With a roof tent, it becomes easy and fun to get out with the whole family on both small and big adventures. The roof tent almost always becomes a favorite activity for the kids as it is like having their own little hideout up on the car roof!
Which Roof Tents Are Suitable for Families?
If you are going to buy a roof tent for your family, you need to start by considering how much space you need. If you are two adults and a small child (up to about ten years old), a roof tent like our Åreskutan two-person, with a 140 centimeter wide mattress, will be more than enough.
If you are two adults and a teenager, a three-person roof tent with a 165 centimeter wide mattress is preferable.
For families of four, we recommend either a four-person roof tent that is 180 centimeters wide or a three-person roof tent, depending on how big the children are.
If you choose a large roof tent with a 180 centimeter wide mattress, you have something like a double bed up on the car roof. The mattress is 240 centimeters long, so one of the children can also lie across the mattress at the foot end.
An Awning Provides Extra Space
For most roof tents, you can buy an awning that attaches to the base plate of the roof tent and provides an extra room on the side of the car. For roof tents with an overhang over the ladder like Åreskutan, you can have a larger awning that provides extra sleeping places on the ground (two adults).
This can be a good option if you buy a smaller tent. Then family members can take turns sleeping up in the tent on the car roof or in the awning.
Roof Tents Often Feel Roomier Than a Regular Bed
One thing that can be good to keep in mind regarding space is that the roof tent often feels roomier than a regular bed. This is because in a regular bed you rarely lie all the way out to the edge; you can do this in a roof tent because you have the walls as protection.
If your family wants a large roof tent, keep in mind that you will also need a slightly larger car and that the roof racks must have an approved maximum load that includes the combined weight of the roof tent and the roof racks.
Here you can see a sketch showing the approximate space in our Åreskutan four-person roof tent:
Adventurer Linda Åkerberg Roof Tents with Her Family
One of those who has discovered how well roof tents suit families is adventurer Linda Åkerberg. In the summer of 2020, she and her family consisting of her partner and three stepdaughters went on a trip in Sweden with a roof tent. The family both free camped and stayed at regular campsites where the children could play in playgrounds and make new friends. A winning concept according to Linda Åkerberg. Afterwards, she said this to us about roof tenting with family.
– Car holidays with a roof tent really feel like the best option for the family vacation.
