Rooftop tents are usually either soft shell type or hard shell type, and the latter includes clamshell roof top type shelters that are very easy to use and aerodynamic.
In short, a clamshell roof top tent includes a solid bottom and a solid lid connected by hinges or wedges on one side. So it opens like a seashell and you can then expand its included fabric that creates walls around.
Some people describe this also as a flip open design. This type should not be mixed with a pop-up hard shell roof top tent which is a quite different construction.
Clamshell roof top tents are reliable and incredibly easy to use. They come with a mattress included, and you can also keep your added beddings inside.
Terminology issues
If you follow this industry, you have probably noticed that various brands use various ways to write the phrase which is in the core of the text here.
So you can see it written as clam shell roof top tents, clam shell rooftop tents, clamshell roof top tents, and clamshell rooftop tents. To tell you frankly, I am lost in this and have no idea how this should be written, so I use all the phrases as they come to my mind.
So how to describe a clam shell rooftop tent?
I guess it is best to see the pictures below, and it becomes obvious what this is about. So this is a clamshell design.
So such roof top tents have hinges on one side and you can see them in the picture below showing the TentBox Cargo roof top tent.
There is a terminology issue here as well. You will see sometimes the term wedge used instead of hinge. So even a name can be with it, like in the case of Thule Basin Wedge roof top tent.
But there is at least one more separate sub-type to mention here. You can see it in this 23Zero Armadillo X2 roof top tent in the picture below.
This is what they call the Raised X-Frame, a clever design that adds several extra benefits:
- It creates extra head room inside.
- It allows for a window even on the side where you normally have hinges, see it on the right in the picture. The window there is 35 x 9 inches (99 x 23 cm), and it is opposite to the entrance.
- You have extra storage room inside the box.
You can see more about this particular type in the video:
Hard shell construction
These clamshell rooftop tents are in the group of hard shell shelters. This means you have a solid bottom and a solid lid. They can be made of aluminum or some synthetic material.
Sometimes you can have both combined, aluminum used for the bottom and an FRP shell used for the lid. This example you can see in the iKapmer BDV Duo roof top tent.
How a clam shell roof top tent compares to a pop-up roof top tent?
Both are a hard hell type, and the main difference is that a pop-up hard shell roof top tent has no wedges, it has fabric walls on all the sides.
Have you ever seen a classic pop-up roof top tent? It looks like a coffin on the car, and such a shelter usually has fewer features from outside. Regarding the size, they are usually smaller than clamshell rooftop tents.
On the other hand, some of clamshell rooftop tents can be open so that the lid (connected with wedges to the bottom) can become nearly vertical and you can lean on it.
Can you leave bedding in a clam shell rooftop tent?
The answer is yes. These roof top tents can be incredibly thin, and they also have a mattress inside, but you can still leave your blankets and pillows inside.
This also implies that with such a shelter you can sleep anywhere. Everything is ready, and as soon as you park your car, you can be in bed in less than a minute.
Do clamshell rooftop tents use more fuel?
Regarding fuel consumption, the clam shell rooftop tents perform better than any other type. This is simply because they are thinner than other models.
You can realize this from the previously mentioned TentBox Cargo and iKamper BDV Hard Shell Roof Top Tents. They are only 7 inches (18 cm), and 8.3 inches (21 cm) thick, simply incredible.
See also this Freespirit Recreation Aspen in the picture, the box is 7.1 inches (18 cm) thin. This is an excellent example of a hard shell clamshell roof top tent.
Is the clam shell roof tent waterproof?
This question has two aspects.
The first, this can be about waterproofness when closed for transportation. In this case you have a solid box so the structure is completely waterproof. In this sense, they are in the same class as any pop-up roof top tent.
The second, this can be about its performance when you use it for sleeping. So the lid is moved to the side and it creates a part of the roof and wall. This area is definitely always waterproof.
The remaining walls and ceiling is a fabric. So they are built to be waterproof of course, and the waterproof rating will always be given in specifications. Quite generally, they perform great and you will be protected from the rain.
What is the lightest clam shell rooftop tent?
There is no simple answer here. This depends on the size of the shelter. But to get some idea, here are a few numbers for shelters that are 2-person by size:
- The Freespirit Aspen 49 inches: weight 134 lb (61 kg).
- TentBox Cargo: weight 163 pounds (74 kg).
So they are not light, and this is due to their solid shell of course.
You can compare these numbers with the Breezeway 56 Roof Top Tent which is a soft shell type that weighs 121 lb (55 kg).
As you realize, the differences in the weight are not so drastic, but hard-shell roof top tents are heavier than the soft shell type.
Final thoughts
In summary, clam shell roof top tents are all incredibly easy to use, functional and versatile. You have seen some extraordinary great examples of this type here in the text.
Regarding their functionality, note also that you can transport your gear on top of such a roof top tent. There are many of them on the market. Though they are among the most expensive in the group of roof top tents, but you have some great features here.
Let me know if you have questions, there is a comment box below.
Bookmark this site and keep as a reference, it is all about off-ground tents and you will always have fresh content added here, so this will keep you informed. Thank you for reading.