If you love camping with your dog and recently added a roof top tent to your vehicle, you may be left wondering how your sidekick will get into the tent. Fear not! We have camped with our dogs plenty of times, and so have many of our thousands of iKamper community members. Below you will find the top 3 ways to camp with your dog in a roof top tent.
Here’s How to Get Them Up
Lift them!
Depending on the height of your roof top tent and the weight of your dog (or your strength), lifting them up may be the best solution. One of our older dogs wears a vest with a carry handle. This makes it much easier to take them in and out of the tent.
If your RTT is mounted over the bed of your truck, you may be able to lift them into one of the side windows from the bed of your truck.
Carefully use the ladder as a ramp or make your own.
Our ladders are strong enough to hold 350lbs, but weaken as you increase the angle of the ladder (bring it further) from the tent. If your dog is under 60lbs, fully extending the ladder and pulling it away from the tent will create a lower angle ramp for your dog to climb up. We also sell “HC Steps” which make the ladder more comfortable and easy to use, converting it to a more familiar stair frame. That may be just what your dog needs to confidently climb up to your RTT unassisted.
Roll out the red carpet!
If your RTT is mounted on the roof of your car, some people lay a yoga mat or rug on the hood/windshield. This creates a ramp so your dog can glide right into the side window of the RTT.
Final Thought
If lifting, ramping, or rolling out the red carpet is out of the question, then you may want to look into getting an Annex or Annex Plus. Either Annex creates room to store extra gear within arm's reach. A discreet place to change. A cozy space for your dog to camp alongside you. Shelter from the elements, and of course, mosquitos. They are lightweight, easy to install, and easily packed and stored inside your vehicle while on the move.
