Jeep Wrangler Rooftop Tent

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Jeep Wrangler, Rooftop Tent, Camping

Last Updated on April 10, 2023 by Paul S.

A rooftop tent for your Jeep Wrangler is going to change the way you visit the mountains, woods, or even your family campground.

Rooftop tents are life changing because:

  • It’s great to be off the ground to keep you away from flooding and dirt.  If you have ever camped in the rain, it can get wet at the bottom of your tent very quickly!  Being off the ground also keeps you away from animals!
  • The setup is great because you’re already attached to the roof of your car and all you need to do now is unfold it and expand it for most systems! No more messing with telescoping poles!
  • Keeping your tent on the roof allows for more room inside your vehicle for passengers and more gear.

With the camping boom that we have experienced in the last 10 years, there are many models of rooftop tents to choose from.  Not all are going to be made with the best materials nor provide the best comfort but in some cases that could be okay because typically those will be cheaper for people on a budget. 

For this article, we have provided our recommended rooftop tents from reviewing ratings, comments, product websites, and specifications.  We did all the work for you to make your decision making a little easier.

If you are hard pressed for time, we have provided the top pick of our list just below this paragraph.  This tent has the largest footprint, comes with great storage options, and is very affordable.  Check out the link below to review the price on Amazon.

If you have a couple of quick minutes, we have gone in-depth into each tent providing a description and pros and cons so you can get outside and get to adventuring!

Jeep Wrangler Rooftop Tent Reviews

Overland Vehicle Systems Nomadic 4

The Overland vehicle systems rooftop tent is a tent that has some great features and is well thought out.  It boasts one of the largest footprints on this list that can fit up to 3 people.  It is sized at 94.5 inches x 74 inches.

In addition to the tent, they provide a whole list of extra goodies!  Some of the extras are memory foam pillows, lap table, mini broom,, and dustpan.  There are more listed below.

Some of the reviews mention that it is well made, durable and the best of all that even the mattress was comfortable. 

Below are some other specifications of interest:

  • 3 inch high density foam mattress with a quilted cotton cover.
    • The base comes insulated as well.
  • The cotton canvas tent is marine grade 600D.
  • It comes with plenty of storage already built in.
    • Six storage pockets,
    • Storage loft
  • 40 inch removable Velcro LED strip light to light up your tent at night
  • A handheld LED light with magnet and hook
  • Welcome mat
  • Two shoe pouches
  • There are reviews that mentioned when the tent is zipped up light does not penetrate from the outside.  That is great if you want to sleep in a little!
  • Customer service seems to be very responsive if something happens to go wrong with the tent.
  • 4 year warranty.  Best on the list!

Cons:

  • This is the larger of the tents we have on this list, so the weight is up there comparatively.  With working at these heights, you should either be capable of handling such weight or even better yet get as many helpers as you can for installation!
  • There are complaints about lacking instructions while others say installation is easy.

Smittybilt Overlander Tent

This tent by Smittybilt almost seems to have figured everything out!  Some of the stand out aspects of the tent are that it comes with interior LED strips, a shoe storage bag, and a CE approved cigarette light adapter and extension cord. 

Another cool thing is that the product brochure and photos are taken with a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited so you can get a great picture of how this is going to look and sit on top of yours!

Here are some other great facts about this tent:

  • 2 to 3 people can fit
  • Comes with a high density foam mattress so no need to bring your mattress pads on the trip!
  • Heavy duty waterproof top, the rainfly has a sunroof and it has side windows with mosquito netting so you can see on all sides on top of your Wrangler lookout.
  • A Tent Annex (extra tent space) can be attached to the bottom of the tent increasing your covered space and allowing more room for prep or a changing area.
  • Comes with a heavy duty PVC cover that keeps your tent protected from the elements as you drive around.
  • Smittybilt has been in the offroading game for some time and has some great products.  The price on this one is affordable when comparing it to some of the bigger names.
  • This tent has a ton of reviews, and they are rated high. 
  • One year warranty

Cons:

  • The rainfly doesn’t cover the entire tent which could cause some of the areas that are exposed to get wet a lot quicker.  There were reviews that said rain wasn’t a problem.

If you need the annex for this tent you can find it on Amazon here: SmittyBilt Tent Annex

Thule Tepui Foothill Low Profile Rooftop Tent

If you have had your eye on a rooftop tent then you have definitely seen the Tepui brand around.  In 2018 Tepui, a California based company was purchased by Thule and it has been a great combination ever since.  Thule is mainly known for its quality bicycle racks so the acquisition makes sense.

This tent is on the smaller size for this list and can only sleep two people.  Its footprint comes in at 84 inches x 47 inches.  Due to its small size it can leave more space for other items to attach to your roof. 

There are reviews that it does sleep 2 comfortably so you can feel safe that they are not saying it’s a two-person tent when it’s really a one person tent.

One of my favorite features on the tent is that the fly covers the entire tent unlike some of the others.  The tent also has a waterproof rating of 1500WP which none of the other tents have.  With the waterproofing and fly cover your chances of avoiding water in your tent increase by a lot!

Here are some other specs you might find interesting:

  • 600D water resistant polyester ripstop 1500WP
  • Packs up tighter than other tents for more room on the roof and more room while in storage
  • Skylights and panoramic windows
  • 2 year warranty that Thule backs their quality product with

Cons:

  • The ladder is stored outside of the tent which is why it folds up so tightly.  One thing that you could do is tie it to the roof if you have room but then that almost defeats the purpose of the small storage design. 
  • This is one of the most expensive tents on the list but with a quality company like Thule backing it, there is a lot more confidence in its build.  There is also a warranty in case something does go wrong.
  • Does not have an annex attachment

Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer 2 Rooftop Tent

This is another Thule tent and the footprint is slightly smaller than the Thule Tepui Low Pro 2 by 2 inches on side.  Another major difference is that it doesn’t pack down as small as the Low Pro because the ladder is packed together.  It is cheaper than the Low Pro 2. 

