting tight.
In this case, you should do without additional luggage in or on the roof tent.

And this is how you proceed

  1. Check the roof load of your car (information in the operating instructions)
  2. Determine the weight of the desired roof tent
  3. Determine the weight of the roof rack to be mounted on the car
  4. Check that the weight of the roof rack + roof tent + any equipment does not exceed the maximum roof load of your car
  5. Mounting the roof rack on the car roof
  6. Fitting the roof tent on the roof rack
  7. Off on vacation!

Distribution of the weight on the car roof

Regardless of whether you want to transport a roof box, a bicycle or a roof tent on the car roof: It is important that you distribute the weight of the load evenly on the roof.
This avoids an uneven load, which in the worst case could lead to an imbalance and thus to the car tipping over.

Especially if you plan to drive on uneven roads or extremely winding routes, you should remember that the load on your car roof changes the center of gravity of your vehicle.
In any case, the speed should always be adapted to what you are transporting on your car roof.
You should drive all the more slowly and carefully on very uneven surfaces.

Skycamp iKamper. Foto: CAMPWERK
The access ladder can be removed from many roof tents and transported separately. This saves you kilos on the roof load. Photo: CAMPWERK

Fastening and load securing

Tied up just like that?
Better not!
When attaching your roof tent(instructions for installing a roof tent) and other equipment to the car roof, nothing beats the right fastening material.
Make sure that everything is firmly and securely attached at all times and cannot slip while driving.
It also doesn’t hurt to check the load securing every now and then during a coffee break.

Short and sweet: answers to the most important questions

What does the kg specification for the roof load mean?

With a roof load of 75 kg, for example, this means that objects may be transported on the car roof while driving if they do not exceed the maximum total weight of 75 kg.
This weight should never be exceeded, as overloading is dangerous and also prohibited!
In addition, the roof rack system should also be designed to be able to transport the planned load.

As soon as you have parked the car, the restriction due to the roof load no longer applies and higher loads on the car roof are possible.
This means that even if you have already exhausted your roof load with the roof tent + roof rack, you can still sleep in your roof tent.

By the way: The permissible roof load of a vehicle is between 50 and 200 kg – quite a range.
You should therefore check exactly how much is permitted for your car.

Where can I find the information on the roof load?

You can easily find out how high the roof load of your car is: However, the permissible roof load is not stated in the vehicle registration document, but in the vehicle manufacturer’s operating instructions.

Important to know: No matter how high the permissible roof load of your car is, the maximum height of four meters must not be exceeded.
And the maximum permissible width of 2.55 meters must also always be taken into account.
If you are also taking a trailer with you, the ADAC also reminds you to keep an eye on the total weight of the combination.

Klein und leicht: Das Dachzelt Skycamp Mini passt auch auf Kleinwagen. Foto: iKamper

Is it possible to increase the roof load?

No, the specified roof load cannot be increased without further ado and should not be exceeded.
If the roof load is too low, you can only try to reduce the weight on the car roof, for example by removing the tent ladder and transporting it in the trunk.
This will save you 6 kg directly.

But: When the car is stationary, i.e. as soon as you have parked it, the car roof can carry far more than the permitted roof load (more on this in our FAQ).
This means that a whole family can safely spend the night in the roof tent.
The only thing that must not be exceeded is the permissible total weight of the car!

Does the car roof buckle under the weight of the load?

Whether bicycles or a roof tent – the roof load is always attached to appropriate roof racks.
These are mounted on the car roof beforehand.

The roof bars support and stabilize the roof load thanks to the wide support surface, which also distributes the load evenly over the entire roof.
This reduces the risk of uneven loading and prevents damage to your car roof.

Why does the roof load restriction exist at all?

The roof load restriction exists for safety reasons.
A car is designed to carry a certain load.
If the permissible weight is exceeded, this can lead to the vehicle becoming unstable.

The roof load can be particularly noticeable and dangerous when braking, steering or swerving.
As the center of gravity of the vehicle changes due to the roof load, the risk of skidding and tipping is greater.
Especially if the specified maximum roof load is exceeded.

