A roof box for camping is exactly what it sounds like, a box that fits on top of your car’s roof and gives you more storage space when you are camping or travelling. These can be especially helpful when you have a car that doesn’t have enough storage space to fit all your gear, also you will have easy-to-access items and don’t have to keep packing and unpacking at every stop.
Additionally, a roof box will keep you safer when driving as the inside of your car won’t be so packed with gear and equipment, that you end up blocking you blind spots and rear window.
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Extra Storage Space
A roof box is the perfect way to increase your storage space when packing for a camping trip. You can pack all your gear in the box, including your tent, sleeping bags, and other necessary items. This frees up valuable space in your car so that you can transport other items, such as food and clothing.
Roof boxes are a convenient way to carry your camping gear in an easy-to-access location. It provides overhead storage space that works great if you don’t have any inside room in your car to store extra items. Because they come in many different sizes, roof boxes work well for carrying any size tent or other camping supplies.
There are many different types of boxes available on the market today with varying dimensions so make sure you know what size will work best with your vehicle before making a purchase.
When you are back home and need to store your roof box, its best to use a storage system that doesn't take up space in your garage
Theft prevention: Lock your equipment away safely
A roof box is the perfect way to keep your camping gear safe and secure. By packing your equipment or gear in the roof box you can lock it away when leaving your campsite and be sure that there is a less of a chance it will be stolen.
Equipment left in camp will be an easy target for any thief. If you are leaving camp to go on a hike, gear and equipment should be hidden out of plain site, or even better, locked away in your vehicle’s trunk or roof box out of view of any thieves that may be wandering around.
Protection From the Elements
A roof box is the perfect way to protect your camping gear and equipment from the elements. By packing your tent in your roof box, you can keep it dry and protected from the sun, rain, hail and snow.
Some roof boxes are weatherproof, which means it will do an excellent job protecting against water from entering the box under normal rainy conditions, but some roof boxes are weather resistant, meaning water can get into the box under normal weather conditions, so we recommend placing your gear or equipment in dry bags before packing them into the roof box.
Alternatively you can purchase a Rooftop Cargo Carrier, which area usually made of fabric, waterproof and easily be removed and carried like a bag.
Will my tent fit in my roof box?
You may be wondering if your roof box will be able to accommodate your tent or camping gear. The good news is that roof boxes come in different sizes, and most can fit tents, sleeping bags, and other camping equipment.
When loading your tent in the roof box, make sure not to overload it as it might cause damage to your tent. It is suggested you load any heavy gear or equipment in the trunk of your car, as it can hold a heavier load than the roof box and it will also make sure you don’t overload your roof box.
In order not to cause any damage to your tent, try and avoid packing other sharp or pointy gear with your tent, best practice is to pack softer gear such as sleeping bags, pillows or flysheets closest to your tent.
10 best roof boxes for camping
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Name | Vista XL Rear Opening | Thule Force | Heavy Duty Hard Shell | JEGS Rooftop | Yakima SkyBox | Perflex Bosphorus | Rhino Rack Master-Fit | Goplus | Newly Cargo Box | INNO Phantom |
Brand | SportRack | Thule | Auto Dynasty | JEGS | Yakima | Perflex | Rhino Rack | Goplus | DR-DENG | INNO |
Material | Plastic | Plastic | ABS Plastic | Plastic | Carbonite | ABS Plastic | ABS & AMA | Metal | ABS Plastic | Blend |
Dimensions | 62 x 19 x 39 inches | 74.75 x 24.75 x 16.75 inches | 53 x 34 x 15inches | 61.25 x 39 x 12 inches | 94 x 29 x 18 Pounds | 73 x 34 x16 inches | 36 x 18 x 78 inches | 63 x 31 x 15 | 78 x 35 x 12 | 38.98 x 80.32 x 18.31 |
Colour | Black | Matte Black | Textured Black | Black | Black | Black or Silver | Gloss Black | White | Glossy Black or Glossy White | Gloss Black |
Weight | 28 Pounds | 40.56 Pounds | 39 Pounds | 35 Pounds | 54 Pounds | 34.9 Pounds | 55 Pounds | 25 Pounds | 79 pounds | 70.6 Pounds |
Final thoughts
A roof box can make your camping trip more enjoyable by allowing you to pack your tent in the car, as well as other gear. This keeps your vehicle more organized and can make set up at the campsite much easier. Additionally, transporting your tent in a roof box can protect it from weather and road conditions.
If you have a larger group, a roof box can free up space inside the vehicle so that everyone is more comfortable on the ride. Ultimately, having a roof box just makes good sense for anyone who enjoys camping
My friends and I are going camping this weekend, so I wanted to get a roof box for my car where we can store our tents in. It was good that you mentioned how most roof boxes are weatherproof, so they will ensure that no water or elements can get into the box and damage our items. I’ll take note of this while I look for where to get roof baskets before our trip.