Rooftop tents come in a a wide variety of shapes and size, but most work the same way, with a spring-loaded top cover for simple setup at the campsite and quick storage when it’s time to get going. Now ARB has taken things a step further with the Altitude rooftop tent, which makes setup even easier – and offers a lot of room with a view to boot.
The $4,950 Altitude is a full-width pop-up type of hard-topped tent instead of a wedge type, which essentially transforms your vehicle’s roof into a room rather than a “tent.” But it’s the pushbutton setup and storage system that makes the Altitude stand out. Small directional buttons on the side of the tent activate motors that raise and lower the tent via a “SmartFold” scissor-lift type of mechanism. The tent’s hard top will accommodate a solar panel, and integrated roof rails with t-slots for accessory mounting are built in. The load capacity for the lifting mechanism is 44 pounds. Take a look at it in operation in this short video:
Another smart feature of the Altitude is ladder storage. The ladder even includes handrails but is compact, as is typical. Instead of taking up room in the pickup bed or mounting to your rig, it slides into the roof section of the tent for quick storage or retrieval. Internal and external LED strip lighting with white and amber color modes is also standard, and with the pop-up design, there’s a panoramic view through the large windows. Power can come from a direct connection to the vehicle battery or a 12-volt powerlet from a standalone power source, such as a Yeti power bank. Screens and privacy panels are included, of course. The shape of the roof allows for some storage inside the tent once deployed.
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Once deployed, the Altitude features an interior measuring 54 by 73.6 inches, with nearly four feet of headroom. A 2.7-inch dual-density foam mattress is included. ARB says the tent is mounted on a lightweight aluminum frame and is compatible with a variety of vehicles. Universal folded brackets allow for using either an ARB BASE Rack or generic crossbars.
“With just a single touch, users can effortlessly initiate the opening or closing of the tent, eliminating the need for manual labor and streamlining the camping experience,” ARB says of the Altitude on its website. A longer walk-around video of the tent can be seen here.
