What's the best rooftop tent for a Toyota RAV4?
Some people may tell you that the Toyota RAV4 isn’t hardy enough to be a camping or adventure vehicle. They’re just plain wrong. Although the RAV4 is a mid-size crossover, it can be purchased with all-wheel drive (AWD). With a smart AWD system and 8.4 inches of ground clearance, it’s as capable as any Subaru. And, you don’t hear many people poo-pooing Subarus’ outdoor bonafides much now, do you? Heck, you can even get a RAV4 in TRD trim with meaty all-terrain tires from the factory. That should tell you all you need to know about Toyota’s confidence in the RAV4’s capabilities. Having established that the RAV4 is an adept camping rig, let’s consider outfitting it for outdoor adventure. That starts, of course, with a rooftop tent. Not every roof top tent is suitable for a short-roof mid-sized crossover, though. So, in order to simplify things for you outdoorsy RAV4 owners, we have selected three Roofnest roof top tents that we think make the best options for the current generation of RAV4.
1. Condor 2 Air
The Condor 2 Air is a Roonest best seller for the RAV4
We recommend it for precisely the reasons it gets chosen above all other Roofnest tents: its compact size when closed and its ability to expand into one of the roomiest tents we make in about a minute. What’s more, it’s perfect for the modestly sized RAV4. Condor 2 Air measures a meager 60 inches long, front to back, and 49 inches wide. The 4Runner has at least 80 inches of usable roof space. This makes the Condor 2 Air a great option for a RAV4. The usable space of the RAV4’s roof is about 68 inches long. This makes the Condor 2 Air just about a perfect fit, with about 4 inches on either side. That means you can adjust its placement on your roof to suit your taste. Although the Condor 2 Air is 14 inches tall when closed, the RAV4 isn’t tall enough that, even if you add 14 inches to its overall height, you’re not risking ruining the vehicle’s ability to fit in garages and parking structures with lower ceiling clearances. Same goes for trails with low-hanging branches. RAV4 plus Condor is still a great height for trail clearance.
2. Condor Overland 2 Air
The next best roof top tent for a Toyota RAV4 is Roofnest's top selling tent - the Condor Overland 2 Air
For those who want a Condor-size tent with tough-as-nails construction and the ability to carry more gear, we recommend the Condor Overland 2 Air. Condor Overland 2 Air builds on the best-selling Condor fold-out tent and blends in some of the best features of the clamshell Falcon 2 tent. Namely, Condor Overland 2 Air has an aluminum top shell that has accessory channels integrated around the perimeter. Because of these accessory channels, Condor Overland 2 Air offers compatible 6 Channel Crossbars, which can carry extra gear — up to 150 pounds when the tent is closed and 50 pounds when it’s open. While Condor Overland includes accessory channels like those of the Falcon, it has the compact fold-out design of the Condor. The Condor Overland 2 Air folds down to just 60 inches long by 48 inches wide. Although it’s a bit heavier (180 pounds) than the standard Condor (145 pounds), the Condor Overland 2 Air easily makes up for its additional heft with more smart features and additional capability.
3. Falcon 3 EVO Air
The third best roof top tent for the RAV4 is the popular Falcon 3 EVO Air
Roofnest’s halo product, Falcon 3 EVO Air, combines the best features in one premium design. Falcon 3 EVO Air measures 83 inches long and 50 inches wide. This makes its footprint slightly larger than the Condor and a bit longer (15.5 inches) than the RAV4’s roof size. Although Falcon 3 EVO Air is larger than the RAV4’s roof, it’s Roofnest’s shortest clamshell tent by 4 inches, making it the ideal clamshell roof top tent for the short-roofed RAV4. The Falcon 3 EVO Air’s top shell has an accessory channel to which we mount the standard crossbars. This enables the tent to carry 75 pounds of gear when open and 150 pounds when closed. Falcon 3 EVO Air allows you to bring more than just a rooftop tent on your roof. Falcon 3 EVO Air is just 8.0 inches tall when closed (not including crossbars). This makes it the slimmest tent on this list and one you’ll need to worry least about causing height clearance issues. Despite its slim profile, Falcon 3 EVO Air boasts a two-inch self-inflating foamcore air mattress. This makes the Falcon 3 EVO Air as comfortable a place to sleep as your RAV4 is to drive in the wilderness. Regardless of which Roofest you choose for your venerable RAV4, we know you’ll be happy with your choice.
