Update - The 6 Best New Rooftop Tents For Subaru Forester, Crosstrek, And Outback

If you are thinking of buying a 2021 Subaru Forester, Crosstrek, or Outback, you likely lead an active lifestyle and want to use the new all-wheel-drive vehicle to get further away from the crazy city. Many Millennials are buying the off-road-ready models to go camping, mountain biking, and Overlanding. All three models are ideal for off-pavement adventures, but you may not want to sleep on the ground.

What is the load capacity of Subaru roof rails?

The capacity of the standard roof rails on a Subaru Forester, Crosstrek and Outback, is 700 lbs when parked on a level surface. The tent and occupants inside cannot exceed that weight. When the vehicle is moving, the three Subaru models have a roof rail capacity of 176 pounds; The tent when stowed has to weigh less. If you need to increase the carrying capacity, Thule makes several products designed for your Subaru.

What are the best rooftop tents for a Subaru?

Tepui makes a Baja Series that are soft shell and lightweight. You can interchange canopies depending on the conditions, offering a mesh shade canopy for warm/humid weather, a light nylon rip-stop canopy with a water-resistant coating for wet conditions, and an aluminized canopy for inclement weather.

Tepui also makes a hard shell HyBox tent pictured above that converts the rooftop tent to a hybrid cargo carrier, increasing your cargo capacity by 23 cubic feet. The HyBox weighs 177 lbs, so you will need to upgrade your roof rails.

Yakima has been in the rooftop rack and tent game for years and has recently unveiled the two-person Skyrise HD rooftop tent available in small and medium sizes. It's ideal for a Subaru weighing in at 101 lbs.

The iKamper Skycamp Mini is best suited for smaller vehicles like Subaru Forester, Crosstrek, and Outback. Even though it's a hard shell, it weighs just 125 lbs for the two-person setup. It is more expensive, and because of its popularity, there could be a 6-8 week wait to get one.

If you need a bigger tent, the Roofnest Condor sleeps 2-3 and is over seven feet across when open. The interior height is 50-inches, and it only weighs 135 pounds for the smaller unit and 160 pounds for the XL.

Last but not least is the Superlite rooftop tent pictured above from Go Fast Campers. It's the lightest tent on the market at 80 lbs, making it easier to remove from your vehicle when you aren't using it.

Check out the seven best accessories, the best roof racks, and the 8 best in-car fridge units, you can fit in and on your dirt-loving Subaru Forester, Crosstrek, or Outback.

You Might Also Like: The 11 Best Camping Accessories For Your New Subaru Crosstrek And Forester

Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press and the founder of Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru via Amos Chase, Rhino Adventure Gear, Go Fast Campers