Q. What advantages does a rooftop tent provide?

A. Sleeping above your car or truck may initially seem like a strange idea, but it really makes sense once you learn some of the advantages.
1. Your sleeping surface is always comfortable with no worries about rocks or sticks needing to be cleared under the tent.
2. Sleeping up a few feet helps get you away from most bugs and crawling things in general. This can be very important in some climates where scorpions and snakes live.
3. You can level your vehicle with a rock or block of wood if needed allowing for camping in locations where you could not pitch a tent on non-level ground. This opens up a great many campsites that could not otherwise be used.
4. Cleanliness is improved as you can avoid a muddy tent that must be disassembled and put into a car or truck (often when wet).
5. Space is saved. Having the tent up top frees up valuable space in the interior of the vehicle while improving your sleeping accommodations.
6. It’s cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
7. The view is great!
 

Q. I read that the Oasis 2 can also be used on the ground, if it’s a rooftop tent why would I use it on the ground?

A. The Oasis 2 can be used on the ground. It has folding feet that the tent rests on giving a sleeping area 6-8 inches off the surface of the ground. Generally, you would use this feature when you were camping at a specific site for more than a 1 night and might want to use the truck during that time. Removing the tent allows you to set up a stationary campsite that can be left and returned to intact versus other rooftop tent designs that force you to pack your tent each time you move your vehicle. When you are ready to leave the campsite permanently simply reattach the tent to the car and off you go. You still get the same comfort with your tent, but with the convenience of a fixed campsite when you need it. Finally, the tent can be used as a portable 2 person guest bed at home if needed. Just unfold it and you are ready for overnight company in any room of your house.

Q. How do I mount the tent to my car/truck?

A. Mounting the tent onto the vehicle simply requires a roof rack or crossbar system of some kind. If the vehicle came fitted with a rack from the factory then in most cases the tent can be mounted directly to the rack with the provided hardware. If the vehicle did not come with a rack than a good quality 1 crossbar system such as those manufactured by Thule and Yakima can be used. These racks are readily available at many retailers and can be mounted to virtually any vehicle. As a bonus, these 1 inch racks offer bike, ski, and all sorts of other mounts for when you are not using your tent.

Q. I own a small vehicle, can my car carry the tent or will I have problems?

A. Virtually any vehicle can be fitted with an Oasis tent by using a 1 inch crossbar system. The Oasis is lightweight and should not strain the vehicle while traveling down the highway . Once parked, the static load on the roof is minimal for typical automotive structures and should not cause any difficulties from the weight of sleeping on the roof.

Q. I own a very tall vehicle. How long is the ladder kit for the Oasis?

A. The ladder will extent over 9 feet if needed without modifications or special tools, folding to less than 5 feet when stored. This range will fit almost every car or SUV on the road without problems.

Q. How come the tent has the ends tilting up when open instead of flat?

A. The Oasis tent supports and contours to the body to allow for a natural sleeping position. It is similar to sleeping in an extremely supportive hammock or cot. The head of the tent tilts slightly upward to elevate the sleeper like a pillow. In addition, having the ends tilted increases the strength of the overall tent shell and keeps the fabric taut when open.

Q. What if two people of greatly different weights sleep in the tent? Will the lighter person be rolled into the heavier one?

A. The tent “flooring” is actually split into two sections (one for each person) that are isolated from each other via a center support beam. Beyond this, each side of the flooring material is woven using a heavy elastic cord that can be easily adjusted for tension to increase or decrease the firmness of the sleeping surface as desired or needed for weight differences.

Q. Other rooftop tents have a mattress, how come the Oasis 2 does not?

A. Other rooftop tents use a heavy plywood floor for their sleeping base. They need a mattress to get some comfort from the sleeping area. The Oasis is a much newer, more sophisticated design utilizing modern nylon webbing for the sleeping area. This nylon webbing conforms to your body while also supporting it very evenly. The result is that a simple sleeping bag is usually plenty to keep a person sleeping very comfortably.

Q. If the Oasis doesn’t need a mattress how come you offer one?

A. Generally, the optional self-inflating mattress is only needed in extremely cold environments where additional insulation is needed. It is also desirable for those who prefer a very cushioned mattress.

Q. How does the tent cover work on the Oasis II?

A. The tent cover is a fitted piece of heavy waterproof material utilizing nylon straps and clips for retention. Just unclip the straps and the cover removes completely to be folded flat and stored away. Installation is very easy! Simply drape the cover over the folded tent and snap the clips together. Unlike other rooftop tents, there are no cumbersome zippers or difficult to use ratchet straps.

Q. Is the Oasis II tent rainproof?

A. The Oasis II tent is made from 300 D polyurethane coated nylon. The fabric is waterproof and will keep the interior dry even in severe weather. Adding the included rainfly/sunshade in harsh weather will further eliminate the possibility of having moisture in the tent.

Q. Other Rooftop tents use heavier fabric than the Oasis. Why does the Oasis only use 300 D fabric.

A. 300D is extremely durable and yet lightweight. It provides excellent waterproofing but allows for good ventilation and condensation control. Our research has shown that heavier fabric can become very “stuffy” in warm moist weather making for a very uncomfortable night’s sleep as well as leading to condensation buildup inside the tent.

Q. I’ve seen other rooftop tents balloon up when driving down the highway, will the Oasis have this problem?

A. No, the Oasis is very low profile and with its tightly fitted cover will not balloon up when traveling at highway speeds.

Q. Is the Oasis II tent difficult to close after a night of rain and will it warp from the trapped moisture?

A. No. The aluminum perimeter frame construction will not warp like traditional style rooftop tents made with plywood baseboards. This combined with an extremely simple, but effective opening retention system allows the Oasis to be opened or closed under extreme conditions with ease while standing on the ground.

Q. Will the hardware and frame rust or corrode from exposure to the elements?

A. The construction of the Oasis 2 uses powder-coated aluminum for the frame and non- corroding materials for the flooring and tent fabric. Stainless steel is used for the U-bolt clamps provided to ensure years of use without problems.

Q. How hard is the tent to keep clean and can it be repaired?

A. Virtually every component of the Oasis 2 can be serviced if needed without special tools. The upper tent “clothes” can be removed in a few minutes to allow for cleaning if needed.

Q. What is the warranty on the Oasis 2 rooftop tent?

A. The tent comes with a 2 year limited warranty covering defects in workmanship or materials.

Q. What is an Oasis 1 tent? I’ve seen some pictured in the photo section of the web site.

A. The Oasis 1 is the original Oasis design. After several years of development the Oasis 2 has been introduced with a variety of improvements over the original design.