Hard shell vs soft shell rooftop tents: which is better?

No rooftop tent comes without its compromises, but which should you choose when it comes to hard shell vs soft shell rooftop tents?

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A guide to picking the right rooftop tent for you

Remember when you were a kid and posed with arguably the most challenging question a young one can face, hard shell vs soft shell tacos? A bead of sweat would form on your brow as you deliberated, trying desperately to ensure you made the right decision. With urgency, you weighed up the pros and cons of each offer before making your mind up and choosing one of each.

Unfortunately, when it comes to choosing between a hard or soft shell rooftop tent, you can only decide on one. So, in this article, we head upstairs and work out which is right for you.

How do I tell the difference?

But what exactly is the difference between a hard shell and a soft shell rooftop tent? Here’s the short answer. Hardshell rooftop tents have a hard outdoor shell on top, usually with fabric walls, and soft shells look a lot like a normal ground tent and are made entirely of fabric.

Choosing between a hard shell vs a soft shell is a tough one to get right because no rooftop tent comes without its compromises. Some take up the entirety of your roof space and thus any chance of storing gear up there. Other considerations include ease of set-up, looks, durability and even physics. A well-versed camper will tell you in no uncertain terms a hard shell rooftop tent is unequivocally better. But is that true?

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Let’s go through the pros and cons of soft shell vs hard shell rooftop tents.

James Baroud hard shell rooftop tent © Sean Scott

Soft shell rooftop tents pros and cons

The pros of a soft shell rooftop tent

• Weight: a soft shell rooftop tent will generally be considerably lighter than its hard shell counterpart. Some companies, like James Baroud, make an ultra-light version, similar to something you’d see a mountaineer carrying attached to their backpack as they head up Everest.

• Price: a soft shell rooftop tent will set you back significantly less than a hard shell rooftop tent. It’s just a fact.

• Interior space: because softshell rooftop tents are usually designed to fold over on themselves while packed, their interior space doubles when set up. They can often end up being larger than the roof of your vehicle, and some are rumoured to sleep 3-4 people, though I’ve never had a girlfriend that’s let me put this claim to the test.

• Exterior space: again, because of their bi-fold design, you can often get away with storing a small amount of gear on your roof if you’re running a rack like the Pioneer Platform from Rhino Rack.

James Baroud soft shell rooftop tent © James Baroud

The cons of a soft shell rooftop tent

• Set-up: a soft shell rooftop tent will generally have a more involved set-up process. While you can expect a few more minutes to complete the evolution, it doesn’t need to be a deal breaker. Practising setting up and packing down a few times will see you knock some time off.

• Drag: soft shell rooftop tents are about as aerodynamic as the broad side of a 60 Series. They will create considerable drag on your vehicle, affecting fuel economy, handling and performance.

• Durability: while soft shell tents are by no means fragile, they are built from lighter, more pliable materials such as nylon and canvas, which won’t stand up to the test of time as well as a hard shell rooftop tent will.

• Waterproofing: Like a good steak, all tents should be well seasoned. However, a well-seasoned tent doesn’t mean an entirely waterproof one. In a torrential downpour, there are more canvas and nylon surface areas which means more opportunity for water ingress.

James Baroud soft shell © James Baroud
James Baroud soft shell © James Baroud

Hard shell rooftop tents pros and cons

 The pros of a hard shell rooftop tent

• Aerodynamics: hard shell rooftop tents are often designed with aerodynamics in mind. Some manufacturers take their design processes so seriously they even put their rooftop tents in wind tunnels. The result is less drag, reduced wind noise, better fuel economy and a much better-looking rooftop tent.

• Creature comforts: hard shell rooftop tents give manufacturers the ability to attach permanent fixtures to the tent. Some hard-shell rooftop tents will come with solar chargers, LED lights and charging ports. The Grand Raid from James Baroud even offers a removable and rechargeable LED torch and ventilation fan.

• Storage: because hard shell tents are rigid and utilise tough gas strut mechanisms, they can be designed to carry a load. Many hard-shell rooftop tents allow users to attach roof racks and slide awnings into channel mounts that run down the side of the tent. In fact, the Grand Raid by James Baroud I just mentioned can fit a spare tyre on top of it. The designers even cleverly sunk it into the roof to create less drag!

• Ease of set-up and pack-down: because hard shell tents support themselves with gas struts, the set-up is as simple as popping some clips and watching it put itself into position. To bring it down, you simply pull it down and clip it back up. It couldn’t be easier.

James Baroud hard shell rooftop tent © James Baroud

• Increased style and versatility: unlike soft shell rooftop tents, which only come in two offerings, hard shell rooftop tents have a truckload of different designs, which allow the consumer more freedom when it comes to choosing the right fit for them, from accordion style to clam-shell and almost everything in between. 

• Durability: hard shell tents are generally either made from rigid fibreglass or alloy with canvas walls. A good one should last a decade, and thanks to their framed design, you can often purchase replacement canvas instead of a whole new tent in the event yours gets a sizeable tear.

 The cons of a hard shell rooftop tent

• Price: because of the materials and manufacturing processes involved, a hard shell rooftop tent will set you back more than a soft shell rooftop tent will. Although, I reckon it’s worth it!

• Weight: again, due to the materials involved in constructing a hard shell rooftop tent, it’s inevitably going to weigh more than its soft shell brothers and sisters.

• Space: hard shell rooftop tents don’t use a bi-fold design, so they will provide less interior space and take up more roof space.

James Baroud hard shell roof top tent © Sean Scott

Some points to consider

Soft shell rooftop tents are what the majority of manufacturers approached the market with when they started producing rooftop tents, and they have their place. A key part in working out which offering is best for you begins by asking yourself what you’ll be using it for. Sleeping in, obviously. But in what setting? Are you a weekend warrior who just needs a tent that simply works and doesn’t mind if it takes a little longer to set up?

Or are you like me, someone who spends upwards of 200 nights a year in their rooftop tent and cares about how long it takes to put up and pack down a whole lot more? There’s another caveat, too. How much weight are you willing to carry?

The verdict

Well, it’s a compelling list of pros and cons for each option. To me, the choice is still simple: hard shell, all day, every day. In my opinion, the pros far outweigh the cons. With the time you’ll save, you’ll be able to enjoy more beers around the campfire and even get a little sleep in the following day.

Sure, they’re the more expensive option. But they also hold their value far better than their softshell counterparts and last a whole lot longer. To me, it’s a no-brainer.

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