Using a roof tent in strong winds!
The Great British weather is known for being particularly unpredictable, so when you go roof tent camping it is important to be prepared for anything!
Here are a few tips for roof tent camping in windy conditions:
1) Choose the right roof tent!
The Tentbox roof tents that we use can all be safely opened in wind speeds up to 38mph. Not all roof tents can hold up to this strength so make sure you do your research!
2) Location!
You may want to avoid the wind altogether by setting up camp in a place more sheltered from the wind, however you should avoid settling down for the night amidst large trees which have the potential to blow branches and debris directly towards your roof tent.
3) Orientation!
After arriving at your campsite, assess the wind direction. It is usually best to face the narrowest part of the roof tent toward the wind. For the Tentbox Lite models that we have in stock, it is best to face the ladder / main entrance away from the wind where possible.
4) Guy Lines!
In higher winds, it's a good idea to secure guy lines around your vehicle's wheels and to the D rings or ladder hinges on the base of the Lite models, this will help ensure the folded out section is secure vs stronger gusts.
5) Noise!
Whenever you go camping in windy conditions, there will always be an element of material flapping that you just don't get at home, trust us we know how annoying this is! However, you can sometimes minimise the flapping by using tarp clips and guy lines. These cheap additions should enable you to attach pieces of material that seem to be flapping more than others, either to pieces that aren't flapping, or to the ground / car to keep them still.
6) Poles!
We would recommend removing the porch poles from your roof tent and attaching the corner toggles / tarp clips / guy lines as described above to avoid materials being caught by the wind.
We hope that this post helps to make your next windy roof tent camping experience a little more enjoyable! Let us know if so, or if you have any other tips we'd love to hear them!
Here are a few tips for roof tent camping in windy conditions:
1) Choose the right roof tent!
The Tentbox roof tents that we use can all be safely opened in wind speeds up to 38mph. Not all roof tents can hold up to this strength so make sure you do your research!
2) Location!
You may want to avoid the wind altogether by setting up camp in a place more sheltered from the wind, however you should avoid settling down for the night amidst large trees which have the potential to blow branches and debris directly towards your roof tent.
3) Orientation!
After arriving at your campsite, assess the wind direction. It is usually best to face the narrowest part of the roof tent toward the wind. For the Tentbox Lite models that we have in stock, it is best to face the ladder / main entrance away from the wind where possible.
4) Guy Lines!
In higher winds, it's a good idea to secure guy lines around your vehicle's wheels and to the D rings or ladder hinges on the base of the Lite models, this will help ensure the folded out section is secure vs stronger gusts.
5) Noise!
Whenever you go camping in windy conditions, there will always be an element of material flapping that you just don't get at home, trust us we know how annoying this is! However, you can sometimes minimise the flapping by using tarp clips and guy lines. These cheap additions should enable you to attach pieces of material that seem to be flapping more than others, either to pieces that aren't flapping, or to the ground / car to keep them still.
6) Poles!
We would recommend removing the porch poles from your roof tent and attaching the corner toggles / tarp clips / guy lines as described above to avoid materials being caught by the wind.
We hope that this post helps to make your next windy roof tent camping experience a little more enjoyable! Let us know if so, or if you have any other tips we'd love to hear them!