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Offroad
Raised and extra stable for road and off-road… What do you do if you are traveling in regions with poor roads or drive an off-road vehicle or SUV whose dome height does not fit conventional trailers? The solution: the off-road tent trailer from CAMPWERK – specially developed for extreme conditions. This unique model impresses with a raised and particularly robust AL-KO chassis that can withstand even the most demanding off-road routes. The entire body is made of lightweight but sturdy aluminum, reinforced with durable stainless steel components. So you are perfectly equipped for any terrain.
Black / Silver
Available now: The CAMPWERK Offroader in the exclusive Black/Silver Edition CAMPWERK is expanding its range and now also offers the popular off-road tent trailer in the coveted Black/Silver Edition. The high-quality aluminium body is completely anodized in matt black, while the mudguards are powder-coated in elegant “Gun Silver Metal”. An absolute eye-catcher on any road and in any terrain!
The off-road trailer from CAMPWERK impresses with its lightweight construction: Thanks to the aluminum body, the base only weighs around 300 kg when empty. With a permissible total weight of 1.5 tons, it offers an impressive payload capacity of up to 1.2 tons – ideal for small excursions, transport and even larger expeditions.

Visually, the trailer blends in perfectly with the appearance of an off-road vehicle or SUV with its coarse-tread MT tires and robust, full-length aluminium mudguards. The mudguards are also designed in such a way that they are ideal for the safe transportation of petrol and water canisters or gas bottles.

To ensure flexibility, the off-roader’s tyres can be individually adapted to the towing vehicle on request, so that only one set of spare wheels is required. The standard ball head coupling can also be optionally replaced with a DIN or NATO eye.
T-drawbar or V-fork ?
Thousands of trailer drivers know the problem of tight spaces only too well: if you drive into a narrow lane and have to turn, it is important to back your car as far as possible against the trailer in order to get around the bend without any problems. With a T-drawbar, you can utilize the maximum steering angle. This is precisely why we at CAMPWERK rely on this tried-and-tested technology – for optimum flexibility and maneuverability, no matter how tight things get.
T-drawbar
V-fork
T-drawbar
V-fork
Chassis
  • Extra strong square T-drawbar 100x100mm for maximum stability and best maneuverability
  • Axle up to 1,500 kg with maintenance-free hexagonal rubber spring axle
  • Optionally with watertight wheel hub
  • 2 crossbars
  • The chassis is exclusively from the renowned manufacturer AL-KO, market leader in the car trailer and caravan sector
  • Safety indicator on the clutch
  • Independent suspension
Aluminum body
  • Our aluminium trailers are equipped with anodized aluminium profiles
  • double-walled anodized aluminium side panels 30mm, 440mm high
  • Large emergency lighting with integrated rear fog light
  • Equipped with balanced tires as standard
  • Base plate stable screen-printed base, non-slip
  • Complete M8 stainless steel screw connection (V2A stainless steel)
  • Electrical system: Supply cable (wiring harness) standard with 13-pin plug
  • Tailgate latches very elaborate, made entirely of stainless steel
Wheels
  • Black powder-coated steel rim
  • 235/85 R16 tires optionally adaptable to towing vehicle
  • Mud Terrain tire tread
  • Special wheel connection for your towing vehicle on request
Terrain values
  • 350 mm ground clearance
  • 570 mm wading depth
  • 27° slope angle
Equipped for every situation thanks to the versatile accessories...

Raised dropside

20L canister

Towbar adapter for bike carrier with coupling connection

2-4 bike racks

Anti-drag clutch

Onroad

The perfect solution for your camping adventure:
Road trailer with tent
Imagine a first-class equipped road trailer that is ideal for camping trips in Germany and the surrounding countries.
This trailer comes with a sturdy holding device for a matching tent that can be set up in no time at all.
The result is your mobile home – ready for unforgettable tours!

Your decisive advantage: you are ideally equipped for your vacation in a particularly cost-effective way. And when you’re not on the road, you can use the trailer as a conventional utility trailer. We offer you the road trailer in two versions, depending on your needs: An unbraked version with a permissible total weight of 750 kg and the braked version recommended by us with a permissible total weight of 1,300 kg.
10-year guarantee
Our trailer base was not created in the laboratory – it was made for the real world. The robust construction is optimized for tough conditions. Oversized axles and virtually indestructible aluminum frames ensure exceptional durability. We are the only supplier in Germany to give you a 10-year guarantee on this unique quality!
T-drawbar or V-fork ?
Thousands of trailer drivers know the problem of tight spaces only too well: if you drive into a narrow lane and have to turn, it is important to back your car as far as possible against the trailer in order to get around the bend without any problems. With a T-drawbar, you can utilize the maximum steering angle. This is precisely why we at CAMPWERK rely on this tried-and-tested technology – for optimum flexibility and maneuverability, no matter how tight things get.
T-drawbar
V-fork
T-drawbar
V-fork
Chassis
  • 2 crossbars
  • Maintenance-free rubber spring axles
  • Independent suspension
  • The chassis is exclusively from the renowned manufacturer AL-KO, market leader in the car trailer and caravan sector
  • Safety indicator on the clutch
Aluminum structure
  • Our aluminium trailers are equipped with anodized aluminium profiles
  • double-walled anodized aluminium side panels 30mm, 440mm high
  • Large emergency lighting with integrated rear fog light
  • Equipped with balanced tires as standard
  • Base plate stable screen-printed base, non-slip
  • Complete M8 stainless steel screw connection (V2A stainless steel)
  • Electrical system: Supply cable (wiring harness) standard with 13-pin plug
  • Tailgate latches very elaborate, made entirely of stainless steel
Equipped for every situation thanks to the versatile accessories...

