Monday, August 3, 2020

The $3,400 Tent That’s Been Sold Out for Weeks

One TripSavvy editor shares her first experience camping with a rooftop tent.
TRAVEL TODAY
Camping
Since summer began, Americans have been looking for safe ways to travel, having been cooped up inside for months on end—and as a travel editor who's barely left the 700 square feet I call home since March, I was no exception. Then, last month, I was offered the unique opportunity to test out a tent, specifically the Falcon rooftop tent from Roofnest. Needless to say, I was game.

Camping wasn't new to me—outdoor escapes are typically my preferred type of travel, and I was looking forward to a week of open road, sleeping under the stars, and campfires with s'mores. However, what was new to me was rooftop camping. And apparently, it's unfamiliar to a lot of people. As fellow campers would walk past our site, we got plenty of confused stares, lots of compliments and questions, and the (unsolicited) advice from one older gentleman who told us we should get a regular tent because ours "looked like too much hassle."

Quite the contrary, sir. In fact, I had never seen or experienced a smoother setup for camping. To set up the Falcon, you release the latches at the back, push the roof of the tent about halfway up (the hydraulics do the rest), and then mount the included, collapsible ladder so that you're able to enter the tent. And voila! No poles, stakes, or other loose parts. Setting it up and taking it down was a breeze, letting us spend more time relaxing by the fire or exploring our destinations, namely New York's Finger Lakes and Adirondack mountains.

However, this speed and simplicity doesn't come cheap—at about $3,400, the Falcon is a bit pricier than most other rooftop tents. But for frequent campers, convenience-seekers, and outdoor adventure lovers (you can mount bikes and skis on top of it, too), it might actually be the ideal option.

Beyond the setup, I quickly learned that roof camping offers some advantages over traditional tent camping—you're off the ground and further away from bugs, wildlife, and rocky or wet landscapes, plus you also have more flexibility in camp locations. And at the very least, it's a conversation-starter with your campground neighbors.

Check out my full review to decide if it's right for you!

  Jamie Hergenrader
  Senior Editor, TripSavvy

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