Rooftop Tents

About this range

A roof top tent turns your 4x4 into a camp that sets up in minutes, with a proper mattress off the ground and no tent pegs to fight. We stock Darche fold out and pop up tents alongside the TJM Boulia and Yulara, covering solo tourers through to family setups.

As an authorised TJM stockist with a workshop at Burwood in Melbourne, we can fit your tent and racks in store, or ship your order Australia-wide.

9 products

Buying guide

How to choose touring and camping gear

Rooftop tents, awnings and fridges make a trip comfortable, but each one puts demands on your roof, your battery or your set-up time. Here's what to check.

  1. Rooftop tents and your roof

    Driving with the tent on uses the roof's dynamic rating; sleeping in it uses the static rating. Check your vehicle maker's limits first (Darche), and use 2 to 4 bars depending on the tent's length (Rhino-Rack).

  2. Awnings and wind

    Use guy ropes whenever the awning is out, don't set it up in wind, never leave it open unattended, and dry it before you store it (Rhino-Rack).

  3. Fridge power

    A fridge's worst-case run time is battery amp-hours divided by its maximum draw; real run time is longer because the compressor cycles. Running it through an inverter doesn't extend battery life (Engel).

  4. Plan around closures

    Many Victorian seasonal tracks close from after the King's Birthday weekend in June to the end of October, and closures can be extended (Parks Victoria).

Choosing the right roof top tent

Start with what the tent will sit on. A roof top tent needs racks or a platform rated to carry its weight while you drive, called the dynamic load rating. Most tents in this range weigh about as much as an adult passenger, so light duty bars will not do the job. Check your rack rating before you buy, and remember the static rating, which covers the racks while parked with people in the tent, is much higher. The driving number is the one that matters.

Style is the next call. Fold out tents like the Darche Ridgeback Highrize and Intrepidor open up to give more floor space than their packed size, and the 1250, 1400 and 1550 models are named for their folded width in millimetres. Pop up tents like the Darche Kozi set up in under a minute and sit lower on the roof, which helps with wind noise and fuel use, but they sleep fewer people. The TJM Boulia and Yulara round out the range, so the choice comes down to how many people you sleep and how often you move camp.

Related categories

Common questions

Can my vehicle carry a rooftop tent?

Check two numbers: the dynamic roof rating, which must cover the tent and rack while driving, and the static rating, which must cover the tent and its occupants when parked. Use your vehicle maker's figures (Darche).

How long will my fridge run on a battery?

As a worst case, divide the battery's amp-hours by the fridge's maximum current draw. It will run longer in practice because the compressor cycles on and off (Engel).

Will a fridge work on a slope?

Engel compressor fridges work on up to a 30 degree tilt.

What should I do with the awning in wind?

Don't set it up in wind, use guy ropes when it's out, and never leave it open unattended (Rhino-Rack).

When are Victoria's seasonal tracks open?

Parks Victoria's seasonal road closures generally run from after the King's Birthday weekend in June to the end of October, and can be extended. Check the closure list before you go.

Keep going

Awning and AccessoriesSide and 270 awnings2 in range Fridges & OvensFridges and 12 V ovens17 in range Lithium Batteries & Battery ManagementPower to run them50 in range Roof RacksA rack rated for the load20 in range