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Calling all Subaru Crosstrek roof top tent lovers! Wondering if your Subaru Crosstrek 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 car 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 2016 Crosstrek 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. I fly a Roofnest Sparrow (check our review, here) on top of my Crosstrek with no issues…it weighs in at 130lbs. Add in the weight of my sturdy Yakima Crossbars and I’m all set. I’d recommend getting a solid set of crossbars like the ones we use if you’re venturing into the world of rooftop tents.
- Static weight is when your car is parked. This load is a lot higher than the dynamic rating because the car 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 Crosstrek roofs are designed to handle the weight of the whole car if flipped over (which is well over 1,000lbs). My Roofnest and 2 adults weigh much less than that.
Check our Crosstrek Camping Guide! There are plenty of Subaru Crosstrek’s out there rocking both the pop up and fold out style rooftop tents. We ultimately decided on the hard shell pop up due to the quick and easy set up time. At first, we were concerned due to the length of the Roofnest. We measured several times with a tape measurer and we weren’t sure if it would hang out over the windshield too much. Once we mounted it, we cant even see it from inside the car (unless we lean way forward). In addition, we can fully open our trunk with the nest mounted in this position. Explore our Instagram @rooftoptrekkers to see more examples. The Sparrow rides nicely perched on the Crosstrek. Check out our article here on why we absolutely love it!
Thanks for reading this article…we hope it gave you the confidence to buy a rooftop tent for your Subaru Crosstrek. If you’re still in the market for a tent, consider a Roofnest Sparrow …we freakin’ love ours! Be sure to leave questions and comments below. Life’s better on top!
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This Post Has 10 Comments
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What is the dimensions of the sparro off the car for storage? Can 2 people manage carrying it up 3 flights of stairs? Do you think it could be stored under a queen size bed? Our son and daughter in law are in school in Boston and have limited storage and no garage.
85″x50″. I would say no, it is pretty heavy and would take 2 pretty strong people to carry it up stairs. I am sure it could fit under a queen bed, however would be a pain to put on and off all the time! We just leave ours on all year round. If you’re looking for something that is lighter/smaller, check out https://gofastcampers.com/pages/superlite. I have never seen/used one but they caught my eye when searching for tents, so be sure to do your own research. Cheers! Ben & Maddie
Any ideas for dog ‘stairs’ to roof top camper? I don’t think she’d go up a ladder….
Suzanne
Hi there.
-I’ve seen really long ladders online that your dog can walk up gradually.
-Also I’ve seen other owners carry their large dogs up by their harness.
-Others stand on their cooler and pass the dog up to someone in the tent.
It seems there is no perfect solution, just whatever works best for you. We are lucky Ruby is only 15lbs. Cheers!
Have any opinion or knowledge of why I wouldn’t use Subaru OEM crossbars in conjunction with a Roofnest?
I have a 2019 Crosstrek by the way…sorry forgot to mention that.
Thanks for doing this! My next vehicle is going to be a Crosstrek and your site is REALLY helpful!
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