To camp in a tent is glorious; to camp in a rooftop tent is sublime.
The ability to park your ride and set up your tent site in minutes offers one of the easiest, most convenient methods of tent camping. However, it’s not without its shortcomings, namely having to climb up and down to get into bed and the risk of potentially caving in your vehicle’s roof. Hitch Tent, a clever automotive hitch-mounted tenting platform, is designed to combine all the utility of a rooftop tent with the stability of a traditional tent system.
The new Hitch Tent Rack System from Rubicon Expedition Products is unlike most any other car camping product we’ve seen. It mounts to a traditional, two-inch automotive trailer hitch, standing flat vertically against the rear of your car, truck, or SUV. Upon arrival at your campsite, simply fold down the Hitch Tent platform wherever you plan to sleep for the night. The four built-in legs and feet are fully adjustable to effortlessly find the best, most level sleeping position. Then, mount a standard two- or three-person canvas-style rooftop tent to the platform and — voila! — your outdoor bedroom awaits. Hitch Tent’s built-in rails are designed just like those of a traditional roof rack, so tent setup is identical.
After setup, the platform can be unmounted from your automobile’s hitch or not — your call. This versatility means trips into town no longer need to involve breaking down your tent first. The rear-mounted design frees up the entire roof to make room for all the toys that outdoor lovers typically pack: kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, skis, or a luggage box. The design also reduces wind resistance, which can be a huge boon for long-distance road tripping.
Hitch Tent is constructed of ultra-durable CNC machined aluminum and hot rolled A36 steel to ensure it’s ready for the worst outdoor conditions. While the platform is lightweight, it’s built to support up to 600 pounds — plenty of capacity for your significant other and the dog.
Hitch Tent doesn’t come cheap. Interested buyers will need to fork over $2,000, not including the tent. The first units aren’t scheduled to ship until mid-September 2019 at the earliest, but at least that gives you plenty of time to start planning your fall camping trips.
If you’re also in the market for a rooftop tent, check out our roundup of the best rooftop tents for sleeping off-grid and off-the-ground. You could alternatively splash out on an all-in-one, portable, hitch-mounted “hotel room” like Hitch Hotel.
