Hire vs Buy: Which Is Better for UK Rooftop Tents?
- Max
- 15 hours ago
- 6 min read
If you’ve ever found yourself pricing up a rooftop tent at midnight (tent… then roof bars… then “is my roof even rated for this?”… then storage… then another accessory you didn’t know existed)… welcome.
You’re in good company.
We get asked this constantly:
Should I buy a rooftop tent, or just hire one when I actually want to use it?
Here’s the honest UK answer - including the bit that a lot of sellers gloss over: not every vehicle (or roof rack setup) is suitable, and why pretending otherwise is how people end up with dangerous failures.
The tl;dr answer
Hiring is usually the better move if…
You’re planning a couple of trips a year, not a new lifestyle.
You don’t want to deal with roof bars, fitting, storage, drying, maintenance.
You want to try before you buy (and avoid expensive regrets).
Your car isn't suitable for rooftents (more below).
Buying is usually the better move if…
You’ll use it often (multiple trips per season, most years).
You already have (or are happy to invest in) a properly rated rack setup.
You want spontaneous “nice weather? we’re off” weekends without booking.
If you’re on the fence: hire once, then decide. It answers 90% of questions immediately.
Before you decide hire vs buy… you’ve also got a tent choice to make
Most people jump straight to price. But you’ve also got the “what type of tent suits me?” question:
Soft-shell: folds out like a more traditional tent
Hard-shell: pops up like a roof box with fabric sides
We’ve got a full breakdown of the pros/cons (in plain English, no sales waffle, affiliate codes, or hidden sponsorships) here: Rooftop Tents for Dummies.
Buying a rooftop tent isn’t just “buy the tent”
Let’s use a real, common example: the excellent Thule Approach Medium.
Thule list the Approach M at £2,399.99
That’s the tent. What catches people out is everything that tends to come after that.
1) The roof rack system (if you don’t already have the right one)
You need a rack setup that’s genuinely suitable for rooftop tent loads.
Thule are very clear on this: the crossbar system needs to be certified for a minimum dynamic (driving) weight capacity of 75kg / 165lbs, and you need to check both your vehicle’s roof limit and the rack system rating.
Also important: bars, feet and fit kits can have different weight capacities — and the lowest-rated component sets the limit for the whole setup.
So even if you buy a premium tent, you still need a properly matched rack system (and in many cases that’s a few hundred quid once you include bars + feet + fit kit).
2) The extras you don’t think you’ll buy… until you’ve done one wet weekend
Most people start “minimal”… and then reality happens.
A few common ones:
Anti-condensation mat (big help in UK humidity, we ALWAYS recommend this)
Insulator/lining for colder months
Awning/annex for covered space
None of these are mandatory, but if you’re camping in real UK weather, you’ll quickly form opinions.
3) Fitment, compatibility, and the boring stuff that matters most
This isn’t just “will it physically fit on my roof?”
It’s:
your vehicle’s dynamic roof load (in the owners manual)
your rack system’s dynamic rating
your bar spacing / mounting position being correct
This is where people get burned by lazy advice. We're always happy to advise here, regardless of if you're buying from us or anyone else, if you're questioning if your car is suitable, send me over an email, or a DM on Insta and I'll take a look for you!
4) Storage + lifting (if you don’t want it on the car all year)
If you’re not leaving a roof tent on year-round:
you need somewhere to store a big, awkward unit
you’ll usually need two people (or a hoist) to lift it on/off safely
Buying can be brilliant - but it’s not “zero admin”.
My biggest bugbear: “suitable for all cars” claims
This is where I’ll be blunt, because it’s safety.
No, your Fiat 500 should not have a rooftent.
A rooftop tent is a serious load. Some cars are fine. Some are not (arguably most). Some rack styles are absolutely not appropriate.
Yakima, for example, explicitly state in their SkyRise best practices: do not use their rooftop tents with clamp-type or clip-style towers.
Thule, likewise, emphasise that your rack system must meet minimum dynamic capacity requirements, and that you must check the ratings properly - and that 'clamp on' style bars are never suitable.
So when you see broad “fits any car” marketing… please don’t take it at face value. In the best case it’s a damaged roof and a ruined trip. In the worst case, it’s a rack failure at motorway speeds.
In my opinion, this should be banned, outright - we've been sent some absolute horror stories caused by this marketing (and specific 'customer advice') that have narrowly avoided being front page news-worthy. We'll say no more...
Our stance (and yes, it costs us sales sometimes)
We do not sell tents to anyone with an unsuitable vehicle or rack setup. We’d rather lose revenue than put someone into something unsafe. Full stop.
When hiring wins (even if you could buy)
Hiring makes sense when you want:
the experience without building a whole system
a proper “try before you buy” test
a trip where you spend your time enjoying yourself… not problem-solving kit
It’s also the fastest way to learn what you actually like:
Are you a “simple and fast setup” person?
Do you hate ladders?
Do you mind packing down damp canvas?
Do you even enjoy sleeping up high?
One hire tells you all of that.
When buying is best
Buying is brilliant if:
you’ll genuinely use it often
your vehicle is suitable
you’re happy getting the rack system right (and keeping it right)
If that’s you, go for it - just do it properly, not “it’ll probably be fine”.
A great option if rooftop tents aren’t right for you: towbar tents
If you:
don’t want to, or can't, climb into a roof tent,
have a vehicle that isn’t rooftop-tent compatible,
or you’re an EV owner trying to minimise aero drag…
…then a towbar tent can be a genuinely good answer.
We’ve written about award-winning Thule Outset specifically (and why it’s such a clever bit of kit) here. We're also the only place in the world you can hire one!
In short, imagine a rooftop tent at ground level! Hitched to your towbar when travelling, and completely removable when set up, perfect to leave behind as a base camp when you want to take the car for the day and not pack up everything!
Why we recommend Thule (and why we’ve committed to their range)
After more than half a decade of living with rooftop tents - fitting them, using them, maintaining them, and seeing how they perform in real UK conditions - we’ve ended up with a clear preference.
We recommend (and use personally, and sell) Thule’s rooftop tent range, because the design, materials, and overall system approach is properly thought through - and it’s the same reason we’ve built our hire fleet around Thule tents too.
If you want a helping hand
If you’re thinking of buying and you’re not 100% sure your vehicle/rack setup is suitable, message us. I’ll tell you straight — even if it means talking you out of a sale.
And if you’re curious but not ready to commit: hire once. It’s the fastest way to know whether rooftop tent travel is your thing.
If this blog has helped you kit out your own camper, or make purchasing decisions, we'd be extremely grateful if you'd consider a small token of thanks via our Buy Me A Coffee page. Hours, days, weeks and months of research, trade shows, discussions with manufacturers etc go into making our decisions and ultimately recommendations (and indeed agreeing discounts for our readers!) - we've opted not to paywall the content, but if you're in the position we'd be incredibly appreciative of the support! Thank you - Max & Bela
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