NaïtUp, the roof tent for all cars

For people like me who like to sleep in a tent, the roof tent is an attractive product. It offers the pleasure of the canvas, with the ease of use. Especially if you are travelling. However, it has a common flaw: it was only suitable for large vehicles, especially 4x4s. And this is one of the great advantages of the NaïtUp tents. They can be adapted to almost any car. To learn more about NaïtUp tents, we visited the factory in Alès (Gard, Southern-France). A meeting with a team in tune with its times: human and driven by a real concern for the environment. We are waiting for our test of the Duö tent in a few days.

French and eco-responsible production

The idea of NaïtUp was born from the need of two friends (Patrice Brochier and Christophe Soteau) to install a roof tent on their car, a Fiat Panda. As they could only find tents for 4x4s on the market, they decided to create their own. They decided to create their own tent. Sixteen years later, Christophe Soteau left the adventure to travel the world, and NaïtUp has 24 employees and produces 1400 tents per year.

The NaïtUp workshop is located in Alès, in the Gard, in Southern France. A workshop that is living its last hours since, in order to meet the ever increasing demand, the company will soon move to new premises capable of supporting a significant increase in production. But the company will hardly move away. It will remain in Alès. In addition to this geographical location, the company is also economically established in the region and in the country. All of the brand’s subcontractors are located within a 500 km radius (Oyonnax for the plastic, in the Rhône for the steel). Only the fabric is a little further away as it comes from Dunkirk. It has to be said that in order to afford quality tent material, NaïtUp went to Cabanon and its expertise in the field of tent material. For those who like cotton that breathes rather than synthetic that sweats, you can choose your tent with cotton canvas made in Cabanon (paying option).

Read also: Guided tour of the Cabanon factory in Dunkirk

It must be said that NaïtUp is committed to following an eco-responsible policy. Thus, no programmed obsolescence for its tents. They are guaranteed for 5 years and are designed to be easily repairable. In case of a problem, the parts will be sent to you so that you can easily change them. Only major problems warrant a return to the workshop. Also, if the use of plastic could not be avoided, it comes from recycled bottles.

Questions about the life span of La Hussarde tents? A user tells us about his experience with a QUATRÖ TENT since 2016

The advantages of La Hussarde tents

What distinguishes La Hussarde tents from many other tents on the market is their ability to be carried on any type of car. Depending on the model, the weight of the tent varies between 55 kg (Duö) and 85 kg (Quatrö). The advertised driving weights for cars range from 40 kg to 100 kg. The vast majority of vehicles can therefore be equipped with one. The weights mentioned here are the weights when driving. When stationary, the load-bearing capacity of your roof racks is much greater and the Duö will easily accommodate two normal adults… I mean, if you’re going on holiday with the Mountain character from Game of Thrones, you may have to consider another solution for your holiday. But if not, you can go! The Duö supports 200 kg and the Quatrö 250 kg. As you are reminded on the NaïtUp website, a car is designed to roll over and to support its own weight when it is on its roof.

In addition to the weight, a significant issue when buying a tent is the height of the vehicle. In addition to the roof bars, the tent adds 28 cm to the height of your car. On a low car like a Clio for example, this leaves your total height under 2 metres. On the other hand, on taller cars or vans, such as a Berlingo or Kangoo, this brings you to more than 2 metres and prevents you from entering certain car parks. On the other hand, as far as tolls are concerned, it is the vehicle that defines your class, the roof rack is not taken into account. You will therefore remain in category 1.

The other advantage of La Hussarde tents is the ease of opening and closing. It only takes a few seconds to open a Duö and hardly any more time for a Quatrö (see the video, with the opening in real time by one person). And there is no “can’t fold” effect, well known to those who have ever camped with a Queshua 2s. Closing is as easy as opening.

To regulate temperature and condensation, La Hussarde tents have windows with mosquito netting and a ceiling ventilation system. This creates an air flow and evacuates condensation (see video).

The different models of the La Hussarde roof tent

Depending on whether you are travelling alone, as a couple or as a family, there are several La Hussarde tents to suit your needs.

The Duö roof tent is designed for a couple. It is suitable for vehicles with a load capacity of 55 kg and can hold 200 kg when stationary. The inner dimensions are 120 x 210 cm.

The Quatrö roof tent is designed for two adults and two children, or three adults. The difference with the Family is that the sleeping direction is perpendicular to the car, whereas in the Family you sleep in the direction of the car. It is suitable for vehicles that can carry 75 kg. Its interior dimensions are 170 x 220 cm.

The Family roof tent can accommodate two adults and three children. Like the Quatrö, it can be fitted to vehicles that can carry 75kg when rolling. The interior dimensions are 170-210 cm.

For more information, you can consult the website of the roof-tent manufacturer NaïtUp and its very complete FAQ. In a few days we will be testing the Duö roof tent.

Written By

It is because we love traditional camping that we thought of this site. Because we sometimes regret that the rental accommodations now occupy so much space on campsites, we wanted to highlight the sites where tents, caravans and motorhomes are still the majority. And to offer all those who share our love of the outdoor life, a site with travel ideas, technical advice and above all a choice of campsites where it is good to come and put up your caravan or tent.

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