Raised dropside

20L canister

Towbar adapter for bike carrier with coupling connection

2-4 bike racks

Anti-drag clutch

Material and processing.
The tent fabric of our trailer tents is made from a high-quality, 450 g blended fabric, also known as canvas. This unique combination of cotton and polyester combines the advantages of a natural fiber with those of a modern high-tech material. The result is a robust, breathable fabric that impresses with its pleasant feel and high dimensional stability.

The tent fabric, which is also used by the military, is impregnated and particularly tear-resistant thanks to the ripstop process. In this special weaving technique, thicker threads are woven into the fabric at intervals of around 10-15 millimetres, giving the fabric its characteristic tiled structure and exceptional tear resistance. It goes without saying that our fabrics are opaque and therefore offer optimum protection and privacy.
The basis of our trailer tents is a robust stainless steel frame with a thickness of 3×3 cm. A 1.8 cm thick, water-resistant wooden floor panel is securely fastened to this sturdy frame with stainless steel screws. The frame of the trailer tents is also made of galvanized steel tubing and special stainless steel components that ensure maximum stability. The modern surface finish not only offers a high level of corrosion protection, but also gives the material a pleasant feel and ensures a durable, weatherproof construction.
We rely exclusively on yarn from the German market leader Amann. Thanks to the combination of a cotton core and a high-tenacity polyester core, this yarn is characterized by a particularly high tensile strength and excellent water resistance.

On contact with water, the cotton coating swells and closes the seam holes created during sewing. For additional protection, all seams in the roof area are fitted with a transparent sealing strip to ensure maximum waterproofness.
Less is sometimes more.
We are often asked: What about the water column? For tent fabrics, the impermeability of the fabric is specified in the form of the water column. For cotton tents, this value is usually around 300 to 400 mm. However, our tent fabric offers an exceptionally high water column for cotton fabric of around 750 mm. This means that theoretically more than 75 cm of water can stand on the material before the first drops penetrate.

A major advantage of cotton as a natural raw material is its ability to swell when it gets damp, which provides additional waterproofing. In contrast, synthetic fabrics, which cannot swell, must have a much higher water column (between 3,000 and 10,000 mm, depending on the material) in order to achieve comparable waterproofness.
Good night.
The comfort sleep set consists of a high-quality visco foam mattress that adapts perfectly to the individual body shape, ensuring a restful night’s sleep. The set is complemented by the innovative Froli bed spring system, which guarantees an exceptional sleeping experience. Perfect sleeping comfort in a well thought-out overall package.
Premium mattress.
An excellent mattress is the basis for healthy and restful sleep. Just as every person is unique, their mattress should also be individually tailored to them.
Our premium mattress adapts perfectly to the contours of the body and promotes orthopaedically correct positioning of the spine. Thanks to targeted pressure relief, back muscles and intervertebral discs can relax optimally. The innovative construction and high-quality materials create an ideal sleeping environment.
There are no compromises at CAMPWERK: We rely on flexible visco foam with memory function. The unique combination of supportive foam core and relieving visco foam topper ensures maximum sleeping comfort.
  • Visco-elastic mattress.
  • High-quality Tencel® cover (38 % Tencel®, 62 % polyester).
  • Four practical turning loops.
  • Four-sided zipper.
  • Removable, divisible and washable.
  • Four practical turning loops.
Suspension.
Good ventilation is crucial for your well-being and sleep hygiene. To ensure maximum sleeping comfort, we combine our mattress with an innovative Froli slat base. The flexible spring elements form a comfortable slat base with individually adjustable firmness zones. This combination ensures orthopaedically correct positioning of the body and provides targeted, pressure-relieving support. This effectively prevents tension and one-sided strain. The open, air-permeable cells also enable optimum ventilation and create a healthy sleeping environment.
Are you allergic or do you have special health requirements? No problem! We cooperate with a renowned German mattress manufacturer to offer customized solutions. Simply contact us and together we will find the ideal mattress for your needs.