Roof tent camping with children

That a rooftop tent makes for a great road trip for two is obvious.
But is a rooftop tent also suitable for camping with children?
What limitations can there be, what do you have to consider when traveling with children and what are other people’s experiences?
Last year Robert and Andrea, together with their daughters Féline and Loua, set off with an iKamper Skycamp 2.0 on the roof of their car.
You can read how they fared here.

Introducing

We are Robert (37) and Andrea (34) and together with our two daughters: Loua (1) and Féline (3) we live in our energy-neutral town house in the center of Alphen aan den Rijn.
We are extremely fond of traveling and have already visited many beautiful places.
In the past we always booked far away, luxury (beach) vacations where our highlight was the Maldives.
But since we made a round trip through Iceland a few years ago, we have completely turned around and love adventurous vacations where we mainly enjoy nature.
In 2017, we discovered Campwerk and made our first trip with a rooftop tent. Everyone said to Robert: Andrea and camping? Ha, you’ll be back in a week…. But nothing could be further from the truth. We left for Scandinavia and drove 9000 km in 3.5 weeks (from the Netherlands all the way to the North Cape and back).
It was our very best travel experience, ever(!).
We parked the car in the most special places; we wild camped at blue lakes, on high ice glaciers and saw the most beautiful sunrises from the roof tent.
If only we had discovered this sooner!

In 2017, Robert and Andrea traveled to the North Cape and back with their Renault Clio and Adventure 140 rooftop tent.

Traveling with a rooftop tent with 2 children under 4 years old

In the years that followed, we had children.
We thought it would be great to take the trip we had taken together with our girls.
We talked about it with family and friends and many had questioned our trip.
“Shouldn’t you first try a weekend in NL with the girls?”, “Can the kids entertain themselves so long and much in the car?”, “Wouldn’t you rather wait until they are a bit bigger?” and “Will you then all sleep in 1 bed together?” “What do you do yourself when the girls are in the tent?” were some of the reactions we got when we told our vacation plans.
We didn’t see any bears on the road at all.
Surely this is great!
Were we just that naive?

Let’s do it!

Whereas in Scandinavia we went completely on spec (and wild camped everywhere) we decided to book a few campsites just to be sure.
We didn’t want to drive around aimlessly late at night with two overtired kids and in high season a lot can be fully booked in (southern) France.
We mapped out a route and booked 4 campsites.
In a few days we were going to drive to the south of France and then would spend the last week a little longer at 1 campsite.
The last campsite was a large one with several swimming pools, restaurants and a real lagoon.
Nice for the kids, we thought.

There we go

On the day of departure, I kept feeling that we had forgotten all sorts of things.
Camping with 2 kids; I expected the car to be packed to the brim.
But it wasn’t so bad that I felt we hadn’t packed everything.
All the stuff we took with us even stayed under the back shelf.
It makes a big difference that you don’t have your tent in the trunk and you don’t have to bring an air mattress (for all 4 of us) when you travel with a rooftop tent.
That was one of the questions we were asked a lot after our trip: “What do you think are the advantages of a rooftop tent compared to a regular tent?
I can answer that one in advance.
As for me:

  • Tent set up and fold down in a minute!
    This alone makes you want a rooftop tent.
  • Camping cots and air mattresses can be left at home
  • You lie on a thick (folded) memory foam mattress that stays on the roof
  • We find it a safe feeling to have the children next to us instead of a separate tent
  • When we camped in Finland in a forest where bears might walk we also felt ourselves safer on the roof than on the ground
  • No condensation, less cold than on the ground, less dirt in your tent
  • The kids love it (up stairs, down stairs)!

Packing tip; don’t pack a bag but put your stuff in clear curver boxes that you label (kitchen stuff, bathroom stuff, clothes, etc.).
Easy stacking and you never lose anything because you can immediately see what is in something.

The first night

We were very curious to see how sleeping with the girls in the rooftop tent would go.
Loua is a great sleeper but Féline can really be a night owl.
The first thing you notice is that it is really surprisingly spacious inside the tent.
You don’t really expect that!
We could even put Loua’s Dockatot sleeping nest (a kind of mini bed) in our middle and even then we had plenty of room.
The kids were frantic and kept one big keet until 10pm haha.
We didn’t mind, it was vacation after all.
We counted the stars we could see from the skylight and then they slept through the night.
Féline immediately asked the next morning if she could sleep in the roof tent again tonight.
A success!

Horror

The following days we drove on to the south of France, finally ending up at that luxury campground we had booked a little longer.
When we arrived it turned out to be gi-gan-tic.
With about ten restaurants and swimming pools.
We had never been on that kind of camping before and the contrast with the beautiful nature spots where we stayed in Norway was huge.
We had paid extra in advance to be allowed to choose a pitch.
It turned out to be fully booked so we were assigned a spot; obviously right next to the entertainment stage.
Auch, that was a setback but we hoped for the best.
We went for a nice swim with the girls, some food and when night fell the animation team and the music started.
It was really extreme, we couldn’t even understand each other in the tent.
Let alone the girls would be able to sleep.
We thought it would probably only last until 20:30 at the most because most of the kids would go to bed by then.
But no, it went on until 0:00(!) every day.
We gave it another night but took our losses the next day and drove away with screeching tires.
Nothing for us.

Still on the off chance

We decided to drive toward Provence and see where we would settle.
We passed beautiful lavender fields and pink salt lakes.
And how glad we were that we drove on.
On the off-chance we booked a different (natural) campsite with facilities every 2 days and made all kinds of fun trips with the kids.
During the day we picked up delicious French delicacies and a good wine at a French winery and when the kids were in bed Robert and I would sit under the lights in the awning with our snacks and drinks.
The epitome of the impulsive turn we had taken on our vacation was that we got stuck for a day because the Tour de France drove across our campsite and the road was closed all day.
Naturally, we cheered the riders, in style, along the sidelines.

Summary

This rooftop tent vacation really loved it and so did the girls.
The rooftop tent is so incredibly practical (quickly folded and unfolded) and that makes you maneuverable and easy to visit many different places.
The surprised (and a little jealous) looks from fellow vacationers who see us unfold our tent with such ease are also priceless!
We feel this way you can get so much more out of your vacation.
The tent is really spacious and the mattress is nice.
You will never see us go on vacation with a “normal” tent again.
And for all the people who hesitate to go on vacation with small children in a rooftop tent; really do it!
Because we really can’t think of any arguments not to do it.
Photos: Andrea and Robert

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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.