Tents that attach to cars

Does anyone have any experience with tents that attach to the back of cars or SUVs?  I have never really been much of a camper but have spent a couple of nights in the back of my Outback and it has worked pretty well except that there's no place to stand up of put anything once my mat is down.  These tents sell for a couple hundred bucks.  I know I'm not going to get anything suitable for extreme weather but this might be a good option for overnight or two or three day fishing trips.  The one I have looked at online is a dome that attaches to the back of the Outback with the hatch in the open position.  It claims to have room to sleep 4 including 2 in the back of the vehicle.  I'm not interested in having room for anybody but me but the space sounds reasonable.  ?????????

Martin

to me it always looked like they would leak, not sure it the do, i would rather spend a 100$ on a dome at Costco and a real nice air mattress, or a roof top with the changing room. 

I posted a similar topic a couple years ago, I was looking for a tent to go over the bed of my truck.  Pretty much everyone who posted said to buy a camper shell or just get a regular tent.  I bought the regular tent, a nice one from one of the most reputable companies and at a super premium price.......its a great tent but the fact that you're still sleepin on the ground sucks, ungraded/unlevel campsites suck, wind blowin through your tent sucks, putting your knee down on a rock thats beneath your tent when you're kneeling down sucks (stepping on them with no shoes sucks too, the extra dirt and dust that gets in sucks......the list goes on.  If I had to do it again I'd get a tent that attaches to a vehicle.   

Martin good thead I am interested as well. Granted I have a pick up so the option I have come up with is a tent in the bed. I looked at the actual bed tents. The pices are crazy. I ordered an off brand and it fit like crap so I sent it back. So I think you have to/should get one specifically made to fit your vehicle. The generic one failed.

check out a tentcot.  it is a cot with a tent built into it, super fast to set up and no staking down.  I can have mine set up in less than 5 minutes and you sleep off the ground.  with a good sleeping bag and foam pad you are in for a comfortable night's sleep.  not cheap but they are a quality product  (no, I don't work for them).
Bass Pro Shops has them in stock:

http://www.basspro.com/KampRite-Oversized-Tent-Cot-with-Rain-Fly/product/89513/-1318348

Art and Eric, for pickup trucks this is the way to go.  I have had mine in everything from 110f to wind strorms to pouring rain and I'm pretty happy with it going on four years now.  It's tough material, like a Jeep top.  Same stuff.  And cheaper and easier to remove than a camper shell.  Plus the sides fold up for when it's hot.


http://www.softopper.com/

I use the cheap tarps and tied them to the racks on top of the vehicle to keep the rain away! 

Art and Eric, for pickup trucks this is the way to go.  I have had mine in everything from 110f to wind strorms to pouring rain and I'm pretty happy with it going on four years now.  It's tough material, like a Jeep top.  Same stuff.  And cheaper and easier to remove than a camper shell.  Plus the sides fold up for when it's hot.


http://www.softopper.com/

Nice. I am diggin it. Can you totally remove it? If so, is fairly simple? The only issue I have is my bed is short (crew cab) so I need to see if I can sleep in it with the gate up.

You can remove the top in seconds, it folds up flat and is easily removed and stored.  You are left with two rails, which are pretty inconspicuous so I leave em on generally.  They are held on with camper shell clamps, and have rows of snaps for the canvas to fasten to. 

Hardest part is setup.  It can be a bitch to get the last few snaps fastened down, especially in cold weather, but it's still easier than pitching a tent.

You can remove the top in seconds, it folds up flat and is easily removed and stored.  You are left with two rails, which are pretty inconspicuous so I leave em on generally.  They are held on with camper shell clamps, and have rows of snaps for the canvas to fasten to. 

Hardest part is setup.  It can be a bitch to get the last few snaps fastened down, especially in cold weather, but it's still easier than pitching a tent.

Can you drive at highway speeds with this type of top? I'm picturing my dogs in the back and wondering if it's solid.

Hi Jay!

I have driven at hwy speeds with it deployed, but since I never installed the buttons on the tailgate for the rear snaps, so air gusts in and gets things flapping and flexing a bit so I try to avoid it.  But it would be no prob if you were to batton down the hatches.

Hi Jay!

I have driven at hwy speeds with it deployed, but since I never installed the buttons on the tailgate for the rear snaps, so air gusts in and gets things flapping and flexing a bit so I try to avoid it.  But it would be no prob if you were to batton down the hatches.

Cool! That's a pretty nice option at about 1/4 the cost of a hard top. It's something for me to consider whenever I replace my current truck.