The Tentbox Cargo is an absolute workhorse of a roof tent. There is many different roof tents on the market with some costing as little as £500 and some costing way over the £3000 mark.
The one thing (as with most items) is don’t get drawn in to false economy when it comes to buying outdoor gear.
Yes, initially they are cheaper but will they last, will they put up with extreme conditions and will they stand the test of time if its to be mounted on your car for the duration of the year?
After selling my camper (which I really didn’t want to do) I had to look into buying something that I could use for overnight trips.
I also wanted to have something that would comfortably sleep 2 people (if the wife wanted to come along).
Researching roof tents for the pickup, I discovered there was so many on the market and its best to see whats about. YouTube is great for this.
Tentbox came up high on a Google search. A UK company that produce, currently 3 models of roof tents: The Tentbox Classic, Tentbox Lite and the Tentbox Cargo.
The next thing was choosing the correct roof tent for what I wanted.
The first I was looking at was the Tentbox Lite. Now, although it is called the Lite it is actually bigger internally than the Classic and the Cargo. It opens up over the side of your car giving enough room for 3 people.
The Roof Tent is stored under a waterproof cover which is removed when setting up the tent.
Secondly, I looked into the Tentbox Cargo. The Tentbox Cargo, costs a lot more but is built into a waterproof aluminium shell.
The great thing about the cargo is that it has the ability to house a roof rack on the top, quicker setup, the side awning (seperate purchase) attaches directly onto the rooftent and is perfect for rough terrain and off-road use.
Why I chose the Tentbox Cargo.
So I chose the Tentbox Cargo. I like the fact that you could keep your bedding and the ladder inside the tent along with being able to use the roof (with the roof rack purchased seperately) to store bikes, canoes or a roofbox.
The actual Roof tent and the extras cost over £3000. Now this is quite an investment but if you are going to use the roof tent reguarily then its worth the money.
Also, you dont want to buy something that will only last a year or is not suited to what you want to do with it.
Optional Extras.
One of the main reasons i chose this roof tent was to have the roofbars. The second was that the awning attaches directly to the roof tent.
The awning gives you a great covered area if the weather is not great, if not you’re limited to where you can hide from the weather.
If not a rainy day means you’ll be holding up inside the roof tent where there isn’t a great deal of space.
It is also best to think about where you will park the car so the car acts as a windbreak
Purchase to delivery of the Tentbox Cargo
Ordering on the website was easy and within 5 days the Roof Tent had been delivered.
The Tentbox cargo comes pretty much ready to install with only a few things you need to bolt on and setup (where you put certain bits is also depending on the configuration you want).
The Tentbox Cargo has three doors ( one on each side and one on the reat) so it depends on how you want to use it where you install the clips for the ladder.
I chose to have the ladder on the drivers side so I could have the awning on the other.
Tentbox have a setup video that is recommended to watch prior to installing your tentbox.
This video is really helpful and a must watch.
Tentbox Cargo Installation Guide.
Specifications of the Tentbox Cargo.
| Colour | Black Edition, Grey Edition |
|---|---|
| What’s Included? | Telescopic Ladder, Foam Mattress, Fixing Kit, Welcome Pack (with fairy lights!) |
| Sleeping Capacity | 2 person |
| Initial Installation | 25 minutes |
| Set-Up Time (once installed) | 0.5 minutes |
| Opening Mechanism | Automatic, gas-assisted |
| Store Bedding Inside | ✔️ |
| Integrated Storage | Cargo net on roof and side pockets |
| Wind Rating | Up to 39mph (Gale force 8) |
| Seasons | 4 Season |
| Anti-Bug Mesh | ✔️ |
| Product Weight | 74kgs (excluding the ladder) |
| Internal Weight Capacity | 300kgs |
| Dimensions (closed) | 127 x 215 x 21 cm |
| Dimensions (open) | 127 x 215 x 160 cm |
| Sleeping Area (mattress) | 125 x 210 cm, a UK standard double bed |
| Fabric Properties | Breathable 280gsm rip-stop canvas walls, with a 2000mm Hydrostatic Head Rating. Waterproof silicone-taped seams throughout, and waterproof zips on the end windows. |
| Shell & Frame Construction | Steel reinforced honeycomb-aluminium panels, with integrated ventilation in the base. Custom, powder-coated aluminium framework, with integrated t-slot accessory channels. Stainless steel hinges and fixings. |
| Mattress | 6cm High-Density Foam Mattress (additional memory foam topper available) |
| British Design | ✔️ |
| Warranty | 5-year extended (included in the price) |
Installation.
Roof Rack.
Now, as you’ve paid a substantial amount of money for your tent, do not cut cost by ordering a cheap set of roof bars.
The last thing you want is for the roof tent to come loose or get damage by a cheap set of roof bars.
The other thing to think about is the weight. The Cargo weighs 74kg and it is recommended to purchase roof bars that can hold 74kg’s.
If you are attaching the roof bars and the awning your need to think about the extra weight of these and also the equipment you’ll be carrying on the roofbars. So i’d recommend buying roof bars that can hold 100kg plus.
Once you have decided on the layout (where the ladder will be, where the closing clips will be and the handle it’s best to get the Cargo on the roof bars.
As mentioned before it is heavy so you’ll need at least two people.
Securing your rooftent.
The fixing kit supplied needs attaching to the roof bars and it is also worth purchasing the security nuts which use a special spanner to tighten (making your roof tent more secure).
There has been a few thefts mentioned of roof tents.
Also on this note it is worth taking out extra insurance for your roof tent.
Layout.
The Tentbox cargo inside is big enough for two people, it’s about the size of a ‘rock n roll’ bed in a campervan.
Storage inside, you have one small pocket on each side, perfect for a phone and headlamp and 2 layers of cargo netting on the roof which is perfect for you clothes.
It’s worth purchasing the boot bag so you don’t have to keep muddy shoes inside the tent.
The boot bag hangs from the ladder.
Ventilation.
On the base of the Tentbox cargo
The TentBox Cargo has built in floor vents with a cut-out mattress that allows air to flow up through the vents, releasing moisture.
It also features two vents in the fabric to allow condensation produced when sleeping to escape.
As the roof tent is single skin, using the tent in cold conditions you will have some condensation on the inner walls.
Accessories i’d recommend.
Bivvy light by Sunblesa that has a magnetic strip that you can install on the top of your door.
Internal light fixed to ceiling with velcro.
Pee Bottle (saves getting climbing down the ladder in the rain in the middle of the night.)
Battery pack and cables for charging devices.
I have designed a power setup that i will install into the roof tent.
This involves a 100 watt solar panel that will be fixed to the roof of the tent that runs into a leisure battery in the rear of the pick up and a cable will run from the battery into the roof tent with a duel USB port for charging. Watch this space for the install!
All in all I love this roof tent. Yes, it is expensive (finance is available) but it has a 5 year warranty, is built to last and will serve me for many adventures.
Don’t forget the £50.00 discount on any tent ordered using my code above.
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