Ready for the ultimate off-roading adventure? Camping has surged in popularity, driven by the vast selection of well-equipped utes and 4WDs, as well as the comfort and convenience of innovative camping accessories, such as rooftop tents, designed for an elevated experience under the stars.
What is a Rooftop Tent?
Fixed to the vehicle’s roof rails, rooftop tents are the camping necessity you want when you want to avoid the damp, uneven ground, curious critters and the cumbersome setup of standard tents. Compact, foldable, and secure, OCAM’s expansive line of rooftop tents caters to serious off-roaders, larger families and frequent campers who want durable, spacious and feature-rich solutions that bring the comfort of home when out on the road.
Why Have a Rooftop Tent?
- Unique views: The elevated vantage point offers spectacular landscapes and 360-degree views. Pick a model with large windows or fitted with panoramic skylights to take more in.
- Fast setup: All OCAM rooftop tents are ready in minutes. Setup is simple, aided by gas struts for smooth opening and closing. Don’t waste valuable time and effort with regular tents.
- Unbeatable comfort: Durable outer shell materials (lightweight aluminium in the hard shell Night Sky series) and layered, waterproof natural and synthetic blends in Soft Shell varieties, combined with honeycomb insulation and micro-suede ceiling lining, ensure warmth and weather resistance. Pair this with thick memory foam mattresses for uninterrupted sleep.
- Keeps you clean, dry, and protected: Avoid damp, moist and uneven ground, keep rain, wind and piercing sun away, and discourage curious critters from spoiling your camping trip.
- Durable builds: Sturdy stainless steel bases provide ultimate stability and high weight loadings, with larger King Size variants happily supporting up to 300 kilos. This is supported by quality stainless steel hinges, gas struts, and inner and outer fabric lining to ensure your rooftop tent lasts no matter the conditions.
Where OCAM goes above the competition is affordability without compromising on overall quality, usability or features. Each rooftop tent comes with multiple interior storage solutions, integrated LED lighting, and fitted Anderson plugs to power devices and 12V camping accessories. Access is provided with included space-saving, telescopic ladders, while optional extras like awnings and annexes expand available space under the shade.
There are a few considerations to take into account. Ensure you check the roof loading weight limits on your ute and 4WD, or whether you need extras like rear ute tub racks to accommodate larger and longer tents and ensure stability.
With that said, the few negligible cons, like additional weight and higher profiles, may mean marginally higher fuel use or increased road noise at speed. These issues, though, are common in all off-roading trips. Just mind your vehicle’s overall height with a rooftop tent fitted when navigating low-ceiling parking lots.
Which OCAM Rooftop Tents to Choose
OCAM has a variety of rooftop tents in different sizes to suit different needs, price points and vehicles. Some of our most popular options are:
- OCAM Night Sky 15 Aluminium HardShell: A rear-opening design preferred by solo and couple travellers, with unrivalled weather resistance from the aluminium clam shell. Side extrusions allow campers to load 35 kilos of camping essentials, while interior inclusions such as the velour cover full-sized memory foam mattress, LED light strips and dual shoe storage bags balance comfort, usability and space. Plus, you can store your bedding inside the tent when you’re on the move.
- OCAM Night Sky 12: Designed to comfortably sleep up to 3 adults, this rooftop model continues the durability and weather-resistance theme in the entire Night Sky line, while offering more space. Standout features are the side-opening design, foam king-size mattress, high-density (280 gsm) rip-stop canvas body, a huge ABS shell for added protection and a built-in PVC skylight to enjoy the starry skies.
- OCAM Premium Super Double Soft Shell: Combining space, comfort and cost savings, this is the budget-friendly option when packing light. Constructed around a heavy-duty 400 gsm polyester canvas body in a traditional fold-out design, the tent provides a large (2400mm by 1400mm) sleeping area and a thick, dense foam mattress. Interior space is emphasised by the natural light from large windows. Suitable for mounting on various vehicles via extruded aluminium mounting brackets and stainless steel hardware.
How to Mount Your New OCAM Rooftop Tent on Your Vehicle
Installing any OCAM rooftop tent is a relatively straightforward process if you’re comfortable using simple hand tools. Before you begin, ensure all contents (tent, mounting hardware, support rails, ladder and provided tools) are supplied. Lay all the items out on a larger, clutter-free surface, then follow these simple steps:
- Position the tent on the ute: First, determine how the tent is orientated. Use a helping hand (some tents can weigh up to 95 kilos!) to align the tent with the ute or station wagon roof rails.
- Use the supplied brackets as follows:
Slide the mounting bolts through the plate and then insert the assembly into the extrusion on the underside of the tent base. Align the bolts with the crossbars or rails on your vehicle so that each bolt sits on either side of the roof rack cross member. Position the supplied plate underneath the roof rack cross member so it captures the bolts, then secure the assembly by tightening the supplied fasteners.
- The ladder brackets are supplied and already attached to the tent.
- Open the tent to see whether the gas struts slide smoothly and lift the tent into position.
- Check whether all mounting hardware is secured and tightened to the recommended torque.
For detailed mounting instructions, see here.
What to Look for?
Key considerations when looking for a rooftop tent are compatibility with your ute, 4WD, or station wagon, design and durability factors like materials and weather resistance, overall capacity and the included features you want.
Vehicle Compatibility
This refers to not exceeding the rated roof loading limit in your rig. The biggest and heaviest OCAM rooftop tent tops out at 95 kilos, so well within the rated roof limit of larger 4WDs it’s intended for. Of course, you’ll also want a tent that can fit the length and width of the fitted vehicle rails, so consider whether shorter dual or extra-cab roof designs limit what you can use. As mentioned, a simple workaround for larger tents is fitting a tub rack.
Durability
Ensure to go with materials that are rated for weather resistance. Both synthetics and natural fibres (or blends of both) rated for heavy downpours and harsh UV radiation pass the test for demanding Aussie conditions. On a similar note, choose between soft or hard shell designs, depending on where your journey takes you. Hard shells offer more weather resistance and are generally quicker to set up, but soft shell varieties benefit from lower weight and lower prices.
Capacity
Consider how many people the tent is intended for. Larger sizes naturally mean higher prices and limitations as to which vehicles they can fit.
Comfort
Lastly, to get the comfort you’d expect from high-end camping accessories, consider mattress density, thickness and materials, interior design features like windows and screens for ventilation, internal storage like shoes, bags or ceiling pouches and niceties like lighting and the ability to hook up phones or laptops.
Maintenance Tips
OCAM stocks the full range of rooftop tent spares, such as gas struts, ladders, quick release mechs and more to retain the functionality and durability of your tent. To keep your purchase clean and damage-free, conduct routine inspections for cracks, tears or missing fasteners.
Resolve issues as soon as they happen, remove all debris, clean stains with water and soap solutions and routinely air out the tent to prevent mould. Tents that aren’t currently used are better stored in cool and dry areas, such as garages.
To elevate your next camping experience, explore the full range of OCAM rooftop tents and start shopping today.
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