Southern Style Cooking: I Slept Above Los Angeles in a Rooftop Tent

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

I Slept Above Los Angeles in a Rooftop Tent—Here's What It Was Like

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I Slept Above Los Angeles in a Rooftop Tent—Here's What It Was Like

A few weekends ago, I woke up on a ridgeline with vibrant pinks and oranges illuminating the Pacific, Long Beach, LAX, downtown Los Angeles, and the San Fernando Valley. The sunrise was part of a weekend spent testing Front Runner's Rooftop Tent in the Santa Monica Mountains, near my home in Ventura County.

Before I continue, two points: First, I've never used a rooftop tent before, and second, I was skeptical of them. For those unfamiliar, a rooftop tent is exactly what it sounds like. It's a tent attached to the roof of your vehicle or above the bed of a pickup truck. In my case, it was above the bed of a Ford F-150 Raptor, which Front Runner also loaned to me.

One of my favorite things about camping is actually backpacking. Hiking into the woods where few others go with just the essentials on your back. This was far from that. Front Runner tricked out the Raptor with two refrigerators, a grill, a water reservoir, and a bunch of tools. And I loved it.

The rooftop tent was simpler than I expected. After unzipping it and uncovering it from its case, you literally just fold it out. There's no need to bring a camping pad or mattress as the tent comes equipped with a mildew- and moisture-resistant high-density foam mattress. We quickly removed the attached heavy-duty nylon rainfly since there was no chance of rain on this Southern California weekend. At the end of the day, we opened up the mesh windows for stargazing and a warm desert breeze.

Here are some other items that helped upgrade the experience:

Kelty Galactic Down Blanket: This 550-fill down blanket goes pretty much everywhere with me. And with a double mattress in Front Runner's Rooftop Tent, it was the perfect cover for a surprisingly cool couple of nights.

Primus Lite Plus Stove System: A featherweight and compact stove system, this butane-powered stove boils water in a hurry. It was perfect for a quick morning brew for two.

Laird Superfood Instafuel: Speaking of coffee, Laird's Superfood Instafuel has become my go-to instant coffee for backpacking, camping, and at home when I'm in a rush or feeling lazy. It's vegan, has a full range of MCTs, and is delicious.

If you're like me and skeptical about rooftop tents or overlanding, my advice is to give it a try. And the Rooftop Tent from Front Runner is a great entry point as it's not as expensive as other models, is lightweight compared to others, and is super simple to use. Happy holidays and camping, friends!