Known for its legendary reliability and remarkable fuel efficiency, the Toyota Corolla is an excellent choice for a long-distance road trip. Its compact size makes it easy to navigate and park, while its durability ensures peace of mind on the open road. However, during an extended journey, I found myself wanting more comfortable and private sleeping accommodations than what the car's small interior could provide. After doing extensive research into various camping solutions, I determined that a rooftop tent was the answer. It offered a comfortable, elevated sleeping platform away from the ground and provided a quick and easy setup. I chose the TentBox GO specifically for its light weight and economical price, making it a practical and accessible option that wouldn't strain the roof or the budget for a smaller vehicle like the Corolla.
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The TentBox GO
The TentBox GO ($1,199, but currently on sale for just $999 from the TentBox website) is a lightweight rooftop tent compatible with most cars, weighing in at just 73 pounds and mountable on a wide variety of vehicles. It features three large windows for excellent outward visibility, and folds down to a wedge shape when you need to pack up camp. In addition, the skylight offers a breathaking view of the night sky. The windows can zip up completely to provide a totally dark interior (great for those who prefer to sleep in!), and vents on either end help prevent condensation.
To make it more comfortable I purchased the accompanying mattress from the TentBox website. The tent's stretchy fabric bottom feels a bit like a camp cot, so the mattress was essential. Another item I added was some rechargeable string lights for illumination.
Assembly and Mounting
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| The TentBox GO set up after assembly. |
One thing to keep in mind is your car's dynamic roof load limit. Not all vehicles are designed to handle the loads of a rooftop tent. Fortunately, the 2023 Corolla has a 165 lb dynamic load rating, so there was no issue for me with the TentBox GO.
Mounting the TentBox to the Corolla's OEM roof bars was not an easy ordeal. Due to the design of the bolts and the low clearance of my roof bars, it took me another hour just to mount the TentBox to the car. Once we got the tent lifted up onto the roof bars, it was a matter of threading eight nuts onto the bolts that slot into the TentBox frame. These nuts have a plastic insert in them to prevent loosening with vibration. These inserts also meant that the nuts cannot be turned by hand. It was quite a tedious process to tighten all the nuts with the ratcheting wrench. Since I did not want to leave the tent on permanently, I decided to purchase some quick release tent mounts from Vanultra, which make installation and removal a breeze.
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| The TentBox GO installed at Kings Canyon National Park |
Real-World Testing
With this setup, I recently traveled to Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, and Pinnacles National Parks with absolutely zero issues. Fuel economy will take a hit due to the extra air resistance, but I still found myself getting around 32 to 35 miles a gallon, while averaging 70 miles an hour (the maximum speed that TentBox recommends). Aside from some wind noise, I barely even noticed that the TentBox was installed.
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| The TentBox GO set up at Millerton Lake State Recreation Area. |
Once I arrive at my campsite, the setup is extremely quick. I remove the travel cover, install the ladder, then reach inside to insert the poles that hold up the tent. The best part is that the TentBox allows you to leave your sleeping bag, mattress, pillow, and blankets inside while it is closed. So to pack up camp the next morning, it's as simple as removing the support poles and placing them on the floor, pushing in the excess tent material, removing and closing the ladder, and putting the travel cover back on. The cover is waterproof and uses zippers, velcro, and a clip at each corner to ensure security while driving. The comfort and warmth afforded by being elevated off the ground allows for a peaceful sleep. Using a simple Kelty sleeping bag, I stayed warm all night, even with temperatures dipping into the mid 40s in the mountains.
Big Picture
In summary, the TentBox GO has proven to be an excellent investment that I look forward to using for many trips to come. Its lightweight design was a crucial factor, making it the perfect choice for a compact car like the Corolla without exceeding the dynamic roof load limit. The peace of mind that comes from being elevated off the ground, safe from critters and uneven terrain, provided a level of comfort and security that is truly unbeatable.