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Two ratings decide whether a rooftop tent can ride on your vehicle: the dynamic roof load of the vehicle (in the owner's manual) and the dynamic rating of the rack (in the rack's manual). Type both, add the rack's own weight and whatever else rides up there, and the tool checks the 46 tents of our 47 whose maker or seller publishes a weight.
Loading the tents…
Safety, before any number. This check compares figures; it does not make a rack safe. Stay under the dynamic rating of your vehicle roof and of your rack while driving, and under the static rating with people inside. Mount the tent only as its manual says, check the fasteners at the intervals the manual gives, and close the tent in strong wind. Off-road, some rack makers publish a lower figure: Putco lists "600lbs dynamic" and "300lbs off-road dynamic" for the same rack.
How the check works
(vehicle roof dynamic rating - rack weight - other roof gear)
(rack dynamic rating - other roof gear)
A tent passes if its published weight is at or under that figure, and if your rack rating meets any minimum its maker publishes.
The vehicle roof carries everything above it, including the rack, so the rack's own weight comes off the roof figure only. The rack's rating is what it can carry on top of itself. When you type a static rating, the tool also checks the parked case: tent + rack + gear + people and bedding at or under it [calc].
Tent makers say the same thing in their own words. iKamper: "The main requirements are that your vehicle roof and rack have a dynamic weight load of at least 185lbs (84kg) for the 4.0 Quad, 155lbs (71kg) for the 4.0 Trio, and 140lbs (64kg) for the Duo" and "You can find your vehicle’s roof dynamic weight load in your vehicle's user manual, or by contacting the manufacturer." Naturnest: "The crossbar weight capacity (DWC - the weight the rack can actually carry while the vehicle is in motion) of the roof rack must be at least equal to the weight of the tent." ROAM asks for "a rack that has a dynamic weight rating of 150lbs" for the Vagabond 2.0 and 170 lb for the XL. Those published minimums (5 tents) are checked against your rack figure.
Where to find your two ratings
- Vehicle roof: the owner's manual, under roof rack, roof load or luggage carrier. If it is not there, ask the maker. We do not publish vehicle figures we could not read in an official source.
- Rack: the rack's manual or product page. Ratings we read on rack listings on November 7, 2026 run from 175 lb (TeraFlex crossbars, "rated for 175 lb of dynamic load") to about 500 lb (Eezi-Awn K9, "~500 lb dynamic ... not a warrantied rating"): see the roof rack guide.
- A figure quoted by a seller: TrailRax writes on its Bronco rack listing that "Ford rates the Bronco roof with a factory rack at "Max load 110 lbs dynamic and 450 lbs static evenly distributed."" We could not read Ford's manual ourselves, so treat this as an example of how far apart the two figures can be, and check your own manual.
Two examples, worked by hand
The default figures (150 lb roof, 200 lb rack, rack weighing 15 lb, nothing else): the roof leaves 150 - 15 = 135 lb, the rack 200 lb, so the limit is 135 lb [calc]. The lightest tent we list, the Roofnest Meadowlark at "90 lbs", passes with 45 lb to spare; the iKamper Skycamp 4.0 Duo (we use 130 lb) passes with 5 lb; the ROAM Vagabond 2.0 at 150 lb does not, and ROAM also asks for a 150 lb rack.
The same car with an awning: add a Roofnest Little Wing 270 at "48.5 lbs". The roof now leaves 150 - 15 - 48.5 = 86.5 lb [calc], and no tent in our list is that light: the awning uses the margin the tent needed. The full results, with prices from every seller, are in the tool above.
Next: check the bed length and the garage with Fits my crew and garage, or compare all tents side by side in the rooftop tent comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between dynamic and static load?
The dynamic rating is what the roof or rack may carry while the vehicle moves: braking, bumps and wind multiply the forces, so it is the lower figure and the one a tent must stay under when you drive. The static rating is for a parked vehicle, with the weight spread out, and covers the tent with people and bedding inside. Use the figures in your manuals; when a manual gives only one roof figure, treat it as the driving limit.
Does the rack's own weight count?
Yes, against the vehicle's roof rating: the roof carries the rack plus everything on it. Against the rack's rating it does not, because a rack's rating is what it can carry on top of itself. That is why the tool subtracts the rack weight only from the roof figure.
Why do two tents with the same weight give different margins on two sites?
Because makers do not weigh the same parts. iKamper publishes the Skycamp 4.0 with and without ladder and mattress, 23ZERO weighs its tents with rails and ladder, and some pages give two different weights. We use the less favorable published figure and quote it in the comparison.
My owner's manual does not list a roof load. What now?
Ask the vehicle maker, as iKamper and ARB's listing both advise ("Please consult your vehicle’s manufacturer regarding the load limit"). A missing figure is not permission: without a published dynamic rating, no tent can be checked, and the tool will not guess one for you.