Here are some of the other features:

  • The material of the tent consists of coated 600D and 260g poly-cotton blend to help withstand the elements of the four seasons
  • Annex accessory is available for attachment to increase your covered space and get access to the vehicle
  • Includes four large internal pockets for storing camping gear and necessities
  • 2 year warranty that Thule backs their quality product with
  • This Tepui tent packs the ladder inside of the tent when moving.
  • This is cheaper than the Tepui Low Pro 2

Cons:

  • Mattress pad has reviews that mentioned it was uncomfortable.
  • The Fly does not completely cover the tent.
  • If roof space is a concern the ladder packs in the tent completely and takes up a lot more roof space than the Low Pro 2.

Campoint Sunroof 2-3 Person Rooftop Tent

The rooftop tent by Campoint is made with a non-rip polyester waterproof material and comes with a rain fly and sunroof.  The material is impregnated with polyurethane for added durability. 

Here are some other details of the tent:

  • High-density foam mattress dimensions are 90 inches x 53 inches.
  • It can fit 2 to 3 people.
  • The tent annex is available for this tent for additional space below.
  • A heavy-duty PVC cover protects the tent from the elements.

Cons:

  • The Fly doesn’t cover the entire tent.
  • There were some reviews that there weren’t any instructions provided. 

If you also need an annex for this tent you can find it at this link: Campoint Annex

Wrangler Rooftop Tent Comparison Table

Product Weight (lbs)High Density Foam Mattress thickness (inch)Capacity (people)(lbs)Foot Print Size (inch)MaterialWarranty (year)Price
Overland Vehicle Systems Nomadic 418533 / 95094.5 x 75600D Polyester Ripstop4Check Amazon
Smittybilt Overlander Tent1302.363 / 66195 x 56600D Polyester Ripstop1Check Amazon
Thule Tepui Foothill Low Profile Rooftop Tent10812 / 40083 x 47600D Polyester Ripstop 1500WP2Check Amazon
Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer 21222.552 / 40083 x 48600D Polyester Ripstop With water resistant ventilate coating and 260g polycotton2Check Amazon
Campoint Sunroof 2-3 Person Rooftop Tent12822-3 / 66190 x 53600D PolyesterNACheck Amazon

What to look for when purchasing a Roof Top Tent?

What are tents made of?

All except one tent is completely made up of 600D polyester.  The Thule Tepui is made up of 600D polyester and 260g poly-cotton. 

The D in 600D stands for Denier, the unit of measure for the weight and thickness of individual threads used in the fabric.  The higher the denier the stronger, heavier, and thicker the material you have. 

For an easy reference, ultralight tents and equipment will have lower Denier characteristics around 30D, while rooftop tents are sitting at 600D.  Rooftop tents can afford the heavier material because your Wrangler is doing all the work!

The benefits of polyester are:

  • Waterproof and quick to dry out when it does get wet
  • Lightweight
  • Affordability over polycotton

Some disadvantages are:

  • Condensation
  • Breathability
  • Durability

Being that all of these tents have 600D polyester the durability may not be too much of an issue. 

The 260g polycotton in the Tepui Explorer stands for the weight in grams per square meter and is a blend of polyester and cotton.  This material is great for the following reasons:

  • Polycotton is great for cold and warm conditions.  It retains heat while also being able to breathe a lot better when it is warm.
  • Polycotton will hold up a lot longer to consistent use and to UV rays than polyester.
  • It is also stronger than polyester.
  • It can be a lot quieter in high winds.

The disadvantages are:

  • Heavier.  That doesn’t matter for rooftop tents.
  • It takes up more space when packed down.  Probably doesn’t matter to most because it is packed on the roof.
  • Polycotton will need to be weathered
  • Longer to dry when wet

What is Ripstop?

Ripstop is a certain way the tent material is made.  The threads are typically thicker and interwoven that providing greater resistance to tearing than a typical material would have without it.  This also adds to its durability!

Waterproofing on Tents

Only one tent mentioned a waterproofing value and that was the Tepui Foothill Low Profile Tent.  It has 1500 WP added to its 600D polyester ripstop material.  This means that the material is rated to 1500mm of standing water on top of it before leaking may occur. 

What is the best material for your Tent?

The best material for your tent if you are camping very frequently is polycotton.  If you are an average camper, the polyester 600D material is going to work great for you and is a lot more efficient in many ways.

Want to learn more about tent fabric? Check out this site from MSR who makes a lot of great adventure gear. msrgear.com

Fly Coverage

The tent fly is the fabric that covers over your tent and sheds water to the side.  If your tent fly doesn’t have full coverage of the tent there is more exposure to rain on the main tent material. 

What type of roof rack do you need to support the rooftop tent?

You will need to confirm that your roof rack can support the weight of the tent, PLUS!, the weight of whoever is sleeping in it. 

For the Wrangler this will mean that the simple and cheap rail roof racks are absolutely out of the question.  You will need to purchase a steel tubed roof rack that connects to your front door mounts and rear frame.

Conclusion

The rooftop tents for your Wrangler on this list are all great, but our number one choice amongst them is the Overland Vehicle Systems Nomadic 4.  It provides a great amount of space for up to three people, comes with heaps of extras, is comfortable and the price is very affordable when compared to some of the big names.  Another feature I like is the skylight for star gazing at night! 

Enjoy your Wrangler rooftop tent/lookout/command center!

Looking for a Jeep Wrangler roof rack to hold up your rooftop tent? Check out our post below!