Can my Jeep Wrangler Hold a Roof Top Tent? 2023

Calling all Jeep Wrangler roof top tent lovers!  Wondering if your Jeep Wrangler can carry a Roof Top Tent? The short answer is, yes. In order to look deeper into this question you must understand a few things such as dynamic and static load ratings.

Dynamic & Static Load Ratings

• Dynamic weight means when your Jeep is in motion.  This rating is a lot lower than the static rating (when you’re parked) for many reasons such as center of gravity, wind drag, turning & weight transfer, among many others.  The dynamic load for a Jeep Wrangler is 150lbs.  When looking at the weight of the rooftop tent, be sure to include the weight of your bars & whatever else you may store inside of the tent.  
• But I’ve seen Jeep Wranglers loaded up with more than 150lbs of gear. Recent manufacturers have created racks that mount to the frame and existing mounting points on the chasis. This allows the rack to hold a bit more since the weight is off the fiberglass. So yes, you can carry a roof top tent but you’ll need a roof rack to mount it to.

• Static weight is when your Wrangler is parked.  This load is a lot higher than the dynamic rating because the Jeep is not driving, stopping, or turning which means the weight is not amplified by other factors.  I had a hard time finding an actual number, but keep in mind that Jeep roofs are designed to handle the weight of the whole car if flipped over (which is well over 1,000lbs).  A roof top tent and 2 adults weigh much less than that.

There are plenty of Jeep Wrangler’s out there rocking both the pop up and fold out style rooftop tents.  This really depends on the model of Jeep you have. 

For me, I ultimately decided on the hard shell pop up Roofnest Sparrow due to the quick and easy set up time.  However, I’ve seen Jeeps with hard shell, hard shell fold out’s, and soft shells. Any will fit with the right rack.   Explore Instagram @rooftoptrekkers to my Sparrow in action.  Check out our article here on why I absolutely love it!