Upgrade Your Car Camping Experience With A Highly Rated Costco Find

Unless you're driving around in a 1970s-era station wagon or van with a seemingly endless amount of interior space, car camping is so much better with a rooftop tent. When camping on the roof, you won't have to be concerned with lumpy, bumpy terrain beneath your tent. A rooftop tent will also make it so you don't have to worry about keeping your campsite snake-free, either. This is a convenient option when you're visiting your favorite breathtaking camping spots. One highly rated rooftop camping option is Costco's Trustmade Scout Max Hardshell Rooftop Tent with Roof Rack. It sells for just under $1,800 and has a 4.6 rating out of five stars. It's an online-only deal and includes shipping. The product page claims the tent "sets up easily in just one minute," which refers to the time it takes to open once it's already installed on your car's rooftop. 

The tent comes with a 7-foot, 6-inch ladder and has a built-in 2-inch, high-density foam mattress, two detachable pockets, storage nets for the ceiling and side walls, and an interior LED light. It also has netting to keep insects out, which is a must-have for camping. It sleeps two to three adults, according to the listed specs, and weighs 218 pounds. While this hefty weight may be one of the reasons to avoid rooftop tents, if you have another adult to help out, the task is doable. When closed, the tent lives within a black hardshell rooftop case, which has another roof rack on top for added storage. The case opens up clamshell-style, with the hinge at the front of the vehicle and the open end at the back. 

Of the 14 online reviews on Costco's product page for the tent, 10 people gave it five stars. There were a couple of four-star and three-star ratings, with no one giving it two stars or one star. It's important to keep in mind that this is a ship-to-your-home item, so it will need to be unpacked and hauled into your storage area. One reviewer noted that his arrived in a wooden box secured to a pallet. The product page states that due to the weight, these can only ship to the first floor of any multi-housing unit, so that may be worth noting if you live in a multi-floor, multi-home structure. Several users said the hardware and tent are well-made, though one review stated that the square mount doesn't work well on rounded roof racks. They also said the camper railings whistle. Another reviewer said the hardware "leaves a lot to be desired, but that's my only nit to pick." Among other complaints, it was stated that there is a clamp lock but no key-lock hardware to secure the tent structure to the roof rack.

Overall, the comments are positive, and people seem to be enjoying using the tent. A user named StrayDonut stated that the mattress in this tent is comfortable and that the LED light has an ideal brightness. A reviewer named King said they've used it several times and also mentioned that the mattress is comfortable. "It will extend our camping season and keep us in comfort. We love it," King added. Finally, one reviewer mentioned that daylight filters through the tent fabric, so that may be worth noting if you like to sleep in and are awakened by morning light.