How to Open and Close a Rooftop Tent
30 Avr, 2025
James Baroud rooftop tents are favored for their ease of use, robust build, and convenience for travelers and adventurers. However, even seasoned campers occasionally encounter minor challenges with opening and closing their tents. This guide distills practical insights to optimize your tent setup and takedown, gathered from recent manuals, user experiences, and expert tips.
The Basics
Park Level. A flat surface is essential—not only does this ensure comfort, but it also prevents undue strain on the gas struts and tent hinges. Uneven ground can make setup difficult and lead to premature wear on hardware components.
Check Clearances. Confirm there’s enough overhead clearance to avoid branches or obstacles. Many first-time users underestimate the tent’s height once fully expanded.
Engage Vehicle Brakes. Secure the vehicle with brakes engaged to avoid unintended shifting when climbing in or out.
PRO-TIP: The order in which you open/close the tent latches is critical. During opening, make sure to pop the rear/back latches first, then move to the front. Reverse that order for closing by starting from the front, and moving to the back after that.
PRO-TIP: The tent walls also offer structural support. As such, if all doors and windows are open, the tent will not be fully stable. When closing, it is recommended that you close all windows 100% and close your doors roughly to 75% (roughly where the fabric and the net meet). This will provide support, while leaving an opening for air to flow out.
PRO-TIP: There are scenarios in which the rooftop tent is carrying more weight than expected. For example, when snow is present on top of the tent. Or in the case of the Grand Raid, when a lot of weight is present on the luggage bags. In these scenarios, you might have to gently push up the top of the tent in order to overcome that weight and help the opening mechanism do its job.
Evolution Series
Our James Baroud Evolution Series includes four models: Evasion, Space, Discovery, and Grand Raid. These feature fiberglass shells and are designed for durability and ease of use. They are also available in over 200 custom colors. These tents utilize a system of hydraulic dampers and articulated arms that assist with opening and provide tension to the fabric for superior wind resistance. The videos below show you how to open and close these tents. And we’ve added pro tips below for you to check out. For more detailed information, check out the Evasion/Grand Raid Manual, Discovery Manual, and Space Manual.
PRO-TIP: One of the hassles of closing rooftop tents is bringing all the fabric inside. But in our Evolution series tents, you can save yourself trouble by taking three actions. First, when you’re closing the front of the tent, make sure to pull straight down as opposed to pulling towards you as this will help the fabric gravitate towards the inside. Second, on the sides of the tent, make the fabric goes above the tent arms (not below as that may pinch the fabric and create resistance). Third, closing the rear/back of the tent slowly will avoid pushing air out and keep the fabric inside.
PRO-TIP: If you encounter resistance when closing the rooftop tent, you may be obstructed by an item inside the tent. Open it back up, make sure nothing is in the way of the arms, and try to close it again.
Odyssey and Nova
Now let’s turn our attention to these two rooftop tent models, James Baroud Odyssey and James Baroud Nova. The Frontier Series features a durable shell constructed from a thick ABS with a protective UV coating. This combination of materials ensures exceptional strength and longevity, making these an ideal choice for rugged overlanding expeditions. In terms of fabric, the Frontier Series tents boast a soundproof and blackout fabric, creating a serene and peaceful sleeping environment. This fabric not only blocks out external noise but also effectively eliminates light, allowing for a restful night’s sleep even in bright or noisy surroundings.
The Nova is the easiest tent to open and close due to both the shape – the wedge design makes it so only the rear of the tent need to be opened and closed – and the Frontier latches – made from a strong polymer without the Evolution spring-lock mechanism.
PRO-TIP: If you encounter challenges closing these two tent models and you’re not hearing the « click », you might have to adjust the arm knob. While this comes already pre-set from the factory, we have seen scenarios in which adjustments are needed. You can check out the Odyssey manual for more detail.