Magazine: On the road spontaneously

A rooftop tent for spontaneous adventurers

Always with you, without the tent riding on your roof all season: WEEKEND stays in the boot and is on your car within a few minutes at your destination.

Always with you – but at what cost?

A rooftop tent that's always with you sounds like spontaneous adventure. With classic rooftop tents, though, that usually means the tent rides on your car roof all season. Your car gets taller, which can be a problem in multi-storey and underground car parks, and driving noise and fuel consumption change noticeably depending on the model. If you take the tent off every time instead, spontaneity soon goes out the window.

The other way: boot instead of roof

WEEKEND is the first of its kind: a rooftop tent that travels in the boot while you drive. Packed, it measures 75 × 48 × 40 cm and fits into most car boots. So you always have it with you, but on the road only your roof bars are on the roof.

WEEKEND travels in the boot – always with you, and on the roof in about 8–10 minutes at your destination when the moment for adventure comes.

Spontaneous camping: from basement to boot

The weather's turning nice and you want to go? WEEKEND weighs 11.5 kg (Classic) or 13 kg (Comfort); the complete package with ladder is 18 kg or 19.4 kg. You grab it from the basement on your own and put it in the boot. At your destination, you set it up on the ground and lift it onto the car – also on your own and without tools. Our Installation & Setup Guide shows you how, step by step.

Which car do you need?

Your car needs to be approved for roof bars. When parked, your car's static roof load and the load rating of your roof bars apply. The static roof load is usually much higher than the dynamic one, because the roof also has to withstand a rollover. Still, check your owner's manual and your roof bar specifications. More in our Roof Load Finder.

Important

WEEKEND is set up on the ground and then lifted onto the car as a complete unit. It comes off again before every drive – never drive with the tent on the roof, neither set up nor packed.

A sleeping mat is not included. Bring one for each person in the tent.

To be honest: what you should know

Setting off spontaneously is easy; moving on spontaneously takes a few minutes. The tent has to come off the roof before every drive – allow around five minutes to pack it down. Your roof bars need to be fitted. If they're not on permanently, plan time for that – and bear in mind that empty roof bars can make driving noise too. If you stay several nights, you'll top up the air in the floor now and then.

Conclusion: ready when you are

Groenberg WEEKEND is always with you without getting in the way on your roof in everyday life. No tools, no help, a few minutes to set up – that's how a free afternoon turns into a weekend outdoors.