Guide · Installation & Setup
How to mount and fasten a rooftop tent
How you mount and fasten a rooftop tent depends on the model. You set up the WEEKEND on the ground and lift it onto the car as one unit – on your own and without tools. Alvar, Tjelvar and Halvor 160 are fixed to your roof bars and travel with you. Here you’ll find the right guide, a pre-mounting checklist and answers to the most common questions.
Which rooftop tent are you mounting?
Ultralight · solo setup
WEEKEND Classic & Comfort
Set it up on the ground, inflate the air platform to 10 PSI, lift it onto the car as one unit and secure it to your roof bars with buckles and straps. No tools, 8–10 minutes with a little practice.
WEEKEND setup guide →
Soft shell · with helpers
Halvor 160
68 kg tent weight without ladder, rail length 158 cm, bar spacing 66 cm. Two bolt sets for different roof bars are included, so you don’t need a workshop. The mounting video is on the product page.
Halvor 160 with video →
Hard shell · with helpers
Alvar & Tjelvar
77 kg tent weight without ladder. Your car needs a dynamic roof load of at least 77 kg plus the weight of the roof bars. The tent stays mounted permanently; the ladder doesn’t travel on the roof.
Hard-shell rooftop tents →All guides
Guide · roof bars
Mounting the WEEKEND on your car
Step by step onto your roof bars – with or without the Bridge, tool-free and doable on your own.
Read the guide →
Guide · with video
Setting up the WEEKEND Stage
Your WEEKEND at approx. 50 cm, no car needed: setting up and taking down the Stage, on video and step by step.
Guide with video →Important for the WEEKEND
The WEEKEND is always set up on the ground and then lifted onto the car as a complete unit. It is never on the roof while driving – neither set up nor packed. Take it down before every drive; it takes about 5 minutes.
Before you mount: the checklist
These four points decide whether your setup is safe – whichever rooftop tent you mount.
01
Dynamic roof load
Listed in your car’s owner’s manual and applies while driving. Tent weight plus roof bars must stay below it. Relevant for Alvar, Tjelvar and Halvor 160.
02
Static roof load
Applies when parked and is usually much higher, because the roof has to withstand a rollover. The people in the tent count here too. For the WEEKEND, this is the only value that matters.
03
Suitable roof bars
The bars’ load rating must match the tent weight. Fit them firmly and parallel, following the bar manufacturer’s instructions, before the tent goes on the roof.
04
Bar spacing and profile
The Halvor 160 needs 66 cm between the bars. For the WEEKEND, the Bridge gives full-surface support depending on bar spacing and with round bars.
Fastening a rooftop tent to roof bars
Halvor 160, Alvar and Tjelvar stay on the car permanently and travel with you, so they are bolted firmly to the roof bars. The WEEKEND, on the other hand, is only secured with buckles and straps, because it comes off again before every drive.
Soft shell
Fastening the Halvor 160
Two rails sit under the tent, 66 cm apart. Use the included bolt sets (70 mm and 50 mm, depending on your bar profile) to connect them to your roof bars. You’ll need helpers to lift the tent on; after that, you can bolt it down without a workshop.
Halvor 160 instructions (PDF) · Mounting video on the product page
Hard shell
Fastening Alvar and Tjelvar
At 77 kg without ladder, these tents are lifted onto the roof by several people. The hard shell is then connected firmly to the roof bars. The setup video on each product page shows you how, step by step.
Good to know: Before every longer drive, check that all connections between tent and roof bars are tight.
Can I mount a rooftop tent on my own?
With the WEEKEND, yes. The tent weighs 11.5 kg (Classic) or 13 kg (Comfort) and is fully set up on the ground. You lift it onto the roof yourself – the taller your car, the more effort it takes. With the Bridge, we recommend mounting it with two people.
Alvar and Tjelvar weigh 77 kg, the Halvor 160 weighs 68 kg. You won’t lift these tents onto the roof on your own, so plan for helpers when you first mount them. After that, the tent stays on the car and you can open and close it by yourself.
Rooftop tent mounting: FAQ
How do I mount a rooftop tent?
First, fit suitable roof bars. Alvar, Tjelvar and Halvor 160 are then lifted onto the roof with helpers and fixed firmly to the bars. The WEEKEND is set up on the ground, lifted onto the car as one unit and secured with buckles and straps.
How do I fasten a rooftop tent to roof bars?
Tents that travel with you are bolted on firmly: on the Halvor 160, two bolt sets (70 mm and 50 mm) connect the rails under the tent to your roof bars, and Alvar and Tjelvar are also connected firmly to the bars. The WEEKEND is secured tool-free with buckles and straps, because it comes off again before every drive.
Do I need tools to mount it?
Not for the WEEKEND – it is attached without tools. The Halvor 160 comes with two bolt sets for different roof bars, so you don’t need a workshop.
How long does mounting take?
The WEEKEND takes about 15–20 minutes the first time and 8–10 minutes with practice. Alvar, Tjelvar and Halvor 160 are mounted once and then stay on the car.
Can I drive with the rooftop tent on the roof?
Alvar, Tjelvar and Halvor 160 are made to travel folded and closed – as long as your dynamic roof load is sufficient. The WEEKEND never travels on the roof: take it down before every drive.
How do I attach a tarp to a rooftop tent?
It depends on the tent: on the Halvor 160, the Skyd Tarp attaches via the keder rail; for Alvar and Tjelvar there is the Katto Tarp with its own poles. Which option suits your tent is explained in our guide Awning or tarp for your rooftop tent.
Questions about mounting?
Get in touch – we’ll help you with your setup.
