Best Rooftop Tent for your Subaru

What's the best rooftop tent for your Subaru?

Few vehicles project the “I’m one with nature” image quite as strongly as a Subaru. Perhaps that’s why they’re so ubiquitous in the western U.S.

The Outback, Forester, and Crosstrek are utilitarian vehicles with a soupcon of quasi-luxury mixed in. Underneath their understated looks lies an advanced all wheel drive system so stout it’d make a rally car green with envy. From behind the wheel, you can reach most any trailhead and do so in comfort.

Sure, Subaru’s aren’t most overlander's dream rig. But they’re tough, offer a good amount of interior cargo volume, and excellent ground clearance.

If you’re a well-heeled, adventurous urbanite, chances are high you have Suabru in your driveway. And if you love camping, adding a roof top tent is a smart move. With your Subaru’s cargo area full of gear and dogs, putting your sleep setup on the roof just makes sense.

For this article, I’ll focus on the Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback as they are far and away the most popular models amongst our customers.

Crosstrek:

The Crosstrek is a surprisingly capable vehicle when it comes to what tents can fit. The key things to consider are the tent size and how many people will be using the tent. For example: the Falcon 3 Evo XL Air can be carried pretty easily with an appropriate rack system, but it’s 88” long and 60” wide, so not everyone will love how it looks on a vehicle this size.

The Crosstrek has raised side rails, so there are plenty of options for aftermarket crossbars. We recommend aftermarket options from Thule or Yakima for the additional strength they provide and the additional height you get over the factory bars. The extra height over the roof makes installation much easier and the heavier duty systems are more rigid which helps keep any buffeting to a minimum.

Here are our recommendations for the Crosstrek in descending order:

1. Condor 2 Air
2. Meadowlark
3. Falcon 3 Evo Air
4. Condor 2 XL Air*

Forester:

The Forester is the quintessential family adventure vehicle – roomy, practical, and adventure ready. Like the Crosstrek, it can handle a wide range of tents. However, you can run into interference with the tailgate with longer models like the Falcon 3 series and it’s not always possible to safely move the tent far enough forward to maintain clearance. Since the Forester also features raised side rails, you’ll again have plenty of crossbar options. We recommend aftermarket systems for the additional strength they provide and the additional clearance they offer. The extra height makes installation much easier and can also make the difference in fitment with the tailgate.

1. Condor 2 Air
2. Condor 2 XL Air*
3. Meadowlark
4. Condor Overland 2 Air*
5. Falcon 3 Evo Air
6. Falcon 3 Evo XL Air

Outback:

For the Subaru Outback, most of the same advice applies as it does with the Forester and Crosstrek above. The main hurdle with the Outback is the rack system. Unless you have the Wilderness Edition, the factory rack with the swivel bars is tricky to work with and has a lower weight limit. Be sure to check out our detailed guide on the Outback rack system and available aftermarket upgrades before selecting your tent. Once you have your rack system sorted, here are our top recommendations for the Outback.

1. Condor 2 Air
2. Meadowlark
3. Falcon 3 Evo Air
4. Condor 2 XL Air*
5. Condor Overland 2 Air*
6. Falcon 3 Evo XL Air

*Upgraded rack systems may be required for some tents.