Magazine: Camping beginners

Your easy start in car camping

No sleeping on the ground, no mud in the tent, no creepy-crawlies – and no camper van needed. With WEEKEND, your car becomes your place to sleep.

Groenberg WEEKEND rooftop tent at a campsite

What holds people back from camping

Lots of people would actually like to go camping but don't want to sleep on the ground. The idea of sharing a tent with sand, mud and creepy-crawlies puts them off. And a motorhome or camper van is a big purchase for most people.

WEEKEND is our most affordable rooftop tent. It doesn't need a big car or a garage, and you can set it up on your own.

Rooftop tent for beginners: no experience needed

You don't need any tent-pitching experience for WEEKEND. You set it up on the ground, inflate the dropstitch floor with the hand pump and lift the finished tent onto your roof bars as one unit. With a tent weight of 11.5 kg (Classic) or 13 kg (Comfort), you can carry, set up and lift it onto your car on your own. No tools needed, and setup plus roof mounting take around 8–10 minutes. Our Installation & Setup Guide shows you how, with video.

No experience needed, no big car, no tools. Set up on the ground, on your own, in around 8–10 minutes.

Which car do you need?

Your car can be small or a bit older. It just needs to be approved for roof bars, because while you drive only the roof bars are on the roof and the tent is in the boot. 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.

Invisible in everyday life

Packed, WEEKEND measures 75 × 48 × 40 cm – about the size of a large suitcase. It travels in the boot, so your car stays the same in everyday life. At your destination, it turns into your little camper within a few minutes.

Back home, WEEKEND goes into the basement or a cupboard. So it suits small city flats too – you don't need a garage or carport.

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 beginners should know

Besides WEEKEND, you'll need suitable roof bars for your car and a sleeping mat – neither is included. The tent has to come off the roof before every drive; allow around five minutes to pack it down. If you stay several nights, you'll top up the air in the floor now and then. And only stay overnight where it's allowed: campsites and motorhome pitches are the most relaxed choice when you're starting out.

Conclusion: a radically uncomplicated start in rooftop camping

Groenberg WEEKEND makes getting into rooftop camping easy: no expensive vehicle, no experience, no help with setup, no garage. Roof bars on, tent in the boot, off you go.