Rooftop tent / camper: comparison, experiences & tips – advantages of the different travel options

Rooftop tent / camper – What’s the best way to travel?
In a camper, a roof tent or a combination of both?
When camping, you are completely free and can determine your own itinerary.
While you have enough space with a camper, you are super flexible with a roof tent on your own Audi, BMW, Ford or VW.
Depending on whether you want to convert your own camper or buy a roof tent, there are several advantages.
If you want even more space and comfort, you can also buy a tent trailer.

Travel variants in the test: Vacation with roof tent / camper

If you decide to go on a camping trip, you can expect beautiful, idyllic landscapes, the feeling of complete freedom and a completely flexible and spontaneous trip that you can organize entirely according to your own ideas.
Stop when and where you want, continue wherever you want and still sleep in a comfortable bed at night.
If that doesn’t sound like a dream vacation!
But which travel option is the best?

Camping with a roof tent on the car

You can drive just as fast with a roof tent as you can with a normal car.
You don’t have to follow any extra regulations and the roof tent is barely noticeable when folded up on the roof of your car while driving.
A roof tent fits on almost any car, provided the appropriate roof racks are fitted.
You can choose between a roof tent for 2 people, for example for couples, and a roof tent for 4 people, for the whole family.
Either way, each model has an integrated, comfortable mattress, a ladder and panoramic windows.
Other features can also be easily added using the configurator if required.
With a roof tent, you can travel completely freely, visit all the beautiful places you’ve always wanted to see and take breaks whenever you want.
The whole thing can be set up in just a few minutes, without any effort and with just one hand movement.
What’s more, the rooftop tent is comparatively inexpensive and you only have to pay for food, campsites or pitches and other activities when you’re on the road.
Read all about models, roof load and costs here:

Advantages of a roof tent

  • Flexible and spontaneous travel option
  • Traveling with your own car (normal speed limit)
  • Roof tent is barely noticeable on the car
  • Breaks and stops are possible at any time
  • Comfortable, integrated mattress
  • Easy assembly and disassembly in just a few minutes
  • Different sizes and models depending on requirements
  • Any features can be added
  • Cost-effective

Vacation in a self-built camper

If you prefer to travel in a camper, you usually have a little more space available.
In the best case scenario, you will even have converted your camper yourself and have an integrated kitchen and toilet.
This means you can take a little more furniture with you and may not need an additional awning.
What’s more, you won’t have to set up anything when you take a break at the campsite and you’ll have your sleeping area ready and waiting.
You can furnish your entire camper the way you like it and create your own little house on four wheels.
However, you can’t usually drive as fast with a camper as you can with a roof tent and you can’t simply pull over to the side of the road to make a stop.
You always have to go to a campsite and probably pay more for a pitch there.
Generally speaking, a camper is also more expensive to buy than a roof tent.
In particular, a custom conversion can initially be quite expensive.
You can find out more about traveling in a camper here:

Advantages of a camper

  • More space and storage space
  • Integrated camping kitchen with fridge, stove and toilet
  • No additional structure required
  • Can be furnished and decorated by yourself

Tip: Camper including roof tent

If you can’t decide between the two options and would prefer to travel with both a roof tent and a camper, then I have good news for you: This is also possible!
In principle, a roof tent can be mounted on any car with roof racks – including a camper.
This gives you enough space in the camper for camping furniture, kitchen and cooking utensils and, if necessary, a toilet.
At the same time, you also have an extremely comfortable sleeping area on the roof at all times.
There is also room for several fellow travelers to sleep.
Advantages of a camper van including roof tent:

  • Advantages of both variants are combined
  • Sufficient space for sleeping, cooking and camping furniture
  • Comfortable sleeping space for several passengers

Video!
Norway with the roof tent camper

In the following video you can watch the exciting journey of these two passionate campers.
With their camper and a roof tent on top, they made their way to Norway and show you some impressions of their trip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbqoqWR0d08

Roof tent on VW bus

In this next video, you’ll learn all about traveling with your own van and a roof tent.
You can find out how it works, what advantages you have and what you need to consider here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3Z5FfoZjB0 Would you like to find out more about why a roof tent on a camper van or bus guarantees you a relaxed journey and is an absolutely unforgettable highlight?
Then read more here:

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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.